Soave Martinez on his first brush with the freestyle music world:
“My
girlfriend and I had just broken up and I found out that she was going to be at
the Puerto Rican Day Parade, so I figured my friend and I could go and we would
run into her. I had never been to this parade before, so I had no idea just how
massive it was. I was thinking it would be just a couple of blocks and I’d run
into her when really it was hundreds of thousands of people (laughing). So we
went and it didn’t take me long to figure out that I was never going to run
into her so we decided to just enjoy the moment. As we were walking my buddy
was taking flyers from everyone that was handing them out. He had a stack of
flyers in his hands and I looked at the last one that was handed to him and it
was little pictures of about 25 different acts all in a big square. It was for
a Puerto Rican Day Parade after-party at Club Broadway 96.
girlfriend and I had just broken up and I found out that she was going to be at
the Puerto Rican Day Parade, so I figured my friend and I could go and we would
run into her. I had never been to this parade before, so I had no idea just how
massive it was. I was thinking it would be just a couple of blocks and I’d run
into her when really it was hundreds of thousands of people (laughing). So we
went and it didn’t take me long to figure out that I was never going to run
into her so we decided to just enjoy the moment. As we were walking my buddy
was taking flyers from everyone that was handing them out. He had a stack of
flyers in his hands and I looked at the last one that was handed to him and it
was little pictures of about 25 different acts all in a big square. It was for
a Puerto Rican Day Parade after-party at Club Broadway 96.
I was a fan
of freestyle first before I ever even considered performing it. I really liked
established acts like Noel, TKA and Trilogy. They weren’t on the flyer, but my
father was the head of security at Club Broadway 96, so I knew that even though
we were underage we would be able to get in because he would hook us up. We
headed down to the club, had dinner and then we ended up backstage so I got to
meet all of the artists as they were coming through. Since I was broken up with
my girlfriend, I took autographed photos from each of the acts and I decided
that I was going to mail them all to her on Monday, hoping that would get her
back (laughing).
of freestyle first before I ever even considered performing it. I really liked
established acts like Noel, TKA and Trilogy. They weren’t on the flyer, but my
father was the head of security at Club Broadway 96, so I knew that even though
we were underage we would be able to get in because he would hook us up. We
headed down to the club, had dinner and then we ended up backstage so I got to
meet all of the artists as they were coming through. Since I was broken up with
my girlfriend, I took autographed photos from each of the acts and I decided
that I was going to mail them all to her on Monday, hoping that would get her
back (laughing).
I was there
for hours either backstage or watching everyone from the side of the stage and
by the fourth or fifth act I was thinking, ‘I could do that, I could be out
there’. In my college days, I wanted to go to school for both acting and
singing, so I figured whichever one I got an opportunity to do first, that
would be the one that I focused on. As luck would have it, I got the
opportunity to sing because I was at that show that night.”
for hours either backstage or watching everyone from the side of the stage and
by the fourth or fifth act I was thinking, ‘I could do that, I could be out
there’. In my college days, I wanted to go to school for both acting and
singing, so I figured whichever one I got an opportunity to do first, that
would be the one that I focused on. As luck would have it, I got the
opportunity to sing because I was at that show that night.”
Soave
on how that one night turned into a golden opportunity:
on how that one night turned into a golden opportunity:
“Well,
on Monday I did take my pile of autographs to the post office (laughing) and as
the lady at the counter was wrapping it up with love, I realized I had to get
something from out of the pile. The person I had spent the most time with was
Johnny O and I needed to get his manager’s phone number from inside that
envelope. The guys’ name was George Vasconez, he owned Sparkle Management and
at the time, he was THE guy. So I got the number and called it a few times that
day asking to speak with Johnny O. When I realized I was actually speaking with
George I told him that I wanted to be a singer and he just started laughing his
head off (laughing). He must have thought that I was a complete kook, but he
explained that first I needed to be discovered. If I wasn’t discovered then I
needed a complete demo tape and I had no clue
on Monday I did take my pile of autographs to the post office (laughing) and as
the lady at the counter was wrapping it up with love, I realized I had to get
something from out of the pile. The person I had spent the most time with was
Johnny O and I needed to get his manager’s phone number from inside that
envelope. The guys’ name was George Vasconez, he owned Sparkle Management and
at the time, he was THE guy. So I got the number and called it a few times that
day asking to speak with Johnny O. When I realized I was actually speaking with
George I told him that I wanted to be a singer and he just started laughing his
head off (laughing). He must have thought that I was a complete kook, but he
explained that first I needed to be discovered. If I wasn’t discovered then I
needed a complete demo tape and I had no clue
where to go to make one. All that I could
think of was that booth in Macy’s with the Karaoke that let you record and gave
you a tape on your way out (laughing). George told me when he was going to be
at the same club that I had met Johnny O at and he told me to introduce myself
to him and that he would help me figure out the demo tape.
think of was that booth in Macy’s with the Karaoke that let you record and gave
you a tape on your way out (laughing). George told me when he was going to be
at the same club that I had met Johnny O at and he told me to introduce myself
to him and that he would help me figure out the demo tape.
I was so
excited! I went to that club in jeans and a jean jacket with no shirt under it,
I don’t know what the hell I was thinking (laughing), but it was kind of the
style back then. So I introduced myself to him at the club looking like this
and he looked me up and down and said, ‘kid, I’m going to put you on stage and
the girls are going to go crazy’. I couldn’t believe it! He introduced me to
Judy Torres and a few other people and then basically took me under his arm.
Every Wednesday night I stayed at his house in the city, because that was the
night of the week that all of the artists performed. He took me to different
functions and shows so that I could watch and learn how all of the other
artists did things. He took me to The Palladium and Studio 54, clubs like that
and everywhere that we went he was known as the manager so those velvet ropes
went up. It was like school for me and I lived for those Wednesdays. It was so
exciting and I really couldn’t believe that this was my life.
excited! I went to that club in jeans and a jean jacket with no shirt under it,
I don’t know what the hell I was thinking (laughing), but it was kind of the
style back then. So I introduced myself to him at the club looking like this
and he looked me up and down and said, ‘kid, I’m going to put you on stage and
the girls are going to go crazy’. I couldn’t believe it! He introduced me to
Judy Torres and a few other people and then basically took me under his arm.
Every Wednesday night I stayed at his house in the city, because that was the
night of the week that all of the artists performed. He took me to different
functions and shows so that I could watch and learn how all of the other
artists did things. He took me to The Palladium and Studio 54, clubs like that
and everywhere that we went he was known as the manager so those velvet ropes
went up. It was like school for me and I lived for those Wednesdays. It was so
exciting and I really couldn’t believe that this was my life.
After seven
or eight months of this, I really wanted to get started on my career. I was
around all of these other artists but no one had ever heard me sing and I just
wanted to sing. George told me he had gotten me an audition for a song on
Micmac Records, which I thought was crazy because I still didn’t have a demo
tape. I asked him how I could audition without it and he reminded me of all the
times I was in the car with him, singing. He thought I was talented and I had
no idea that he was helping me to improve and just watching me grow for all of
those months. I was really just a clueless kid (laughing).”
or eight months of this, I really wanted to get started on my career. I was
around all of these other artists but no one had ever heard me sing and I just
wanted to sing. George told me he had gotten me an audition for a song on
Micmac Records, which I thought was crazy because I still didn’t have a demo
tape. I asked him how I could audition without it and he reminded me of all the
times I was in the car with him, singing. He thought I was talented and I had
no idea that he was helping me to improve and just watching me grow for all of
those months. I was really just a clueless kid (laughing).”
Soave
on that one audition that changed his life:
on that one audition that changed his life:
“I was
just dying for that audition to come and when it finally did, I was put right
in the vocal booth and handed words to a poem written by someone’s
ex-girlfriend, called “Crying Over You“. He wanted me to sing
it in a very monotone style that resembled another song that was already on the
radio. So, I did exactly what I was told and then after the third or fourth
time I asked if I could sing it differently, the way that I would really want
to sing it and he said yes. I made it my own and he said, ‘all right, all
right that’s good, come out!‘, and I thought I blew it.
just dying for that audition to come and when it finally did, I was put right
in the vocal booth and handed words to a poem written by someone’s
ex-girlfriend, called “Crying Over You“. He wanted me to sing
it in a very monotone style that resembled another song that was already on the
radio. So, I did exactly what I was told and then after the third or fourth
time I asked if I could sing it differently, the way that I would really want
to sing it and he said yes. I made it my own and he said, ‘all right, all
right that’s good, come out!‘, and I thought I blew it.
I’m thinking that I should have just kept my
mouth shut rather than trying to be creative over here (laughing), and so I
came out of the booth. I was expecting the worst and instead, he told me I got
the song and he welcomed me to the team.
mouth shut rather than trying to be creative over here (laughing), and so I
came out of the booth. I was expecting the worst and instead, he told me I got
the song and he welcomed me to the team.
We recorded
the song and back then it took forever for a song to come out. If you recorded
in January it would take until October or November for them to release it
because they had to master it and then do edits, which took forever. So, when
it finally came it they first gave it to the record pools as kind of a test
market. I remember KTU radio (in NYC) had a Hot or Not segment and my
song was like 97% hot. Then it went to the test press to get a feel for how the
song might do, which would help to set the release date. This song went from
the test press right to the radio stations before the label had a feel for how
the market was, and it went into regular rotation. I went from doing shows for
free to making six or seven thousand dollars on a weekend, literally overnight.
I didn’t understand at the time how rare that really was. I thought it was a
Micmac thing and that if your song came out on their label then you’d
automatically be played on the radio. I quit my day job and two weeks later I
had my first pay from singing, a check for seven thousand dollars and then a
bag with another seven thousand in cash (laughing). I was scared because I had
all this money and I remember trying to get home as fast as I could with it.
the song and back then it took forever for a song to come out. If you recorded
in January it would take until October or November for them to release it
because they had to master it and then do edits, which took forever. So, when
it finally came it they first gave it to the record pools as kind of a test
market. I remember KTU radio (in NYC) had a Hot or Not segment and my
song was like 97% hot. Then it went to the test press to get a feel for how the
song might do, which would help to set the release date. This song went from
the test press right to the radio stations before the label had a feel for how
the market was, and it went into regular rotation. I went from doing shows for
free to making six or seven thousand dollars on a weekend, literally overnight.
I didn’t understand at the time how rare that really was. I thought it was a
Micmac thing and that if your song came out on their label then you’d
automatically be played on the radio. I quit my day job and two weeks later I
had my first pay from singing, a check for seven thousand dollars and then a
bag with another seven thousand in cash (laughing). I was scared because I had
all this money and I remember trying to get home as fast as I could with it.
I pushed
them to put out another song really fast and the label insisted we ride that
wave created by “Crying Over You“. I actually wrote the lyrics
to the next song, “If You Want Me“, on the back of a vomit bag
while flying back from a show, on Eastern Airlines (laughing). It was before I
had any kind of recording device so I kept writing the lyrics and singing them
so that I would remember them. I recorded it and it took them forever to
release it, but when they finally did it actually did much better than “Crying
Over You“, because people were waiting for a follow-up song.”
them to put out another song really fast and the label insisted we ride that
wave created by “Crying Over You“. I actually wrote the lyrics
to the next song, “If You Want Me“, on the back of a vomit bag
while flying back from a show, on Eastern Airlines (laughing). It was before I
had any kind of recording device so I kept writing the lyrics and singing them
so that I would remember them. I recorded it and it took them forever to
release it, but when they finally did it actually did much better than “Crying
Over You“, because people were waiting for a follow-up song.”
Soave
on the importance of having full control over his new music:
on the importance of having full control over his new music:
“I
started this project six years ago when I was making a lot more money and had
the ability to spend more money on the studio. For a few years, it was harder
coming up with the funds to cover all the costs that go with recording an
album, but now I’m back in the studio every week again. It’s nice to actually
be in control and it’s probably taking longer because I am in control. It’s my
money now that’s invested so they can’t tell me what to do. It has to be
perfect. I’ve waited so long for this chance that it just has to be perfect.
I’ll do an entire song and then go back over it with a fine-toothed comb
looking for one sentence or one little riff that I don’t like, and
started this project six years ago when I was making a lot more money and had
the ability to spend more money on the studio. For a few years, it was harder
coming up with the funds to cover all the costs that go with recording an
album, but now I’m back in the studio every week again. It’s nice to actually
be in control and it’s probably taking longer because I am in control. It’s my
money now that’s invested so they can’t tell me what to do. It has to be
perfect. I’ve waited so long for this chance that it just has to be perfect.
I’ll do an entire song and then go back over it with a fine-toothed comb
looking for one sentence or one little riff that I don’t like, and
then I’ll fix it. I’m also one of those guys
that’s really annoying to producers (laughing) because I actually care about
how it’s going to sound. They understand me though and know that I work fast,
but I’ll always go back and fix stuff. To me, that’s how you become a good
artist.”
that’s really annoying to producers (laughing) because I actually care about
how it’s going to sound. They understand me though and know that I work fast,
but I’ll always go back and fix stuff. To me, that’s how you become a good
artist.”
Soave on his musical passion project:
“The
name of the album is “Silky Sheets and Smooth Covers” and the
silky sheets are my original songs, while smooth covers are cover songs. Those
are songs that I’ve always loved listening to or that are fun to perform. It’s
exciting because I just know that it’s going to do well. I want to get it out
by March because it’s the 30th anniversary of “Crying Over You“.
It’s so exciting and I feel like every song that I finish is better than the
one that I did before.
name of the album is “Silky Sheets and Smooth Covers” and the
silky sheets are my original songs, while smooth covers are cover songs. Those
are songs that I’ve always loved listening to or that are fun to perform. It’s
exciting because I just know that it’s going to do well. I want to get it out
by March because it’s the 30th anniversary of “Crying Over You“.
It’s so exciting and I feel like every song that I finish is better than the
one that I did before.
It’s not a
freestyle record, but there is one freestyle song on there that I’m having a
lot of fun with. I feel like I have to throw one freestyle song in to really
get the attention of my original fanbase, almost as a thank you for sticking
with me. It’s a way of staying true to who I was as an artist back then while
also proving that I’m vocally capable of so much more now. The reason why I like
this particular song so much is that I wrote it in 1992 and it just stayed with
me. I never recorded it or released it, I’ve just kept it with me for all of
these years, thinking I’d save it for when freestyle comes back and gets real
radio play. I always believed that if it were to come back then I’d need to be
ready and this is my song for that.
freestyle record, but there is one freestyle song on there that I’m having a
lot of fun with. I feel like I have to throw one freestyle song in to really
get the attention of my original fanbase, almost as a thank you for sticking
with me. It’s a way of staying true to who I was as an artist back then while
also proving that I’m vocally capable of so much more now. The reason why I like
this particular song so much is that I wrote it in 1992 and it just stayed with
me. I never recorded it or released it, I’ve just kept it with me for all of
these years, thinking I’d save it for when freestyle comes back and gets real
radio play. I always believed that if it were to come back then I’d need to be
ready and this is my song for that.
People say
that freestyle is back but I can tell you that it never really went away. I’ve
been singing it regularly for over thirty years. Maybe we get more shows now
than even ten years ago, but it never went away.”
that freestyle is back but I can tell you that it never really went away. I’ve
been singing it regularly for over thirty years. Maybe we get more shows now
than even ten years ago, but it never went away.”
Soave
on not having any real regrets:
on not having any real regrets:
“I
don’t ever have regret really and here’s why: If you have regret and would
change something in your life, then you also couldn’t have the good things that
you have today. I’ve had different dancers and I’ve had different kinds of
stage shows over the years, but I’ve never stopped performing, never. I’ve been
very blessed. If I changed one thing then all of that would change too. I’m
happy with the opportunities that I’ve already had and I’m happy that my life
isn’t over yet, so I can still make a difference in a lot of different
ways.”
don’t ever have regret really and here’s why: If you have regret and would
change something in your life, then you also couldn’t have the good things that
you have today. I’ve had different dancers and I’ve had different kinds of
stage shows over the years, but I’ve never stopped performing, never. I’ve been
very blessed. If I changed one thing then all of that would change too. I’m
happy with the opportunities that I’ve already had and I’m happy that my life
isn’t over yet, so I can still make a difference in a lot of different
ways.”
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