3/31/2019 0 Comments Painting The BackgroundI had a very unusual upbringing with music, having never listened to any contemporary pop hits at all as a kid. I was raised on predominantly 80's music, and was introduced to acts like Duran Duran, A Flock Of Seagulls, and Thomas Dolby very early on. My dad was the main guide to these early musical tastes, and often took me to see these bands when they were around. My first real concert was Duran Duran, in 2005. Around the same time, he also introduced me to more current alternative music like The Killers, The Bravery, and The Cinematics. And that's where my pursuit of music really began was when I discovered this explosion of alternative. Music could be anything.
I always say that based on my upbringing it's a wonder I never played keyboards, but something about the guitar caught my interest very early on. Above all else, there are ultimately two people that influenced my journey into playing, in very different ways. The first is Gord Depp, of a band called The Spoons. The group formed in my hometown of Burlington, Ontario in 1979, and I think that this is what instilled the idea of truly 'local music' in me. Having that personal connection to something can really help to strengthen the bond you have with it, and that might be why I latched on to them so heavily in my youth. I saw them play repeatedly because they were always in the area. But the music was also a huge factor; even though the band is known as an 80's synth band, Gord's playing has always been formidable. My dad pointed out and constantly reinforced how the melody of his guitar can sit beautifully within a song, even when it's not the main focus. Even though the band is known for their synth work, their biggest album Arias & Symphonies is a beautiful balance of keys and guitar. The band has also stood the test of time, and being able to meet a childhood hero multiple times is something I got the chance to experience because of their longevity. The other is Brian Aubert, of Silversun Pickups. Brian Aubert was the guy who made me realize the true extent of possibilities on the guitar through pedals. Silversun's first album Swoon was one of the first albums I bought on vinyl at the age of 14, and I would play along to it endlessly in my bedroom. It's also the first time I really took a look into the kinds of gear any artist was using, purely because of the variety of sounds on the album. He made a guitar into something way more than it was, with a huge board of effects; massive amounts of fuzz, delay, distortion, and octavers. This led me to purchase my first pedals of my own, two Boss digital delays, much like the ones featured on his board. From there my collection grew to what it is today, where I have a gigging pedalboard of around 13 stompboxes, in a collection of close to 30 effects units. My playing, and overall sound wouldn't be what it is today without his influence. I've seen them three times to date, and they never disappoint. ~Fonfur
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
All posts written by fonfur2019 Archives
April 2019
Categories |