Meet: Will "The Thrill" Pattinson on Baritone Sax
You're tuned in to 112.6 fm, K-Thrill. In tonight's news... Beer, thrills and Bari Sax.
William Pattinson sat down with Will "The Thrill" and interviewed him for your reading pleasure... Here's how that conversation went.
William: When did you start playing music?
The Thrill: I started playing music in 7th grade. I was in an after-school activities program and ‘music appreciation’ was randomly chosen for me. No one else in my family played any musical instruments before me. So I kind of “broke the mold” as far as there being any musicality in the family.
William: What made you want to play music?
The Thrill: Well, while in that music appreciation class, my instructor, Mrs. Ingram, played a variety of the band instruments to kind of show us what they were about and what the sounded like. One that stuck out to me in particular was when she played on the clarinet an excerpt of the Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofe. (It’s the song that plays on the train in Disneyland when you are riding through the Grand Canyon). It was then that I knew “I must learn to play that!” So my parents rented me a clarinet and the rest is history!...to this day I still have never learned to play those few measures that she played for us in class!
William: So, you learned to play clarinet. Why aren’t you still playing the clarinet today?
The Thrill: I played clarinet through middle school and about the first year into high school. After the clarinet, I played a variety of instruments (alto clarinet, bass clarinet…) until I was asked one day, I think in my junior year, if I would be willing to play the baritone saxophone. The girl that was playing it before had to leave the marching band to be a part of the swim team. So I took the bari home and learned to play it and absolutely fell in love with it! It is still my favorite instrument to play!
William: When did you start playing music?
The Thrill: I started playing music in 7th grade. I was in an after-school activities program and ‘music appreciation’ was randomly chosen for me. No one else in my family played any musical instruments before me. So I kind of “broke the mold” as far as there being any musicality in the family.
William: What made you want to play music?
The Thrill: Well, while in that music appreciation class, my instructor, Mrs. Ingram, played a variety of the band instruments to kind of show us what they were about and what the sounded like. One that stuck out to me in particular was when she played on the clarinet an excerpt of the Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofe. (It’s the song that plays on the train in Disneyland when you are riding through the Grand Canyon). It was then that I knew “I must learn to play that!” So my parents rented me a clarinet and the rest is history!...to this day I still have never learned to play those few measures that she played for us in class!
William: So, you learned to play clarinet. Why aren’t you still playing the clarinet today?
The Thrill: I played clarinet through middle school and about the first year into high school. After the clarinet, I played a variety of instruments (alto clarinet, bass clarinet…) until I was asked one day, I think in my junior year, if I would be willing to play the baritone saxophone. The girl that was playing it before had to leave the marching band to be a part of the swim team. So I took the bari home and learned to play it and absolutely fell in love with it! It is still my favorite instrument to play!
William: Tell the fans about your instrument. What kind of stuff do you use?
The Thrill: I play on an Eastman Baritone Saxophone. I used to play on a pro Selmer sax, but this Eastman is a real beast in comparison.
The mouthpiece I play on is a Jody Jazz Classic.
I am using a ligature designed by a buddy of mine that I work with. Since its basically a prototype, there is not a whole lot of information on it. He is trying to get it patented so he can have it mass produced.
The reeds I prefer to use are Rico Select Jazz Filed 2 Hard reeds
William: Tell them how you met and came into PCS
The Thrill: Actually, I am one of the original founding members. Marco and I basically started the group in college back in 2002 with some other friends. I had a small band I tried to start in high school called Will And The Thrills. Marco had already graduated high school but would visit on occasion to help us out. Once I graduated high school, and met back up with Marco in college, he and I started playing some old tunes that my old group would play. Suddenly a few other musicians joined in with us and we said, “Hey, let’s start a band!”
William: What's your favorite hobby?
The Thrill: Well I don’t know if you’d call it a hobby, but I really love going to country bars, puttin’ my shit-kickers on, have a beer (or 6..), and two-steppin and line dancin’ the night away! When I’m not playing with Phat Cat Swinger, I really enjoy country music. I’m a country boy at heart! Also, someday I’d like to start brewing my own beers! J
William: Who is your favorite singer/musician/model/person/anything…?
The Thrill: I really dig Ronnie Cuber’s sound and style of playing. He is definitely a player that I really look up to. On the country side of things I really like artists like Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, and George Strait…to name just a few!!
William: Where would you like to see the band in the future?
The Thrill: I’d like to see the band touring the country year round. Also playing country music year round!! Well, maybe not necessarily playing country music all year round, but I don’t think it would kill anybody to have some kind of swing song with some DELICIOUS country infused into it!! Just sayin’…
William: What's your favorite youtube video?
The Thrill: Here’s a fun one... It's over to the left... look, over there... <------
The Thrill: I play on an Eastman Baritone Saxophone. I used to play on a pro Selmer sax, but this Eastman is a real beast in comparison.
The mouthpiece I play on is a Jody Jazz Classic.
I am using a ligature designed by a buddy of mine that I work with. Since its basically a prototype, there is not a whole lot of information on it. He is trying to get it patented so he can have it mass produced.
The reeds I prefer to use are Rico Select Jazz Filed 2 Hard reeds
William: Tell them how you met and came into PCS
The Thrill: Actually, I am one of the original founding members. Marco and I basically started the group in college back in 2002 with some other friends. I had a small band I tried to start in high school called Will And The Thrills. Marco had already graduated high school but would visit on occasion to help us out. Once I graduated high school, and met back up with Marco in college, he and I started playing some old tunes that my old group would play. Suddenly a few other musicians joined in with us and we said, “Hey, let’s start a band!”
William: What's your favorite hobby?
The Thrill: Well I don’t know if you’d call it a hobby, but I really love going to country bars, puttin’ my shit-kickers on, have a beer (or 6..), and two-steppin and line dancin’ the night away! When I’m not playing with Phat Cat Swinger, I really enjoy country music. I’m a country boy at heart! Also, someday I’d like to start brewing my own beers! J
William: Who is your favorite singer/musician/model/person/anything…?
The Thrill: I really dig Ronnie Cuber’s sound and style of playing. He is definitely a player that I really look up to. On the country side of things I really like artists like Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, and George Strait…to name just a few!!
William: Where would you like to see the band in the future?
The Thrill: I’d like to see the band touring the country year round. Also playing country music year round!! Well, maybe not necessarily playing country music all year round, but I don’t think it would kill anybody to have some kind of swing song with some DELICIOUS country infused into it!! Just sayin’…
William: What's your favorite youtube video?
The Thrill: Here’s a fun one... It's over to the left... look, over there... <------
