Question for Kevin

General
#1

Kevin, I have a massive fangirl (even though I’m in fact a boy) question for you.
I’ve been into SC3 and Estradasphere for a good while now (about 2000/2001) and while I love both bands, SC3 have really got a hold on me… I play saz, dilruba, sitar, guitar and dombra (amongst anything with a skin or strings, and in some cases both) so as you can understand watching SC3 play is like watching what I would consider to be 6 me’s (clones) playing in a band in a few years time.
Anyway to the question.
The fusion created in SC3 (even though spearheaded by Trey) is awesome, watching it live I can see the musicianship in everyone individually and the enjoyment had… what was it like man? To work in a group like that? The live show is thrilling, the albums are just as thrilling… like I said, fangirl.
Anyway to compliment you once more, G.O.S. is a regular in our household, it’s a great disc!

Fangirl moment over.

#2

Oh wow. I didn’t see this post before. Thank very much for taking the time to write. When I think back to those bands I really do wonder sometimes how that music is being received today.
I did play and tour with SC3 many many years ago . I am only featured on book of horizons though. The bands that I worked with that really meant the most to me were estradasphere and G.O.S.
But I am really glad you appreciate the Chiefs. Trey always took a bit of a liberal approach to band members. Sometimes it was hard to know who was in the band and who wasn’t anymore. When I was playing with Trey he had Tim Smolens on bass (from estradasphere). Then later he had Shazad play bass and didn’t bother telling Tim.
I think learning melodies from Trey was one of the most Amazing things I have ever got to experience. The world music meets metal meets techno and everything else approach is basically one of the clearest examples of how my life’s experience became reflected in my Shamisen playing. In G.O.S. I basically wanted to create a similar type of SC3 universe but have it all just center around Shamisen. That was the basic idea.
So to answer your question I think that all those bands were extremely valuable learning experiences for me and that I could never have thought of the kind of approach to music I take today without those experiences .

Thanks again for the post.

#3

Hey,
Thanks for the response.

Over here in australia, especially in southeast queensland and Northern New South Wales SC3 are held quite high. very well respected amongst the musical community.

Yeah i started figuring out some of the riffs on my dilruba and dombra (the songs that ‘ishraqiyun’ play) and they’ve been interesting to get down, they seem to challange the natural flow of you right and left hands with strum/pluck/bow and i found that it increased my ability to play and also my enthusiasm.

Thanks for answering the question man!

#4

Hi, Travis. I really don’t wanna highjack the thread but I had to chime in cuz… You play saz? Wow, so do I! Imagine two saz players at Bachido. I just ordered a setar the other day and can’t wait till it arrives. OK, back to the subject at hand…

I’ll have to check out the bands you mentioned. Other than a couple of YouTube clips I’m not too familiar.

#5

hey chet, highjack allowed… i’m sure noone else will mind. i’ll answer this but i’ll create a new thread about different instruments everyone plays. I can play the saz, but i don’t own one. currently i own and play the following. sitar, Dombra, djembe, Violin, guitar, piano, dilruba, oud, steel flute, bamboo flute, shakuhachi, electric drums, bodhran and i sing… and soon to be shamisen

but saz is one my list of ‘to gets’ as well as a few different veenas from India and lutes and harps from east asia too…

i like stringed instruments haha

#6

i like stringed instruments haha

Really? I couldn’t tell. [wink] But seriously, I have same addiction, though I’m not quite as ambitious as you. I’ll save my short instrument list for that thread you’re gonna start. For now, I’m just glad to make your aquaintance, bro.

#7

ambitious is a word, but addicted is the truth, i cannot stop… if i had the cash i’d buy all the instruments i could… i still need to get viola, cello and double bass and electric bass again… just running out of room hahaha

#8

Heh, you’re gonna need a bigger house. As will I since I have an upright bass and want a cello. And you may have just inspired me to run out and buy that trombone I’ve wanted for a while now. They’re cheap in pawn shops.

#9

Haha, trombone is one cool instrument. I used to jam with a Trombone player on the streets of Santa Cruz. trombone and Shamisen create a surprisingly complimentary sound. Wish I had recorded those sessions.

#10

…And the surprises just keep on coming from The Amazing Mr. Kmetz!

I wish you had recorded that too. I’m having trouble wrapping my head around the sound. Although I know the shamisen sound can be remarkably versatile. I mean, if it sounds good playing cumbia in a Latin band (yeah, I’ve done that) then the sky’s the limit almost.

© 2020 Kyle Abbott