The first time we caught Adrian Trevino playing was at the Sunday night 'Blues Jam,' now at Rossi's 1906, and watched him put on a clinic of singing and playing Stevie Ray Vaughan songs. A couple tunes later and he's behind the band on drums, laying it down just as tight. 'Is this guy a drummer or a guitar player?' we thought.
Turns out he excels at both.Born in Santa Cruz and raised in Maui, Trevino has been back and forth between the island and Sonoma since '92.
The blues were always around him, as it was his father's favorite genre of music, but the young Trevino was drawn to metal, and at 18 with his band 'Arise' he toured California, recorded two EPs and played constantly. When he was 25, things came full circle, back to the blues and that's where we find him today.
Trevino is playing solo with a friend or two sitting in on Sunday, June 5, at Murphy's Irish Pub, kicking off at 2 p.m.
He told us about his first guitar, his upcoming new release and the Stevie Ray Vaughan video that changed his life.
Many musicians in our generation cite the Beatles on Ed Sullivan as that moment they knew wanted to play music. When did you realize you wanted to be a musician?
It actually started early in my life. Music was always around me, my dad was a musician so there were instruments and encouragement all around, but I guess it was Stevie Ray Vaughan and seeing the video of 'El Mocambo' that really made me know I wanted to sing and play blues guitar. I can't count how many times I watched that video.
That first instrument you owned. What was it and do you still have it?
A black Fender Squire Stratocaster with a white pick guard. I do still have it, but it's in pieces, but I have them all. My dad bought it for me when I was like 10 years old, but I was way more into drums. I didn't really get into guitar until I was older.
Who are your influences?
Stevie Ray was there for sure, but the two biggest ones were Michael Jackson and Dimebag Darrell of Pantera. Michael Jackson was it for me even when I was really young, during the '80s I nearly wore 'Thriller' out.
What playlist is in your iPod?
Pantera, typically always, and Richie Kotzen. I've been focusing on being a better songwriter so I've listened to the last 20 years of his discography. Oh, and Chromeo, they have kind of a funky electronic disco thing going on that I like.
Who are you playing with these days?
The No Buenos is the biggest thing I have going now. My songwriting partner, Jason Huybers, and I have an album coming out soon so that is the biggest thing. I'm doing some solo gigs just for the fun of it, like this weekend, and have my trio still, but haven't done much with that lately. I also play with Dylan Chambers and the Midnight Transit but I'm slowly pulling out of that act. I really want to start focusing on just songwriting.
If you could have written one song, which one would it be?
Oh boy. I'd have to say 'Fooled Around and Fell in Love' by Elvin Bishop. The song is four chords all the way through, it never changes, but to get that much soul and feeling out of a song with only four chords, to me it really stands out.
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