Toronto’s '70s-inspired alt-rock artist Alex Gage shares new single ‘September, Julia (feat. Ang)’
Alex Gage is a Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and composer. Writing primarily under his own name and for his band “Alex Gage’s Flagship”, he’s become known for an exciting, sometimes complex, but easily accessible musical style with a deep debt to the music of the 1970s.
His newest offering, "September, Julia (feat. Ang)", out on the first day of fall, September 22, 2024 via Quarterdeck Records, is an anthemic rock epic — inspired by greats like Queen and Fleetwood Mac. In a 3-act structure, “September, Julia” opens with a reflective piano introduction, then dives into the full band sound of bass, drums, guitar, and spacious synth over the first verses. The song works itself up over the bridge into collapse, then from out of the void, the song explodes into its final and most epic act.
In addition to performing all of the instruments on the track himself, the production of "September, Julia" reflects Gage’s meticulous attention to detail as the sole songwriter, producer, and recording engineer. The song features lead vocals of Canadian singer Ang, with Gage's vocals woven into the mix:
"I did a pass at the vocal line but it didn’t feel right.", shares Gage "This is when I asked my very old friend Ang to collaborate on the song. We made a weekend of it: we hung out, she learned the song, we watched a masterpiece of Canadian cinema (The 20th Century), and the next day we went into my little home studio for a couple hours. She sang, gave it what she had in the moment, and it was beautiful.”
The song's genesis dates back a few years to a period of intense emotional upheaval for Gage, during which he grappled with significant life changes along with physical and mental health challenges. Gage shares, "September, Julia" is a catharsis about the death of personal pasts and the rebirth that comes with letting go of what is already gone and embracing loss. You find something really powerful left at the bottom of all that.
I originally wrote it at the end of an intense burst of songwriting during a brutal time in my life. I was still fighting my way out of two years of serious, deepening clinical depression, feeling lost at the abrupt end to a 7 ½ year relationship, and confronting the reality of facing a lifetime with physical disability while struggling to get my master’s thesis over the line as my degree dragged out. It all came to a head in this burst of energy, a batch of songs broke the surface that had a different feel about them: intense, unhinged, and claustrophobic, like some kind of bender.
Then, when I thought it was over, in a new voice came that opening line, “If you’re not around, why should I put up with the sound of leaves falling into the breeze?” Matured, seasoned. It sounds a little far-out, but you could almost say that this one was written by my anima. I don’t say that to distance myself from it; it was just clear to me at the time where inside this was coming from, a different voice.”
“September, Julia” is more than just a song; it’s a reflection of Gage’s resilience and the beauty found in embracing life’s changes — a testament to how we can find strength and renewal in the midst of uncertainty and loss.
