Niles artist releases first solo album

Brent Walsh, lead singer and guitarist of I the Mighty – a post­hardcore band, studies the outside of a brown box he received in the mail.

“Ah, nice,” he says as he pulls the contents from its package. A bit of satisfaction fills his voice. He holds the guitar pedal in the air and shows it off to his friends. It is a Polyphonic Octave Generator 2, otherwise known as a POG2.

The guitar pedal alters the sound of the instrument, dispensing a deep symphonic harmony or big bass tone through the amp. The plug from the amp to the guitar click together, and Walsh’s focus immediately turns to the guitar in his hands.

“I was singing all the time, according to my mom. Since I was like two, I was always singing,” he said.

On Nov. 10, Walsh is releasing his first solo record, “7.” The 27-year­ old found his love for music in the grassy hills of his hometown Niles, a little known part of Fremont. The new album represents the relationships and experiences Walsh has collected throughout years of playing music.

The new record—released by Equal Vision Records features the eclectic sounds of acappella singing, R&B styles, acoustic and electric guitars, alongside percussion and string instruments, illuminating the influences behind Walsh’s free flow style.

“It really is all over the place, because it’s so many years’ worth of material, and I just grabbed the ones I liked,” he said.

“Default World” is Walsh’s favorite song. It tells his tales of Burning Man, a weeklong annual event that showcases artwork and self-expression in the desert of Black Rock City, Nev.

Walsh’s free spirit and humble beginnings are reflected in his lyrics. And while he sings about his home in the desert, there are bits and pieces of Niles throughout the album.

“It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Hence, the name ‘7,’ it’s seven years worth of material,” said the singer.

This history starts with Ian Pedigo, the band’s guitarist, a band that has shared the stages with the likes of Hawthorne Heights, There For Tomorrow, and Deftones.

Pedigo and Walsh attended Niles Elementary, Centerville Junior High, and Washington High School together. They are now roommates.

“Even in high school, actually, Ian and I would come home at midnight on a Monday night because we went to an open mic,” said Walsh.

They performed open mics at Blake’s on Telegraph– a staple in Berkeley that closed in 2011.

The two are like brothers who share the same closet—both sporting tight jeans and print shirts. Walsh’s sleeves are rolled at the edges, giving him a greaser look to his tie-dye wolf shirt.
Pedigo is slightly shorter than Walsh, and has longer darker hair pushed off to the left.

His freshman year Walsh, Pedigo, and drummer David Kochley formed a band. “It was really, really, bad,” Walsh said laughing at the thought.

Walsh says the group split up because they wanted to attend college. Walsh and Pedigo stayed local to pursue their music careers. While enrolled in California State University, East Bay, the band was signed to FM Records.

The open mics at Blake’s on Telegraph had paid off and attracted the record label’s attention.

The duo dropped out of college to do music full time.

The two hit a roadblock right before the release of their self­titled EP, when they were dropped from the record label.

Walsh and Pedigo–then 19 years old, had a difficult time recovering from what seemed like a promising deal. It would not be the first time they would experience the struggles of the music industry.

“So nine months of recording, $2,500 of lawyer fees and about over a year of my life, basically was nothing,” Walsh said about being dropped from the label. He explains bands have no control over contracts.

“If the label wants to drop you than they can. They hold power of the contract,” said Walsh. “It was a little disheartening,” he said, with a trembling voice.

Walsh wrote a majority of his solo album as he and Pedigo were trying to define themselves as serious musicians. Later they picked up bassist Chris Hinkley and drummer Blake Dahlinger and formed I the Mighty.

They signed with Talking House Records located in San Francisco and released their first record, “We Speak,” in 2010, which helped build their listener base.

The company went bankrupt and Equal Vision Records, a New York-based company known for their punk and metal bands, soon signed the band.

I The Mighty will play a sold-out show at Slim’s in San Francisco tomorrow, Nov. 7.