Meet Jeff Petescia
At the age of 14, Jeff began a transformative journey driven by a newfound passion for music. Sparked by the enthralling guitar melodies of bands like Blink-182 and Green Day and with guitar tones and live performances, particularly those by the Dave Matthews Band. Teaching himself to play guitar upside down, Jeff also fostered a passion for songwriting, a craft he had dabbled in since childhood. Now, nearly 17 years later, Jeff stands as a seasoned musician, notably as a member of the alternative indie folk band Cold Weather Company and as a solo artist with a diverse range of musical endeavors, spanning from acoustic indie folk to collaborative indie-electronic projects under the moniker Pet Droid, or simply his own name, Jeff Petescia.
This March, The MIC Mag is celebrating Jeff Petescia, as our Musician of the Month!
Genre: Indie Folk/Acoustic
Artist Name: Jeff Petescia
Band: Cold Weather Company
Fun Facts: "I play guitar upside down! I continue to meet more and more people who also do this (including my friend Rory D'Lasnow), and they all of course have an interesting story."
What Makes Jeff Petscia Stand Out?
"I think what makes me stand out is my approach to the guitar, both acoustic and electric, and how it translates during jams with other people. I'd like to think of myself as someone fun to jam with, someone not too egotistical or overly dominant, but self-aware and knowing when to give and take space."
What is Jeff Petscia most known for?
"Besides playing guitar upside down, I'd say I'm mostly known among some for my percussive guitar playing style and primarily soft vocals."
What has Jeff Petscia been working on?
"My latest solo EP Far Beneath the Sun is made up of three songs that mean a lot to me, bundled together as a short, easy-to-digest display of my songwriting style. Each of them are introspective and have themes of struggle, change, and acceptance, with a few other messages and stories. Sometimes we grow as we sink, and other times parts of us can sink as we grow. Sometimes old lessons need to be repeated in order for them to stick and resonate with our current selves. We're always changing and having to adapt to new situations as we move through life, and we're all out here sometimes faking it as we figure out how to make it (and that's okay)."
Jeff Petscia covers Dave Matthews band "Ants Marching"
"Music and art of any form is a gift in life we all get to explore. I'm grateful for songwriting, and I always saw it as a medium to channel my inner weird, resulting in something people may relate to and maybe even enjoy." - Jeff Petescia
Jeff Petescia's latest release, Far Beneath the Sun
Do you have any advice for other aspiring independent musicians?:
"Be your strange self and show the world your love for creating. Go out there and meet others to network, grow, and find opportunities while always remaining genuine and kind. Take your craft and yourself seriously, but not too seriously. Find the balance and don't put too much pressure on yourself. "
Listen to Jeff Petescia's Far Beneath the Sun