Imported Coulter

For Lee Coulter, who was originally inspired by Simon and Garfunkel and Back to the Future (“I played the tennis racket to the soundtrack”), it’s about the music. And producing. And giving “Rockstar 101” lessons on YouTube. It’s also about turning on people to unheard gems by other musicians via “Live from the Laptop.”

“It’s another way to share music,” says the 30-year-old Encinitas resident, who left Australia in 2002 to join Sharisse in America. (“She imported me.”) From the couple’s Encinitas home, he messages, “I post ‘Live from the Laptop’ Mondays, on YouTube. Playing obscure covers is a result of being covered by other musicians. I thought I’d do the same for virtually unknown songwriters that I admire.”

Coulter makes ends meet “with performances at corporate and private events and bread-and-butter gigs around town. As Lee Coulter’s Perfect Wav, I produce other artists. And there’s royalties, but that’s a fraction of what I hope it will be someday.”

How did your Sirius Radio exposure happen?

“A friend of a friend came to a show and said he wanted to help. He had no experience and no connections. At first I was suspicious. I guess I’m so used to being under the radar...it’s the kind of thing I hear all the time, and nothing comes of it. On this occasion, I lucked out. This guy just sent my CD in cold. Sirius picked up ‘I Would Love’ and started playing it three times a day on The Coffeehouse.

“Then I flew to Sirius’ New York headquarters for a live recording. They have a studio called the Fishbowl, with glass walls so people can watch from the lobby. I played five originals and “59th Street Bridge Song.” It aired the last week in April.”

As his “misguided, sexier alter ego, Walter Legeaux,” Coulter morphs into hip-hop mode for the “Rockstar 101.”

“Rockstar 101 is about having fun with the absurdities of ‘Indie Cred.’ Anyone can be a star. It’s about attitude and being larger than life.”

Lee Coulter appears Friday, July 22, at Across the Street at Mueller College in University Heights.