Bonrud - Press

1. Where and when were you born ?
I was born on a snowy day in Saint Paul Minnesota on December 21st. That makes me a Sagittarius and like most Sag's, I like to entertain people! :)

2. Where do you currently live ?
Seattle, Washington

3. How did you become a musician ?
My Dad is a professional musician so I grew up around other musicians going to gigs. I started singing at a very young age, took piano lessons, learned how to play the violin, then the baritone horn, and eventually the guitar which was the instrument I had always wanted to play. Music always came to me very easily so eventually I found myself playing in rock bands which lead to recording and doing side work playing sessions for other people.

4. Who has influenced you ?
My biggest guitar influence is definitely Neal Schon. He's the guy that made me want to pick up the guitar and play and he still inspires me to this day. Bands that have influenced me are Journey, Foreigner, Boston, Night Ranger, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Bryan Adams, and Whitesnake.

5. What have been the highlights in your career ?
Working with Keith Olsen on the debut Bonrud CD. I learned so much from him and made a great friend in the process.

6. What have been the worst experiences in your career ?
Undependable musicians who fail to show up for scheduled gigs and recording sessions or fail to prepare properly for their performances ahead of time.

7. What sort of music (or music genre) do you listen to in the privacy of your own home ?
I listen to lots of stuff...rock, metal, pop, and country. Rock is definitely my favorite genre but I'm very open to hearing new things.

8. Who is your favourite vocalist ?
Steve Perry, Lou Gramm

9. What is your favourite album
Journey - Escape

10. With whom would you most like to record an album and why ?
Steve Perry or Lou Gramm because they have incredible voices and sing with passion and soul second to none...

11. What do you like to do in your spare time?
SCUBA dive, go out with my girlfriend, watch movies, read books, walk and play with my dog Barney (named after Barney Rubble from the Flintstone's cartoon, not the purple dinosaur!), and cruise around town in my car when it's not raining which is somewhat problematic here in Seattle since it rains constantly! :)

12. What was the last CD you bought and which CD has most disappointed you recently?
CD's I have purchased recently: Nickelback - "The Long Road" (they rock!), Waltham - "Permission To Build" (these guys are a lot of fun!), The Darkness - "Permission To Land" (These guys are also a lot of fun...what's with the similarity in album titles? ;-), and Mickey Thomas - "Over The Edge".

It's been awhile since I've purchased a CD that has disappointed me. I think being able to hear clips off the internet ahead of time has really helped in this regard since it's guaranteed truth in advertising. One CD that I bought though which soon lost its luster was the Evanescence CD. There are a couple songs I love on that CD like "My Tourniquet" and "Bring Me To Life" but the rest of the CD didn't work as well for me.

13. Have you any qualifications or learnt a trade and what work do you do outside of music ?
I have a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. I'm an engineer.

14. What was the last album you worked on and how would you describe it ?
The debut "Bonrud" CD. I would describe it as a labor of love. :) Aside from that, it is classic melodic rock that is an amalgamation of my influences. The songs and style of the CD reflect my own personality, musical tastes and creativity. Most people hear the Journey and Foreigner influence.

15. What plans do you have for the immediate future ?
Promote the "Bonrud" CD and begin writing new songs for the follow up CD. I've currently got six new song ideas in the works and in a couple months I'll probably go back into the studio and start to lay down a few drum tracks. I'm still enjoying my new CD and time away from the studio so I'm recharging my creative batteries a bit. :)

Interviewed by Thorsten Giemsa at Melodicrock.de August 2004