Name: Dave GuthrieDavid
Name: Dave Guthrie
Age: 24
Place: Missisauga
Sign: Taurus
Instrument: Lead Vocals and Guitar
Fav. Quote:
Question & Answers
What would you say your band is about?
Our band is about friendship. We all hang out with each other even on non band nights. We all love performing and creating music.
What is the origin of your band’s name?
The origin of the name comes from “The Hemingway
Solution” which I first read in a Stephen King book…as a reference to how
Papa Hemingway killed himself with a shotgun…Lately the name symbolizes that
drastic measures require drastic actions...In order to make the music thing work
we have to essentially sacrifice
most aspects of our life.
What inspired you to form your band?
It began when I was 16, I took up the guitar because I
was jealous of my friends who could play songs that I knew and I wanted to be
able to play some of my favorite bands. After I learned to play guitar I
discovered that I enjoyed writing songs. Some of my friends knew how to play
other instruments as well so we formed a band. “Rubber Souls” was the name
of the first band, that’s where I met George, he was friends with the drummer
at the time and came into the band to play guitar as well. Later when we decided
to break up that band me and him decided to form THS, with the addition of Pete
(George’s brother) we played for almost a year with different bassists until
Ryan who was also in Rubber Souls decided to join the band again.
Also, probably the success of my cousin Raine Maida, from Our Lady Peace,
was a big influence in deciding to start a band. I was very proud of him and I
was also a huge fan.
What are your main influences for music?
Early on I was influenced by The Beatles, they were my
first taste of rock n roll when I was growing up. My dad used to listen to them
all the time and I quickly fell in love with them. Later on when I was around 10
years old I got into Guns n Roses, I was trying to impress the older kids in my
class so I bought the music they were listening to and memorized all the lyrics
to the songs...I quickly learned that I actually liked the music. I got into “alternative “ music when I was around 12-13.
One of my friends bought me a Pearl jam CD and I was like “who is this?”
after I listened to it I was hooked. That Cd “10” is still one of my all
time favorite CD’s. My sister also got me into Soundgarden, Moist, and the
Smashing Pumpkins. Later in highschool I discovered the Red Hot Chilli Peppers
and the Stone Temple Pilots.
How would you describe your sound?
I would describe it as “melodic rock with an attitude” ..actually that’s
how Jody Mitchell from EMI describes it…but I agree.
What qualities would you say distinguishes your band from the rest of the Indie rock scene here in Toronto?
I think that we go up on stage and give it everything
we have no matter who is listening.
We generally have fun and we try to take the honest approach. We know who we are
and we just hope that for 30-45 minutes you can give us your attention and we
will reward you with an entertaining experience (we hope).
There is no room for pretension in The Hemingway Solution.
What are your songs about? Where do you get the inspiration for them?
Personally, I prefer to draw from past experiences when
I write. I am generally a happy person but I find I am most drawn to
write music when I can use it as therapy for some event that has happened in my
life. Sometimes though, Its just good to have some fun and write about nonsense.
How do your songs come together? Who is the songwriter of the group?
We all try to contribute in different ways. W generally have 2 ways we write, one person will come to the band with
an almost completed song on acoustic guitar and then we all hash out our own
parts. Or, we will just jam on an idea or riff all together until a song just
sort of emerges.
Who writes the lyrics?
Usually whoever is singing writes the lyrics, but that
isn’t always the case.
What should the audience expect when they see the band live?
100% energy. Honesty. Unbridled enthusiasm. You will
see us as we are, 4 guys who love to play music together and perform.
What’s the hottest song you perform live? Why?
That’s a tough one. I think everyone in the band will
have a different answer. Personally I like “One Day” because its in your
face rock from beginning to end. Heavy guitar driven riffs throughout. The drum
beat is killa! Also we have a new one, “Discarded” it has a great groove and
we are very proud of the way it finally came together. It proves that not all
good things are effortless. It took some time to nurture but in the end we are
very happy about and very excited to play it live.
If you could play with any musical artist, alive or dead, who would it be?
Tough one. So many choices. John Lennon probably. His
approach to music was so genuine and inspirational.
Who is your favorite local Indie band? Why?
Even though they don’t even seem Indie, probably the
Salads (New Market) are my favorite. I also like The Meligrove Band (Mississauga)
and Isadora (Quebec city).
What do you do outside of the band?
Not much. I used to take engineering at U of T. But now
I am pursuing the music thing full time. I work odd jobs doing promotional work
and also automotive events. I try and always be on some sort of sports team to
stay active (soccer, hockey).
Where can we see you perform next?
April 5 – EP Taylors – Durham College - Oshawa
April 10 – Opera House - Toronto
Where do you see the band 5 years from now?
5 years is a long time for the life of an Indie band. We should have at least conquered Earth and most of the near
Solar System. Either that, or we should at least have a new website.
