Interview with John Gidlund
I recently met John Gidlund at a Texpert show at the North Beach Halloween show. I've seen them in concert 2 times already. John's really cool and super nice! We've been e-mailing each other ever since. I e-mailed him an interview and he answered it. It's really cool. Texpert is awsome! I love them! Their website is www.texpertmusic.com. Check them out! They signed a poster for me at the show! Check out this awsome iterview!
How long has Texpert been around for?
October 24th 2003 was the first time all four of us got together to play music. That day was more of a jam session to see if we liked playing together. I had a handful of songs at the time and we ended up jamming one of them called "Hey Kids". We actually just recorded Hey Kids to release as a Christmas song at the end of the year.
How did you get in the band?
There is a long back story to the creation of Texpert. Johnny Smoke and I were in the same class in high school. So that is how I know him. Both of us played in different bands all through high school and after. Right around the year 2000 both of us quit our bands and stopped playing for a while. Johnny Smoke started a cover band sometime in 2002 called "Special Guest", mostly to play for fun. He needed an emergency guitar player to sit in for a set of music. So he called me up and we started to rehearse for the show. Right away I was amazed by his vocals and I asked him to start an original band. Jason Smith was the bass player in the cover band and I really liked his playing as well. Johnny Smoke knew Mike Dixon from college and we asked him to come over to play drums. That is how it all came together.
Why does Texpert usually wear shirts and ties (which looks cool) when your playing live?
I think we do it to separate ourselves a little from other bands and maybe even the audience. It is kind of fun to dress up at shows and look a little ridiculous. The white shirts are bright so it does stand out quite a bite when the lights are on us. It used to be more common to dress up in the early sixties and even into the 70’s and 80’s but I think the hair bands took it to far.
Who's idea was it to wear that?
Johnny Smoke used to wear a white shirt and tie in his last band call Split Habit. So he kind of encouraged us to go that route. It took me a little longer to be convinced on the idea but now I wont take the shirt off.
In your opinion, what bands does Texpert sound like?
When we first started I was really interested to hear what other people thought we sounded like. I have a hard time explaining it to people. I think a lot of young musicians, including myself when I fist started playing, feel like they need to imitate other people to be respected. This is the first band where I said the hell with what anyone is doing I am going to be completely myself. With that being said, I think we sound like a cross between the Smoking Popes and Jimmy Eat World.
I loved the Ghostbusters costumes at the Halloween show! How did you think of that?
We wanted to dress up for Halloween and all look the same. So we were just sitting around after practice thinking of movie characters and Johnny Smoke said lets be the Ghostbusters. I was given a gift certificate to Target, so when I was shopping there I went down the costume isle and to my disbelief there were four Ghostbuster outfits with backpack and all. So I snagged them right away.
Your EP is great! Do you know when the cd's coming out?
We have three songs recorded for the next release now and we would really like to have it out by no later then July of next year. The next thing we are going to release will be a full length. The plan is to record about twelve songs and put the best ten on the album. I would really like everyone to hear what we have done so far but I guess it will have to wait.
What is your favorite Texpert song?
I am really happy with the way Ozone Bloom came out. Out of the four that we did for the EP I feel we nailed that one. I love the harmonies and the fact that it starts with vocals right away. I like to write short pops songs and Ozone is the epitome of what I am looking to accomplish with Texpert.
I love you cover of Weezer's "Say it Ain't So"! Do you ever play any other covers?
We did do two other Smoking Popes covers but it is hard to beat Say it Ain’t So. As soon as we can think of a song to top it, I think we will play a different one. Plus people are always asking us to play the Weezer cover so we might as well do it. We have always been more of an original band I guess.
You're awesome at guitar! When did you start playing?
I started playing right around 8th gradish. Right around that time there were some really good bands coming out and it was pretty inspiring. Bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, and Sound Garden dominated the radio. They made it possible learn four cords and be a rock star. Other bands had done that before but never made it so mainstream. Plus my Dad played guitar and my Mom was singer so I grew up with music as a way of life.
What was the first song you could play on guitar?
I brought a guitar home that my best friend gave me. I asked my Dad to show me how to tune it and play a few things. The first thing I learned to play were two songs that my Dad wrote when he was in high shcool. About a week later I had about three songs of my own. They weren’t very good.
What are your top 3 favorite bands?
The hardest question to answer. I would have to say The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin.
How did Texpert get it's name?
We are huge Beatles fans so it is an obscure Beatles reference. Listen to the words of the Beatles song "I am the Walrus" off of the album Magical Mystery Tour. One of my favorite albums by the way.
Hope you injoyed my first ever interview!
The Negative Creep
How long has Texpert been around for?
October 24th 2003 was the first time all four of us got together to play music. That day was more of a jam session to see if we liked playing together. I had a handful of songs at the time and we ended up jamming one of them called "Hey Kids". We actually just recorded Hey Kids to release as a Christmas song at the end of the year.
How did you get in the band?
There is a long back story to the creation of Texpert. Johnny Smoke and I were in the same class in high school. So that is how I know him. Both of us played in different bands all through high school and after. Right around the year 2000 both of us quit our bands and stopped playing for a while. Johnny Smoke started a cover band sometime in 2002 called "Special Guest", mostly to play for fun. He needed an emergency guitar player to sit in for a set of music. So he called me up and we started to rehearse for the show. Right away I was amazed by his vocals and I asked him to start an original band. Jason Smith was the bass player in the cover band and I really liked his playing as well. Johnny Smoke knew Mike Dixon from college and we asked him to come over to play drums. That is how it all came together.
Why does Texpert usually wear shirts and ties (which looks cool) when your playing live?
I think we do it to separate ourselves a little from other bands and maybe even the audience. It is kind of fun to dress up at shows and look a little ridiculous. The white shirts are bright so it does stand out quite a bite when the lights are on us. It used to be more common to dress up in the early sixties and even into the 70’s and 80’s but I think the hair bands took it to far.
Who's idea was it to wear that?
Johnny Smoke used to wear a white shirt and tie in his last band call Split Habit. So he kind of encouraged us to go that route. It took me a little longer to be convinced on the idea but now I wont take the shirt off.
In your opinion, what bands does Texpert sound like?
When we first started I was really interested to hear what other people thought we sounded like. I have a hard time explaining it to people. I think a lot of young musicians, including myself when I fist started playing, feel like they need to imitate other people to be respected. This is the first band where I said the hell with what anyone is doing I am going to be completely myself. With that being said, I think we sound like a cross between the Smoking Popes and Jimmy Eat World.
I loved the Ghostbusters costumes at the Halloween show! How did you think of that?
We wanted to dress up for Halloween and all look the same. So we were just sitting around after practice thinking of movie characters and Johnny Smoke said lets be the Ghostbusters. I was given a gift certificate to Target, so when I was shopping there I went down the costume isle and to my disbelief there were four Ghostbuster outfits with backpack and all. So I snagged them right away.
Your EP is great! Do you know when the cd's coming out?
We have three songs recorded for the next release now and we would really like to have it out by no later then July of next year. The next thing we are going to release will be a full length. The plan is to record about twelve songs and put the best ten on the album. I would really like everyone to hear what we have done so far but I guess it will have to wait.
What is your favorite Texpert song?
I am really happy with the way Ozone Bloom came out. Out of the four that we did for the EP I feel we nailed that one. I love the harmonies and the fact that it starts with vocals right away. I like to write short pops songs and Ozone is the epitome of what I am looking to accomplish with Texpert.
I love you cover of Weezer's "Say it Ain't So"! Do you ever play any other covers?
We did do two other Smoking Popes covers but it is hard to beat Say it Ain’t So. As soon as we can think of a song to top it, I think we will play a different one. Plus people are always asking us to play the Weezer cover so we might as well do it. We have always been more of an original band I guess.
You're awesome at guitar! When did you start playing?
I started playing right around 8th gradish. Right around that time there were some really good bands coming out and it was pretty inspiring. Bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, and Sound Garden dominated the radio. They made it possible learn four cords and be a rock star. Other bands had done that before but never made it so mainstream. Plus my Dad played guitar and my Mom was singer so I grew up with music as a way of life.
What was the first song you could play on guitar?
I brought a guitar home that my best friend gave me. I asked my Dad to show me how to tune it and play a few things. The first thing I learned to play were two songs that my Dad wrote when he was in high shcool. About a week later I had about three songs of my own. They weren’t very good.
What are your top 3 favorite bands?
The hardest question to answer. I would have to say The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin.
How did Texpert get it's name?
We are huge Beatles fans so it is an obscure Beatles reference. Listen to the words of the Beatles song "I am the Walrus" off of the album Magical Mystery Tour. One of my favorite albums by the way.
Hope you injoyed my first ever interview!
The Negative Creep
posted by The Negative Creep at 2:41 PM
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