Kundalini, Bruce Lee, and the Dead Sea
Here’s what I can tell you about Anthony Molina. He wakes up every morning, meditates, and does yoga. Then, he drinks two cups of Yerba Mate tea with almond milk and honey.
There’s music playing everywhere in his house. Fancy speakers in the living room. Bookshelf speakers in the dining room. Wooden speakers on the top shelf of the kitchen that match the cabinetry surprisingly well. A radio in the bathroom. A CD player out on the porch. At Anthony’s place, music will be heard.
Plus, there are instruments everywhere. Guitars on the wall. A piano in the living room. Some stringed instrument in the hallway — maybe it’s a lute?
He cuts his own hair. He’s got a tequila bottle filled with water from the Dead Sea. He’ll tell you all about Kundalini and also about Bruce Lee. He does some martial art I can’t pronounce but the key thing about it is that your fist should strike your opponent like a metal ball at the end of a chain.
He’s got a cat named Mukii who’s kind of a diva. She scratched him a couple of days ago but he’s still very sweet with her — even puts himalayan sea salt in her food so it’s got some pizzazz. And he adds a little water to her food to make sure she’s hydrated. He is a big believer in hydration. He has a special water faucet with three filters so you know you’re getting the good stuff.
He knows so much about stones that the guy who sells crystals in town yields to him on discussions of kyanite and tiger’s eye. He knows so much about The Stones that he’ll tell you all about how Mick’s tambourine on an isolated vocal track makes no sense when heard on its own but somehow fits perfectly when you hear it with everything else.
Ask him about meeting Yanni and Billy Idol. They’re both good stories. And ask him about the first rule of hypnosis too.
What else? He grew up Catholic but now he’s Buddhist but it’s really all part of a bigger spiritual/mystical path that he’s on. Talk to him about chakras. He’ll tell you all about how Prince sang from his second chakra.
He knows this hike nearby that ends at a hidden lake. He’s got incense all over the place. But don’t worry, it’s not too in your face. Just a subtle background note.
When he walks around Kingston, he knows everyone in town. He DJs at parties. He likes to take “journeys.” He’s a seeker who’s explored the world. Also, the windows are always open at his place so there’s a nice cross breeze.
I guess I should throw in some bad stuff so you don’t think I’m too biased. His chest hair is a little bit much. Sometimes he can be a bit new agey but then he’ll rope you back in with some city vibes. And he occasionally says things like “I really don’t drink that much anymore” while ordering his third drink of the night so, y’know.
He’s got a studio. It’s got all the Pro Toolsy modern stuff you want but it’s also got tons of cool vintage gear. Stereo tube reverbs from the 70's and rack units with oscilloscopes and a mixing board that belonged to Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson. Groovy stuff like that. Late at night, he’ll sit behind the board and play you a track he’s really excited about — a heavy rocker or a dance track or a yoga mantra — and you can sense how much of himself he pours into the music he produces.
Right now he’s about to mix an album. He really wants to make something great with this songwriter. He’s been obsessing over the perfect sound for the vocals. He talks about how he wants to highlight what’s unique and special about this artist. How he wants to be like a photographer who knows how to frame a subject so their best features leap out in the final image. He discusses the vocal effects he wants to use. He cites some other artists who he’s been thinking about as inspiration. Then he talks about his process. And he explains how he tracks all the mixing notes in Google Docs. He’s got that artistic wavelength thing going on but he’s not flakey.
Bottom line, there’s a real sense of compassion and empathy about him. And he knows that you get out what you put in. If you come correct, he’ll probably help you straighten out your ideas and create something true and soulful. And if you’re lucky, maybe he’ll show you that hidden lake.
