Member Feature – David Sinclair

How would you describe your musical style?
I don’t really know if I have a particular style, as I’ve played a wide range of music. Maybe “variety,” as I’ve performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, children’s artists,
various rock bands on tour, and also backed up women’s artists such as Sarah McLachlan and k.d. lang. In addition, I’ve also played hundreds of jingles and film scores and records and CDs and by various artists, including my own recordings, and those with my bands Sunshyne, Straight Lines, and Body Electric.

Who were some of the influences on your musical career?
Initially, I learned from the Ventures and other instrumental rock groups. I then got into playing the blues and learned from a lot of The (Seattle) Wailers’ pieces and Freddie King. Then, of course, the Beatles came and changed everything. I still am a great admirer of George Harrison. He played some great stuff and had a big influence on what I was able to do.

What have been some of your favourite moments overyour career?
Playing at the Albert Hall with k.d. lang was pretty cool – it was one of those things where “I hope this moment doesn’t end.” Other special moments were playing with Sarah McLachlan at Madison Square Garden, appearances on Jay Leno and David Letterman, and the Grammys twice – once with Sarah and once with k.d. lang. I remember looking out in the audience and right in front of me sitting is Eric Clapton!

What project(s) are you currently working on?
I’ve been working with Keith Bennett, as a harmonica and guitar duo. In June, we finished our new CD. It’s very eclectic, as we both have experience in a whole lot of areas. We draw from those and surprise people with what we can do with a harmonica and guitar. Aside from that, I’ve also been doing production on several other projects.

If you could go back and give any piece of advice to your past self, what would you say and why?
I’d say to go for it more than I did. I could’ve concentrated a lot more on song writing and perfecting/learning better guitar chops. There’s always something. There were opportunities that I turned down that maybe would’ve been a better route than what I chose. But at the same time, I’ve been very fortunate to make a living playing music and being able to work with great people along the way.

How has the music industry changed compared to when you first began your career?
When I first started, we had so many opportunities to play. Through my high school years, my bands were working every weekend. After high school, I’d play in the east end cabarets. There, you’d get hired and played six nights a week, six hours a night. You’d do floor shows, back up different folks – that’s all changed. Beyond that, you’d start writing original music and submitting to record companies. But now, you have to be guaranteed to make them money before they’ll take you on.

If you had all the resources available, what would you to do help Vancouver/BC’s music industry continue to flourish and grow?
We used to have places where everybody knew who was playing there, and everybody would go there and hang out. We had a scene that doesn’t exist now where musicians congregated, and everybody knew what everyone else was doing. If that was possible to have, that would be a really useful thing to have.

What advice would you give to musicians who haven’t
joined the VMA?

Join the VMA! There was a time when to get the ‘good gigs,’ you needed to be a member. That’s still the case with theatre, symphony and some others, but if employers knew that to get the really good musicians you had to go through the union, it would make a difference and be to all our benefit. There’s still some other great values such as the musician’s pension plan and visas for the U.S.

Do you have any final thoughts or anything else that you would like to share?
I just want to reiterate how fortunate I’ve been to be able to spend my life doing the thing that I love to do. That’s been facilitated, in part, by the union, enabling me to earn a decent living doing it.