Every so often, we have the uncontrollable urge to brag about our amazing students. They really are rockstars…it’s undeniable! It’s only fair we let you in on these up-and-coming musicians before the rest of the world finds them. Consider this your inside track.
We asked Jude some questions about how he got his start, the music that inspires him, and his experience at Rockdale.
What instrument do you play and how long have you been a part of the Rockdale community?
I’ve been playing guitar for about two and a half years and I’ve been part of the Rockdale community for about two years.
Who are your favorite musicians and artists that you draw inspiration from?
I have a wide variety of influences. I really like prog rock, so a lot of my playing comes from prog songs that I’ve listened to from Rush, Yes, King Crimson, etc.
My top 3 favorite guitarists of all time are Alex Lifeson, Eric Johnson, and John Frusciante.
I think that if I had never heard “The Spirit of Radio” or “Cliffs of Dover” I probably wouldn’t be playing guitar.
Even though they are just my top 3, there are a boatload of other people who’ve influenced me. To list some, Rory Gallagher, Phil X, Duane Allman, Derek Trucks, Neal Schon, Tony Iommi, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Brian May, Cory Wong, and the list could go on forever but I’ll stop there out of respect for the readers!
What do you like best about being a student at Rockdale?
We can actually play what we want! With my band (Garbanzo Beans) our teacher (Rob) lets us learn whatever songs we want play, and he has similar interests as us, which makes it easy to work as a band.
What are your future goals as a musician/performer?
My main goal as a musician is to learn jazz guitar, and eventually be in a fusion/prog band. I don’t mind playing in 4/4, but I would love to be able to play “Giant Steps” in 13/8. I’m graduating from high school a year early, and don’t plan to go to college right after, so I might take a year to decide if I want to pursue music.
