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October,
2001
Forste By Theater
gb
Leighton: It’s All Good
by Susan Cooper, Staff
Writer
gb Leighton
is a band that has gained a reputation for putting on a great
live show. Their up beat, down-home style of rock-n-roll keeps
fans coming back for more. Based in Minneapolis, the band plays
about 280 shows annually,
ranging from their regular
Wednesday night gig at Bunker’s in Minneapolis to opening for
bands like Jonny Lang, Joe Cocker and The Bo Deans. On November
10th, gb Leighton will rock Bemidji at the Forste By
Theatre.
I spoke with front man, Brian
Leighton, about his influences and inspiration. Leighton is a
big fan of Bruce Springsteen, which influences his songwriting
style. I asked where he gets his inspiration for his lyrics.
“Sometimes it’s fantasy, sometimes it’s reality. Usually
something sparks an idea.” For example, “Most Important Night Of
My Life”, started as “an idea of a guy who’s bummed out because
it’s supposed to be his anniversary and he’s depressed that he’s
not with his girlfriend anymore. So, instead of being with her
he’s on his way to the liquor store to get drunk and he’s
screaming ‘Don’t you know that this is supposed to be the most
important night of my life?’” This is where the Springsteen
influence is most apparent: the ability to make a song into a
story that everyone can relate to on a personal level.
Leighton’s been playing
guitar for 17 years. He prides himself on being a good rhythm
guitarist. “In my opinion, it’s hard to be a great rhythm
player. I have a very different right hand than a lot of
guitarists, as far as strumming and stuff. I have a very
percussive right hand that complements the drummer more than
anything else. I never really wanted to be the soloist-type
guitarist. I pride myself on doing rhythms that no one else can
copy.”
The band is famous for their
energetic performances. They do a mix of covers and original
songs. On the song list for their show in Bemidji are several
Springsteen songs (including “Jungle Land”, “She’s The One”, and
“Fire”), as well as their own “Pickle Park”, “Love For Sale”,
“Most Important Night Of My Life”, “Cruisin’”, and “It’s All
Good”.
I asked Leighton what his
touring schedule has been like. “We haven’t been touring much
lately, because there have been a couple of new babies in the
band recently,” he told me. His own seven-month-old son could be
heard cooing in the background. “We’re going to start hitting
the Midwest this fall. We’re really looking forward to playing
in Bemidji; we’ve never been up there before. My sister-in-law
is from Bemidji, though.” It’s a small, small world.
Formed in 1988, gb Leighton
has worked hard to get to where they are today. Brian Leighton
is the only original member still with the band. “It took me a
good five or six years before it finally started paying off and
I could quit all other jobs and just do this,” Leighton said.
“It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s a lot of fun, too. It’s
all I want to do.”
gb Leighton has released five
CDs on Leighton’s label, Moonsong. Their latest is entitled
It’s All Good. Displaying his growth as a songwriter,
It's All Good comes straight from the heart of a true
musician and showcases good old fashioned rock 'n' roll, as was
Leighton's intention. "We rocked this one up a little bit more,
went a little heavier on the guitars. We're making it sound a
little more rock than my previous albums," he explained.
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