About Michael Percy
Film Composer – Songwriter – Recording Artist
– Electric, Acoustic & Bass Guitars
– Keyboards & Synthesizers
– Drum Programming
– Audio Engineering & Mixing
My Story In Music
Music has been my passion since I picked up the guitar back in 1994. I was just 14 years old and completely captivated by the sounds I could make with a beat-up old Fender Squier Stratocaster I bought from a friend for $35… amplifier included.
Shortly after learning guitar I formed a band with high school classmate Ricardo Vasquez. We called ourselves “The Candyland Rejects”… which looking back makes sense because we probably sounded much like a bunch of musical rejects at the time!
While that band didn’t last long, we did compete in a “battle of the bands” at a local high school and consequently got about 2 seconds of airtime on the local news station that was covering the event. It was the height of our careers!
“Gilby Clarke was a major influence to me. He played shows at The Mason Jar in those days and I started going to see him when I was just 16 years old. He autographed stuff for us and even let me play one of his Les Pauls backstage once or twice… which totally inspired me to be a true rockstar like you wouldn’t believe. He was a legend to me.”
I soon began going to live shows and playing guitar in the late 90’s Phoenix/Tempe music scene… which in those days was ripe with a wide array of very talented, super-cool alternative, grunge, industrial, punk, ska and metal bands… and the droves of local music fans that religiously went to see them.
Some of my favorite bands to come out of this era include the Beat Angels, The Refreshments, the Meat Puppets, Opiate For The Masses, and a few more I probably can’t remember but will update when I do.
Hitting The Stage
Eventually some friends and I formed a 6-piece band that we called “Bottled Fusion“… which attempted to meld widely diverse range of musical styles like hip-hop, classic rock, metal, pop, & alternative grooves.
We actually went on to win first place a “battle of the bands” hosted at the Mesa Amphitheater. That netted us some free studio time that led to our self-titled demo CD… along with a few plays on the alternative radio station’s Sunday-night local band spotlight. Bottled Fusion also opened up for P.O.D. at the Mason Jar (now called Rebel Lounge) around 1999… shortly after they had been signed to Atlantic Records, as well as for Vanilla Ice (also at the Mason Jar) in the summer of 2000.
Music Business 101
Bottled Fusion didn’t last forever. As life goes, our paths were diverging… and I had began writing for a local band known as Trik Turner, who had a much larger and more dedicated following than most other bands in the scene at that time. In fact, Trik Turner’s high-energy rock-infused-hip-hop stylings landed them a deal with RCA records in 2001… with my contribution, “Sacrifice“, taking a role as the to-be 2nd single (second in line to the band’s first single: “Friends & Family”).
Although I wrote and recorded the guitar parts & chords for most of “Sacrifice”, I was informed by the band and RCA Records’ lawyer that they would not allow for me to be included as an independent songwriter nor receive credit or royalties as such… and that I had to sign the rights to the song and any royalties over or it would be kicked off the album.
I was devastated… but Trik Turner graciously arranged to pay me for the song and studio time outright and to list my name in the “Thank You” section of their album notes. They made me a very generous offer that I accepted despite feeling a bit put-off at the time… mainly because I wanted the credit and royalties.
Such is the music business!
Unfortunately, Trik Turner broke up and then later reformed and recorded a new album, but without much success… and “Sacrifice” never saw much airplay, if any… which is a shame regardless… I wanted them to go on to greatness.
Shortly after that I left Phoenix and music altogether and completely changed my life… leaving my “rockstar” dreams behind for many years. In fact, it wouldn’t be until reconnecting with Ricardo Vasquez over 15 years later that I would begin seriously writing and performing music again.
Living The Dream
These days I’m writing and recording music for video/film along with songs for my personal “rockstar” album that may (or may not) get released someday…
…but until then, thank you for visiting & reading… please enjoy my works… and if you wish to contact me about writing music for your film or video project, visit the contact section and drop me a line!
Be Blessed!
