ION INDIE MAGAZINE September 2015, Volume 16 | Page 93

I’d always listen to his music. He had a friend named Rory that used to come over and hang out, and Rory played guitar-thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Rory actually gave me an old knockoff Woolworth’s electric guitar, and that was
my prized possession. I couldn’t get that good, but I could play a couple chords. My dad sings and plays piano as well, so
music was always around the house.”
As it turned out, this early influence was the perfect catalyst to turn the conversation to all that has occurred within the music
business over the course of Valenzuela’s career, and what he thinks about the current state of music. One wonders if the
criticisms of popular music’s lack of skilled craftsmen these days is valid.
“Maybe, maybe not,” he ponders. “The Gin Blossoms got that too--that we were shoddy craftsmen and that the writers in the
70’s were better, and that the 60’s were better than the 70’s; I think it’s a generational thing. I don’t know…that realm of
popular music; the party that the Gin Blossoms were invited to for about 18-24 months, it doesn’t last forever. I think the
gracious thing to do is bow out and say ‘Thank you’, and let the kids enjoy their time.”
When the Gin Blossoms’ big success began to level off, Valenzuela began to try his hand at film and TV music writing-something in which he’s still active today. A quick Google search of the film projects he’s bene involved with produce titles
like the 2005 TV movie “Beyond Corner Gas: Tales From Dog River” which starred MARK MCKINNEY of the “Kids In The Hall”
comedy troupe. It’s an avenue he suggests to musicians, and it’s just part of the overall scope of the music business landscape
that he’s successfully navigated. For him, being the veteran act has benefits, but he can also see the positive in the younger
generation of musicians who have less of a structure to work with than he did coming up.
“If you have the inclination, throw your
hat in the ring,” he says of musical
opportunities like television and film.
“There was a lot of work in it, and there
still is, but it’s being done in a cheaper
fashion than when I started in it over
20 years ago. As far as the business,
we’ve had management issues; and
now, for a band like ourselves,
management is something that we
control. But, when you’re first starting
out, you’re sort of impressed by the
office and don’t really tell them what
you’re thinking. I talk to our manager
every couple days to make sure the
wheels are still on the wagon. There is
something to still be said for
creativity, though. The kids I see,
instead of complaining about a lack
of a music industry, they sort of make
their own industry through the internet
and social networking--in some ways,
it’s more beautiful. They’re not in it to make a million dollars or get a big house. I think right now it’s left the guys still standing
that really just want to make music.”
One of the latter questions posed to Valenzuela was that of nostalgia. There are currently a variety of package tours, some that
have included the Gin Blossoms, that seem to capitalize upon the “hits” of past decades that seemingly pay little mind to new
material from classic bands. As it turns out, he’s ok with all of it.
“I think we’ve been guilty of playing too many new songs,” he says. “I know it can be a struggle, as a grown man, I know that.
You come out on a Thursday night, you’ve got the kids…there’s a lot of moving parts to getting out anymore. I think it needs all
the hits. Last night we played in Chicago with HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS, who were amazing. Huey said to the crowd, ‘Look,
we’re only playing one new song--don’t start groaning, I guarantee it’s a good song.’ He’s so good with the crowd. He said,