Profiler

By Jason Kesterson

Lindsay Bowerman began baking at Donut Drive-In sometime in 1972, and today he is the pastry chef at Grace Cafe. He is mostly known for his bass and guitar playing around Cape. I recently sat down with Lindsay, and this is what he had to offer.

OFF: Lindsay, you are pretty well known for long involvement with music around town. When did you realise you had to play music?

Lindsay: "When I was around six or seven, I would sneak into my sister's room and put on singles. Stuff like Buddy Holly, 50's and 60's music. My mom bought me a toy drum kit around the same time, I guess so I could annoy my parents. I would put on records and just pretend to be in those bands."

OFF: The Beatles?

Lindsay: " When I was in fifth grade, my cousins and I would imitate the Beatles using tennis rackets for guitars. (laughs) They told me I was Paul McCartney, and I just stuck to bass."

OFF: What artists at the time influenced you the most?

Lindsay: " Well, Paul McCartney, of course. Chris Hillman of the Byrds, both Jacks (Bruce of Cream and Cassady of Jefferson Airplane), Greg Ridley of Humble Pie, and later on Stanley Clark and Jaco (Pastoriuos)."

OFF: How many years have you been playing music in Cape?

Lindsay: " I was on the radio in 1964 or maybe it was 1965, that kind of started it all."

OFF: What was the name of the first band you were in?

Lindsay: "The first band I remember was Naked Truth. I played bass, Brad Springmeyer played guitar, and Bill Bolton, Mike Stevens, and Tom Jenkins all had a round on drums."

OFF: Have a Favourite venue, past and present?

Lindsay: " Right now probably Grace Cafe~. The old Mule Lip was great, Teen Town, oh, and the fantastic wooden acoustics of the Chester High School gym, circa 1971(again laughing)."

OFF: So what bands are you currently involved in?

Lindsay: " There is Straight Street, Junipur Wind, the FCC Worship Team, and, Bower by the Brook."

OFF: With praise and worship music, how does that heighten or change the spiritual relationship between the musician and the instrument, or the song?

Lindsay: " As Christians we are created to worship. You are given a gift and you have to give that back. There is no room for ego or arrogance. It's not about you getting attention for yourself In a way it is sort of two-fold. You want to present the best picture without letting yourself get in the way. It is difficult to put into words, actually. In praise and worship music, you want to do your best so you can offer your best."

OFF: Your bass playing always sounds very natural and fluid. Do you have any advice for beginning bassists who wish to achieve that style or sound?

Lindsay: " Just follow the dots. That's how I learned to stay in key! If I wanted to improvise I would just follow the dots. Obviously there is more to it than that. As far as fluidity goes, I think that is just 60's influence. Saxophonists influenced me when it came to accents. It all just comes with experience, really. If you use technique as a means to an end, you are playing for the song."

OFF: So Lindsay, are there any songs you wish that you had written? (I ask this intentionally anticipating a bursting envious response)

Lindsay: " Man, that is endless! Anything by David Crosby. I don't always agree with his views, but the beauty of his songwriting is amazing. It just goes on. The Beatles, McGuinn (Roger), Joni Mitchell, Jay Farrar, there is always so much you wish you had written. You can never listen to all the good music out there. But if someone is willing to pay me to sit down with a stereo and tons of records, I mean, hey I'll do it. That is such a super vast question."