LumberJunk – Emerging Artist Spotlight

LumberJunk’s Matt Weidinger

February 21, 2013 – T-MAK World was at Horseshoe Tavern recently to see one of our Top 10 Indie bands, In My Coma. Lucky for us, due to a delay earlier in the evening, when we arrived, the second last band of the night, LumberJunk, was about to hit the stage. LumberJunk is a great young band from from Kitchener/Waterloo that plays old school blues-based rock. LumberJunk’s fans packed the Horseshoe and most left missing the headliners who didn’t get onstage until after 1:30. We were blown away by their soulful blues rock, the powerful vocals and strong musicianship so we got in touch with frontman Matt Weidinger to request an interview. As always with our introductory Emerging Spotlight articles, all bands are asked similar questions. The description on LumberJunk’s website reads:

LumberJunk is the very best of classic soul infused with the very best of modern rock. Matt Weidinger (Vocals/Organ) has assembled a dream team of groove and experience with Darryl Romphf (Guitar/Producer), Darius McKinley (Lead Bass Guitar) and Jamie Alegre (Drums). Together, the four talented musicians bring together a vast array of both knowledge and experience to create a truly unique sound. Here is what they had to say to us:

Hey LumberJunk, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us. Let’s start off with the obligatory introductions. Who’s in the band and what instrument does everyone rock?

LumberJunk: Matt Weidinger: Vocals/Organ/Guitar, Darryl Romphf: Guitar, Darius Mckinley: Bass, Jamie Alegre: Drums

Darryl Romphf

How about the history of the band, when did you get started and how did it happen?

LumberJunk: About two years ago I (Matt Weidinger) was playing around town doing pub gigs and the such but I was looking to record my own music. At that time I asked Darius, who I played some of these gigs with, to suggest a studio to me to record my songs. He told me that I didn’t need a studio, what I needed was a producer. He then suggested Darryl Romphf. Darryl and I worked together on my songs for a while. He then suggested we use Darius and Jamie for the core of a band. At that point it made sense for Darryl to be the guitar player in the band and from there we started working together and making music.

Who are some of your musical influences?

LumberJunk: Personally, some of my favorite artists include Steve Winwood, Led Zeppelin, Joe Cocker, The Band, Black Keys, Kings of Leon, Ray Charles and the list goes on and on.

So based on the above how would you describe your music to someone that has never heard it?

LumberJunk: I would say we sound like vintage modern. I like the current instrumentation of the band because some of Darryl’s guitar tones are in my opinion more modern sounding, whereas the hammond organ is pure vintage tone.

How long have you been using the Leslie speaker effect and what does it bring to your sound?

LumberJunk: I can’t exactly remember, about a year I think. The guys in the band will remember for sure, they are sick of helping me lift it!

You don’t see a lot of people dragging around a Hammond organ and Leslie mostly because of the weight. I’ve got my Hammond down to about 250-300 pounds and Leslie is about 100 pounds. The Leslie speaker is a key component when playing a Hammond organ. They just work so perfectly together. Steve Winwood, Greg Allman, Billy Preston all used Hammond Organ with a Leslie speaker. For me it’s just a classic sound that I wanted to make part of the band. I really like how it sits with Darryl’s guitar tone.

Why should a music fan come and see your show instead of all the other choices available to them on any given night?

Matt Weidinger

LumberJunk: I think they should come and see our show because they will enjoy themselves and hopefully appreciate the music. I can’t think of a time where we did not enjoy ourselves onstage and I think that emotion directly effects the audience.

What is your favorite single line of lyrics the band has written and why?

LumberJunk: “You pour your heart into your work, you leave it out to dry” Stick It Out For More – LumberJunk That line means a lot to me because it describes my feelings on making music in general. I have a hard time getting my thoughts out and letting people know what goes on upstairs. So to write something down that everyone can see is a tough thing to do.

What does 2013 hold for you?

LumberJunk: I think 2013 will hold a lot of good accomplishments for us. I think if we stay on track and keep moving at the rate we have been then only good will come. We are looking forward to releasing our second EP on March 28th at The Starlight in Waterloo. Also, we’ve got some festivals lined up for later this year including the Come Together Music Fest in May as well as the Lighthouse Blues Fest in July. If you check out our website you can see all of our upcoming dates.

Jamie Alegre

Imagine that you were asked to be the opener for any band’s world tour (both current and historical). Which band and tour would be your dream opening gig?

LumberJunk: Currently I really like what My Morning Jacket and Band of Skulls are doing musically. Being on a tour with them would be a great pleasure. They both put on a great show and I really enjoy their tunes.

What is the future of the music industry? With the concept of the album and physical CD’s facing extinction, how will we be consuming music in 10 years? Are the economics feasible for emerging artists?

LumberJunk: I have got no idea. I think if the music is good enough, and you find a way to present it to as many people as possible, it will find a way to succeed.

Where can people get your music/CD, is it being sold anywhere?

LumberJunk: You can buy our music on Itunes and most other online music stores.

Darius Mckinley

At the end of 2012 we published our picks for top 10 albums of 2012. Lists like those are always a reflection of personal tastes so if you were making the list what are some albums you would you have had on it?

LumberJunk: Band of Skulls – Sweet Sour, Rival Sons – Head Down [edit: note, Head Down was #5 on our list]

Darryl Romphf

Any closing remarks for our readers?

LumberJunk: Check out our music and come see a show!

Thanks so much to LumberJunk. We hope that you can see them live. They’re playing The Sister on March 21st at 1am as part of Canadian Music Week and will be one of the “T-MAK World Must See” Recommendations .The band’s website is lumberjunk.com and as you would expect they’re on twitter.com/lumberJunk and Facebook.com/lumberjunk. In the meantime check out their video for Won’t Be The Same from YouTube below.

Article and photos by Steve Mallinson

T-Mak World: Toronto’s Site For Music, Movies and Culture

www.tmakworld.com

Get the T-Mak World Toolbar to get all the info you need

Author: Steve Mallinson

Reader Interactions

Footer