The next Satriani???

Artist of the week: Josh Myers Band
by Blake Hannon
Friday, December 14, 2007

The Josh Myers Band’s music is entirely instrumental, with lead guitar-focused blues rock in the vein of a couple of above average Joes... guitar players Joe Bonamassa and Joe Satriani. But Myers says that within those notes, he is saying a lot about his life. The band will have a CD release party for its album “Soul Serenade Sessions” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at Word of Life Church in St. Joseph. To hear how they sound, go to www.myspace.com/joshmyersband.

Q. How and when did the Josh Myers Band come together?

A. The Josh Myers Band really just started as a project. It was me in my basement with a drum machine writing songs about feelings I had or things I was going through. The band developed into me, my 14-year-old son Corey and a close friend Andy West. Just three guys who love to play music.

Q. Who was the first guitar player you heard that made you want to play the instrument?

A. I started out as a drummer when I was 14. After about three or four years of that, someone introduced me to the music of a guitar player named Nuno Bettencourt from the rock band Extreme. That’s what gave me the bug to play. He was so melodic but still had an edge. I really like all styles of music and feel I can learn from it all.

Q. Who influences you now?

A. Wow, it’s hard to name a few because there are so many. Really right now, I’m into Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, Andy Timmons and Hendrix. Really there are far too many to list. I’m always changing my influences to help get new perspectives on guitar.

Q. You are having your CD release party at Word of Life Church here in St. Joseph. Does the CD have a Christian focus?

A. No. The CD is not Christian-focused. I play at Word of Life on the weekends and it is my home church, I love it there. I don’t like labels (like) Christian verses secular. I think putting a label on music is shallow. Music is deeper than that. Music is universal to me. Our music has no words so how can it be labeled? This music was written about life experiences — what I have been through and where I want to go. I want the music to do the same for the listener. It has feeling of hope. Not all of the songs are happy, but the underlying message I’m trying to convey is: Don’t quit. Tomorrow can be better. There is always a new beginning. It’s a matter of life’s perspective.

Q. Tell me a little bit more about “Soul Serenade Sessions.”

A. This is a soundtrack for life in general. We all have music in our day. It’s all around us. We live in a culture where everything is convenient, processed and plastic. The idea of “Soul Serenade Sessions” is that no one is telling you how to think or what to say. You make the songs a soundtrack for your life and what you’re going through. The songs may have a totally different meaning to each listener.

Q. Do you have any musical projects in the near future?

A. I can say yes! I’m a musician and I am always trying to write music that comes from my heart. The music won’t stop in my life until I’m dead and gone. I’m just trying to be me and be true to what I know. Hopefully after “Soul Serenade Sessions” there will be much more to come.

Q. Do you think the instrumental guitar music you play resonates here in St. Joe and elsewhere?

A. I hope so. It may not be a radio market but there is a definite market for instrumental music worldwide. For example: Joe Satriani releases a CD every couple of years followed by a tour which usually sells out on a lot of dates in major cities all over the world. As I said before, this music has no age preference or religious stamp nor does it target any one audience. These are simply me trying to capture feelings and emotions with music!

By Blake Hannon

St. Joseph News-Press


Visit the Josh Myers Band Offical Website Here