Ax facts & Stats vol. 53: Evans Blue’s Parker Lauzon and Joe Pitter By Dave B. Roberts Welcome to AFS vol.53 with Evans Blue guitarist Parker Lauzon and Bassist Joe Pitter. Extreme Guitars caught up with the guys as they wind down the summer leg of touring in support of their latest release “The pursuit begins when this PORTRAYAL of life ends” just released in July of 2007. Hailing from Toronto/Ontario Canada, the guys came together in early 2005 through a local musician’s message board. The band quickly proved themselves through brilliant songwriting and straightforward alt metal energy as they released their debut album The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume in early November of 2005, where it spent a number of weeks in the top 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and spawned a second single, Over. The band jumped into an 8 month US tour alongside Taproot and then jumped right back into the studio to immediately begin work on their follow-up release, The Pursuit Begins When This Portrayal of Life Ends. Evans Blue was also nominated for "Best New Band" at the 2007 annual Juno Awards. My name is: PL: Parker Lauzon JP: Joe Pitter Myself described in 5 words: PL: I like to drink beer. JP: patient most of the time. My current job is: PL: guitarist for Evans Blue JP: bass player in Evans Blue My hometown: PL: Burlington Ontario JP: Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada My current album or project is: The Pursuit Begins When This portrayal Of Life ends Former bands: PL: none JP: Nothing national, but Holding Malace and Ariels Dream My guitar influences growing up were: PL: Dimebag Darrell, Mike Mushok, James Hettefield JP: Dimebag and Lindsay Buckingham The guitars I use are: PL: Ibanez SZ Prestige series JP: Ibanez SR Prestige The strings and tunings I use are: PL: Kerley strings C G C F A D and Baritone tuning A E A D F# B JP: We use CGCF and AEADG for bass and the strings are by Kerly Music. Guages .120,.095.075.055 and .130's My current rig setup consists of: PL: PEAVEY XXX HEAD AND CAB JP: Ampeg svt 4 pro, Ampeg 8X10 cab, Korg tuner, I keep it simple The greatest invention for guitars is: PL: OVERDRIVE My normal songwriting process consists of: PL: Writing a chord progression figuring out where it would fit in a song and write around it. JP: Just jamming out ideas with the band. My favorite all-time guitar solo (from any guitarist): PL: that’s a very hard question to answer but I love the solo by Dime on Cemetery Gates, that or Cowboys JP: I would have to say all of the solos in cemetery Gates by Pantera Favorite all-time song (any artist) is: PL: “Suicide Note Part 2” Pantera JP: “Gold and Silver” by Stavesacre Favorite Evans Blue song: PL: “Q (Best One of Our Lives)” JP: “Over” Favorite Evans Blue guitar solo: PL: “Painted” (outro ) JP: the end of “Painted” Favorite song to perform in front of a live audience: PL: Cross and A Girl Named Blessed JP: The first time we played Earth Day Birthday in Florida, I got to meet and talk a bit with lacuna coil… that is a special moment for me. My Career highlight thus far is: PL: Playing with Staind. JP: “Over” or “Red Dress” My most embarrassing moment on stage: PL: Haven’t had one yet, thank God! Hahahaha! JP: don't really have one. Other than my guitar and amps, the one piece of my gear that I cannot live without is: PL: My laptop, I live on myspace. JP: My Tuner. The first song I ever mastered on guitar: PL: “One” by Metallica. JP: Mathew Goods “Symbolistic Whitewalls” My first guitar was: PL: A Barracuda hahahaha. I know you have no idea what that is and there is a reason for that! JP: My grandmother gave me an acoustic she bought at a yard sale...don't even know what the brand was but it made sound. If I am only sure of one thing in life, It's: PL: People should live to do what they love and not become a slave to their life. JP: Nothing is ever going to go as planned; you just have to roll with it. The one ritual I always perform prior to going on stage is: PL: hand stretches. JP: I say something to myself for loved ones who aren’t there to share that moment. The exact moment I knew I would pursue a career in music was: PL: Watching a buddy’s band perform live and feeling the energy off the crowd...I wanted that feeling. JP: when I was 17 I wanted to be in a band and do that forever...so far so good, haha The one thing most fans don't know about me is: PL: I am a pretty shy person actually. The best advice I could give beginning guitarists: PL: Start off slow and work your way up or you're just going to get frustrated and not want to pursue it anymore... practice, practice, practice! JP: Don't get too discouraged; it takes time to get as good as you want to be, and just have fun with it. At first I was too hard on myself and put the guitar down for almost a whole year, but then I came back to it just for fun and it was so much asier The CD(s) I'm listening to right now: PL: Framing Hanley, Fair To Midland & Killswitch...still hahaha. JP: The Pleasure and the Greed by Big Wreck and Meds by Placebo My 3 all-time favorite albums: PL: Great Southern Trendkill by Pantera, Break The Cycle by Staind and White Pony by Deftones. JP: Superunknown by Soundgarden , Far beyond Driven by Pantera and Nirvana’s Nevermind Best gig: PL: Haven't found it yet. JP: Lately it was in Houston for the CD release Favorite junk food: PL: ice cream chocolate bars for sure. JP: Slim Jims My biggest pet peeve: PL: WHINERS… I FREAKING HATE WHINERS!! JP: People singing badly or wrong words while driving, lol The word or catch phrase I say too much is: PL: DOUCHEBAG. JP: I probably shouldn’t repeat it haha The hardest part of my job: PL: Being away from the people I love is hard but they are all very supportive and understand that this is something I have to do. JP: Right now it is just the traveling, but the shows make up for it! The first thing I do when I come home from touring is: PL: SLEEP! JP: Sleep and see family and friends. Previous or first day job: PL: short order cook. JP: Pizza Delivery driver. Right after this interview I'm going to: PL: Do soundcheck. JP: Go to a club for soundcheck...well, put pants on first, then go haha couldn't imagine being on the road without: PL: My laptop. I cannot live with out it! JP: my Ipod If I wasn't doing the musician thing, I could really see myself working as: PL: A producer or an audio engineer of some sort JP: A garbage man or something… haha it always looked cool! Favorite movie: PL: Princess Bride or Goonies JP: The Fifth Element My mission in life: PL: To live it. JP: The Fifth Element My guilty pleasure band or artist: PL: Rhianna…ha! That Umbrella song is way too catchy JP: I listen to Tatu once in a while...but don't tell anyone My next goal is: PL: Start a family of my own. The greatest contribution guitars have brought into my life is: PL: Being in a great band, living my dream and creating a wonderful outlet that I can go to and just chill and not think about the trials of life JP: Most of my good friends I have met through bands or music in general. Check out our Website at: evansblue.com or www.myspace.com/evansblue The one musician I would love to work with that I have not yet had the chance would be: PL: Unfortunately he is gone, but Dime would be my first pick, second would be Aaron Lewis of Staind JP: Mazzy Star If I could have three wishes, they would be: PL: Have a long healthy life, have a long healthy career and to live the way I chose to live. JP: Tour comfortably, to have a house & see family more. When it's all said and done, I want the world to remember me for: PL: Writing music that people can connect to and having it help in some shape or form. Copyright September 2007 Dave B. Roberts & www.extremeguitars.com is the web home of articles and interviews written by Dave Roberts. All Dave Roberts interviews & articles are available for use or FREE reprint ONLY by Permission and proper credits. Permission can be obtained by contacting dave@extremeguitars.com. All materials are Copyright 2004-07 Dave Roberts and OnTourOnline Ent., All Rights Reserved. Contact me at dave@extremeguitars.com