We recently connected with Ethan Massey and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ethan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Exscend, my progressive-rock trio, has brought the most passion out of me by far. Our drummer, Nick Drayton, and I went to neighboring middle schools and high school together, where we played in jazz bands, jazz ensembles, combos, marching bands, concert bands, musical pits, etc. Towards the end of our high school career, we got a group together so we could perform at one of our schools’ shows. After the group collectively realized we had different paths, Nick and I were looking for a bass player. I had gone to STL Rock School (formerly called Dave Simon’s Rock School) since I was about five years old and had become a teacher at the school. While working at an art fair, Ethan Floyd, another student turned teacher, was there as well. Despite both going to the school for years, all I knew about him was that he was a good bass player. We got to talking, and eventually I told him to come “try out” for the band. He came over to my studio, and after jamming with him once, Nick and I knew he was exactly what we were looking for. Eventually, this group evolved into Exscend. The progressive nature of Exscend has allowed me to grow significantly as a writer, producer, and player. I often find myself writing intricate parts I can’t play and then being faced with learning them. Recently, we’ve released an EP titled “Soverienty Hides” on all streaming platforms and are recording and writing more every day!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started taking guitar lessons with my teacher Jared Erlinger when I was about five years old at “Dave Simon’s Rock School.” Not long after, I joined some of the rock bands they offered as well. This exposed me to all different types of music and instruments. Even at a young age, the other guys in my band were very talented. While we all had our main instruments, we took this opportunity to try out everything. It was not long before I had experience on not only guitar but bass, drums, keys, ukulele, and vocals. Not to brag, but in elementary school, I was so good at recorder karate (a teaching system where you get a new color of string tied to the end of your recorder when you “level up”) that my teacher had to go buy new, multicolored string for me. While I also got the opportunity to try out violin in fifth grade, I didn’t take to it as much. I think I knew I wanted to try out a band instrument in sixth grade. Ironically, while I thought I was going to take the trumpet, when I tried out all of the band instruments, the alto saxophone came very naturally to me. I guess that recorder training paid off. Now in middle school, I had an extra credit to fill, so my dad encouraged me to join choir. While I had sang a bit in my band at the rock school, I didn’t really feel like choir was for me. Luckily, I decided to try it out, and I loved it from day one. I remember Mr. Baker handing out “The Clouds” by Cynthia Gray. I’m sure if I heard that choir of sixth graders sing today, I would think nothing of it, but in that moment, singing with a group for the first time felt euphoric. I was in… and I would never need to fill an extra credit ever again. Throughout middle school, I would go on to play saxophone and sing in many different small ensemble and solo competitions, as well as join the after-school jazz band on guitar. Further, Mr. Baker, an amazing human and one of the best choir teachers I have ever had the pleasure of working with, led our groups to receive nothing but a 1 rating at every competition we had. Going into high school, my passion for music had never been stronger. There were so many options: jazz bands, jazz ensembles, combos, marching bands, concert bands, musical pits, etc. I couldn’t hold back; I did them all and more while somehow maintaining over a 4.0 GPA. Months before the bell even rang on the first day of my freshman year, I was out in the summer heat with the marching band learning techniques and drills at camp. Led by Mrs. Livesay, Mrs. & Mr. White, and Mr. McFarland, the band program as a whole, but especially the marching band, was a huge deal. We had close to 200 kids in the band and many, many more parents, friends, and faculty helping along the way. I earned a spot on the leadership team my sophomore year and became saxophone section leader my last two years. These positions were taken very seriously, and while the band had always crushed at competitions, under our direction, we had two undeafeated seasons. Through all of this, I had also played alto in concert band, eventually switching to tenor saxophone. Additionally, I had the opportunity of playing baritone saxophone in the musical pit for the Wizard of Oz my senior year. While I enjoyed playing saxophone and continued to compete in solo and small ensembles with it, guitar had always been my first love; there was never a question. I enjoyed playing guitar in “Jazz Band,” the after-school club that met once a week, but I wanted more. In junior year, I earned a spot in “Jazz Ensemble,” a higher-level group that met daily as a class. Despite having to take many summer school classes to fit all of my credits in, it was well worth it. Mr. McFarland treated our Jazz Ensemble as a professional group, which resulted in us placing very high in every regional competition. My junior year, we decided to bring in a recording engineer to help us submit an audition to MMEA, the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference. I had been fortunate enough to have already performed there with my cousin in middle school, but this time around things were more serious than ever. We played our best, submitted our recording, and waited. While involved with every band at the school, including jazz combos that would gig, compete, and open for concerts, I was also in every choral group possible. I didn’t really have a choice since Mr. Baker followed my grade from the middle school to our high school, joining forces with Mrs. Lamb. I would have been a fool to not take advantage of this opportunity as well. Sure enough, under this direction, our choir program kept our middle school tradition of earning a 1 rating at every competition we competed in. While I started off in concert choir, I quickly earned my way into chamber choir, the top group at our school. Additionally, I continued to lead and compete in solo and small group competitions. This included a group called “The Arrrpeggios,” a men’s barbershop double quartet I showed leadership in and became leader of my last two years of high school. After waiting about a year to receive the results of our jazz ensemble’s MMEA audition, Mr. McFarland shared the news. We had won! Deemed the best high school jazz group in the state, I got the honor of returning to one of the most prestigious music conferences in the state, but this time I got to play guitar. MMEA is held at Margarettaville, a massive resort where all of the all-state groups rehearse and perform as well. I knew I had to personally make it into at least one of these all-state groups. I already had the opportunity to play guitar at this level lined up, and I had made it into the all-suburban (regional) choirs many times before. I knew putting my efforts into making the all-state choir was my best shot. Fortunately, it paid off, and I got to spend the week at MMEA with not only my school’s jazz ensemble, but I got to hang out, practicing and performing with the best musicians in the state, including the all-state choir, where I spent most of my time. Additionally, I had earned a perfect score in the vocal sightreading room at the regional level, so I got to compete in the state-wide vocal sightreading competition. On top of all of that, Mr. McFarland submitted a recording of our jazz ensemble at MMEA to the National Jazz Festival, where we placed 3rd in the nation! Despite essentially having multiple full-time jobs, I was not getting paid for any of them. At age 16, I asked Jared, the now owner of STL Rock School (formerly Dave Simon’s Rock School), if I could work at the school. I started teaching at the following summer camps and continued into the school year, never looking back. I have now also become the gear manager. I’ve known I wanted to “do music” for living since I was five, but now, graduating high school, I had to figure out what that looked like in a bit more detail. Having developed a passion for not just playing music but writing it, understanding it as well as the industry, and being a leader, I decided to attend Lindenwood as a Music-Business & Entrepreneurship major, Jazz & Contemporary Music minor, and Social Media Marketing minor. Currently I am finishing my fourth semester at Lindenwood and am very grateful for the extensive exposure to every part of music and the industry I have had so far. Today, I spend most of my time learning more every day at Lindenwood as well as exploring my passion of writing and producing. I have invested extensively into my main project, “Exscend,” my LLC and three-piece progressive rock group. Through this project, I have gained knowledge and experience in many avenues, such as writing, arranging, producing, mixing, mastering, videography, photography, editing, content creation, social media marketing, managing, booking, art and merchandise development, etc. Moving forward, I also plan to release music under my solo artist name “Ethos.” Additionally, I plan to develop “Ethos Productions,” a production company that will provide songwriting, production, mixing, and mastering services to help artists and bands in need bring their music to life and reach the full potential it deserves. We then go one step further by providing artist and brand development as well as customizable service bundles. For now, if you are interested in the services I have to offer, please inquire on my Instagram, @music.ethos, and/or on the contact form on my linktree, “linktr.ee/ethan.massey” Exscend is also available for booking through the linktree on our instagram. @exscend.official – “linktr.ee/exscend”

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Growing up with seemingly infinite resources at your fingertips is a blessing that can easily cause one to become complacent. I think these resources allow us access to a great library of knowledge and efficiency; however, if not implemented, this knowledge is left to the void. As I grow, I realize the value of not only efficient education but learning through doing. Much like how humans don’t actually retain information unless they are actively using it, the skills we choose that give us value will not be well developed or retained if they are not acted upon.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

While I am fortunate for all of the extensive opportunities I have had in many different avenues, I had to learn the hard way that there are only 24 hours in a day. The more my passion for music and business grows, the more difficult it is to do all of the things I want to and do them to the extent they deserve to be done. Humans are creatures of habit, good and bad, whether we like it or not. It is easy to feel like you are on the right path and blink only to find yourself further behind than once planned. No matter who you are or what field you work in, I believe our time is one of our most valuable resources, and we will never seem to have enough of it. Have the hard conversations with yourself and be intentional with your time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/ethan.massey
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/music.ethos
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ethan4massey?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@music_ethos?sub_confirmation=1
• Other: Exscend Linktree: https://linktr.ee/exscend

Image Credits

Sitting on rocks & car – Lisa M Masek https://masekfamily.smugmug.com/
Exscend on the rocks – Garrett Sherman