Rockaholic

For as long as he can remember, Jeremy Dougherty has held a guitar in his hand and music in his heart. His favorite music to listen to is heavy metal, but when he picks up his guitar and starts free-styling riffs, a soothing blend of rock and alternative notes comes out. Growing up in the small town of Canyon with one older brother, Dougherty always was into music - so much so that when he turned 14, he saved up his money and bought his first electric guitar. "It took awhile for me to learn how to play, but I got it down eventually," said Dougherty, who now can listen to any song just once and roughly play it back. After he hears the song a second time, he will play it back almost flawlessly. Although he doesn't even have an entire band yet, his creative ways of looping notes together indicate that he will be a successful musician. A local group of heavy metal rockers dubbed "the War Legion guys" put on underground heavy metal shows at least once a week, if not more. "I like to go to War Legion shows when they have them just to indulge in the underground metal scene," Dougherty said. Heavy metal buffs living in or around Amarillo can go to the shows to get violent, head-banging, rock concert pleasure. "Going to the War Legion shows is a release of stress for most of us," Dougherty said. "But I also go to the shows to get new ideas for songs. It's exciting to watch the bands perform with so much rage." Dougherty often is at the shows rocking out along with the rest of the fans, but when he's not working at his job (surprisingly, at a local retirement home) or head-banging at a War Legion show, he is coming up with new and interesting songs to record. Dougherty has nothing to do with the War Legion shows directly, his interesting music creations have caught the attention of several metal music lovers. "I was at a War Legion show not too long ago and met Jeremy there," said Kevin McBee, a War Legion show- goer. "We got to talking, and I became very interested in him as a person." After rocking out at the show together, McBee went to Dougherty's house for a little more hangout time and, of course, Dougherty couldn't help picking up his guitar to burst out a few notes. "I asked him how long ago he had written the song he had just played, and it shocked me when he told me he was just making it up as he played," McBee said. "I just recently started adding lyrics to my songs, and I surprised myself with how creative I can also be not only with the guitar riffs, but with the lyrics, too," Dougherty said. He has a few of his best songs on his music Myspace page, where his user name, Soundscapes and Dreamwaves, gets people wondering what his music is all about. "Soundscapes and Dreamwaves is just a name I came up with to describe what I think my music makes people feel," Dougherty said. The interesting blend of heavy notes combined with softer tones makes his brand of music intriguing. "I really love playing heavy metal, but I also enjoy playing more mellow, melodic stuff, so I am trying to find a place right in the middle where we can all co­exist as one," he said. The soothing yet heavy tones are not the only unusual thing about Dougherty's music. When it comes to thinking up song titles, Dougherty knows how to pick just the right words to strike someone's interest. With song titles such as "Convulsions," "Running Through the Dark," "Seeds of Compromise," "The Human Language" and "Polygraph Examiner," it's obvious Dougherty has an imagination that separates him from other artists. "When I listen to Jeremy's music, it makes me wonder what goes on in his head," said his friend, Brittani Morales. "His soothing songs make me feel relaxed and excited at the same time." What is even more amazing about this imaginative musician is that he does the music alone. With no help from outsiders, he does the background music, guitar riffs and lyrics that come together to form a completely different genre of music. Dougherty hopes his talent will take him far. "Somewhere between the distance of soundscapes and dreamwaves lie our deepest, most dormant thoughts and ideas, waiting to be realized, discovered and pulled to the surface," Dougherty said. "Too many times, however, they drown in the flood of negativity that constantly creeps into our subconscious, undetected, every minute of every day. "As a result, all we hear is static, and all we care about is our image and self-indulgence. "Close your eyes, open your mind and listen to what your soul has to say. Somewhere between the distance of soundscapes and dreamwaves is where you'll find yourself."

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