Prog Rocker + Musician in Ashland, OR

SEEKING

ABOUT

Looking to fulfill my dream of creating a 70's style hard-rock/metal band with prog-rock influences. I'm essentially looking for two things: 1) creative songwriters with whom I can collaborate, and/or 2) musicians that have reached a certain skill level and can play more complex pieces.

I've been playing guitar for about 20 years, and although I consider myself a decent player, I think my greatest strength is in composing music. My vision is to write highly melodic, dynamic pieces that take the listener on a musical journey, where loud, heavy sections are contrasted with quiet, restrained passages. If I had to describe my "sound" to someone, I would tell them to imagine a band with Toni Iommi and Steve Hackett on guitar, Geddy Lee on bass, Rick Wakeman (Yes) or Richard Wright (Pink Floyd) on keys, and Peter Gabriel on vocals. My music would also take a cue from many of the psychedelic bands of the late sixties, such as Spirit, The Move, The Small Faces, etc. Ultimately, I'm interested in writing original, weird, creative pieces.

I don't have any delusions about becoming a "rock star," making it big, or trying to eek out a living as a musician. The odds of any of those outcomes are slim, particularly in today's music industry, where the revenue from streaming and album sales is paltry at best. Therefore, my ultimate goal is to form a band of tight-knit musicians, record some albums, generate a small but loyal fan base, and perhaps embark on self-funded tours once a year or when we all have time to get together. If we break even, I would be more than satisfied. If this sounds like a project you might be interested in, and if you're familiar with some of the bands listed under my influences tab, then please reach out to me - even if you're located outside of Oregon! The way I see it, if I can find the right musicians with the same drive and vision, then I'm willing to make anything work. Life is short, so let's get to work! E-mail me at bolson.or at g mail dot com.

Uploaded Songs:
*Sonic Experiment #1 - The first in a series of short vignettes; intended as an exercise in creativity.

*A Passage To Bangkok - One of my favorite Rush songs - its simple but has a great guitar riff. I recorded it mainly as a way to become familiar with Pro Tools.

*The Lonely King - A MIDI version of a song I composed (I haven't had time to record all the parts). Originally, it was written as one long piece, but due to the size constraints of Bandmix, I had to split it into four parts. The louder piano part is the vocal melody.

Screen name:

Prog Rocker

Member since:

Dec 23 2019

Active within 1 week

Level of commitment:

Touring

Years playing music:

20

Tend to practice:

2-3 times per week

Available to gig:

1 night a week

Most available:

Nights

Influences

PROG-ROCK: Genesis, Rush, and Yes (aka the holy trinity), Camel, Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM), Steve Hackett, King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Caravan, Nektar, Marillion, The Strawbs, Renaissance, Focus, Jethro Tull, Alan Parsons Project, Kansas, Styx, Gentle Giant

PSYCHEDELIC: The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, Spirit, Small Faces, The Move, The Nazz, The Nice

JAZZ (FUSION): Mahavishnu Orchestra, Al Di Meola

CLASSIC ROCK: The Who, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Captain Beyond, Uriah Heep, Queen, Thin Lizzy, Motorhead, Hawkwind, Blue Oyster Cult, Kiss, Sweet

METAL: Budgie, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Saxon, Accept, Kyuss, Sleep, The Sword

NEWER BANDS: Ty Segall, Fuzz, SLIFT, Temples, Opeth (only the proggier stuff), Hallas, Wytch Hazel, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Elder, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats...basically anything unique and original.

Instrument experience:

Rhythm Guitar:

Advanced

Lead Guitar:

Advanced

EQUIPMENT

Gibson SG Special + Various gear

MUSIC