One of the great things about Without a Net is that they are a very talented group of individuals and on multiple dimensions. And perhaps no band member meets that description better than Dan Howald.
To prepare for this series, I provided each band member with a questionnaire. Dan provided such a wealth of information in his response that it’s enough to take up an entire blog post.
So below please find Dan’s responses in a question and answer format.
What is your full name?
Daniel Gerald Howald.
Where were you born?
"Abington, Pennsylvania, it's a suburb of Philadelphia."
Where did you spend most of your time growing up?
"I grew up there. I came to New York for college (Hofstra University) and have been a New Yorker ever since. But, I strongly identify with my Philly roots, can't help it, it's in the blood I guess. That includes for better or worse, the sports teams."
What was your first formative experience or memory, particularly when it comes to music?
"I remember we had a toy electric organ in the house. My mom could play. I remember listening and being captivated by the sound of a fake pipe organ. And because it was there, I could mess around with it more or less whenever I wanted. And I did. Not much competition from my six (yes 6) siblings for that.
Also when I was very young, my mom's two younger sisters (my aunts) lived with us. My Aunt Marge listened to Elvis, and sang folk songs to me at night. My aunt Pat was more into the whole 60s thing. She listened to a lot of Beatles. These are the sounds I grew up with. Then, I remember being exposed to the rock opera Tommy. It blew me away. It still does to this day. One could do worse than hearing folk music, Elvis, Beatles and classic Who growing up.
Then, there were the hippies. Literally, a group of hippies moved into a home in our neighborhood. The hippies had a rock band, and they would practice in their garage. I could hear them from my own backyard. I could spend hours at a time in the afternoons listening to them. I don't remember what they were called; they were locally pretty popular, appeared on local TV etc. They kind of had a Three Dog Night sound, which was popular at the time.
All of this set me off on an ongoing hobby of playing instruments, starting with the organ in my basement, moving on to woodwinds, picking up guitars, learning keyboards, etc. It's just something I've always come back to."
Who are your primary musical inspirations?
"Even though I grew up with rock and roll all around me, I became really taken with classical music once I started playing in orchestras and concert bands, where I played clarinet. The complexity and the ways so many voices were brought together to create moods fascinates me to this day. My junior high school band director convinced me to take up tenor saxophone because he needed another player for the Jazz band. That was the beginning of my love affair with jazz both as a player and a listener. I continued with both jazz and orchestral playing all through high school and college, and where I could, in various groups after that.
Over the years I’ve collected a menagerie of instruments that I go through phases with playing around with on my own – clarinet, flute, an alto and a tenor sax, a restored 1920’s baby grand, a Yamaha synth-keyboard, an acoustic guitar, electric bass, acoustic bass, a mandolin. I love the way all the instruments are so different yet all the same in that they’re basically built to give a player different ways to play all the notes that make up chords and scales.
If someone were to tell me I would have to give up all my instruments except for one I’d probably hold onto the piano, even though my keyboard playing is not at the level that I can handle on, say woodwinds.
So my musical tastes are really broad and depending on what we are playing different influences come into my head. This is what I love about Without a Net - there's a jazz like aspect to what we do, nothing is really ever the same twice, even when we do covers. We explore and experiment and try new things. We listen to each other and adapt on the fly. When you can sort of climb inside the music that way, that is so completely different than just playing notes, and you can feel it.
I would also have to say Phil Lesh is a huge influence. He started out as a classically trained trumpet player and picked up electric bass because Jerry needed a bass player. I sort of fell into bass out of filling a need too, but the similarities end there - Phil is a masterful artist who really redefined how the instrument fits into a rock environment. So I guess it's more accurate to say I idolize his playing.
I wouldn't dare compare myself to him or say that I play his style, I am nowhere near that level and can only dream about such technical and artistic brilliance. But I do try to channel that kind of "more than just a low rumble thump-thump-thump" role for the bass."
Where do you work now, or what do you do for a living. What impact if any does it have on your part in the band?
"In college I majored in journalism. I always loved the idea of great stories. I also minored in political science and music. That mix of study led me into the advertising industry where I have been ever since.
I am an advertising/marketing guy. I am part owner of a small agency. The marketing business, when done effectively, is all about telling a story well, and memorably. On that level music is no different. Great songs tell stories not just through the lyrics but of course with sound. So I would say the reverse is true - my being in a band has more impact on my work than vice versa. Like music, it takes constant tweaking and fine tuning and trying out different things to make an ad campaign or a marketing program work. And there is always something different to try. Not everyone in my business wants to deal with that, because it usually means more work. But good things rarely come fast and easy and on the first shot. Music, marketing...no different."
What is your ideal future self, IE if money was not an issue what you be doing with yourself on a day to day basis?
"I really would spend more time with music. I would spend much of my free time looking to play in a variety of musical situations - this band, a chamber orchestra, a jazz ensemble, maybe a swing or big band, a symphony orchestra, a concert band, other styles of cover bands, country, bluegrass etc. I like the idea of keeping fresh by keeping up with playing a variety to instruments and there is something to love about all different styles of music as a player.
I would also commit to arranging and composing some of the tunes in my head all these years which range from symphonic to rock. That is the selfish side of what I would spend my time on. I would also do a lot more personal/hanging out time in general with friends and loved ones than I do now. There is a lot to be said for the simple an unscripted moments with others - these are the things that become our most compelling memories."
Thanks Dan and very well said.
Be sure to check check out Dan and the rest of the Without a Net band at their next live appearance.
No comments:
Post a Comment