| I'll give you a hint:Rhymes with banana and starts with an A!No!Not salt..... |
MM:So I'm sure just about everyone on the amp has heard about you,but most of us don't know anything about you!So how about you just say a bit yourself,eh?(random time!)
Avi: Alrighty: I'm a student at university, in my third year. I'm majoring in economics. Music has and most likely always will be solely a hobby. I've been playing guitar for coming up on six years now, and been writing for about five of those years. I grew up with music around the house---my mother played the sitar semi-professionally for the better part of two decades.
MM:Why just a hobby?You have a lot of potential to make it professional,you know.
Avi:The problem is getting "found". I know a lot of people on and off the AMP with so much potential and that killer "sound", but getting heard nowadays is all about knowing the right people, and unfortunately, I don't. Also, I've spent way too long in school and university working hard to have the kind of career I want. It's not like I hate economics, and sure, I'd much rather be a rock star waking up at the crack of noon and bumming around all day, but it's not that easy
MM:Well Rome wasn't built in a day you know.It takes a while to get found,ya know? And I'm sure you can do both.Isn't Jean Simmons doing that?Look at him!He's amazing(as are you) And I'm sure we all want to be rock stars :P
Avi:I appreciate that, truly, but growing up a musician in the 70's was a lot easier than growing up a musician today. And it's not like I don't want to do the work---actually, it is like that, haha; I've spent way too long working towards my major to give that up right now.
MM: Well at least you're not giving up on music.If some kid was going to totally and completely give up on music,what would you say?
Avi:I have a friend who has been "playing" guitar for almost ten years now. I've taught him every song and chord he can currently remember, and I met him just over two years ago. He picked up a guitar, liked it, and just...stopped. I think back to where I would be if I had an extra four years of experience in music under my belt. I regret not starting early. If you are giving up on music, you are giving up on something that somewhere down the line, you are going to regret it. Will it be one month from now? Ten years from now? On your deathbed? I don't know, but I promise it will happen. My mother tells me---constantly---that she regrets giving up playing the sitar. If I don't play for one day I start getting cranky. Take a break, try something new, but don't give it up. You'll regret it.
MM:Obviously you won't give up guitar. :P But do you play any other instruments?
Avi:I can hold my own on a bass guitar and an ukulele, and to some extent, a mandolin. I'm also into hand percussion. Djembes, doumbecks, darbukas etc. I love the sound of pretty much most of those traditional ethnic drums. I also play the sitar somewhat, but I don't get much practice because that sits at my parents' house and that is quite a few thousand miles away.
MM:Do you ever wish you could be more musically involved(besides being a rock star lol)?
Avi: I go to a university of about 40,000 students and I still have trouble finding people to jam with. I'd love to start a band up and gig around in the smaller bars and clubs here. Not to make money (although that would be nice) but just the great sensation you get from playing music in front of people.
MM:Do you ever get stage fright or get nervous?
Avi:The one time I got nervous playing in front of people was because I broke a string in the middle of a song. That was a little unnerving, because it made a loud, loud noise and I am pretty sure I damaged that amp. It wasn't mine, so that was the least of my worries . But seriously, it's never been an issue for me. I find that surprising, because I am not the most outgoing guy. I do, however, have an issue singing in front of people. I will do backup, but if I have to take lead on vocals, I get nervous. No idea why...it's just one of those things
MM:You have an amazing voice!So I have no clue why...but it happens to all of us.
Avi:I appreciate that. I don't think I sing that great, but I've got to the point where I can make do in my half-octave range.
MM:What do you think is the most important quality of a musician?or what should be
Avi:That's a tough one. Honestly, I'd have to say the ability to be open. You see alot of people who are set in their ways so strongly that they don't expand their horizons. Pick any hugely successful artist, and you'll see they draw inspiration from some of the strangest places. I've found inspiration in all genres of music. I noticed that when I started writing music I started listening to a much wider variety of music. I don't want to write the same stuff over and over again, and I don't think people should be satisfied doing the same
MM:Well what if a musician isn't open?Do you think it will affect their music would suffer or what?
Avi:Like I said, I really feel the music will suffer. Sure, you'll crank out some good stuff, but if you plateau right from the start, you're in trouble. It's exactly what I think has happened to a lot of the mainstream music of today. Across all genres, you see the same music being cranked out over and over again. Music hasn't gone through radical changes since the early 90's. Fifteen years of the same stale stuff isn't something I think this generation of musicians should be proud of.: I don't think that the musicians of today have anyone to idolize except the same guys that people have idolized since 1991. It's a problem, because music "changes" when someone does something huge.Going back in time, you can mark shifts in music down to a handful of bands in each era of music. The 50's through the 80's had their groundbreaking music acts that shifted the way music was perceived by the masses and that hasn't happened in too long, and unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen for a while.
MM:I agree,but I think it is hard to draw inspiration from past music because it never changes,nothing's new.But it will always be there,in the annals of music history.
Avi:I agree, but that's exactly the problem. If everyone is drawing inspiration from the same sources, nothing new is going to happen. Someone has to do something new---mix ska and disco, rap and swing, jazz and country---something groundbreaking that would mark a shift in music.
MM:Totally.But now-a-days we just have things think for us so....But kids(and I speak for myself) are so involved in what is cool and what was cool I guess we ALL don't focus on what could break the barrier.And that goes for everyone.
Avi:Exactly. Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's going to change. Well, a man can hope for the best.
MM:Well we could go on and on about music and how corrupted it's becoming,but it won't do much good since people are too wrapped up in what's hot and what's not,and so on and so forth.
Avi:Yep
MM:and you know what's coming...
Avi:Do I?
MM:you should!lol What's one thing that the amp doesn't know about you?
Avi:Ah yes. Most of the stuff off the top of my head (my undying affection for the songs "Toxic" and "Cry Me A River", for example) are known by more than a few people on the AMP, but I guess I'll stick with this: I was part of a production of "West Side Story" and was one of the Sharks. I still remember most of the songs and the dance routines. It was awesome.
MM:I
Avi: Alrighty: I'm a student at university, in my third year. I'm majoring in economics. Music has and most likely always will be solely a hobby. I've been playing guitar for coming up on six years now, and been writing for about five of those years. I grew up with music around the house---my mother played the sitar semi-professionally for the better part of two decades.
MM:Why just a hobby?You have a lot of potential to make it professional,you know.
Avi:The problem is getting "found". I know a lot of people on and off the AMP with so much potential and that killer "sound", but getting heard nowadays is all about knowing the right people, and unfortunately, I don't. Also, I've spent way too long in school and university working hard to have the kind of career I want. It's not like I hate economics, and sure, I'd much rather be a rock star waking up at the crack of noon and bumming around all day, but it's not that easy
MM:Well Rome wasn't built in a day you know.It takes a while to get found,ya know? And I'm sure you can do both.Isn't Jean Simmons doing that?Look at him!He's amazing(as are you) And I'm sure we all want to be rock stars :P
Avi:I appreciate that, truly, but growing up a musician in the 70's was a lot easier than growing up a musician today. And it's not like I don't want to do the work---actually, it is like that, haha; I've spent way too long working towards my major to give that up right now.
MM: Well at least you're not giving up on music.If some kid was going to totally and completely give up on music,what would you say?
Avi:I have a friend who has been "playing" guitar for almost ten years now. I've taught him every song and chord he can currently remember, and I met him just over two years ago. He picked up a guitar, liked it, and just...stopped. I think back to where I would be if I had an extra four years of experience in music under my belt. I regret not starting early. If you are giving up on music, you are giving up on something that somewhere down the line, you are going to regret it. Will it be one month from now? Ten years from now? On your deathbed? I don't know, but I promise it will happen. My mother tells me---constantly---that she regrets giving up playing the sitar. If I don't play for one day I start getting cranky. Take a break, try something new, but don't give it up. You'll regret it.
MM:Obviously you won't give up guitar. :P But do you play any other instruments?
Avi:I can hold my own on a bass guitar and an ukulele, and to some extent, a mandolin. I'm also into hand percussion. Djembes, doumbecks, darbukas etc. I love the sound of pretty much most of those traditional ethnic drums. I also play the sitar somewhat, but I don't get much practice because that sits at my parents' house and that is quite a few thousand miles away.
MM:Do you ever wish you could be more musically involved(besides being a rock star lol)?
Avi: I go to a university of about 40,000 students and I still have trouble finding people to jam with. I'd love to start a band up and gig around in the smaller bars and clubs here. Not to make money (although that would be nice) but just the great sensation you get from playing music in front of people.
MM:Do you ever get stage fright or get nervous?
Avi:The one time I got nervous playing in front of people was because I broke a string in the middle of a song. That was a little unnerving, because it made a loud, loud noise and I am pretty sure I damaged that amp. It wasn't mine, so that was the least of my worries
. But seriously, it's never been an issue for me. I find that surprising, because I am not the most outgoing guy. I do, however, have an issue singing in front of people. I will do backup, but if I have to take lead on vocals, I get nervous. No idea why...it's just one of those thingsMM:You have an amazing voice!So I have no clue why...but it happens to all of us.
Avi:I appreciate that. I don't think I sing that great, but I've got to the point where I can make do in my half-octave range.
MM:What do you think is the most important quality of a musician?or what should be
Avi:That's a tough one. Honestly, I'd have to say the ability to be open. You see alot of people who are set in their ways so strongly that they don't expand their horizons. Pick any hugely successful artist, and you'll see they draw inspiration from some of the strangest places. I've found inspiration in all genres of music. I noticed that when I started writing music I started listening to a much wider variety of music. I don't want to write the same stuff over and over again, and I don't think people should be satisfied doing the same
MM:Well what if a musician isn't open?Do you think it will affect their music would suffer or what?
Avi:Like I said, I really feel the music will suffer. Sure, you'll crank out some good stuff, but if you plateau right from the start, you're in trouble. It's exactly what I think has happened to a lot of the mainstream music of today. Across all genres, you see the same music being cranked out over and over again. Music hasn't gone through radical changes since the early 90's. Fifteen years of the same stale stuff isn't something I think this generation of musicians should be proud of.: I don't think that the musicians of today have anyone to idolize except the same guys that people have idolized since 1991. It's a problem, because music "changes" when someone does something huge.Going back in time, you can mark shifts in music down to a handful of bands in each era of music. The 50's through the 80's had their groundbreaking music acts that shifted the way music was perceived by the masses and that hasn't happened in too long, and unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen for a while.
MM:I agree,but I think it is hard to draw inspiration from past music because it never changes,nothing's new.But it will always be there,in the annals of music history.
Avi:I agree, but that's exactly the problem. If everyone is drawing inspiration from the same sources, nothing new is going to happen. Someone has to do something new---mix ska and disco, rap and swing, jazz and country---something groundbreaking that would mark a shift in music.
MM:Totally.But now-a-days we just have things think for us so....But kids(and I speak for myself) are so involved in what is cool and what was cool I guess we ALL don't focus on what could break the barrier.And that goes for everyone.
Avi:Exactly. Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's going to change. Well, a man can hope for the best.
MM:Well we could go on and on about music and how corrupted it's becoming,but it won't do much good since people are too wrapped up in what's hot and what's not,and so on and so forth.
Avi:Yep
MM:and you know what's coming...
Avi:Do I?
MM:you should!lol What's one thing that the amp doesn't know about you?
Avi:Ah yes. Most of the stuff off the top of my head (my undying affection for the songs "Toxic" and "Cry Me A River", for example) are known by more than a few people on the AMP, but I guess I'll stick with this: I was part of a production of "West Side Story" and was one of the Sharks. I still remember most of the songs and the dance routines. It was awesome.
MM:I
Thank you guys :]
I've been lurking in the shadows of the question sun lol
I also think I did really good this time.I think before it was too choppy,but now it's flowing very well.
and again thank you guys for reading
I've been lurking in the shadows of the question sun lol
I also think I did really good this time.I think before it was too choppy,but now it's flowing very well.
and again thank you guys for reading
Thanks again, MM! I was extremely honored to be selected for this. And yeah, you're interviewing techniques are progressing exponentially. It was awesome to see questions purposely targeted at my previous responses coming together to create a good flow and a easy-to-read interview.
Thanks to the rest of you for your kind words too!
Thanks to the rest of you for your kind words too!
| cool |
West Side story? Awesome... Noone knows this, not even my family... I was in a small production in high school myself... But I wont tell which one... lets just say, I had to sing and dance... and it was NOT what I was into at that time... Both the lead and the understudy got sick at the same time,(they were practicing lines and moves together- duh)
Anyway... Coolness!!
JimK
Anyway... Coolness!!
JimK
avi:you being honoured?!
I was the hounereded one!
I was the hounereded one!
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