Rising Stars: Meet Brian Ishiba of Chatsworth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Ishiba.

Hi Brian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I picked up the guitar for the first time in my senior year of high school after watching a video of Randy Rhoads playing Crazy Train. He made playing the guitar look awesome! It was a terrible way to learn the instrument though, I probably should have started with something a little more beginner friendly.
Then in college I was exposed to the music that would really shape my tastes going forward (emo, punk, indie). Mercifully, the music was significantly more approachable. In a lot of ways I feel like punk is really inviting. The songs are simple and they sort of encourage you to take part in the culture/tradition. I started writing when I was in my junior year of college. The songs were pretty dreadful, but I had a friend who was really encouraging. Looking back, without that encouragement I don’t know if I would have kept going.
After graduating I decided to pursue music more earnestly. Without any guidance I kind of just threw myself at being an “artist”. I had no idea what I was doing and took a lot of lumps along the way. I just kept trying stuff and putting myself out there until I made some great friends who really supported me and shared their experience with me. Eventually making a “proper” recording seemed like the logical next step, but my first experiences in the studio were pretty unpleasant. I think that had more to do with my inexperience than anything, but I just didn’t want to have other people record me after that. That lead me down the path of learning as much as I could about recording and music in general. It ended up being a pretty circuitous path, but I’ve enjoyed the ride!

Alright, 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?
Not even at all haha! The first 10 years especially were nothing but friction. I don’t come from a musical background and I’m terrible at asking for help so I just didn’t know anything. I lucked out in getting to be around very patient and cool people but my lack of musical ability was especially painful. On top of that, being in LA I was constantly encountering people who were more talented, more hardworking, more business savvy, wealthier, better connected, and more beautiful on a daily basis. It’s quite humbling to be a small fish in an enormous pond.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a songwriter, producer and engineer. My main creative project is called Joy Weather. If I had to pick, I’d say I specialize in indie music. Songs that are driven by guitar but the vocals are the main attraction. I think I’m most proud of being the type of person that my peers reach out to now. My friends that I really respect and who’s work I enjoy have invited me to work with with them on their music and that really means the world to me. As far as what sets me apart from others, I’ve been told on many occasions that I’m very patient. I don’t know that I feel it, but I’ve heard it enough that I’m inclined to believe it.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I’ve really enjoyed the work of Jamelle Bouie and Tressie McMillan Cottom, particularly in the past year or so. In these chaotic times, it’s helpful to hear clear-headed and insightful analyses of the state of the country.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyweathermusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joyweathermusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/19o8Aj8UWOcYetH5M1wfdO?si=QbEYaU9HTgOF3DI814XWjA

Image Credits
Photo 4: Edward Baida