JAM April/May 2007 Issue: Feature Story

There's More to Life Than Music

Interviews taken by Roger Atkinson

Music is the hobby for many JAM readers, even for the Editor. But the musicians we listen to regularly have their interests away from their instruments as well. One night between sets at Jardine's, I overheard Stan Kessler converse about physics, and then got curious about what other things musicians do in their spare time. Thanks to Stan for suggesting that I do this survey. Hey, there may be a Part 2, as this list is just a fraction of the musical population!

Do I have to answer this seriously? Well, other than running Bob Bowman's fan club, I'd say playing computer Scrabble. I'm really addicted. I also love movies. - Jake Blanton

I watch Star Trek – The Next Generation. I also work out, practice Tae Kwon Do. I'm getting ready for a black belt test. - Tim Cambron

I have recently gotten into Firefly, a show that is a sci-fi show that doesn't act like one. They only made fourteen episodes, but their fan base is rabid, and so they made a movie, too. The formula is very subtle; it's very interesting. I have hardly watched any television for years, and I just got the DVD set of this and can't get enough of it; I have gotten into every character. - Wayne Hawkins

I write poetry. Nothing serious, but it is something fun to do. I've done it since high school. I wrote a lyric to a song, “I Want to Talk About You”. I heard the instrumental by John Coltrane and wrote a lyric; I didn't know there was one! It's a Billy Eckstine song. - D.J. Sweeney

Horses, and I like to cook. No, I don't cook horses—I ride them! I like to hike, also. Outdoor stuff. - Bob Bowman

A lot. Outdoors. Mountains. Anything that can be done in the mountains. Summer and winter. Extreme winter sporting. High altitude climbing. Computers are another hobby. Just getting to know mine as good as I can. I also enjoy traveling, going out on my own to a new place, not knowing anything. I like adventure. - Craig Akin

My two loves are astrophysics and history. The physics is on a layperson's level. I've been interested in science since I was a little kid. I started reading books the past twenty years, ones I can understand. Most I've re-read several times; I get a little bit more each time. Things like quantum mechanics and string theory take a while. And the theories keep evolving. As does history! - Stan Kessler

Cooking and photography. I like Spanish and Brazilian cooking the best. I've been on the front section of the food section twice. I got into photography when I was in the Army in Berlin . You could get good photographic equipment there, and it was something to do. - Doug Auwarter

I like to golf, and I like to walk. I'm not a good golfer. I also enjoy cartooning, I've been doing it since I was a kid. I've done a number of musicians; some have come off pretty good. - Danny Embrey

I like to play pool. I'm pretty damn good at it. Could I beat you? I'm pretty sure of it. Eight ball. I play about every night. - Matt Hopper

Reading . I like novels, Latin-American writers. Also musician biographies. I just finished Lush Life, the biography on Billy Strayhorn. I also like movies. I like Casablanca . Serious writing and serious acting. I also like walking and bicycle riding. - Greg Whitfield

Writing poetry. I teach English. I wrote more when I was younger, and published. - Ed Pharr

Golf…I love it. If I could come back three times in my life, the first time I'd be a professional musician, which I've done, thank the Lord. The second time would be as a professional golfer, with Danny Embrey as my caddy, and the third time I'd be a finishing woodworker, cabinetry kinds of things. - Ray DiMarchi

I love to fish; it's a great way to relax, fishing on a pond. - Gerald Spaits

Keeping the house together, that's a pretty big hobby right there! I play and listen to music, really, perpetual music, so to speak. I used to be into electronics a long time ago, put stereos together, Heathkits, those kinds of things, basic wiring. But I really gave that up to devote more time to music. - - Charles Perkins

I like to spend a lot of time with my kids, and hardly have time for hobbies, but I like to golf. I like to read about physics, science, things like that. I'm reading one that Stan gave me now. - Dave Chael

I am an avid catfisherman. I spend a lot of time in a canoe on area rivers and lakes. - Kevin Cerevich

My chief non-musical interest is Christianity. I got into Christianity when I was in college, then it was super huge, and spent a lot of time in church meetings, reading the Bible, studying with people and stuff. Now with the family, it's more Sunday morning, going to church, praying, and some other church activities. - Roger Wilder

I love murder mysteries. And I am a fan of all of the Law and Order series, NYPD Blue. I used have a big interest in World War II, specifically the Navy in the Pacific. I used to drive a truck, and trucks have always fascinated me. I have a collection on shelves and on the walls at home. - Everette DeVan

Yoga. I've been working on it for a few years. I like to mountain bike; I used to do a lot of it. There were good trails in Lawrence ; I rode them a lot when I lived there. - Ken Lovern

Fishing, golfing, kids, March Madness. That's about it. - Jim Mair

Auto racing, and really Formula One racing. I'll go home late, like after a gig at the Foundation, and watch it on television, live from Europe . - Andy Masters

Wow. Here lately I haven't had time to do anything! It's like a curse and a blessing at the same time. I spend all day dealing with music stuff, contracts, scheduling, negotiation. When I get home, I hope to have the energy to be able to get on my horn for an hour or so. I haven't had a chance to do anything else lately. I need a hobby! - Gerald Dunn

It's not a hobby, it's more of a lifelong journey, I came back from Chicago to be a director of education at the museum. So I'm working at bringing musicians together and developing new audiences. - Dennis Winslett

I occasionally go bass fishing, go and enjoy what God gave us. - Tyrone Clark

Well, I'm a firefighter; it's not a hobby but it's an interest. I go to the gym on a regular basis, try to go every day. I would like to eat better, so I think about that, do a little bit of cooking here and there. I'm really so involved with music, the hobby is getting away from my instrument to play another, like drums, and I'm trying to learn the guitar. So really, my hobbies come right back to music. I try to rest a lot, too. - John Brewer

I really don't do much. I enjoy taking walks, and like to read during the daytime. I just read a biography on Benny Goodman. But I'll read novels, too. And I listen to music during the daytime, too. KKFI. Today I listened to something by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, songs from movies. I like Stan Getz, Coltrane, I like everything. - Tommy Ruskin

I enjoy playing hockey; have to, growing up in Canada . I like playing tennis. [ Editor's note: tennis ain't my racket. ] Remodeling the house for my wife, that's a pastime. I'm an avid basketball and hockey watcher. I also like to cook seafood. And I have an old motorcycle that I restored, and every month I go out with some friends to an Army Corps of Engineers property in Clinton , Missouri , and we ride motorcross bikes on off-road trails, and we make it every single month. - Dan Thomas

I like working in the yard, gardening, cutting grass, trimming the hedge, stuff like that. - Lucky Wesley

I have two. One is fishing, I'm an outdoorsman. And in recent years, one thing has become my passion—using my vocals! I have the best teacher in the city in Joe Cartwright. Fishing and singing. Don't ask me to choose between the two! - Duck Warner

I like to play with digital photography. I design and maintain my Web site; I like to play tennis, too. - Joe Cartwright

Music really is the hobby; I have an insurance business. But my wife and I like to travel. We're going to New York soon with Tim Whitmer, and we're going to the Dominican Republic with the Nouba. - Tom DeMasters

Golf and motorcycle riding. I have a Triumph Rocket III, 2600 cc's. It goes very fast for a long time! - Dave McCubbin