Tim is a guitarist and vocalist for Mudcat and the Bottom Feeders, Fair Trade, Smash and Grab, and plays in tribute bands Crazy on You and Pink Floyd. He also plays solo acoustic shows.
- What sparked your interest in music?
I grew up in the 70s surrounded by great music. I wanted to be like that. I wanted to play guitar. I got a paper route to save up enough money to get a guitar and an amp from the Sears Catalog. Then I started a band with friends.
- Most listened to song in the last week?
It is something that I am working on – one of my own pieces. I am trying to focus on my own material more and other people’s material less.
- What do you drink during a show?
Water is the best thing to drink. Sometimes I want to have a beer on a hot day, but alcohol makes it more difficult to sing because it dries out the voice. I just have to resist the temptation and have one after the show instead.
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- Most memorable Rochester gig experience?
My most memorable experience was opening for .38 Special at the Down by the Riverside concert a few years ago. It was a hot Sunday summer evening, and it was really cool to look out there and see people as far as I could see.
- Top three artists at the moment?
Eric Johnson. He will always be my favorite guitarist. Nobody else sounds like that. I actually met him once, and he is every bit as real as it gets – a gracious soul.
RUSH. I grew up listening to RUSH albums, and those albums influenced the way I play the guitar. I like odd meter because that is what I was steeped in.
The Police. When they came along, they changed things by using the less-is-more approach. I thought of Andy Summers’ guitar work like an impressionist painter, almost like quick strokes of color. It is very different than the big power chord approach. There was texture and room to breathe in the music, and I like his minimalistic approach.
- One book you think everyone should read?
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This is a classic piece of Americana, and it contains a lot of themes that are relevant today such as race, stations of life, and the quest. It’s a book that should be read every summer.
- What makes you stand out as a musician?
I try to do songs that other people aren’t doing in a solo acoustic setting.
- Kindest words from an audience member?
At one of my first solo gigs, someone from the audience told the owner, "I could listen to him all day." It was a turning point for me as a singer. That positive reinforcement meant a lot.
- Show rituals or superstitions?
I don’t have a magical pairs of sneakers, but I do always stress about getting there on time, getting set up, and making sure everything is working properly. Once that is handled, everything just flows.
- If you had to outlaw one song from ever being played again, which would it be and why?
The song, Brown Eyed Girl. Not because it's a bad song. It's actually a good song, but like a lot of good songs, it's a victim of its own success – over-requested and over-played ad nauseum. It's just one of those songs I don't ever want to perform again. If someone wants to hear a Van Morrison song, I'd rather give them Moondance.
IF YOU GO….
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You can see Tim’s solo acoustic shows on Friday, August 26 at the Wicked Moose; Saturday, August 27 at Canadian Honker; and Wednesday, August 31 at Tillie’s Bar and Grill.
