Ocean Beach’s friendly atmosphere and waterfront location have drawn many wonderful artists from all over the world, but it also is home to performers born and raised right here, such as producer and musician Skyler Lutes. The former Point Loma High School student is currently in the studio polishing up a new album, due this January.
Appearing next at the Prospect Bar & Grill in La Jolla on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m., Lutes is perhaps best known live for his acoustic work. However, his recordings are radio-friendly, full-band affairs, mixing up folk-tinged pop with reggae licks and a decidedly indie rock sensibility, best heard in tracks such as “Shoot Me Down.”
He has been performing over a decade. “I started my first band in seventh grade,” he said. “I used to listen to surfer, skater, rock and ska bands when I was a kid, bands like Green Day, Buck-O-Nine, Blink 182, and Rage Against the Machine.” Lutes is a multi-instrumentalist, who plays drums, bass, keys and guitar, “but I really enjoy singing the most,” he said, “as it has the most emotion involved,” In addition to his solo career, he’s also been involved in several notable bands over the years, including Hawaiian group Makua Rothman Band, Riverside-based indie rockers Everything Said, Aquile, from TV’s “The Voice,” and multiple San Diego Music Awards nominees the Defamation League.
Beyond musical groups, Lutes also cites the Ocean Beach community itself as an influence on his songs. “I love OB,” he remarked; “growing up there has shaped my music in so many ways. The scene in OB is rad. Everyone is like a tight family, and it has so many memories for me. As kids, my friends and I would surf all day then play music into night. I feel surfing and living in OB is a huge part of why my music sounds the way it does.” He also likes that the community is so arts oriented. “So many talented artists call OB home,” he said. “I feel so blessed to have grown up in the scene. One of my passions is going to open mics and finding new, talented songwriters to bring into my studio and record. I think the OB scene lets artists grow organically and has a wide variety of unheard talent.”
Lutes is happy to have such a rich atmosphere in which to create his tunes. “My songwriting is inspired by real-life situations I find myself in,” he said. “I love to make songs that have truthful, close-to-my-heart lyrics linked with a catchy guitar riff.” Lutes also includes fun pop covers in his set to keep the energy in the room high. “I’ve found that a good mix of cover songs can make my originals shine,” he commented. He points out that as much fun as it all can be, there is hard work involved and that not everything always goes according to plan. “There are so many strange things that have happened to me while performing on stage over the years,” he laughed – “getting elbowed in the face by someone while rocking out at Gallaghers, playing shows in the rain with sketchy tarps above us to keep us dry, which never worked. On the other hand, there’s playing in the middle of nowhere to a bunch of punk kids. Totally not our scene, but they loved us! Some of the stories are awesome, and some are just weird, but remembering them makes me feel so blessed.” Lutes has a tour of the western U.S. set for December, ahead of the new album. Even with a decade of roadwork behind him, touring remains his favorite part of being a musician. “(I love) touring, meeting new people and seeing new places,” he mused. “There is nothing like getting paid to travel and play music.”
For more on Lutes, see skylerlutesmusic.com.