Monday, September 28, 1998
Drumming up place as band hard work but rewarding
PROFILE: From jamming with friends to gigs, Yost is now to
release record
By Kaitie Pappert
Daily Bruin Staff
Tim McGregor is a third-year psychology student. He has played
the drums for over 10 years, performs for several Jazz combos at
UCLA, and his band, Yost, (formerly known as Pod), has an album
coming out in October. He is also a member of Theta Xi
fraternity.
How did you pick your major?
I was a music major, but I decided to change my major after I
wanted to play drum set, and I was in classical drum set, so I
decided I could fulfill my jazz drumming and still get a good
education. I’m still doing my jazz drumming.
What made you decide to rush a fraternity?
I came by at the beginning of the year with some friends, and I
ran into some guys I knew from junior high. One of them used to
play trumpet, and I used to play jazz with him. So, when I ran into
him six years later, he invited me to some parties and I just
decided to rush in spring.
How did you form the band?
That actually has a lot to do with the fraternity. (My friend)
Ross and I would stop by the house before we were even pledges and
jam with some guys, and we immediately clicked. We had a guitarist,
drummer and singer but no bassist. We came back after the summer
after not talking at all, and Ross and I were busy with a funk
band, jazz combos and gigging outside of school.
The bassist in our funk band was really good and I begged him to
join, and even though he was graduating he finally decided to do
it. We started jamming together, playing a couple of tunes, and we
started writing and next thing you know, we had a gig.
Where was your first gig?
Our first gig was at the Westwood Brewing Company. Before we had
the band, Ross, Kevin, Isiah and I went down there and played
acoustic on open mic night, and then we got this band going and we
got into the big room. It was the greatest because a lot of people
showed up. It was probably our best show. It just started from
there, somebody was at that gig, who got us a gig at the Viper
Room, and then someone was at the Viper Room, and so on.
What are some of the places that you’ve played at?
We’ve played at the Whiskey, the Viper Room, Hollywood Moguls
and Luna Park. We’ve done the Brew Co. three times now. At first we
were all excited about the Viper Room and the Whiskey because they
were big names, but we’ve played there and all the sound guys were
kind of rude, and we decided that Brew Co was our favorite place to
play.
How did you get your music produced on a record?
We don’t have a record deal, so we did this independently to get
a record deal. We made the usual four-song demo and added four more
songs. We made kind of an eight-song demo, both to sell and send to
record companies.
And you have to fund this yourself?
Yeah, it’s coming out of our own pockets. We pay for it by
gigging, (we make about $500 a gig), and we just all put it in the
record fund. With the jazz combo it’s really easy to get gigs
because you do casual gatherings and things.
Some of the gigs have been awesome. I played at the opening of
Royce, where Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Don Henley played. We
get a gig about once a week, just from UCLA. And then with Yost, we
had about two gigs a week.
Is it fulfilling to see all of your work come together?
Totally, we used to get so excited. At first we were so naive.
We’d be practicing a lot, and going, "Let’s get signed, let’s get
famous, let’s take it on the road," and we only had three
tunes.
After our second gig I thought we’d get signed. But it’s not
like that; it’s a lot of work. Record companies want to see you
four or five times, see your demo and see your following.
It’s hard work, and it’s getting harder and harder because there
are so many bands out there, and there’s such little money for
beginning musicians. You’ve got to work really hard at first to get
your own following and produce your own stuff.
How would you describe your music?
It’s jazz influenced rock. It’s a jam band like Dave Matthews
and Phish, with some really catchy pop tunes, which is the rock
side of it, and it also has a jazz influence. It’s a really unique
sound; it’s got a little of everything.
What have been your favorite experiences while you’ve been at
UCLA?
Definitely my favorite times have been with this band, meeting
people, even talking to lawyers. The fraternity has been a lot of
fun too. We used to take a lot of crazy road trips. We’d take trips
to Vegas, just pack our bags real quick, take off, crash in our car
for a few days and gamble a lot.
Being able to meet Paul Simon playing at the Quincy Jones
tribute concert was also great, he even rehearsed with us. Horace
Siver was there, and all these great jazz musicians there just
watching. We were just in awe. I have all these musicians’ CDs. I
listen to these guys. I’m influenced by them so much. It was just
awesome to be around them.
What have been some of your least favorite experiences here?
I come from a very tight-knit family (I’m number six of seven
kids), and it was hard just being on my own at UCLA – learning to
take constructive criticism, learning to take responsibility,
becoming more and more independent, and learning to interact with
other people.
I was exposed to a lot of different kinds of people living in
the fraternity. It really tested me and made me more secure with
who I am. Sometimes families can’t always do that.
What is your favorite kind of music to play?
I like being able to apply jazz to other kinds of music.
Fusion-type music; I’ve been in a rock band and a James Brown-type
funk band.
If you could impart any wisdom on others, what would it be?
We’re all so competitive and concerned with each other’s goals –
I think we need to just find something we love to do, and by doing
that, the rest of the world will appreciate your passion and not
care about who’s the best. I love music and I want to play music.
If people will want to hear my music and love my music then I think
that’s accomplishing a lot. It’s my way of doing good for the
world.
Tim McGregor
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