MUSIC FEATURE: An interest by nature, a passion by choice
By Janette Washington
IV Leader Staff, Sept. 11, 2003
Any musician can be found with a little searching, but a genuine musician is harder to find.
IVCC sophomore Sean Walsh, 20, can be categorized as a “genuine musician.” Back in 1996, one minor decision would change Walsh’s life.
“My mom sort of forced me into joining the school band when I had the chance to in seventh grade. The band teacher said they needed percussionists, so that’s what I did. Bottom line, though, I’m totally glad that my mom took the initiative to get me into an extra curricular activity involving music. It ended up changing my whole perspective on what music could be and the endless possibilities that 12 notes become,” Walsh said.
With a strong musical background in his family, Walsh was bound to carry on the same. Regarding his guitar background, Walsh said, “I started playing guitar in fifth grade. The guitar had always been a part of my family; my brother always had it around the house. He even played in a heavy metal band and my parents took me to see him once when I was in third grade. It was so awesome.
“Also, I had uncles who were in bands. I guess it was a matter of time for me; but I never even thought about playing the guitar myself until a good friend of mine told me that he started taking guitar lessons. That’s when I thought for the first time ‘I could do that,’ and that Christmas, my grandma got me a tiny pint-sized ‘Harmony’ acoustic guitar. It was awesome because I didn’t even ask for a guitar, but I think my mom secretly knew I wanted one.”
Three years later, Walsh actually picked up the bass guitar and started learning that as well. He affirmed, “I was always fascinated with the bass. I remember going to movies at the mall in like sixth grade when they still had a music store, and I would always sit for five minutes and try to play before going to the movie. I initially started playing for real when a couple of us would jam in a friend’s attic. He had a bass for some reasons, and since no one really wanted to play it, I did.”
Walsh wrote his first song when he was in the sixth grade. Now he finds himself writing songs concerning different issues, such as movies, conversations and relationships.
Walsh said, “More or less, it’s just a feeling when I pick up the guitar. I start playing, and then start singing whatever I feel.”
Every musician has his or her role models. Walsh just happens to be more acquainted with his major influences better than most people’s role models.
“My major influence would have to start at the root — my brother for sure and my cousin for introducing me to Nirvana and ‘alternative’ music. As for actual music artists, Silverchair’s Daniel Johns, Matt Embee from the RXBandits, Les Claypool of Primus, and I mean, just about everything I hear has an impact on the way I look at music. Everything from Bach to Britney has an impact on me,” Walsh said pertaining to his musical influences.
Since sixth grade when Walsh was in his first band, he has now been part of more than 10 other bands. When asked if he was planning on pursuing music as a career of some sort, he responded with, “I would love to. All I have ever wanted to do for the past six years is play, record and write music. If I could make a living playing and writing music with no worries, I think I could be the happiest man alive.”
Every musician gets a little something different from performing and being onstage. Walsh’s reaction to “how does it make you feel to be on stage” went a little something like this, “Awesome.”
After the giggle, he continued with, “I’m naturally a very shy person. Sometimes people mistake my shyness for unsocialability, so I guess being up on stage is sort of like a release. It’s a chance to share with others, what I’ve brought so much joy to myself. I just let myself go, and you can tell when the crowd is into you and when they’re not. When they are, though, it’s the most jubilant feeling imaginable. I generally let myself relax and become one with the crowd, band and music, and live through the music.”