Local artist profile: Keith MacQueen

THIS week we chat with gun guitarist and songwriter about town Keith MacQueen, whose band the Bridesmaid launches its third album at the Golden Vine tomorrow evening.

What initially motivated you to become a musician?

There was always music around the home when I was young. Be that my mum or my older sister playing piano, dad playing records of his favourite musicals, or listening to my sister’s records. It was just a thing that felt part of life, so picking up an instrument was a natural thing for me. Plus, one of my best friends had a guitar and I started messing around on it. Before I knew it I could pick out a tune pretty well and it took off from there.

You’re known for your extensive guitar collection. How many bands are you in and how many guitars do you actually own?

Ha-ha, hard to keep track on both counts! I’m in around six bands, although there only tend to be two or three of those active at any one time. As far as guitars go, I did a count recently and the tally was 47. My guitar room is pretty cramped!

Which bands/musicians inspire you and why?

I reckon The Who are the greatest rock band of all time, and Bruce Springsteen when he’s with the E Street Band has always been a favourite, so both those are inspirations. Wilco has been my main go-to listening for the last 20 years. But I’ll listen to almost anything as long as it grabs me. At the moment I’m listening to Orville Peck and also a Welsh band The Tubs.

My inspirations come from anywhere and everywhere. Guitar-wise, Pete Townshend from The Who and Nels Cline from Wilco are my favourites and have both influenced my guitar playing more than anyone.

What are some highlights or fond memories you have from your career so far?

It’s always fun playing live to a good crowd, so I enjoy pretty much any opportunity to get in front of people and play. Some of the more memorable gigs were opening for Wolfmother and also Mick Thomas from Weddings Parties Anything.

Musically, playing in Four Lions has been fantastic. We’ve recorded five albums and played a lot of different places promoting them. Recently we had a great run of gigs in Northern Tasmania – getting to travel around and play music has created some great memories.

How can people check out your band(s) in the not too distant future?

The Bridesmaid, which is the band that plays my original songs, are launching our third album at the Golden Vine on Saturday, 18 February, and the cover band I play in, The John Grossman Project are back at the Golden Vine on the 25th for our 10th anniversary show.

What would you say to young regional aspiring musicians who are thinking of making a go of the creative life?

My advice would be to seek out opportunities to play and try to learn from each gig. Ask yourself what you could do better and how you can engage the crowd with your music. Also, look for ways to collaborate with other artists as much as possible. When I was young I always looked for people who I considered better than me so I could watch and learn from them. Most of all, have fun and do it because you enjoy it. That will shine through in what you do.