GWPEERS INTO THE MIND OF THE BUSY DAVID BYRNE AND CEELO GREEN GUITARIST
By Andrew Daly
AFTER PLAYING ALONGSIDE David Byrne [Talking Heads] and CeeLo Green [Gnarls Barkley], Alena Ciera could’ve gotten a big head. But no, Ciera took those experiences and weaved them within her guitar-driven tapestry, manifesting as her EP, All in My Head. With hopes of success via authenticity, Ciera dialed in with GW for a brief chat on her past, present and future.
How has working with David Byrne and CeeLo Green affected your approach?
Working with different artists makes you realize that they require other things, you know? With David, especially, there were a lot of rhythm and lead-based things specific to his American Utopia show; and it was the same with CeeLo. I learned that being a guitarist requires versatility; you can’t settle on one thing that might not showcase you.
While writing your music, are you meticulous or more free-form?
I’m somewhere in between. Most of the stuff on All in My Head came from me being home, and an idea would come, and I’d start recording it. I’d draw on experiences, mumble some words, and then nine times outta ten, something that happened in my life would bleed through. My songs are about things I’ve gone through, moments with friends and random moments of spontaneity.
Every guitarist is trying to convey a message. What’s yours?
If you look at a song like “Change Your Mind,” that’s an example of a
