Interview: Andy Gabbard "I'm the carrot."

Andy Gabbard

Let's talk about Andy Gabbard.

He's hardly new to the world of music. He's one quarter of the Buffalo Killers who've released six albums on Alive-Natural Sound Records.

The Buffalo Killers have been at this for a long time indeed.

Their first album was released in 2006 and their latest, Holy Reverie, just last year.

Most notably, for me today, is that he's also recently released his first solo album.

Honestly, going into that review, I was not very familiar with his day job band, but blues based fuzz rock will always hold my interest and I wanted to see how this was different and get to know the man a little bit better.

Glacially Musical: Well, let's start off boring and easy. Tell me about yourself and your music?

Andy Gabbard: My name is Andrew. 

I have a beautiful wife and two kids (with one on the way). I like to write songs and make albums on my own and with my band Buffalo Killers. 

I'm 29 years old.

GM: Let's talk about the solo record. What made you decide to do an album outside of Buffalo Killers?

AG: What made me decide to make this album had a lot to do with me quitting my job at the record store and becoming a stay-at-home dad, which gave me more time to focus on music when I'm not chasing kids and changing diapers. 

This is something I've always done. Long before Buffalo Killers existed. 

This is my first ever OFFICIAL (and well recorded) release. Thank you Alive Records.

GM: Do you have any plans to tour this by yourself?

AG: Yes. As much as I can get out I would love to. 

I have a band backing me up live so I don't have to play all by my lonesome. I don't have anyone booking shows for me or anything haha so I'm doing the best I can while simultaneously playing in Buffalo Killers.

GM: What makes this album different than say, Heavy Reverie?

AG: Well, BK is a unit. We are like a delicious soup with 4 ingredients. 

I am but one ingredient in that soup.  I'm the carrot. My solo LP SPOTLIGHTS the carrot and the different, more personalized, sides of the carrot. 

I wrote and played all instruments on FLUFF all by myself at my own pace with no outside input. 

Nobody heard the album until it was completely finished (Besides David Fowler who mixed and engineered the album). It's a completely different experience than recording as a band/unit. 

GM: What kinds of guitars and amps did you use for this one?

AG: I played a Gibson Firebird through a Fender Deluxe with Earthquaker Device fuzz and delay pedals on the entire album. 

I also used a Fender P-Bass and my giant 90's Tama Rockstar drum kit with thin cloths over them. 

GM: Do you see your personal influences as different than Buffalo Killers's influences?

AG: Not at all. I'm a super fan of all different kinds of music and those guys are the same. I like songs that are good and genuine. 

GM: Can you pick a song on the album and tell me what it's about?

AG: "LYSM" is a song I wrote after having a conversation with a friend who shared with me that they viewed suicide as an option/solution to their problems. 

The song is sort of a reminder for myself and others to think positive and let your friends IN. Majority of the songs on FLUFF are vague and abstract with the exception of a few DEEP thoughts.

GM: If you weren't living on the road making music, what would you be doing?

AG: Living at HOME making music. Taking care of the kiddos. 

For the last year or so I've been on a roll, writing two or three songs a week. 

We're working on a new BK album, I have another solo album written and ready to record. As long as the songs keep coming, I'll be making music. Period. Haha.