Meet Jackson Cloud

We were lucky to catch up with Jackson Cloud recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jackson, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?

As a musician I can spend many hours in the studio working on tracks trying to get them as close to perfect as possible but if I didn’t have a physical outlet I’m not sure how creative I would be. I know I definitely wouldn’t be as happy and content. I’m an avid rock climber. I train 3 to 4 days a week anywhere between 2 to 4 hours at each session. I train at a very high level, I even have some sponsors that supply my gear. I have considered participating in climbing competitions, however I realized that might side track me from my number one passion, which is recording and performing music. At times I’ve wondered if all the hours spent training has been an avoidance to my number one passion and maybe it has, however I also realize how much confidence I have gained though training as well as realizing the fact that if the work gets put in anything is possible. I now know that if I’m getting discouraged in the studio working on a track that I can keep moving toward it like it’s a rock climb and I will eventually conquer it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a musician living in Boulder Colorado. Music has always been a passion starting in elementary school. My first instrument in second grade was a drumset and I was so excited to play for all to hear, however I was extremely saddened when the neighbors called the police on me for being too loud, and not just once. This discouraged me so much that I would not play a set again until high school. Next was piano and my dad put Bach sheet music in front of me and helped me to start reading music. That was painful. He would say learn this one line of music and play it for me when I return. He would return 20 minutes later and find me with my head on the keys snoring away. Not soon after I went to the same piano, ignoring the sheet music I started to play. I realized the music I wanted to hear was already in me and that was a real turning point. Guitars were next and they became a go to instrument for writing songs. As my dad noticed that I was writing songs and playing rock covers he decided to pick up the bass and then he found me a drummer and we started playing live. I played 100’s of venues, events, and festivals through my middle and high school years. We all played together right up until Covid and then everything came to a halt.

Taking a few years off and hardly touching an instrument including my voice, except to sing in the car to my favorite songs, ended up being great motivation. One day I felt fresh and ready to go again. This time I was ready to focus on all originals and spend a lot of time in the studio. I wanted a full album and that’s exactly what I did. The album is called “Twisted Faces”. I also produced a single called “I Love You Sometimes” in the same sessions. Everything you hear and see on the album is from me. I wanted to hear what was in my head coming out of the stereo and I finally got it.

“Twisted Faces” offers a wide range of genres from synth heavy electronic tracks, melancholic melodies with touching lyrics, to smooth heavy metal with exciting and explosive guitar solos. My new single “I Love You Sometimes”, an oasis of familiar retro — floating beats and vocals recalling 70’s-80’s morsels set in a current rock — pop milieu, a song that one writer noted has “one of the most provocative song titles in forever”.

I also write and compose soundtracks for films. Samples of my work are on my website jackson-cloud.com!

I am currently playing live shows again as a solo musician and have started looking for musicians that can perform my album live. Excited to hear it live someday soon!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I do feel I was born with the gift of music in me, however I do believe I’ve had to hone every skill whether it’s something that comes easy to me or not. I’m grateful for being born with perfect pitch, however if I don’t practice voice work regularly I definitely can’t reach the places I want to go, live or in the studio. I also feel I have a good work ethic. When I’m in the studio I have a hard time leaving until the sound coming back at me through the speakers is what I’m hearing in my head. Sometimes I don’t even like calling it work. It just is what it is, and it needs to get done. It almost feels that in the studio there doesn’t seem to be linear time, and sometimes it feels that way on stage as well. Maybe my work ethic is really a necessity, and if it’s a necessity then there is no “job” to get accomplished and that is why it never feels like work.

I’m also very grateful that I can pick up any instrument and within a reasonable amount of time produce sounds that I can use on my songs. Some people would say this comes easy to me and maybe by comparison that might be true, but once I pick up an instrument I don’t put it down until I’m satisfied hearing something come out of it that makes sense to me, and sometimes that can be a cover of a tune that I’ve already heard. This again doesn’t feel like work.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

As I’ve mentioned I am currently playing live shows as a solo act, however I have started the process of auditioning musicians that could perform my album live. I am looking for a drummer, bass player, extra guitarist, and background vocalists. I’ve found a solid, motivated sound guy that could hit the road with us just need to find the correct players. My music is not always easy to play and I do have a level of expertise that I expect in band members. I hope this doesn’t sound arrogant, just trying to be honest. If I do find the band mates to perform with I’d be psyched to collaborate with them on the next album. I have had fantasies of touring since I was a little guy and I believe the time is close at hand.

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