DJ Interviews: Finding Butterflies Band

 Here's my interview with the band Finding Butterflies. Enjoy

How did you get started in music?

My father was a musican and teacher and thus, music was something I did from a very young age. I had voice, piano, and flute lessons for most of my life. My love of music was generational.  Don’s beginning in music was less traditional. He simply loved music and began playing guitar and singing on his own.  His evolution as a musician was shaped by the musicians he admired and the cover music he played with the different groups he has played with.

Who are your inspirations or influences?

My influences come from a variety of genres. Of course jazz, classical, and traditional Irish music is really all I grew up with, so I think there is some of that in our music.  But, vocally and from popular genres, I have listened a lot to Heart, Georgia Train of Bitter Ruin, Agnes Obel, Allison Kraus, Linda Ronstadt, and Dolores O’Riordan of the Cranberries. I don’t really try to sound like anyone else. I just think shades of all of the above just appear in our music from time to time. Don’s guitar influences are easier to pinpoint with the likes of Richie Blackmore, Steve Morse, and Steve Howe. 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

To be true to yourself. Always. And then stay the course. You will be much happier playing music that way. If you try to “be like” someone else, then you will always be a cheap imitation of something that has already been done. Listen to others, learn from others, and then make it your own. Maybe it takes off, maybe it doesn’t, but you will grow more as a musician, artist, and human being if you are true to yourself.  And isn’t that what music should truly be about?

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

Well, a couple of things come to mind. One is the eclectic influences we derive our playing and singing from, and another is that we commonly and integrally use whistle and flute in all of our songs. Even though folk rock is the genre that is most closely linked to our music, jazz pianist and composer Rex Bell once said that he thought we had created a whole new genre. Perhaps that is so. But really, we just try to be authentic, true to ourselves, and to play and sing what we love.

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

Our recording queue is full. We have a single, Iron Cross, being mixed and mastered which should release in late May, and we are currently recording 4 other songs which may appear as an EP or as singles. We’re not sure on the release format yet. We have also begun re-mixing and re-mastering some of our previously recorded music with the aim of releasing 12 of those songs as a “Best Of” album. We hope to be able to offer this project beyond digital with both CD and Vinyl formats.

Special thanks to them for doing this interview & I wish them luck in their music so until then  I'll catch you on The Flipside! Stay awesome & rock n roll!!