Trainlight

1. How did the band begin and take its first steps?

A friend told me about a guitar player looking to start a band... I went out to jam with him once, and then when I saw our drummer Dave playing in the high school concert band, I asked him to join us. I'd been song writing throughout high school, so we just starting jamming out my tunes… we found our bass player later.

2. Who thought of the name Trainlight and what is its significance?

I thought of it... Sort of historical... trains we're a huge theme in blues music in its beginnings because of the travelling life style of a blues musician... but I also just loved the sounds and even more the images that seem to arise from the name. To me a train represents the rhythm section of the band, and the light is sort of the melody, strings, guitar over top

3. Has been playing gigs in Toronto helped you performance and music wise? Yeah definitely. Playing different venues helps you to get used to different challenges, and just used to playing for a new crowd/ adjusting to a new environment.

4. What was your favourite show you played?

We played a pretty sweet show last week at Georgian College in Barrie. It wasn’t huge… maybe 80 people, but everyone was there to listen and it just felt super intimate… the sound and overall vibe was great too – I loved it

5. Do you do anything special to prepare for a show?

Yeah definitely… I do about an hour of vocal warm ups usually, and before I go on I just sort of mentally go through the set. I try to calm myself and stop thinking about other things so I can get really into the music.

6. Which is your favourite song to perform?

Right now… I love playing a fairly new song called trouble – I just really like the overall vibe of that one

7. Is there anyone you dream to share the stage with?

Hmm… I would personally love to play with Coldplay, I have also always loved Jann Arden

8. What does the song "Ive Just Got to Try" about?

Love I guess… at least the feeling – among other things… that seem to have subconsciously worked their way in there…

9. Which path do you want your music to lead you down? Well, I think we’d all like to take it to whatever heights we can, but I definitely won’t stop playing no matter what happens.

10. How was the recording experience?

A little stressful to be honest… because I didn`t understand a lot of what was happening and I like to feel in control of it :P but eventually I could let go, and it was exciting to hear it played back

11. If you could pick a radio station to feature you guys which would it be?

CHUM probably… or 99.9

12. How does it feel to know your music is influencing others?

Wow… uhmm I think it feels fulfilling definitely, like there’s merit in what you’re doing – but at the same time it reminds me that I owe it to myself and others to be as honest in the songs as possible… I think honesty is very important in all art – you have to be honest to an emotion or to an experience for the art to really have the best potential impact I think.

13. Who got rights to the piano growing up, Nathan or yourself?

Ha… well actually I was a drummer for about three years and then mostly I jammed on the guitar… but since I’ve been playing piano a lot for the last few years its always just a first come first serve sort of thing… ha but there are a lot of hours in the day – it works out

14. Do you feel that having a musically inclined brother has helped you in any way?

Oh definitely… both my brothers are very musical, as are my parents and a lot of my siblings… I think overall it has really exposed me to a lot of music, and just put me in the atmosphere where music always came to the forefront of my mind… my brothers especially have given me feed back on a lot of my songs and it has been very helpful.

15. What is the best part about being a musician?

Just creating I think… letting out all of your emotions… I love the feeling of writing whatever you want… it’s an adrenaline rush and a release at the same time for me – Playing in front of people who seem to get into your song is also an awesome feeling, because you’re able to share something that means something to you.

16. What are three things you can’t live without?

Well… God, my family, and I guess good writing, be it music, novels, philosophy or whatever

17. If you could move any place in the world to pursue your music where would that be?

Maybe somewhere like New York… just so that I could be in a totally fresh environment

18. Favourte book or author? Or favourite/ most inspirational album to you?

Tolkien, and A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay is definitely one of my favourite albums.

19. Favourite place to write your music?

In my room

20. What do you want the world to know about Trainlight?

That we`re so thankful to be able to do what we’re doing, and we’re always going to keep creating music no matter where it takes us because we love it.