Gavin McGee, In His Own Words

Gavin McGee

Continuing with the formal introductions of the Project, the next installment is with Gavin McGee. The questions asked were the same:

1. What motivated you to play music, and, more specifically, the blues.

2. How old were you when you started playing music.

3. Who were your biggest influences.

Gavin started playing bass with the Project in April of this year, as well as playing with Hobo Hippie and the John West Band (where I met him). Gavin is fluent in many different playing styles and has proven to be a good fit with Foosh in the Project. You can catch Gavin with the Kevin Waide Project at this year's Prairie Arts Festival in West Point, MS August 31. With that said, I present Gavin McGee, in his own words.

I always wanted to be a Nirvana or Weezer kinda guitar player, but that I, IV, V blues bass structure always stuck out to me. Tommy Shannon always pulled me completely out of the song and into the bass line. That's what made me want to play bass and that's what made me want to play blues! Long live the blues man!

I always played something ever since I can remember. I drove my mom crazy with a drum set, the old upright in the living room that my dad learned to play on when he was 5, and of course the Peavey Raptor I got for Christmas one year! But, bless her heart, I never got to be worth a damn on any of them. I picked up the bass out of necessity for a band we were forming in 2010 named Hobo Hippie. Finally, I found my instrument! When I say I got thrown onto the stage, I'm not exaggerating. I played my first real gig on stage at Rick's Café in Starkville in front of a packed house of about 800 opening for Jamie Davis and Soul Gravy. I was 28 but green as they come! I will never forget that feeling. It was crazy! Still my favorite show to this day!

My main influences are Nirvana, SRV, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin,... and of course Vanilla Ice. " Word ta ya mutha!"