Intervue Records International

Jeff Berlin
by Erik Uhlen

Few bassists command the type of respect that Jeff Berlin does. Hehas been a world-class musician and educator, as well as havingwritten columns for and appeared in a multitude of major publications.We are fortunate to have been granted an interview, by Jeff, who tooktime off his grueling BX3 tour to do so.

-Intervue Records- Please tell us a little about how things fell into placeto get yourself, Stu Hamm and Billy Sheehan together on the BX3ticket. Was it an easy sell?

-Jeff Berlin- Sometimes, sometimes not! We are primarily a club orsmall theatre group. Obviously there are way more guitarists andpianists in the world than electric bassists. I think that there are moreVIOLINISTS in the world than bass players. We want to blow people'sminds when they see us so that players on other instruments wouldcome to check us out as well.

-I.R.- Could you tell us a little about your school in Florida, as well aswhat type of packages you offer students and the reason for openingit?

-J.B.- I opened the school when my son was diagnosed withlymphoma. I quit playing bass and started to teach to make a living sothat I could stay home with my son. Once he was declared cured of hiscancer, I began to play again but I decided to keep the school open.Right now I would compare what we do at The Players School of Musicwith any musical institution in the nation. I think that as a schoolimparting musical info, we are better than many schools operatingaround the world. We teach drummers, guitarists, keyboards and, ofcourse, bass. The premise is to teach at the level of the student factualelements in music that most musicians do not know about. In a nutshellexplanation, we have students who come to the school not reading anote, and inside of ten weeks they are soloing and reading jazz tunes.This is the truth and it happens all the time with us!

-I.R.- How is your son doing now? Does he have musical inclinationslike his father?

-J.B.- He's a drummer and his first love is System of Down. We havethese mock arguments about who is a better bass player, me, orShavo.

-I.R.- You have ruffled a few feathers in the past with certaincomments about lack of education in the bass playing world. I waswondering if playing with someone like Billy Sheehan, who is a greatself-taught bassist, has somehow altered your perceptions about yourearlier comments? As well do you find your own playing has taken adifferent tangent, because of playing with him on the BX3 tour?
-J.B.- My beliefs about learning music has not altered one little bitbecause self taught musicians were not a part of the comments that Imade about music education. I always referred to music in differentparts. One part was academic studies. You pay money to a school or toa teacher and they teach you. This is the area that I find filled withflaws. Tapping exercises, slapping exercises, music magazine articleswith tab, belief that a metronome will give you good time; all thesethings are wrong, flawed, in considerable error. And so I say it becauseI can prove my points at any clinic I give. Many musicians are self-taught and with great success. Hendrix,Clapton, The Beatles, the list is endless. But these guys never ever saidthat they got their time from a metronome, which they didn't. Theynever said that they had to build their chops, which they neverpursued. These guys never used tab to learn the blues or rock licks.They used their ears. They listend to records. They imitated what theyheard and molded it into their brands of playing. They never practicedwith a metronome. They never used a handgrip. They never used atuner (the latest in a growing list of bad musical ideas for musicians).Billy and Stu prove that you can find what you need to find on yourown, or with a good learning system as Stu can attest to.

-I.R.- What is your gear setup for this tour?

-J.B.- I use two Markbass 1x15 combo amps now called the Jeff Berlincombo because I fell deeply in love with the sound of this amp. I usethe same chorus pedal for years, but the company was disrespectful tome on a couple of occasions and so I elected never to say their name,never to give them business. I use a Dean Jeff Berlin Model bass guitarwhich is a passive, slightly unremarkable-looking bass guitar withunbelievable tone and one-of-a-kind action. This bass is the finestinstrument I ever played and even when I was separated from Deanfor three years, I continued to play this guitar, turning down otherguitar company offers. I use Carl Thompson bass strings, the samestrings that I have used since 1977. And, I have the Leo Quan BadassBass Bridge on my bass and always will.

-I.R.- Have you had to bulk up in the amplifier and speakerdepartment?

-J.B.- Do you mean did I have to get bigger amps to compete with thevolume of Stu and Bill? No, my amps do very well. Besides, with the P.A. systems and monitor systems that are common at this time, I cancompete with anyone's volume if volume is an issue. With me TONE isthe only thing that matters which is why I fell in love with the Markbassamps.

-I.R.- Are you currently endorsing any manufacturers?

-J.B.- Markbass Jeff Berlin combo amps amplifiers, Dean Jeff BerlinBasses, Carl Thompson Bass Strings, Leo Quan Badass Bass Bridges.I've been with most of these guys for years. Even when I didn't havean endorsement, I didn't seek out new company relationships becauseI will only play gear that makes musical sense to me. If I can't findsomething that works for me, I'd rather have no endorsement at all.

-I.R.- Do you still have the old Fender-style custom that you were sowell-known for? Does it ever get any playing time?

-J.B.- The "Blonde"? Unfortunately no. That bass was stolen out of astorage locker in Florida years ago.

-I.R.- How do you feel about the plan to rename "Liberty Park", in FortLauderdale, in memory of Jaco Pastorius?

-J.B.- I didn't know about it. It sounds fine.

-I.R.- You knew Jaco. What do you think of the rumour going aroundabout a feature film based on his life story? Do you think it would bepossible to make such a film?

-J.B.- I can't see why not. He was the most important bass player andhe deserves to be honored in this way.

-I.R.- How did boxing and training help, or hinder your playing?
-J.B.- Boxing training had no effect on my music in any way. It wassomething I enjoyed, something I still enjoy. I don't spar anymore.Getting hit started to hurt where, when I was younger, it didn't reallybother me. These days I just work out in the gym and enjoy thecamaraderie of training with those guys. I am, however, an EXCELLENTarmchair commentator. I can call a fight as well as many announcersand I am usually correct when I predict the outcome of a match. I'venever had a fight however, preferring to spar and work out for the funof it.

-I.R.- The masters for "Dixie and "Pump It" were destroyed in thePassport Jazz fire some years ago. How did this affect your career? Didit cause you to re-evaluate and re-tool?

-J.B.- Those CD's were re-released by Denon Records under the nameCrossroads. They were re-mastered from CD's of the old stuff and itsounds really great if I do say so myself. But, musically speaking, I ammiles from that era of playing and writing.

-I.R.- In what respects do you find your playing has changed over theyears? Do you find yourself exploring different influences as time goesby?

-J.B.- I am dedicated to upgrading and finding new ways to play all thetime. I have a huge head-start on most bass players as I was originallya conservatory trained violinist. I read treble and bass clef equally well.I have no problem playing piano, horn, or guitar parts on bass with reallegitimacy. I compose music regularly, I transcribe other players, notbass players because they don't have the tonality that stimulates me.My entire focus is on music. It always has been. My playing is slowingand steadily improving, growing developing all the time. If it were notso, then I would take steps to make it so.

-I.R.- Do you feel that the use of a plectrum is a legitimate medium forbassists?

-J.B.- Sure! It isn't what you use to play that counts. It's what you playthat counts.

-I.R.- Do you use any effects on your bass? How about Compression?

-J.B.- A little compression when I record. My only live effect is a choruspedal.

-I.R.- Bill Laswell has been a proponent of using tape and slower tapespeeds, in order to achieve better recorded bass response. How do youfeel about this? Do you have a preferred medium for recording yourbasses?

-J.B.- I never experimented with this concept but it sounds interesting.I just plug in and play. Sometimes I go through a small guitar amp withdistortion and blend the d.i. signal with the distorted one. That sound ishuge.

-I.R.- Do you employ tubes at any point of your rig and/or recordingsetup?

-J.B.- If I do, I never knew about it.

-I.R.- What were your first bass and amp?

-J.B.- When I was 14, I bought a Hagstrom F-400 bass and an AmpegB 15 with money I saved by being a newspaper delivery boy.
-I.R.- And a final question for you Jeff. Who would you like to workwith in the near future? Any special projects in the works?

-J.B.- Wayne Shorter, Ginger Baker, Paul McCartney, Sting, StanleyJordan, John Scofield, Peter Erskine, Gary Burton, the list is endless. Ilove all these guys' playing and there are a lot more great players whoI would love to play with. I'd like to do some bass track on System of aDown CD or solo with my brand of hellfire bass tone on some rock CDwhere I would blow the minds of rockers all over the world,guaranteed.
Bx3 Tour dates

February 02Denver, COCervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
February 10Kansas City, MOKnuckleheads Saloon
February 12Minneapolis, MNFine Line Music Cafe
February 13Milwaukee, WIShank Hall
February 16Chicago, ILCubby Bear
February 17Indianapolis, INMusic Mill
February 21Annapolis, MDRam's Head
February 23Willamsville, NYClub Infinity
February 24Pittsburgh, PARex Theatre
February 27New York City, NYB.B. King Blues Club
February 28Boston, MASculler's Jazz Club
Jeff Berlin
Joy Basu
by Intervue Records

It's no wonder why Joy Basu is one of the most sought after guitarists around. Whether he's playing for artists such as Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, or his own unique style of "Rocktronica", you can bet that he's put his mark on the music industry today. He seems to effortlessly morph his guitar playing and sound into whatever is needed at that moment. He is truly a well rounded musician, bringing that in your face shred, when needed, to the lush sounds of today's music . Intervue Records asked Joy a few questions, and here's what he had to say.

-Intervue Records- What was, or is, the most defining moment in your career?

-Joy Basu- I have had many different phases in my career so there really is not one particular defining moment. Everyday I work at reaching the next level. There have been so many fun moments in this business, I love it.

-I.R.- At what point did you realize that music would be your career of choice?

-J.B- Probably right around my 1st gig when I was 13. Maybe even little b4 while air guitaring along with Van Halen.

-I.R.- Who were your early influences and who influences you now?

-J.B.- All the 80's metal guitarists and bands: Jake E Lee, EVH, Yngwie, Neal Schon, Randy Rhodes, Jason Becker as well as Jeff Beck and SRV. Bands that played a huge role were Motley Crue, AC-DC, Ozzy, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Journey, Foreigner etc. Now I listen mostly to dance music that creates the same pedal to the metal, teeth grinding, or fun partying vibe as those bands did in the past. Its just done in a different way. BT, Dezrok, Hibryd, DJ Irene, DJ CB Shaw, DJ Caffeine etc are the ones I am listening to the most. On the softer side I love Indian classical music, power ballads and anything that can bring out emotion. That is the purpose of music for me. All music is constantly influencing me, everything from Ice Cube to Metallica.

-I.R.- What's in your cd player right now?

-J.B.- Rotating in my car is Britney Remixes, Hard Trance from Europe, Radikal Tekno 7, 50 Cent, My latest trax, Jeff Beck Guitar Shop

-I.R.- Name an instance where things didn't go as planned while playing live.

-J.B.- There have been so many situations like that. Majority of the time its monitors that are not working properly. Just deal with it have fun and move on.

-I.R.- Was your family supportive of you when you were pursuing music? Are they supportive now?

-J.B.- There was a little tension at 1st as with most families. Now they are fine with it.

-I.R.- What's the best perk about being a performer at your level?

-J.B.- Thanx – Performing on stage has so much more to it than just playing the music. Its about putting on a good show and connecting with the crowd. Watching the crowd get high from the show is the biggest perk.

-I.R.- What are you working on musically, right now? New album and tour?

-J.B.- I’m always working on new music. Some of which gets placed on different TV shows and commercials and some for my next CD. I also make lot of mashups for my shows.

-I.R.- As far as your live sound, do you try to stay close to the tone of the record or do you like to change it up a bit? If so, what do you do different?

-J.B.- Well sometimes on the record there are several guitar parts. While playing live I may be in a situation where I combine parts. So there really is no black n white definite answer on this one, basically comes down to what the situation calls for.

-I.R.- What's the best piece of gear you have right now and why?

-J.B.- They all kinda work together for the big picture/sound.

-I.R.- Do you have any other interesting hobbies that you'd like to share with us?

-J.B.- Hmm I guess my time is pretty consumed with music. Even when I go out to have fun its usually business related. Other than that I am somewhat of an internet junkie, love to work out n stay physically active, spend time with friendz and family, try different restaurants, the usual stuff, n for sure VEGAS!!

-I.R.- Gear question. What do you have and what do you prefer to use during live performance and in the studio?

-J.B.- I have so much gear I need to have a garage sale or get a storage room soon. About 15 ESP guitars, couple of acoustics, several different Framus Amps, a Fender amp, Hughes N Ketner amp, various cabinets (most with celestion speakers), DJ gear, several mixers, tons of pedals, then comes the studio with MOTU hardware, various mics, G4, Mackie and Event monitors, several sound modules including Novation Supernova and a Waldorf Q. Its all really fun stuff, I’m not gonna have the garage sale, I use it all.

My live rig varies depending on what the gigs call for. I’ve used everything from Line6 to Boogies, Marshalls, Hughes N Ketner, and Fender amps.

-I.R.- What gives you a better high, performing live or writing and recording?

-J.B.- They are both very different. I like ‘em both a lot. Since my show is so high energy and I can instantly connect with so many people at once I guess live would win this one.

-I.R.- What advise do you have for younger players going out on national tours?

-J.B.- Enjoy it, appreciate what you are getting to do. This is what we set out to do, once there savor every moment.

-I.R.- At what age did you first pick up a musical instrument and what was it?

-J.B.- I messed around with a violin around 11. Guitar was the 1st instrument I took seriously when I was 12.

-I.R.- What is your most memorable live performance?

-J.B.- Can’t pin point one. I have had so much fun playing in front of 50 screaming kids to crowds well over 50,000. When the music is tight, and you are connecting with the audience its an amazing feeling.

-I.R.- When it come to categories how would you classify your music / what genre?

-J.B.- Rocktronica – This is what is the most difficult yet most fun thing about what I am doing now. Its somewhat of a new underground genre, dance/electronica with total rock guitars.

-I.R.- Being a person at your level of playing, what do you find yourself practicing the most? What do you focus on?

-J.B.- When I spend time on music I am mostly creating new music. Very rarely do I practice. When I do its usually for a show, recording or job.
-I.R.- How has life on the road changed for you now, since the beginning of touring?

-J.B.- Every tour is different, depending on the band members management etc. The main difference is I’ve done this for so many years that I am way more relaxed now as person. My confidence as a player is higher so I don’t worry about little things and don’t try to impress others as much. I can be a little pickier about what gigs I will take and what I won’t. As far as being on stage, its still as fun as when I was 13.

-I.R.- Whats the wildest circumstance, or the wildest thing you have ever seen out on the road?

-J.B.- Haha, again way too many to narrow down to one. The better stuff can’t really even say cuz my partners n I would end up in jail. All the stuff you hear about that happens on the road does happen if you want it to. Things are pretty much the way as I was living as a metal head teenager, but now it can be done all across the world while getting paid, nice huh!!

-I.R.- Do you approach song writing differently on tour than in a studio setup?

-J.B.- On tour I don’t have my full studio with me so I can just to the basic ground work for the songs.

-I.R.- What is different about touring in Asia than in the States?

-J.B.- Asia is really fun and interesting. Its always cool to see another country and live in a different culture. I have spent time in China and Japan. When playing with an American band in those countries things are not really that different. However, I have been fortunate to have toured Japan with a Japanese artist where all members and management asides from me were from Japan. That was really cool because I got to really live within their culture and lifestyle.

-I.R.- What can someone expect to see from a live performance?

-J.B.- Well if its my show your head will move from one side of the stage to the other all the time. My show is meant to be enjoyed and something people can connect to at several different emotional levels.

-I.R.- If you could tour with any band, who would it be ?

-J.B.- My own show.

-I.R.- Are there any specific members of your current band that bring a new level of musicianship ?

-J.B.- My show is a DJ type continuous set of Mashups, Remixes, and Originals with live guitars. So usually its just me, sometimes I may have a DJ with me or a drummer sit in. I may add more guest artists as the show develops.

-I.R.- What do you feel about the availability to easily download music from the internet ? Do you think its taking away from record sales?

-J.B.- From my understanding it has taken away from sales. However, it has also allowed myself and many users to access music we would have never heard of. I know I have bought many new CDs after downloading something 1st.

-I.R.- Whats your view on You Tube / Myspace / and the new Google video site? Do you feel they allow to much access to copyrighted material?

-J.B.- Its giving artists an exposure there is no way they would have gotten otherwise. Best tools for underground artists to use.

-I.R.- Do you have any current endorsements? If so with who?

-J.B.- ESP guitars, Morley pedals, Godin acoustic-synth guitars, Seymour Duncan pickups, Dean Markley strings, Framus Amps and Line6 products.
joybasu.com
myspace.com/JoyBasu
Michael Elsner
by Intervue Records

Michael Elsner has found his place. Whether writing, producing or playing live he takes his passion for music and puts his stamp on it! Intervue Records had a chance to ask Michael a few questions, and here's what he had to say.

-Intervue Records- What Inspired you to want to play the guitar and at what age?

-Michael Elsner- I started playing guitar when I was 12 or 13. My first real influence was Paul Gilbert and Racer X. I saw the tape of “Live Extreme Volume” in the checkout counter of some store and thought it looked cool, so I asked my mom to buy it for me… When I got home and listened to it, it just blew me away and I thought, “I have to do this!!!!”

-I.R.- Where you self-taught?

-M.E.- For the most part. I took a few lessons when I was starting off, just to get basic technique under my belt, and at least learn how to tune the guitar, but after that I just spent a lot of time in my room with guitar magazines. I still do actually.

-I.R.- Who were your early influences and who influences you now?

-M.E.- Well, my first influence was Paul, but as time went on I listened to the usual guitar heroes – Satriani, Vai, Johnson, Petrucci, etc. In my early twenties, I started really getting into songwriters and song oriented bands like Collective Soul, Tonic, and Matchbox 20. My focus shifted from playing sweep arpeggios to writing melodies and lyrics.
Right now I’d have to say that a huge influence on my playing is Richie Kotzen. He’s a fantastic player with a lot of feel and soul, and his songs are amazing. He’s become a phenomenal all-around musician, and that’s what I strive for.

-I.R.- What's in your cd player right now?

-M.E.- Hmmm… Everything… I say that because when I get in my car, I turn my iPod onto Shuffle mode and just let it go. I’m my own radio station. So, I listen to everything from Keith Urban to Tool.

-I.R.- What is your most memorable live performance?

-M.E.- Well, I have a few that stick out in my mind just because they were car wrecks that you couldn’t take your eyes off of. The most recent was a few months ago where I was hired to play a one-off date with a particular artist who unfortunately had a ‘bad day.’ The show commenced with the artist giving a rant about how life sucks and is a waste etc. He then smashed his guitar and threw it into the audience which was a fitting end to the tantrum that he decided to throw. The other memorable one was last year when I played a show with a well known musician who decided to do some blow before the show and was so coked out of his mind that he proceeded to piss all over the floor… The show was one of the worst I have ever been a part of. It was a perfect example of what drug use can do to a talented individual who had a lot going for him at one point in his life… So, the moral of that story is don’t do drugs… if you do, you’ll piss on the floor and suck.

-I.R.- What are you working on, musically, right now?

-M.E.- Right now things here are rather exciting musically. I’m playing with two- time Grammy nominee Sarah Kelly. I really love this gig – it’s soulful music that comes from the heart, so it’s fun to play live. It’s a great vibe all around. The other thing that’s happening is I have a new original band. I haven’t had an original band in years since I’ve been going the sideman route for so long. This is an awesome experience right now and allows me to have an outlet for my vocal songs. I’ll also be doing some instrumental shows around town with the guys who played on my record.

-I.R.- Best describe your music to our readers.

-M.E.- Well, it’s varied actually. It depends on what projects we’re talking about. My instrumental stuff is just fun rock guitar with some virtuoso playing from all the musicians. The record (Stained Voodoo) is basically a four-piece band with drums, bass, B3, and guitar. The original rock project is the same instrumentation, just with added vocals. We’ve got a few pretty big projects in the works at the moment.
I also write a bit for television and film placement. Those tend to be very electronic/industrial sounding tracks. So, I’m pretty much all over the board musically depending on the project.

-I.R.- Tell us about your new CD, Stained Voodoo.

-M.E.- Stained Voodoo was a great experience, and a perfect excuse to play with some of the best musicians I know, who are also very close friends of mine. There are 9 instrumental songs, and one vocal song on the record, and it covers a diverse range of styles from funk to acoustic to hard rock. I always wanted to release a guitar instrumental record, so this is a big accomplishment for me. I’m very happy with it and it’s the first project that I’ve ever done where I’m 100% happy with the result.

-I.R.- How did you get involved in composing music for T.V. and film?

-M.E.- When I was living in Nashville, I was writing a lot of songs, but only a small percentage of those songs were ever cut by artists on their records, so I had this mass of songs that were just doing nothing. When I moved to LA, I realized that there is a huge market in television for songs. So, I started making connections with music supervisors and sending them my material. Then, as one thing tends to lead to another, I started getting requests for certain styles of songs. So, it was really just a matter of taking the initiative to contact music supervisors and present my material to them.

-I.R.- I met you back in 1994 in New York. Thinking back then, are you now where you thought you would be?

-M.E.- Ha ha ha, not at all. Back in ’94, I thought I’d be in a huge rock band and on the cover of magazines. That hasn’t happened yet. My career has taken me all over and put me in some pretty amazing situations. I’ve been able to meet and become friends with a lot of my musical influences. I’ve been able to work with so many different artists who vary in styles, so, I’m not where I thought I’d be, but it’s been a great ride so far and I have no complaints.

-I.R.- Who was one of your favorite artist's to work with, and why?

-M.E.- I’d have to say Paul Gilbert simply because he was such a big influence on me as a young musician, and to now get to work with him has been a great experience. He’s one of the most genuine people I’ve had the privilege of knowing and working with.

-I.R.- Was your family supportive of you when you were pursuing music? If not are they supportive now?

-M.E.- My mother was always supportive, my dad wasn’t. That was a hard situation to be in. They’re supportive now, but they’ve also now realized that I can make a living in this career.

-I.R.- What's the best piece of gear you have right now and why?

-M.E.- Well, I have two pieces of gear that just rock my world, both are guitars. One is a McPherson acoustic that inspires me to write everytime I pick it up, and the other is my American Strat that I bought right after I moved to Nashville in ’98. It has the EMG David Gilmour pickup system in it, and it plays and sounds fantastic. Both are extremely versatile guitars.

-I.R.- What gives you a better high, performing live or writing and recording?

-M.E.- Performing live. There is nothing like it – I live for it. Writing and recording is great, but performing live is the ultimate rush.

-I.R.- How much practice do you put in on the guitar and give us an example of what you do to warm up.

-M.E.- I play everyday. Sometimes that involves practicing, sometimes it involves writing, and sometimes it involves just playing. I’m a total guitar nerd, so I get guitar magazines each month and I always go through the lessons and work on those. I also have a few binders of guitar curriculum that I’ve acquired over the years, so I’ll work through those as well. As far a warming up, I do a lot of chromatic exercises before I play, or before a gig, to get both my right and left hand in sync. An example of what I use to warm up is a chromatic passage that I picked up from John Petrucci where you ascend 4 notes on one string, slide up a fret and descend 4 notes, then slide up and ascend again. You then move to the next string and repeat that sequence. It takes you all the way up the neck across 6 strings and is a great warm-up exercise.

-I.R.- Ok, here's the gear question. What do you have and what do you prefer to use during live performance and in the studio?

-M.E.- As far as guitars go, my main guitars are a Strat, Telecaster, and Brian Moore Custom. I have quite a number of guitars, but those are my main electrics. My main acoustics are a Martin and a McPherson.
For amps, I have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and a Visual Sound Workhorse. When I’m out on the road, I backline the gigs with Vox AC-30s or Marshall JCM 800s and get my distortion from my pedals.
I have a number of pedal boards and a decent collection of pedals. My main distortions come from a TS-9, Jekyll and Hyde, and Route 66. I use a Dyna Comp as well as the compressor in the Route 66. I love the Original Crybaby wah, so I have one on each board. My delays come from either the Line 6 DM-4, Boss DD-3 or the Visual Sound H20. I also love the sound of the Dunlop Rotovibe, so I use that a lot. I have two Phase 90s, but I also use the Line 6 MM-4 modulation modeler for a variety of sounds. For extra funky sounds, I use the Line 6 FM-4 filter pedal. And, for that Jimi Hendrix tone, I use a Roger Mayer Stone Fuzz which sounds killer with a strat directly into an AC-30. I have a lot more pedals, but those are the standard ones that usually show up.
My live rig is the same as my studio rig… The only thing that changes is which board I decide to take out on the road with me simply b/c my big board is too heavy to fly with, so I take a smaller one. I’m always mixing and matching pedals and coming up with new arrangements, so my pedal boards are always changing every few months.

-I.R.- Other than playing guitar, writing, and producing, what do you enjoy doing?

-M.E.- I love traveling. That’s why touring is so much fun for me. I get to go to new places and meet new people all the time. I’m also very interested in photography and I love spending time with my friends either at the beach or at a local coffee shop. I spend a lot of time reading books about real estate and investigating investment properties – that’s been a fun new adventure for me.

-I.R.- What is your most memorable studio session?

-M.E.- When I first moved to LA, I was asked to play for a composer who writes for a few television shows. I went up to his place in Malibu and spent the weekend there playing on a number of songs. It was great to wake up, drive down to a restaurant on the ocean and have pancakes in the morning and just breathe in all the fresh air, then go up to his studio and record all day. That would be the most memorable b/c it really solidified my decision to stay in Los Angeles.

-I.R.- If you could tour with any band, who would it be?

-M.E.- Collective Soul. They’re one of my favorite bands of all time. I’d love to play those songs live with them. I think they’re one of the most underrated bands of my generation.

-I.R.- What’s your view on You Tube / Myspace / and the new Google video site? Do you feel they allow to much access to copyrighted material?

-M.E.- I feel that as an independent artist, You Tube and Myspace are essential. I personally love both websites. I haven’t spent any time on the new Google site, but I definitely love Myspace and You Tube.
Michael Elsner
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