Meet Jules Ramirez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jules Ramirez.

Jules, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
“That dude’s a hoe – jackin’ my swag from years ago.” While all the kids were falling in love with skateboarding, I was falling in love with The Beatles. I would throw on a bunch of their records and pretend to play air guitar using this skateboard I had. When I finally got a real guitar, I immersed myself completely in everything that was music.

I loved nostalgia, and I always wanted to evoke that same familiar feeling with any music I’d write. I’m an old soul. The vibe is the most important part, and it’s been really comfortable for me because I’m being myself in these songs. The retro style just comes out naturally because it’s who I am. You can often find me scattered around Los Angeles searching for vintage Levi’s bellbottom jeans and original first pressings of vinyl records. It’s always been my mission to bring back more of that spirit from a lot of older music.

Being a solo artist makes it really easy for me to record the exact album I wanna make. By playing all the instruments myself, I can ensure that everything about the soundscape is the way I hear it in my head. It’s the reason why I track, mix, and master everything myself – it’s a really personal thing. They’re how I get those traumatic experiences out of my system. They’re not just songs for me. That’s why when I play these songs live with other musicians, it’s refreshing to hear their version of it. The performances are a collective experience between us and the audience. The most exciting part of it all is the energy we share together. I might change up a lyric or throw in a guitar solo where one wasn’t on the album, but that’s the whole point – to be involved incredibly in the moment.

At an early age, I taught myself how to use recording and production software, such as Pro Tools, Ableton, Reason, and FL Studio. I also had lots of experience doing live sound and performing with my father’s band. With him being a popular bassist and songwriter in Miami in the 1970s, he shaped me and gave me the tools to become who I am today.

I took my knowledge of audio engineering and music even further when I decided to attend The Los Angeles Recording School. I met several professors there who gave me the strength and courage to believe in myself. Having been around audio my entire life, I consider the personal words I’ve shared with professors to be the most important things I’ve ever been taught about art.

After excessively delaying my debut album’s release, I had finally had it with my insecurities that I had been carrying with me my whole life. I wanted my album to sound like me, and I didn’t want to make any mistakes. I put everything into it and you can hear it in the tracks. It’s a really honest album.

With my debut album, the “Jules” LP, being out for a little over a month now, I can finally take a step back from it and see years of my life as a tracklist.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think I would have enjoyed everything as much if it wasn’t such a challenge. What makes music really exciting for me is the fact that I get to really put my skills to use. With audio engineering specifically, I’m always feeling challenged. Problems are always expected, but in order to succeed, you have to know how to handle them. I enjoy the balance of things. It’s all a part of yin and yang.

My biggest struggles were to get things sounding good sonically. I had these songs that I just didn’t feel confident about because the mixes weren’t up to par with my standards. I’m really critical on myself and I wanted my songs to be taken seriously. I didn’t want quality to be an issue and at the time, they didn’t compete with commercial mixes.

I spent a lot of time doing over the mixes of songs, reaching as much as 40 revisions a song. There’s a lot of songs left unfinished from that time period that are just sitting there in their Pro Tools sessions. They may never come out. The songs on the final album are totally different from when I first started this journey in 2012.

Since then, I’ve managed to develop a system that works for me consistently. Now, I always write and record comfortably and it shows in the music.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m known for bringing nostalgic vibes through my music and aesthetic and doing so with a skillful, and creative attitude. I make music that sounds classic, but modern as well. I’ve always felt like an outsider, so to able to make music for people who may not have something to relate to is the best thing for me. The music is so different yet familiar, and it’s intentional. I take a lot of inspiration from bands such as The Beatles, The Cure, The Strokes, The Smiths, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and many other classic bands. This is in addition to interests in a wide variety of genres. So it makes sense that these songs would hit home.

I’m using music to capture my life experiences. In that, the music is honest. I wouldn’t want to put something out if it didn’t feel right. From the album cover art, down to the order of the tracks – it’s all conceptualized to flow properly.

I wanted to put out something that was high quality and that made me feel the same way all my favorite albums did. I just wasn’t relating with most modern music, and since I couldn’t find anything new, I had to make it.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
What’s appealing to most people is that sense of nostalgia that makes them feel comfortable. It’s all about having fun in a safe space. There’s no judgment. Just be yourself.

The level of care and passion that goes into everything that gets put out is what makes the difference. That’s not something you can fake, and I’d like to imagine that comes across well. It’s a party and everyone’s invited. Be there or be square, man.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.audiojules.com
• Email: audiojules@hotmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audiojules/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audiojules
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/audiojules
• Other: https://ampl.ink/d8EOJ

Image Credit:
Chris Ram

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