Alex Weiler has been singing and writing songs since childhood, and that has evolved throughout a musical journey shaped by experiences with autism, physical disabilities, and a passion for creating music that connects with others on a deep emotional level. That is rooted in the numerous challenges Weiler has faced in life.
“I’m queer, I’m trans, I’m autistic, and I’m physically disabled,” he said. “I came out as a trans guy when I was a kid, but then I had to go back in the closet for a long time.”
He also lives with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic condition affecting collagen production, which is a vital process of the body. This has led to periods of severe illness and disability. Alex has also survived an abusive relationship and deals with PTSD and complex trauma. Despite these obstacles, he maintains a positive outlook and uses music as a means of processing his experiences and to create opportunities for others in their own struggles.
“My ultimate goal is to give other people who have gone through similar things as I have a space to see that they’re not alone,” said Weiler. “They’re not alone and ‘this’ is actually normal. Other people do feel that way. That’s what music did for me when I was a kid.”
Weiler’s songwriting reflects personal experiences, baring the trauma, PTSD, shame, and the experience of being disabled and queer. His musical style has evolved from folk punk in his teenage years to indie rock and eventually blending elements of screamo and riot grrrl aesthetics. One solo project, Mossbody, is a direct result of a bout of infection that spread throughout his whole body.
“I felt like I was a dead body,” he said. “When I was finally able to get medical help and rehabilitation and I started to get healthier, I started releasing music or wanting to release music, I was like, ‘Well. It’s like a dead body you find in the woods that’s covered in moss.”
He uses indie folk and singer-songwriter material to accentuate the introspective lyrics that allude to the growth and rebirth following the illness.
As Penny Pipsqueak of The Frozen Charlottes, Weiler explores more punk and riot grrrl-inspired sounds and, because the character is female, takes a different perspective than that of Mossbody. Last year, he created a project called Unrepentant with Maya McKay that draws on a range of styles to create a sound similar to contemporaries like Ic3peak or Brutalismus 3000.
Weiler has begun to expand his skills and experience as a producer with several projects currently in the works, including an upcoming LP for The Frozen Charlottes. He hopes to release another concept album for Mossbody by the late spring or early summer. That project explores the themes of forbidden love and societal constraints based on a series of letters between Emily Dickinson and her brother’s wife, Susan Gilbert.
“I wrote this album about it, just kind of dealing with losing a love that you were never even supposed to have in the first place,” said Weiler. “And then feeling that of shame — ‘Well, you know, of course this went poorly. How else would it have gone?’”
In addition to production, he hopes to reach more people and grow in collaborations with local musicians like carcrashpoolparty and Momma Molasses.
“I’ve been embraced musically by people and given opportunities that I’m so, so grateful for,” he said. “At the end of the day, nobody needed to give me a chance, but they did, and I’m so grateful for that.”
The shared experience returns to his original goal: to create music that helps others feel less alone and to leave behind a legacy of songs that can connect with and inspire people long after he’s gone. Despite health challenges that may limit his lifespan, he is determined to pack as much life and creativity into his years as possible
”I don’t think I’m going to have a normal lifespan,” said Weiler. “But I am trying to pack as much life into the years I get. And not as many years as I can into the life I get.
“I’m trying to do as much as I can while I can, before I get so sick that I can’t do it anymore.”