George Tisdale: Life Without Limitations
If you think about the “Superman” concept, the reality is that anyone can be “super” if he so chooses. The true power lies in the choice.
Years ago, retro urban rocker George Tisdale chose to pursue greatness. And today, through his music, he's headed up to the sky…determined to free others on the way.
Up in the sky//I fly so high//dangers everywhere//peace is on the rise//Oh, I hear pride's cries//help is on the way//don’t even sigh//now since I heard the sirens of the heart//don’t be alarmed, this is just a part of life that we go through//the power of choice is on you//so let me be your hero//just bring down your ego//you don’t have to be a zero//free your mind and let it flow….
From the track, “Hero”
Inspiring heroes, rescuing lost minds and liberating weary souls is all in a day’s work for George Tisdale who is destined for the world’s stage.
“When I did ‘Hero,’ I was looking at a sign literally while I was up in this penthouse, and I thought, ‘If people would just unlock the inner hero.’ Everyone is a hero in a way, no matter what they may think. Everyone has that quality.”
Letting passion take the lead, Tisdale further explains the song’s lyrics: “In that first verse, I’m talking about myself being a hero to help save these people and get them on a positive track. I’m flying through the sky, you know. George Tisdale is here. But you gotta choose; the power of choice is on you. You gotta choose to do what’s right or better yourself or you can go the other way.”
“Many people have just lost their sense of freedom. They let people take away their freedom. If people could realize they are free, there would be less killing, rape, abuse. It’s going on every second of the day. You can choose to say ‘I’m not taking this anymore.’ It’s your choice to do what you have to do. The second part of the verse, I start listing issues, like broke, sick, tired. That ain’t nothing. I know you broke, sick and tired, but you can beat that.”
The Born Free Movement
Rockers, funk enthusiasts and alternative soul lovers can brace themselves for the coming of a musicality that blends a life without limitations message with the funkiness Tisdale believes people have forgotten about. His psychedelic grooves and vintage, edgy style draw comparisons to some of the industry’s greatest musical figures—like Lenny Kravitz, Prince and George Clinton. I picture any one or all three of these music masters spicing up their playlists with tracks from Tisdale’s highly anticipated debut album “Liberation,” which is due out this summer and is the first in a four-part phase of the “Born Free” project.
“When I first started this, I knew I had to get a message out. And God gave me the title ‘Born Free.’ The acronym for the project is LIFE—Liberation, Independence, Faith, Emancipation. It’s all about a born free life.”
The buzz swirling around Tisdale’s debut project recently led to a deal with Murray Media Music of Atlanta, who sealed an international distribution agreement with Crownn Recording Group of Munich, Germany to release all four phases of “Born Free.” And as weeks count down the launch of “Liberation,” Tisdale is already in L.A. working on Phase 2, “Independence.”
“‘Liberation’ is dope, but ‘Independence’ is going to be bananas. Each phase is going to get better and better. This is going to be Gnarles Barkley, meets Eric Clapton, meets the Beatles, meets some ole funky, foot-stompin’, blues type…I mean, it’s something serious. It’s going to really blow people’s minds away.”
Choosing Rock
Defying what most would expect from him as an African-American musician, singer and songwriter, George Tisdale stepped out to pursue a different path for his musical career. Many artists he knew naturally gravitated toward soul and jazz—including family members uncle Wayman Tisdale (contemporary jazz) and cousin Keite Young (soul artist on Hidden Beach). But even these influences weren’t strong enough to keep Tisdale from going left.
After studying jazz, gospel, R&B and classical music, he jumped into the history of classic rock-n-roll and became absorbed. Travelling to LA, New York and Europe further exposed him to different styles and piqued his interest to unite his trained vocal talents with the energy that rock music brings.
Despite opinions, Tisdale moved forward, dubbed himself the “innovator of retro urban rock,” connected with a talented team of creative minds, including producer Simon Illa, and proceeded to write music and messages that would define the George Tisdale vibe.
One song, in particular, addresses doubters and skeptics looming near and far.
“‘Dream Snatchers’ is talking about how we are trying to get ahead and there’s people that’s actually praying against us; they hatin’ on us. ‘They hate across the lands and across the seas, but they can’t do me, they can’t see me, they can’t be me.’ That’s for all the people who are hatin’ in general. Because when God starts blessing his people, folks hate—people talk about you…your family, your friends, whoever.”
"The power in this music."
George Tisdale is quite ambitious. While many musicians prefer not to leisurely listen to their own work, he hits play on his songs weekly. “I love to hear my own music; it gets me motivated. It’s very inspiring.”
Musically, the Dallas native wants to be the next Jimi Hendrix. Lyrically, he wants to change the world.
“We want to empower the people—every single race. When music comes on, everyone can relate. People in Japan can learn English lyrics and sing them. People will be learning these songs and empowering themselves and don’t even realize it. They are speaking life into themselves. If you listen to bad music and you sing bad stuff, that spirit will come up on you. You live it. So with this, I really believe it’s going to change some lives. It’s going to change the world, I can feel it."
“The Beatles created a movement. And that’s what I’m trying to do. George Tisdale is trying to create a movement of freedom across this country. Like Barack is doing 'change', I’m trying to create this movement of 'freedom'. It goes right along with what he’s doing. The timing is crazy...releasing this album, and the election going on...it's all good timing; it really is, because people are needing to hear this. There are people in the war right now that will get this music. The soldiers will have this on their iPods in the trenches. And they’ll listen to this music and say, ‘I’m going to make it home to my family.’ That’s the power in this music.”
©2008 VERTICAL FIX, LLC
