On his self-titled Connoisseur Records debut, singer/songwriter Colin Blades melds Lennon and McCartney-inspired melodies with a lyrical sophistication and intensity beyond his years.

?It all started with my staying up late and writing songs on my acoustic guitar,? Blades says of the journey that is leading to his stunning debut.

The music scene of the San Francisco Bay Area he grew up in also fueled Blades? creative drive. Marathon jamming and recording sessions followed shortly after he penned his first batch of tunes.

?I was just kind of doing what came naturally,? Colin says of those early days. ?I was writing for my own enjoyment, what sounded good to me at that moment.?

As the son of Night Ranger/Damn Yankees front-man Jack Blades, Colin spent his youth criss-crossing the globe with his dad and being put to sleep at night in guitar road cases. As a result, his passion for music runs deep.

?This is my life. Music is in my blood.?

While Blades brings the rock in full force on stage, he takes a distinctly introspective approach when it comes to songwriting. From the plaintive psychedelic tinge of ?All I Ever Ask? to the growling pop of ?Far Away? to the pensive ?White Holiday?, his music reveals an artist committed to intense self-expression.

?I have such an addictive personality,? Blades says. ?I do everything full throttle.?

When he set out to record his first record, Blades didn?t travel far. With Noel Golden (Edwin McCain, Matchbox Twenty) and father Jack handling production and engineering, Blades headed over to the converted barn/studio to lay down tracks in the fall of 2002. Revealing and completely infectious, the thirteen-song collection at once channels the immediacy of master songsmith John Lennon and the urgency of contemporary troubadour Ben Harper.

Upon the release of his Connoisseur debut, Colin will get back to what he knows best and hit the road for as long as tour bus wheels will allow. Audiences can expect a live show as engaging as his recording, as Blades delivers a full-on rock attack paired with moments of real intimacy. As a testament to his hometown scene, Blades? live band are his longtime friends and local Bay Area musicians, who have been firing up their amps with Blades since the very beginning.

?We?re gonna be touring hard,? Blades promises. ?I love being up on stage and being in front of people and making people feel good. It?s a great feeling.?