Brian

Click Here to Visit me at Brian Hayes Music! Family photo (from left to right: my father, my youngest brother, myself and my other brother, Bruce Henry Hayes ). (photo taken over my grandfather's gravestone in Alabama) So I’m a classical guitarist who also appreciates punk rock, classic country and old-school finger-style blues. As unusual as this may sound, it’s true. I’m also currently studying flamenco guitar with one of the all-time flamenco greats, Juan Serrano. The White Stripes are my favorite rock band of all and I am especially a big fan of their “punk” stuff. Now, I use the term “punk” only as a means of drawing the distinction between what I’d call “pure” rock music and other stuff that seems a bit more fancy or flashy. Classical and flamenco guitar can be “fancy” and “flashy” and that’s fine. There’s a very important place in my musical world for this. But I appreciate music also for its simplicity. I appreciate it for its story-telling and as a means for real people to relate real-life experiences. There seems to be a tendency for many people (classical guitarists especially) to think of themselves as “elitists” and “too good” to lower themselves to listen to music that would be considered “primitive.” I’d be repulsed with myself if I thought this way. However, I exist in both worlds. Jack White, to me, is a musical genius. Or rather than “musical genius,” maybe it’s more his ability to tap into his “inner child” better than most of us ever could. That’s a good question, isn’t it? I feel that with artists, there’s a magic that takes place; a magic that even the artists himself isn’t completely able to control. But it’s the artist’s ability to get “in tune” enough to allow this “magic” to pass through him that makes him great. Nevertheless, the “magic” that took place in The White Stripes’ music is very highly valued to me. As far as my past musical interests and influences are concerned, I started out as a “Beatlehead” at the age of four. Then in my early teens, I became inspired to play guitar through guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi. I later developed an appreciation for “punk rock” and listened to The Sex Pistols almost exclusively until discovering other punk bands who’d become my favorites at the time, namely: Iggy and the Stooges, The Ramones, The Misfits, Fear and others. Then at one magical moment, I was exposed to both speed metal and classical guitar at the same time and began my pursuit of both. Megadeth's "Rust in Peace" CD captivated my every musical thought right at the same time I had begun my pursuit of classical guitar full-force. Other bands who caught my interest at that time were Motorhead, Alice in Chains, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots. As time passed, while continuing my pursuit of the classical guitar, I did the next most logical thing which was to quit listening to music altogether until later discovering Beck through my brother. At that time, I was fully convinced that Beck was, without a doubt, the most misunderstood genius of his time. So here we are. Have a nice day!