Who is Tim Reynolds? If you were to ask the average U.Va. student this question, you'd probably hear something about Dave Matthews and the "Live at Luther College" CD.
This response is completely understandable -- Reynolds has been a long-time collaborator with Matthews and has appeared on seven of his albums, even serving as the primary guitarist on the album "Remember Two Things."
Indeed, most people cannot identify Reynolds apart from his work with Dave Matthews and would be surprised to learn that Reynolds is an artist in his own making. So just who is the real Tim Reynolds? In preparation for his Tuesday concert at the Outback Lodge, Reynolds takes a break from his busy schedule to chat with The Cavalier Daily by telephone.
The Cavalier Daily: Before coming to Charlottesville and founding TR3, you toured around with a group of "experimental" musicians and other bands. How did your musical interests and abilities develop during this touring period, and what roles do these interests and abilities play in your current music?
Tim Reynolds: That question seems to have two different parts. I toured with one band but did the experimental band first in St Louis. I got a gig with a different band, a top 40 band, as well as the experimental band. Those two things are similar to what I do now -- pop music, but making music for different reasons. Music is all different and I like it all.
CD: You and Dave met here in Charlottesville and began a long collaboration that resulted in seven albums. What caused you and Dave to have such a close connection in your music, and what unique characteristics did each of bring to the music?
TR: The element of humor, because Dave is a funny guy and we hung out a lot in his basement. He would program this drum machine and we just experimented around, ate brownies and had fun. Even though there was a 10-year difference between us, we connected and just had a musical connection in rock and roll, you know, classical rock.
CD: Your break through album with Dave Matthews was the "Live at Luther College" CD. How did you transform the songs, which were written originally for a full band, into creative yet recognizable pieces for just two acoustic guitars?
TR: That was simple, I guess. It was something that came natural, and I just kind of would flesh out the music. I knew the songs really well from working on the albums, and there wasn't much forethought about it. As musicians, you just do things by nature. I think that the difference is just fun, and you just do it till it sounds right. The most beautiful thing about music is not having to discuss it too much -- it should also be mysterious.
CD: When you played with Dave, you continued to follow your own interests and release albums that didn't always resemble Dave's material, such as Astral Projection and Puke Matrix. How did you balance these separate pursuits, and how did the two pursuits add or subtract from each other?
TR: Good question. Well, they added and subtracted in different means, and I had to just not think about it because I liked both forms. In the 90s I got into hard metal, and I've always liked stuff from the 70s, like Black Sabbath and David Bowie. And I liked polychordal jazz coming from Europe. To me it's kind of like taking the same approach to music and putting it to guitar. I had music for both bands and some just for guitar, and when I listen to my acoustic solo stuff, it functions like a full band.
Being in the middle, it's hard to pinpoint where it comes from. Music is progressive and involves taking little things and adding them into your repertoire. Sonically, acoustic guitar is limited, but I think of how it all gets put together -- I'm into that, and now I can program my machines and get it how I think it should be.
When I write on acoustic, it'll be different because I'm used to programming machines right now. Whenever I hear classical music now, it's so in detail because I break it down and hear it in a three-dimensional way. Learning to program has had an affect on my brain.
CD: When you decided to pursue your own projects on a full-time basis, did you find it hard to allure fans, who knew you from your acoustic work with Dave, to your independent projects?
TR: For sure. It was a world of difference between acoustic and electric tours. When I lived in Charlottesville, I played anywhere, but now in New Mexico I have to travel out of state for anything. The electric tour is more complex and has more things to think about and to practice. Also, it's a lot more physical, whereas acoustic is more concentrated. I have to turn off thinking about it sometimes.
The reference point isn't there from Luther [for fans], but my work is still accepted. I enjoy the electric tour a lot and sometimes I return to the acoustic and want to do it again. I go back and forth to spice it up. This electric tour has had a lot of success, much more than before. After VH1, I toured with my electric band and had black hair, which freaked people out, but this tour isn't as freaky.
CD: You've cited Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson as being influences on your current rock music. What attracts you to these bands and how does it play out in your current music?
TR: I guess in some ways those means were reflective more three or four years ago. I'm now more into real metal bands, whereas those guys are more hybrid metal. I liked Marilyn Manson until "The Dope Show," and I've always liked NIN because he [Trent Reznor] is great. I've liked a lot of other bands too. I like how they took modern technology and made it into music.
CD: You have declined several offers from the record industry to record a pop album with special guests. What motivates you to remain true to yourself and your personal interests?
TR: Well, just out of respect, you know, that aspect of your business. It's hard for me to play ball that way because you have to give a lot up, but right now it's just too hard. Maybe someday I'll give in and make one. I like making my recordings the way I like to do them. It could be easier to do that but also a lot more headache. I'm very rebellious, and when I get close to those situations, I get super rebellious. When I do rock, it's more about politics, like "Rage Against the Machine."
CD: As a final question, you're rightfully recognized as a guitar virtuoso because of your incredible performance on the "Luther College" CD. What guitarists have influenced you and what guitarists in the current music scene do you like?
TR: The guy from the "Deftones," it's purely sonic what he does. You know, a lot of pop music these days isn't sonic. The guy from "Pantera" too. And Trent Reznor is creative as both a guitarist and keyboardist. And some jazz people like Joe Pass and Alan Holdsworth.
I'm now more into programming drums, which you can't do with just a guitar part. I like how the guitar becomes a player in the band, and I like the contrast to solo guitar working by itself. When you perform with the band, you just flow with the guys, whereas playing by yourself is more scary -- it's like being a conductor and it's really great.
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