Seth Trimble is the guitarist with Alabama rockers Shallow Side.  These dudes are on their way up the rock ladder with their current cover of the Styx classic Renegade as well as their hard hitting single, Rebel.  Their new album, One, will be released on January 13th.  Get it!!  Support Shallow Side.  They deserve it and you won’t be disappointed.  (To hear an audio interview with Seth (different questions), on the ROK Podcast, click here.)  Here are Seth’s 20 Questions.  Enjoy.

1. What was the first guitar you ever had and how old were you when you started?  What are you playing now?

I was 18 when I first started playing guitar and my first guitar was a black Epiphone Les Paul. It’s still hanging on my bedroom wall to this day. Now I play all PRS guitars on stage. My favorite would have to be my Zach Myers SE. That silver sparkleburst finish is just too beautiful not to have out on stage the most in a set.

2. Who was it that inspired you to play guitar and when did you realize that this was something you wanted to do professionally?

It really wasn’t any one person that inspired me to begin playing guitar. I went to a lot of local shows when I was younger and just being a part of that atmosphere from a fan perspective made me want something more. I became fascinated with the instrument and I just had to learn how to do what they were doing. It honestly became a sure thing that this was what I wanted to do after I played my first show. It just gave me the most unbelievable feeling even though it was just in someone’s garage. I was hooked from that day forward.

3. What was the first concert you ever saw? How was it?

The first concert I ever saw was one of the many local shows I went to when I was younger. Looking back on it, the show probably wasn’t actually that good. But to me, at the time, it was the best thing ever. Just the feeling of belonging and the sense of community along with the excitement of a rock show were unparalleled to me and I just couldn’t get enough of it.

4. Can you remember the first gig you played?  

I think the first show I ever played was in someone’s garage maybe an hour or so from my house. I feel like it was about eight years ago. We all drove separate vehicles there with all our equipment and just had a ball. From that moment on, I was obsessed with doing this on a bigger scale.

5. How did you hook up with Shallow Side?

Eric, Heath, and I all went to school together. So we’ve basically been friends since kindergarten. We had all been jamming together for a few years and then Cody came out to watch us one day and decided he was in the band, too haha. It’s all been history since then and we’re all one big happy family.

6. You’re getting a lot of exposure through the Renegade cover you recorded. What is about Tommy Shaw and Styx that make you such a fan? 

The guys are such amazing songwriters and just great role models in the music industry. Not to mention they are just one of my favorite bands in general. It’s such an unbelievable feeling that they have reacted the way they have toward our version of their hit song.

7. What can people expect when they attend an Shallow Side show?

Anyone who comes to a Shallow Side show can expect big smiles, good times, happy faces, and the most energetic and entertaining live show you’ll go to. Our live show is something we take a lot of pride in and we strive for noting less than excellence every time we set foot onto that stage.

8. What kind of effects do you use?

I really don’t use that many effects. I use all amp distortion and the only effects pedals I really use in a show are my Boss DD-20 Dual Pedal Giga Delay and my TC Electronics Corona Chorus Pedal. The rest of my board consists of my tuner, an ABY switch, and a couple of noise suppressors.

9. Take us through the writing process.  Do you write together or does one member bring in a song idea?

We all write our songs together. Typically one person will come in with an idea and the rest of us throw in our ideas from there until we finish the song.

10. How’s life on the road these days?

It is definitely a lot better than it was when we first started. Our first couple years of touring consisted of five guys traveling the country living and sleeping in a Chevy Suburban. You can imagine that gets pretty cramped and smelly haha. These days we travel around in an RV and we all have gym memberships so we can get in and get showers whenever we’re in an area with a Planet Fitness. So I’d say life is pretty good traveling around in our house on wheels. We actually named it Curby because we curb the tires at least a couple times a week haha.

11. What is the definitive Seth Trimble song? A song that you’re particularly proud of, guitar wise.

Hmm. That’s like asking me which on of my children is my favorite haha. I’d have to say My Addiction is one of my favorites to play live because it kind of encompasses the full circle of my playing style. From the ambient verses to the driving choruses to the shredding guitar solo. That’s what I’m all about right there.

12. What are the most important things every guitar player should know?

I could go on this question alone for days. But, I’ll leave it at a few pointers that I’ve learned along the way.

1. Always take care of your equipment. Be good to it and it will be good to you.
2. Always wipe down your strings after you play a show. Getting all the sweat and grime from your performance off the guitar will make your strings last much longer and also keep them from rusting up on you.
3. Keep your ego in check. Don’t ever think you’re the best and that you’re God’s gift to guitar. There will always be plenty of people better than you are. Keep that in mind to keep yourself humble and to also keep yourself striving to be better every day.
4. Just because you can shred doesn’t mean you have to. Not every song is going to call for a ripping guitar solo. It will get old to your audience if half of every song is just you noodling on guitar.

13. Can you take us through your pre-show routine? What kind of exercises do you do to get ready for a night of Rock?

I always like to play guitar for a couple hours a day before the show to get my fingers limbered up and coordinated to be their best for the audience. I’ll also jump around to get my blood flowing and get myself psyched up for the performance.

14. In your opinion, what is the greatest guitar song ever performed?

That’s a tough question. There are just too many out there for me to pick one. I’m from Alabama. So, I have to mention Freebird by Lynrd Skynrd. Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughn is another great one for the simple fact that I can’t get enough of listening to good blues guitar. Tender Surrender by Steve Vai is another one of my favorites.

15. I’ve asked this question to many other guitarists:  What are your views on the state of Rock and Roll and the music business in general?

I personally don’t think it’s in the best shape right now. Rock music is one of the hardest things to get by in these days because people don’t support It like they used to. I think it needs something to breathe new life into it to bring it back into the limelight and that’s just what we’re setting out to accomplish.

16. Tell us all about your new album, One. 

We recorded our new album in Framingham, Massachusetts with OH NO! Oktapus at Red13 studios. They are some really good friends of ours, not to mention the fact that they’re all top notch musicians with an ear for what is fresh and new in music. It will be released on January 13th at our concert in our hometown at the Civic Center in Cullman Alabama. The sound is definitely more our style than the past two EPs because we have grown so much more as musicians since those were released and we still strive to be the best that we can be every day. It’s got that gritty southern edge and rocking sound that we just can’t get enough of and we hope our fans will enjoy some of the best work we have done up to this point.

17. What advice would you give to beginning guitarists or those who want to make a go of it in the music industry?

If this is truly what you want to do, you have to go all in and be prepared to devote yourself to it. If your heart is not 100% into doing this, you’re already set up for failure. I would also say to not pigeonhole yourself to one particular style or sound. The more you diversify yourself and your sound, the better chance you have of making something fresh and new that all your fans will enjoy. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, you have to practice every single day and strive to be the best you can be at your craft. You can’t build a house if you don’t know how to hammer a nail and build the frame or lay a foundation. The same concept applies here.

18. List 5 albums that you think every guitar player should own?

1. The Eagles Greatest Hits
2. Styx Greatest Hits
3. All That Remains – The Fall of Ideals
4. Tool – Lateralus
5. Lynyrd Skynyrd Greatest Hits

19. If you couldn’t be a guitarist in a popular rock band, what would you do?

I already do a lot of graphic design work for Shallow Side. So graphic designer seems like the obvious answer to me.

20. How important is image in Rock and Roll?  Do you work on it?  Who had the best image in the history of Rock?

It is very important. You have to make your image something that looks good and stands out in the world or else you’ll kind of get lost in the mix of all the other bands who look exactly like you do. I work on my image all the time. I’m actually due for a haircut soon haha. I’d have to say Slash is up there. His look has become so signature that if anyone in the world see that top hat and those sunglasses, they automatically know they’re about to hear some masterfully crafted guitar work.

LINKS

Official Website:

http://shallowside.net/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ShallowSideBand/

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/ShallowSideBand/

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/shallowsidemusic

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