Alex Maher

Sometimes the world gets so overwhelming you just want to kick back at home with a cocktail, fire up a roaster, and chill until it all seems better. Alex Maher seems like the kind of guy who can relate.

The Vancouver music-scene veteran first surfaced in Flannel Jimmy in the late ’90s, later forming hip-hop fusionists DNA6 in the ’00s. Aether showcases his classy rebranding as a one-man band who performs live over loops and beats with guitar and saxophone.

Considering he’s not exactly new to the game, it shouldn’t surprise that Maher comes off like a polished pro, with “No One Else” made for heat-hazed summer sunrises and “Say 2.0” giving cheeba-fried jazz a reggaefied backbeat.

Add in the harmony-heavy “The Light” and you’ve got great go-to music for your next road trip down the California coast, especially that stretch between Westport and Little River where the Pacific Ocean shines like an endless sea of diamonds. Then again, you could also just stay home, cue up the smooth-sax jam “Submarine”, fire up the bong, and make it a double on the Yellow Bird front.

When the smokey-voiced Maher sings “I’ve been hiding from the sky/Staying home and getting high,” you’ll have no trouble relating. - The Georgia Straight

ALEX MAHER – No One Else

Vancouver based multi-instrumentlist Alex Maher has just released his second solo record in February of this year, of which No One Else is the lead single. The song has ‘radio-friendly’ written all over it. From the crisp and considered production to the oh-so-current lamentations on the social and political climates (and the need for kindness and unity to overcome problems big and small) the song is painfully relevant. And then, just when you think you’ve got the measure of it… Sax solo!

Maher describes himself as “Vancouver’s most soulful one man band” and the delivery of the solo only goes to prove this. The solo accompanies a final chorus before becoming a saxophone section and playing us out, breakdown style, to the end of the track. A positive, thoughtful and polished start to this week’s readers’ favourites.

Official | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube - Fresh On The Net

Hailing from Vancouver, multi-instrumentalist Alex Maher has just released his latest EP, Aether. The album is soulful and rhythmic, featuring Latin grooves and a wealth of colourful influences, including a wicked saxophone solo. This is his first solo project in over a decade. Stream the EP’s lead single, “No One Else,” below. - The Permanent Rain Press

Meet Vancouver musician Alex Maher.

Alex will celebrate the release of his new Aether EP in February at the Fox Cabaret.
Meet Alex Maher

Born in Toronto, Alex spent the early years of his life in North York, moving to Vancouver Island with his family for high school. After moving to Vancouver to study science at UBC, Alex had 3 years of student life before his band at the time, Flannel Jimmy, signed a deal with Nettwerk Records. Trading his textbooks and lab coat for life on the road, Alex has been a professional musician ever since.

Several years ago, Alex founded the Anza Club’s Open Mic Night as an opportunity for some of Vancouver’s finest local talent to showcase their abilities. The Open Mic night has flourished over the years with Alex collaborating with and supporting artists such as Randy Ponzio, David Morin, Tonye Aganaba, Little T, and Jess Vaira.

Alex has had a storied career as a solo performer and as a band member – opening for the likes of Weezer, Wide Mouth Mason, Bachman Cummings, Mother Mother, Sam Roberts, Robert Randolph, and The Proclaimers, and playing alongside B.C. favourites Kyprios, Daniel Wesley and Vince Vaccaro. From 2004-2010, Alex toured western Canada with band DNA6, producing two albums. Playing 8+ regular weekly gigs in and around Vancouver, Alex is one of the city’s hardest working musicians.

On February 27 at the Fox Cabaret, Alex will release his first solo album in over a decade, Aether EP. Life isn’t easy—loss, addiction, heartbreak and the rat race take their toll, and Aether is the process of coming out the other side, “Into the Light.” After years of indulging the dark side of the industry, Maher has found a way to channel his living into his art.

You can find out more about Alex online at http://alexmahermusic.com or follow him on Twitter.

20 Questions with Alex Maher

1. Your first job.
Dishwasher at the Winchelsea House. It was a gruelling job. My duties included decapitating the shrimp which turned me off of sea bugs for many years.

2. The job you always wanted as a child.
I wanted to be a pilot so I could fly. Later on I wanted to be a doctor which resulted in a few years at UBC towards a B.Sc.

3. Your pet peeve.
When people turn right from the centre lane. I have a lot of driving-related pet peeves.

4. Your hero.
Steph Curry (#30 Golden State Warriors).

5. Your biggest indulgence.
This is a safe space, right? Cheetos.

6. One thing no one knows about you.
I have never ridden a horse.

7. Three things you would want with you on a deserted island.
Clean water, delicious food and my beautiful girlfriend. Actually, that doesn’t sound so bad…

8. The one word your best friend would use to describe you.
I asked my best friend Mario and he said “crepuscular” which, according to a Google search, means “active during twilight.”

9. If you were not a musician, what would you be doing?
I guess I would be a scientist. Hopefully one of the good kinds of scientists.

10. Hero or villain?
Definitely hero.

11. Your life’s motto/mantra.
All the preparation in the world won’t prepare you for the world.

12. The song that gets the most play on your iTunes playlist.
“Them Changes” by Thundercat. I have tickets to their show at the Rickshaw in Vancouver. I can’t wait to see them live.

13. The last book you read.
Facebook.

14. If you were a cartoon character what cartoon character would you be and why?
Genie from Aladdin after he’s set free. Because he’s no longer bound to the life that imprisoned him and he still has sweet Genie powers.

15. What will it say on your grave marker?
Let’s do this.

16. Who would you most like to have dinner with?
Bill Murray.

17. Your idea of happiness.
My life as I know it – playing music for a living, loving and being loved. A beach, a swimming pool and a basketball court are icing on the cake.

18. The one thing in your life that makes you most proud.
My parents.

19. If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 20-year old self?
Don’t do drugs.

20. To be or not to be?
To be. “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more…” - Vancouver Presents

ALEX MAHER DEBUTS "NO ONE ELSE"
Adam Fink | Tue, 02/21/2017 - 14:24
Since the early 2000’s Vancouver’s Alex Maher has been hitting the venues of this country in various forms. A saxophone player, singer songwriter, guitarist and percussionist who has played with countless artists and on his own with Nettwerk Records Flannel Jimmy, Maher is finally set to release his own collection of solo work today with an EP entitled Aether. Lead single “No One Else” combines all of Maher’s strengths in a wonderfully compact four minutes. Kicking off with a sultry blues infused guitar riff that pours itself over a jaunty break beat, you can hear how comfortable Maher sounds here and this is even before the sax solo sneaks in. This is Maher’s version of a protest song. A call to arms letting everyone know that in this current political environment we are all in it together. It’s a common sentiment in this day and age but Alex Maher takes the song as social activism formula and with “No One Else” punches up resistance with a very healthy groove. - ION Magazine

Preview of Alex Maher’s EP Release Party at the Fox Cabaret
February 22, 2017Uncategorized
A Monday Night Rager

Upon seeing the Facebook event for Alex Maher’s EP release party I was instantly drawn in by the visual of the album. Who is this guy and what is his music all about? I had to know more. Enter YouTube. The first video that came up was of Alex at Vancouver’s beloved Guilt & Co.

Here is the Vancouverite laying a loop of a bit of beat box, perhaps a cabasa, some smooth guitar, and then whaaaat… a sexy sax. Awesome. Was this just going to be an instrumental EP release? Nope, Alex then busts into the vocals of Aaliyah’s “Try Again”.

I got a chance to talk to Alex for a bit the other day and he defined his music as a fusion of soul, funk, and jazz with some good old hip hop cravings tied in. I also learned that the image that I had liked so much would have a different version of it used for t-shirts, yay! And that it really will be a great night of music with an opening act and a closing act sandwiching Alex’s performance.

Over the years Alex has joined in bands such as Daniel Wesley and Vince Vaccaro, and lately has been working is butt off with live performance at various bars and events in Vancouver. Often at these events Alex performs remixes, mashups, and sneaks in a few originals but now with the EP Alex will be playing his EP with a six piece band which should be pretty awesome to check out.

You have been cited as drawing on influences such as Sade, Elliot Smith, and Stevie Wonder so lets start by asking you to give us one song from each of them that you like?

Sade I would go with “Smooth Operator” or any of the funky stack, “Sweetest Taboo”. Elliott Smith, there is not one particular song but you could put on “Between the Bars”.

What influenced you to title the album Aether?

I have been kind of obsessed with the cosmos. It kind of just came to me. It was a combination of the word and an art concept. Basically the cover is a personified African serval cat wearing a toga and carrying an ancient script. So it is kind of like a throwback to ancient knowledge and the root of the essence of all that lies outside of this world and this cosmos and what not. It is kind of broad but also kind of specific.

“No One Else” – tell me about this song

It is kind of like a shout out to treat each other with kindness. The second verse is a definite shout out to road rage and being stuck in traffic jams- being stuck in the cycles of coldness in day-to-day blindness. It is a call to arms for empathy and returning to a state where we can be kind to one another. There seems to be a downward trend, especially in traffic- in rush hour. An innate indicator of our societies progress is in traffic when you can see how people treat one another. The song is based on trying to pick myself out of that darkness and just to be good and kind to one another.

So if traffic jams can really show the worst of people, where do you feel you can go to see the best in people?

The airport? When people are coming home from a long trip and they are being picked up and happy to see one another.

The EP release is set for Feb 27 – is this with a backing band or are you looping?

For sure it is a band, I am pulling out all the stops. I have a six piece band and we will have a band before and a band after so it is going to be a rager. An early rager on a Monday night.

Really, I know that maybe you will be watching the Bachelor or some other lame excuse to stay in on a Monday night, but why not start the week off in style with some good music, the feeling like you are supporting local artists, and a pint or two.

Cheers, - VIES Magazine

Multi-instrumentalist Alex Maher is releasing his much awaited EP ‘Aether’ on Monday, February 27, at the Fox Cabaret in Vancouver, BC with supporting acts Small Town Artillery and Best Night Ever. Alex’s music fuses elements of soul, pop, funk, and jazz with insightful lyrics relating to the pitfalls of modern life.

Life isn’t easy — loss, addiction, heartbreak and the rat race take their toll, and Aether is the process of coming out the other end, ‘Into the Light’. Beginning in the Vancouver music scene in 2001 as a founding member of Nettwerk Recording Group Flannel Jimmy, Alex followed up with solo and collaborative releases in 2004, and most recently 2007’s DNA6 album, ‘Human Condition’. Aether is Alex Maher’s first solo album in over a decade. Drawing influences from Sade, Elliot Smith, and Stevie Wonder, Maher creates lush layers and complex harmonies all with a driving rhythm that will make you want to move. The album’s debut single, ‘No One Else’ is a humanitarian call to action with a soulful groove that crescendos into an incendiary sax solo. Tracks like ‘Into the Light’ and ‘Submarine’ boast a blues-pop guitar style reminiscent of John Mayer. Maher’s solution to the struggle of the human condition is in the music. Up tempo Latin funk grooves on ‘Say’, and the colourful chords and sax highlights throughout the album underscore his message of hope.

After years of indulging the dark side of the industry, Maher has found a way to channel his living into his art. With a storied career of collaborating with a variety of artists, Maher has made an impression on his industry peers. Hip hop artist Kyprios asserts, “Alex Maher is easily amongst the purest talents I have come across during my 20 plus years in the music industry. A gigantic multi-instrumentalist possessing singer/songwriting chops, immeasurable gifts as a saxophone player, plus an innovative guitarist with an affinity for percussion, Alex’s enormous jackknife skill set is only matched by his genuine personality and dependable work acumen. A true talent and incredible human being.” With relatable lyrics and thick grooves, Aether will leave you feeling uplifted and wanting more.
Find Alex Maher online:

Website: www.alexmahermusic.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexmahermusic
Instagram: www.instagram.com/alexmahermusic
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/alexmahermusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2aGCJZ_sRBHhrE2a5zE6dQ - Essentially Pop

9. Enjoy the smooth, soulful sounds of an Alex Maher EP release party at the Fox. - See more at: http://www.westender.com/arts-culture/10-things-to-do-in-vancouver-this-month-1.9711801#sthash.T9Sn7DFV.dpuf - Westender

Alex Maher stopped by HHV to perform his song ‘Signs’. (featured video) - HipHopVancouver

6. Aether EP Release Party - Monday, February 27

Local multi-instrumentalist Alex Maher is releasing his much-awaited EP, Aether on Monday night at the Fox Cabaret, joined by supporting acts Small Town Artillery and Best Night Ever. Alex’s music fuses elements of soul, pop, funk and jazz with insightful lyrics relating to the pitfalls of modern life.
8 p.m., Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main Street - BC Living

9. Enjoy the smooth, soulful sounds of an Alex Maher EP release party at the Fox. - See more at: http://www.vitadaily.ca/culture/10-things-to-do-in-vancouver-this-month-1.9711801#sthash.4vcdMWXP.dpuf - VITADaily

Friday night is the night for live music with Alex Maher upstairs at the Blackbird on Dunsmuir. One man super-cool music machine, Alex plays guitar, sax and beatbox blasting out everything from old school R&B and hip hop to indie/alt stompers. Expect everyone from suits blowing off steam to office workers and students at this fun start to the weekend which kicks off pleasingly early at 5pm till 8pm, then a DJ takes over. - Inside Vancouver

Alex Maher performs a cover of the Neptunes produced Jay-Z track ‘I Just Wanna Love U’ at The Keefer Bar.

HHVtv x Self Hired x Ryken Sound Technologies teamed up to capture a performance during his weekly gig at The Keefer Bar in Chinatown.

Stay tuned this week for 4 more videos from the show to drop on the HHVtv Youtube channel!

Alex Maher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Maher/47435568560

www.hiphopvancouver.com
www.selfhired.com - Hip Hop Vancouver

Vancouver, BC – Alex Maher is a multi-talented Vancouver musician who has developed a reputation for being a one man show. In his recent video, Maher performs his version of Jay Z’s Neptunes produced “I Just Wanna Love You” – and it’s incredible.

Filmed live at the Keefer Bar in Chinatown, HipHopVancouver and Self Hired Productions take credit for the crisp black and white visuals. Check it out below. - Hip Hop Canada

Last November, musician Randy Ponzio died. He was a Vancouver songwriter and musician known as much for his heartfelt tunes as he was for his humanitarian efforts and love for his three children. This Friday, a large group of musicians is playing a benefit concert, 'Randy Ponzio: For the People', at the Commodore Ballroom. Tickets are $40 in advance, with all proceeds going to Randy's family.
The massive list of performers demonstrates how many lives Randy and his work impacted. Here's the full line-up: Hey Ocean!, Kyprios, Chin Injeti, Tonye Aganaba, Beauty vs Facts, Valerie Ponzio, Jess Vaira, Alex Maher, Dan Ross, Mario Vaira, Airtights, Un-1, Aspire, Jessi Nicholson, Heads Hang Heavy, Atma, Little T, Kelsey Klassen, Ed Lam, Chantel Upshaw, Asha Moyo, and Foundation. Tickets are available at Red Cat Records, at 4332 Main Street, and Highlife World Music at 1317 Commercial Drive, or you can get them via the Facebook event page right here.
Beyond the musicians playing at the benefit, Randy's legacy lives on in the music and performances of many other Canadian artists - at a show in Vancouver last November, Shad (who helped organize Randy's benefit concert) opened his set with a dedication to Randy, and closed it with a cover of Randy's song 'Bigger Than You and Me'. Randy also leaves a legacy of humanitarian work in places like the Philippines, Mexico, and various East African countries including Kenya, where he worked with needy children.
After Randy's death, 200 of his friends gathered in the rain to remember him and sing one of his songs. That video is below. - George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight

CLOUGH CLUB

Drop by for a sultry night of optical illusions, barrel aged cocktails and performances by homebred talent. Claire Mortifee and Alex Maher are few local names that have performed inside the sophisticated cocktail lounge. Clough Club showcases a long list of live music that rotates through the entire weekend. - Gastown.org

Thursday, November 26th, 2015
Doors: 7p.m


**A second show has been added Nov 28!**


If making music isn’t about having fun, what’s the point in doing it? That philosophy sums up Daniel Wesley’s new album, I Am Your Man, the 33-year-old Vancouver-based singer/songwriter’s seventh studio offering. As he nears the end of his career’s first decade, what comes across most vividly on the record – as longtime fans will surely note – is the balance Wesley has found in his life both on and off stage.

I Am Your Man is essentially Wesley returning to his natural strengths as a groove-based acoustic troubadour, following heavier electric experiments on his previous two records. Tracks such as “Beautiful” and “Shake” perfectly recapture the slow burning west coast feel that established Wesley’s reputation when he first arrived on the scene in the mid-2000s. Conversely, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and a willingness to apply them to his music, meant there was now unlimited potential in the studio.

“Usually my songs are just a reflection of where I’m at in my life,” Wesley says. “I was kind of open to new ideas and new opportunities, and I’m really proud of how these songs have come out.”

Part of his satisfaction with the results achieved on I Am Your Man was the decision to take extra time to allow the creative process to unfold. The album’s 10 tracks equally encompass two separate sessions that took place exactly a year apart. While there are subtle distinctions between these two batches of songs, the record’s overall consistency is a tribute to Wesley’s artistic maturity.

“I produced this album myself, the first time I’d done that since 2007,” he says. “I worked with a handful of producers on my last three records and those were great experiences, but I’d wrapped things up with my last label and it felt like the start of a new chapter, so I decided to do this one on my own. I had lots of time to flesh out the songs with the guys who have been playing with me for the past six years, so they had a good handle on where I was going.”

That trusted group of musicians includes Wesley’s longtime rhythm section of drummer Tim Proznick and bassist Darren Parris, along with saxophonist Alex Maher and keyboardist/guitarist Mike Kenney. Their shared chemistry is another big reason for I Am Your Man’s consistency, and why Wesley enjoyed making this album more than any other in his catalogue.

“I was originally just going to put out an EP of the first session, but I’m an album guy at heart, so I decided to hold off until we could record some more songs,” he says. “It was also the first time I’d worked at Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver, which was a blast. The first session took about five days and I couldn’t wait to come back.”

Out of his second session came the album’s title track and other songs like “Speed Bump” and “So True,” which Wesley describes as still containing the loose, feel-good vibes of their predecessors, but with an added structure developed over a summer of touring. That extra depth is what truly binds the album together, seamlessly mixing his wide array of folk, reggae, blues and rock influences.

Fatherhood can also be added to those influences. Wesley’s first son was born at almost the same time he released his previous album, 2013’s Ocean Wide, and that period turned out to be a whirlwind experience he didn’t want to repeat. “In 2014, I really had to take a step back and say, I’ve put out a lot of music and played a lot of shows. Now’s the time to be a dad and not rush things for a while,” he says. “It also reinforced how lucky I am to have married someone who supports me wholeheartedly, and I wanted to acknowledge that by being the best dad I can be. We’re having our second child this year and we couldn’t be happier.”

In terms of his songwriting, Wesley recognizes the role this phase of his life is playing in his artistic evolution, something he expects will continue for the foreseeable future, especially now that he is in full control of all aspects of his career.

“I don’t feel as if I’ve repeated anything I’ve done in the past on this new record, and that’s really invigorating. Everything about this album seemed completely unforced, and in the end that made it come out better than I could have expected. Now I’m getting ready to experience what it’s like putting out an album on my own in 2015, and I’m prepared for the challenge.”


http://danielwesley.com


Tickets are $30 plus s/c in advance, $35 at the door. Ticket includes return ferry & the show.
Tickets on sale starting Saturday September 19th at Lucid, The Dog's Ear, Desire Tattoo, The Dinghy Dock Pub or online at ticketzone.com. - HarbourLiving.ca

Set on a couple acres of farmland in Brackendale, the Revival Festival will feature grassroots music, from bluegrass to reggae, in an intimate setting this weekend.

The small music and cultural arts festival, with a capacity of around 300 people, has a roster of 15 B.C.-based musicians, as well as yoga classes, sustainable food vendors and arts collectives and designers showcasing their work. The festival runs from Friday to Sunday.

The event’s founder, Benjamin Wise, a Vancouver-based actor, bartender and musician, launched the Revival Festival at Squamish Valley Campground last July. This year it has moved to a more secluded location on a patch of private land.

He wants the atmosphere to be synonymous with the name “Revival” – a revival of grassroots music, old friendships and the core values of love and acceptance.

During the day, a communal grill and beer pong will be set up. The acoustic guitars will come out at sunset while festivalgoers get ready to camp out overnight.

“The first years of music festivals are the best, before they become more open to the public. Everyone is really connected, really open” said Francis Hooper, frontman of the Goodwood Atoms, a Vancouver-based indie band with a blend of ethereal folk and electronic-inflected grooves that will perform this weekend. They are giving a preview of their new album, Great White, that is set to release next month, including the single “The End.”

Alongside the Goodwood Atoms will be the likes of Silva Sound, Purple Soul,
Tonye Aganaba, Alex Maher, Imur,
The X Presidents and The Bottom Shelf Bourbon Trio.

“This year, Ben has used his massive network to cultivate a great lineup. It’s the cream of the crop,” said Hooper, who is the brainchild behind the Juniper Room, an underground studio and performance venue in East Vancouver.

Having the festival at a farm in Brackendale will allow the bands to play later into the night, until acoustic guitars are brought out to the campsites to wind down the event.

Omar Khan, a Vancouver-based solo singer and songwriter who sifts through pop, R&B, soul, hip hop and folk, is performing at the festival for the first time. He will be playing songs from his new self-produced album, Filthy Rich, that will be coming out in two parts on June 24 and in mid-July. He will also have an acoustic set.

“The first single, ‘Filthy Rich,’ is about living within your means and finding the richness in the simple things in life. A lot of people in our generation are ‘dirty broke.’ They have no money but still act rich,” he said. Like many other performers and festival goers, Kahn will be camping overnight at the festival.

Wise, who also organized the Revival Festival last year, said the event is self-sustainable and his goal is to not leave a carbon footprint. For more information, see www.therevivalfestival.com.

@ Copyright 2017 Squamish Chief

- See more at: http://www.squamishchief.com/lifestyles/love-and-acceptance-in-brackendale-festival-returns-1.2273431#sthash.CVvikN0r.dpuf - The Squamish Chief

NYE 2016 Masquerade Ball

What: Celebrate the arrival of 2016 in Vancouver at Belmont’s New Years Eve Masquerade Ball! With a 3 course dinner, champagne toast and canapes at midnight, live music by Alex Maher and guest DJs with a live percussionist.
Where: The Belmont Bar – 1006 Granville Street, Vancouver
When: Thursday, December 31; 7 p.m. - Vancity Buzz

DNA6

Music, like life, is in a constant state of evolution. New people bring new influences, new ideas, new concepts to the table. Vancouver’s DNA6 is a case in point.

Bandmembers Alex Maher (vocals, sax, guitar, percussion, beatbox), MC Dosia (vocals) and M. Prime (vocals and guitar) describe themselves as essentially a hip-hop/rap act and while there’s no question that that’s where their centre of musical gravity lies, they have also infused their music with elements of classic pop music, jazz, funk, and blues.

They cite The Beatles, A Tribe Called Quest, Sade, Miles Davis, D’Angelo, Talib Kweli, and Elliott Smith among their influences, and if you listen closely, you can hear almost all of them at play at some point.

Having read who they were influenced by, I expected their music to be interesting. Just how interesting I didn’t realize until I heard material like Megalodon,Why Can’t I Sleep,All The Things You Do, and All Up To Me.

The music comes across as intelligent, imaginative, and highly inventive with sweet grooves, well-conceived melody lines, great rhymes, most of which are positive and upbeat in their orientation, and solid production values.

The three core members of DNA6 have been together just four years, but two members of the band, Alex and Mario, have been playing together more than 10 years, first in high school jazz bands, later in the band Flannel Jimmy. They met bandmate MC Dosia at a freestyle show in 2003 and formed this band the next year.

If you go out to see DNA6 live expect a full stage. For live shows it tops up the roster with bass player David Spidel, drummer/keyboard player Chad Taylor, and either Ryan Stewart, Tim Proznic, or Brendan McLean on drums.

At this point, DNA6s fan base is primarily in western Canada, but expect that to change as more people get a taste of what it has to offer.

And that’s happening.

Some of the larger shows to date have included the World Freestyle Ski Championship, New Music West, Crankworx in Whistler, and the Vancouver Folk Fest. DNA6 songs have also been licensed for several film projects including a mountain biking video Seasons and the feature film That One Night.

Listen to DNA 6’s Signs - Canadian Musician Showcase

At its peak, Alex Maher’s addiction was so at home at rock bottom, that it invited the veteran Vancouver musician in to visit twice in one year.

The first time, approximately three years ago, Maher recalls that he was so high on hard drugs that he thought he could safely parkour out the back of his apartment building. That delusion resulted in a shattered heel bone, three months of forced sobriety as he convalesced after surgery in his parents’ home, and the feeling that maybe, after almost a decade of substance abuse, he needed to turn a corner.

But, in reality, it took a second incident – Maher hallucinating that his apartment was on fire and having to be escorted to a waiting ambulance by police – for the reality of rock bottom to finally sink in.

“It had turned into this thing that I didn’t even realize was controlling my life,” says Maher, seated at a sunny Eastside kitchen table recently. “When I got back, all my gigs were still waiting for me, and I went through a period leading up to that where, the more gigs I got, the more money I got to facilitate this crazy affliction. So I was clean for three months – not by my choice – and then I went back into my gigs, had my own apartment, and hit bottom again.

“There was something pulling me out of it this time, though,” he continues. “My [new] relationship with my girlfriend, Lauren, and the why am I doing this again? It had almost killed me once that year.”

Maher adds that he was also coping with the loss of two dear music industry friends to the same vice.

It’s a dark subject, one Maher explores with a prizefighter’s perspective on Aether – the first solo EP from the talented saxophonist, loop pedalist, and DNA6 and Flannel Jimmy co-founder in almost 10 years, which he released to a sold-out crowd at the Fox Cabaret in February. The majority of the tracks were written during his “dark time”, and serve as lyrical lamentations on isolation and loss. Sonically, however, the album retains Maher’s trademark velvety vocals, blues-pop guitar riffs, and searing sax solos. “It’s trying to make something uplifting from something extremely sad,” Maher muses. “Kind of like a Green Day song. If you listen to a Green Day song, it’s really upbeat and poppy, but if you listen to the lyrics, it’s really dark.”

He’ll be performing tracks from Aether, like the soulful “No One Else” (which he co-wrote with friend and Carly Rae Jepsen collaborator Ryan Stewart) and sun-soaked “The Light” with his band at the fifth anniversary of Ground Up on Thursday, May 4, at Guilt & Co. Proceeds from the show go to the Bavubuka Allstarz Foundation, a nonprofit organization that connects youth with music and the arts. That’s in addition to the handful of regular weekly gigs Maher plays, such as the Keefer Bar on Tuesday nights, Clough Club on Saturdays, Parlour on Mondays, and Anza Club open mic on Thursdays, which he’s hosted for more than a decade.

In fact, somewhat miraculously, Maher says his musical ability, passion, and professional reputation survived the thousands of days he spent high. “Music was always there,” he says. “It was weird that I was always able to – even when I was at my peak of abuse, I was somehow able to keep it together for each gig. My evil addict was good at scheduling, I guess?” he jokes, wryly.

He also acknowledges, with the recent tsunami of fentanyl-laced party drugs and overdoses, that he’s lucky he survived his addiction at all.

Ultimately, Maher’s recovery began in earnest when he joined Daytox Vancouver – an outpatient withdrawal-management program – two years ago and started doing home drug tests to prove to his loved ones that he was clean. He says he’s been clean since. The 37-year-old also credits his partner, Lauren, new rescue pup Billie, and circle of friends for being instrumental in his recovery.

“That’s what’s going on,” he says, contentedly. “That’s why this album exists.”

• Alex Maher and his band perform at the fifth anniversary of Ground Up at Guilt & Company on Thursday, May 4, at 10pm. Pay-what-you-can sliding scale admission at the door. alexmahermusic.com

- See more at: http://www.westender.com/arts-culture/music/alex-maher-rises-from-the-aether-of-addiction-1.18167888#sthash.9e2qcH1R.dpuf - The Westender