The Epic Ballad of Dolores 5000….

**‘Moo Is Meow In Cow’** Written by: **Dolores 5000**, and dedicated to the beautiful **Lupe Warren**, and **Mike Stout**

It took me a long time to write this, but that’s because I had to figure out a way to do Dolores 5000 justice. I wanted to dive into her music and learn as much as I could. I wanted to be sure I could write something meaningful in the same way that she writes such meaningful music. So here is my attempt to let you know why you should check out her work…..

Her name is Dolores 5000, and she plays guitar like she is flying on a horse. Her ballad is one that is infused with creativity, passion, and attention to technique and detail. I first experienced her live set at Sacramento Ladyfest in 2015, and I was fucking thrilled! Listening to her music, and watching her play live is very much like an epic one person space ballet orchestra. Skillful, expertly executed movements performed on the guitar, carefully timed to synth bass lines, drum samples, guitar delays, queuing in samples that are triggered in and faded out at various points of the song, while also implementing live sequences. Seriously, some bands can’t do what she does even with five people in their group when playing a live set, but we won’t name names here.

Influenced by the sounds of Prog Rock heroes King Crimson, and epic guitarists such as Frank Marino (Mahogany Rush), Robin Trower, and Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Dolores creates epic creative soundscapes. For years she has committed her self to her guitar studies, continually working to build her carefully crafted songs. The result of this attention to detail lead to the creation of her latest release ‘Moo is Meow in Cow’. This album is her epic ballad, and a collection of adventures sounds that reflect her deep love of music.

Her previous album, ‘VuHuna‘ (in respect to the recording process) took on a much more DIY aspect, however, for this record she stepped into a more professionally controlled environment at the ‘Dock Studios’ and worked with Sacramento Producer/engineer, John Bologni, in addition to continuing to work in her home studio. ‘Moo is Meow in Cow’ is so well thought out, it is an album that needs to be experienced multiple times as it has so many layers, and each pass allows the listener to experience something new. Personally, I love enjoying it with a glass of red wine, headphones on full blast, and thinking about all the creative shit I want to do that will never be as fantastic as her!

All you cool cat old school musicians who think you know everyone in town, I bet you never heard of Dolores 5000, so now here is your opportunity to diversify your musical taste and dive into ‘Moo is Meow In Cow’. Might I suggest some tracks? Well, I’m going to do it even if you don’t want me too, here are my absolute favorite….starting with ‘Ophiuchus Overture Including Quetzalcoatl’s Day Off’, ‘Moo is Meow In Cow including Lion Conducts Circus Train’, ‘Ballad Of Dolores’, and the touching ‘Requiem For Mike’ a track written in memory of the late local Sacramento legend, Mike Stout, complete with the memory of his voice at the 3 minute mark.

But don’t take my word for it, take a listen, the music is there waiting for you to experience it. Once you are done, purchase it and support the fantastic creativity in your city!

Thanks to Dolores 5000 for taking the time to answer some of our curious questions, read on and get to know your local artist, find out where her inspiration comes from, how she prepares for her live sets, and then go out and experience it for your selves! Cheers!

“Music is so trippy and subjective and when the magic connection occurs it transcends us to the same sweet spot where love exists, where love weaves in and out of our existence and connects us with who we were before birth and after death…” – Dolores 5000

Sac.Inide.Music: This is the question that always pops into my head, a first step in getting to know more about you….what is the meaning behind your artist name ‘Dolores 5000’?

Dolores 5000: When I was little my dad took me to see 2001 A Space Odyssey at the Southgate drive in!!! It was still currently being shown! I loved that film sooo much and I never shut up and asked my dad questions all the way through! Hahahaha! But I always loved the idea that the computer’s name was HAL 9000!!! So that for me was super cool! So I borrowed that concert! Perhaps Dolores 5000 is something from the future! Or space?! Hahahaha!

Sac.Inide.Music: Are originally from Sacramento?

Dolores 5000: Yes born and raised!

Sac.Inide.Music: How long have you been performing? Have you been in any other bands prior to your current project?

Dolores 5000: Started playing around 10 years old. I’ve played in bands since I was 15, No big name bands tho.

Sac.Inide.Music: Your current project ‘Dolores 5000’ is such a fun, and inspiring project. You bring so much creativity to your songs, they are literally like short stories. In fact I believe with your new release ‘Moo is meow in cow’, it was going to be a Childrens book, but you decided to make it into a record. Do you still plan to at some point make a children’s book?

Dolores 5000: Moo is meow in Cow would make a fun book! The problem is I don’t know the first think about book publishing, So that aspect of the Moo is meow project is way off in future if it ever happens.

Sac.Inide.Music: You’re not only a phenomenal guitarist, but you also play keyboards, and make your own DIY videos. Who or what influences you? Does it take you a while to put a song together?

Dolores 5000: My biggest influences are the real old school prog guys! And the early psychedelic voodoo guitarists! So I draw from King Crimson ELP as well as Frank Marino Robin Trower and Uli Jon Roth! As far as messing around with video stuff, I think it’s pretty fun!

Sac.Inide.Music: Being that you are a solo performer, and you have so much going on in your music (i.e. keyboards, backing drums, multiple guitars) how do you approach your live performances? Do you have to limit what you do? Or do you have a plan laid out that makes it “easy”? How do you prepare for your live sets?

Dolores 5000: I do enjoy bringing several guitars but the “5 or 6 band lineup” festival gigs that seem to often crop up only allow no longer than a 30 minute set so in those instances I’ll scale back:) Presently I’m running the show off the Akai MPC Live which is a rock solid project tool! Fun as hell! I’ll use some long audio samples as well as live sequences I also use an Arp Odyssey which responds to either a track from the Akai or from psychically being played! It’s really cool to bring a synth bass or synth melody to life by controlling perhaps resonance or filter in real time on the Odyssey! I also use a looper for guitar stuff and a pretty cool pedalboard:) With these tools it’s fun to put something out there where listener can’t really be too sure of where things begin or end! Is that a loop? Is that a sequence? Is that right??? Hahahaha! Ya know? Guitar parts are pretty much written to be doable live If there are multiple guitars that need to be recreated I’ll just figure out which part lends itself best for live Sometimes I’ll combine line A with line B and maybe come up with something groovy! As far as preparing a live set? I really enjoy that process! I have this weird bombastic vision of trippy intro songs! I think I have more intro songs than real songs! Hahahaha! The listener must not be to sure of what’s up! I love playing something unexpected then baam going full throttle! Perhaps a silly theme song then light it up with Ophiuchus Overture! Ha After several tunes I’ll make a little space for a solo guitar section then end with a couple of big tunes! It’s really sort of a traditional thing

Sac.Inide.Music: For your latest release, ’Moo is meow in cow’, you went into Dock studios and worked with John Bologni for some of the tracks (and he also worked on tracks not recorded at the Dock Studios), how was that experience? Do you generally record and produce your own music?

Dolores 5000: I enjoy recording at my home studio and get pretty good results but I wanted to really dig in this time and work with a pro in a pro situation and John was the guy and the recording at Dock Studios is a real treat!

Sac.Inide.Music: I’ve been listing to your new album, and it really has something my favorite albums have, and that is with every listen I am hearing something new in the songs! My current favorite tracks are ‘Ophiuchus Overture Including Quetzalcoatl’s Day Off’, ‘ Ballad of Dolores’, and ‘Moo Is Meow In Cow including Lion Conducts Circus Train’. I have to ask, how do you name your songs?

Dolores 5000: Naming songs is kinda tricky I don’t really have a set process Sometimes the title is based on a lyric other times I’m just seeking trippy imagery:)

Sac.Inide.Music: What are some of your favorite tracks on your new record? Were there any that were more difficult to record than others? How long did you work on this album?

Dolores 5000: That’s a great question..Favorite hmmmm I think on this record it was important to have a continuous flow, the sequence of songs had to really gel. The writing process for me takes awhile, some songs were started a few years back and performed live to feel how to proceed, meaning perhaps the arrangement needs to be tweaked which was the case for some songs

Sac.Inide.Music: Do you have any plans for a physical release for this album?

Dolores 5000: yes!!!

Sac.Inide.Music: What are your current plans, do you have any upcoming shows? Also, will you be diving into writing a new record, or take a break?

Dolores 5000: Between finishing this released and other pretty cool stuff there has been a gap in my live shows, I also get hung up on guitar studies! I still love to practice technique and reverse engineer stuff as a challenge! I’m sorta waiting for the right shows tho, Certain promoters have me in mind when certain psychedelic touring acts roll thru town But I’m always down for live stuff!

Sac.Inide.Music: Is there anything you would like to add about your new record? Anything that you want others to know about it (i.e. people you would like to thank, anything in regards to the special dedication of this record..etc.)? Closing remarks?

Dolores 5000: The new record is available pretty much everywhere online! I hope folks can dig it! It is everything that I enjoy! And hopefully it will resonate with others:) Music is so trippy and subjective and when the magic connection occurs it transcends us to the same sweet spot where love exists, where love weaves in and out of our existence and connects us with who we were before birth and after death. You can never point to where music really is, You point to that pile instruments used to create it, You can point to the format where the audio is recorded, You watch as its being played And feel it in you when it casts its spell, But you can never point to music. It’s like love itself.

This record is dedicated to Lupe Warren and Mike Stout