Exclusive Interview with JAMES HARO IN STORAGE

James Haro In Storage is a music project that began underground in a literal storage room. Haro crafts emotive lyrics and creates powerful, exhilarating music. Haro has Mexican roots and was born and raised in Los Angeles now based in Philly. Check out the exclusive Interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: Thanks for having me, Illustrate Magazine! So I am from Los Angeles County, more specifically San Gabriel, CA which is my hometown. My family is Mexican and has roots in East Los Angeles, specifically in the neighborhood of City Terrace (which inspires the title of one of my songs), where my parents met and started their life together. My music side has pretty much always been a part of me and I like to share that one of my earliest memories is riding in the car with my mom in her black Mustang and belting songs from Green Day cassettes, like 4 years old at the time singing about things way too explicit for my age.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: In terms of songwriting and playing guitar I am very self-taught. As recent as the Covid lock-down I have done more to supplement my knowledge of scales and music theory by watching YouTube channels, not that I am anywhere past Kindergarten level with soloing and things, but I get by. That said, I’ve always had a good ear and had a good instinct for how to write hooks and licks. I’ve had mentors along the way as well who have helped me find my musical voice, including Martha Eies (also known as Red 40) who I connected with in Philly.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘JAMES HARO IN STORAGE’?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: I don’t think I’ve shared the name origin story yet! As far as musical influences, definitely 2000s pop-punk and the music I heard on KROQ growing up (The Killers, No Doubt). In my teens and 20s some ex-girlfriends put me on to more hearty music like Sprinsteen and moody acoustic driven indie rock. One past love in high school introduced me to Rilo Kiley, who have been very important in my music journey, and Jenny Lewis in particular. Jenny gets a name drop in my song “Verses”. The name James Haro In Storage came during the pandemic. I was living in the first apartment that my now fiancee and I had together. During lockdown I would go and play music in our storage room so as not to bother her while she was working. I stole a page out of Dan Andriano’s (from Alkaline Trio) book and went with the “Name-of-Artist In …” template – he had his project Dan Andriano in the Emergency Room. So, James Haro In Storage was born from that. Also, I discovered Frank Black from Pixies has a song called “My Life is In Storage” and that also has a little to do with why I claimed the name.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: I really want my lyrics to be unique while also staying relatable and meaningful. I love the wordsmith stream of consciousness style of songwriting with super specific details and references but I’m not sure I ever really get there with my own stuff. I enjoy the craft of rhyming and finding the right meter for lyrics, it’s just so satisfying when the pieces eventually fall into place. In terms of what should resonate – I tend to tell stories about identity, belonging, and resilience. I try to remain hopeful and sincere while also not being prescriptive or overly sentimental. The music and melody comes from I don’t know where. I figure out what’s fun and dynamic and the direction it goes is where it goes.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as ROCK?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: I mean, my music is rooted in the energy and emotion of pop-punk, and I think Say Anything is one of those acts that just thrilled me as a young dude. Motion City Soundtrack also had that spunk and accessibility that I really enjoyed. I really think that the seasoning of lived experience and how you express that through your own influences is what makes interesting and impactful songs. All that to say, my development is ongoing and my “style” is just whatever I can master on a given day.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE:

I see music as a powerful way to explore both personal and cultural narratives. For me, being a music artist is a way to claim my personhood and speak to broader themes of identity and belonging so others can feel understood. There are definitely some political edges to some songs I haven’t recorded or shared yet. I think monsters are real, I think power corrupts, and I think art can be that spark to keep going and join or stay in the fight. I think artists who write get to decide whether they’d prefer for their words to be hung over the toilet in a mansion or scribbled on a poster for a protest and take it from there.

7. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud, or significant point in your life or music career so far?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE:

One of the most significant moments in my career was the creation and premiere of GO AHEAD at the 2022 Philly Fringe Fest. It was so important for me to not just remain a music artist behind a screen trying to navigate social media as a performance venue. Post-Covid lockdown I needed to know that my music had more than just a digital life and that I could tell stories and introduce myself to others without kowtowing to the algorithm.

Additionally, the process of independently producing and releasing the songs in my debut E.P. felt like a significant achievement.

From the initial concept to recording at Headroom Studios and working closely with collaborators like producer Robby Webb, it was a full-circle moment that highlighted the power of collaboration and perseverance.

8. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: Criticism is inevitable, but I think I’m pretty honest with myself about what rings true and what doesn’t. There are the things you can help and the things you can’t. My focus is on creating music that feels true to me and resonates with the people who need to hear it. The rest is just melted ice cream and I’ll leave that for the ants.

9. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: There’s something magical about performing live and being in that flow state. And even more so when you miss a note or need to correct on the fly and you just do it and there’s no time to think. That space with the audience, especially when you can surprise or get a little yelp or woo out of folks is just an unmatched experience.

10. Do you think it is important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

JAMES HARO IN STORAGE: Important? No. While my songs are drawn from the personal, I think the beauty of music is that it can be background noise or a life raft. I think the self-fulfilling prophecy that I crave is to make and perform songs that get folks to belt out the words in their car, or walking down the road, or at a show.