Rusty Boyd

Born in CA, kidnapped by gypsies, sold to OK family...

I've been singing since before I could talk and am blessed to have one of the best voice teachers in the world as my wife and band-mate. We started performing together in venues in Geneva Switzerland and just across the border, in the Pays de Gex of France. In addition to performing, we recorded two cover songs for "Resonance - Music from the ATLAS Experiment" (Google it). I also produced a CD for Welsh singer-songwriter Tony Arnold (Monocrow), produced a medium size music festival for 3 years (The Hardronic Music Festival) and co-founded a rock music series known as "CERN at the Scene" that continues, even now. I play a number of instruments, including guitar, bass guitar, percussion, synth programming and some brass. I'm now in the Seattle area, singing and performing professionally. If you haven't heard us play, then you don't know "What's Next?" whatsnextpartyband.com

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What is music to you? What does it give you?

I've been "singing" since before I could talk, according to my mother. Music is the Universe and the Universe is a symphony. For me, music is at the heart of creation. It is the movement that makes the Universe dynamic and ... interesting!

What is your music dream?

To write and perform music that touches and means something, to others.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

Me.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

"Puff the Magic Dragon" became popular at about the same time that I was first exposed to a guitar being played. Every song I heard, after that, just made me want a guitar to play, that much more. And then the Beatles hit!

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Andrea Boyd, The Beatles, Cream, Porcupine Tree, Alice in Chains, Green Day, Disturbed, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Fourplay, Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, Metallica, Ozzy, Joe Walsh, The James Gang, Grover Washington, Jr., Men at Work, Highly Suspect, Walk Off the Earth, Elton John, Leonard Bernstein, Holst, Herb Alpert, Neil Young, CSN, STP, Weather Report, Tracy Chapman, George Clinton, RHCP, The Police, Animal Logic, Peter Gabriel, Genesis

What inspires you to make music?

Life. Politics. Love. Loneliness. Physics.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

Honesty. Honesty is the only way to an authentic life that is one's own, not lived for someone elses' desires.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Fantastic. It's addictive. I got hooked as a kid and there is no cure, of which I'm aware! Many of the peak moments of my life are while performing.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

That is much too complicated to go into, here. Already, though, we can see a new music culture evolving. Fans are still the number one key to success and always will be. They are the only critics that matter, ultimately. Unless you just do music for yourself but then, you probably aren't reading *this*.

What do you think of Drooble?

To early to tell.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Getting our music heard and mine own limitations.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

We attend local music events, as often as possible.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

Patience, persistence and determination but that hasn't changed.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Data Fail (1 EP), Tony Arnold (Monocrow, undistributed), The Canettes, NFB, Miss Proper and the Moving Targets, Finney's Basement, Fuzzy Dunlop, Mike Hosty, Mike Griffin, Bug Hunter