R.B.M. Month: Brian Thrift

In the next article to be written for "Rock Bottom Music Month" I will be honing in on Rock bottom salesman and "Dr. Downtown" , Brian Thrift. Brian has been a fixture in the Augusta music and music store scene for 18+ years now. He has played in bands like Uncle Woody, Tokyo Joe,Dancing Green, Wire,(his first band) Burning Bush and did three amazing cd release parties with Keith Gregory. His first guitar was an Ibanez Roadster 2 that was white with a black pick guard. He got that guitar because he thought it looked like Jake E Lee's guitar. His two favorite guitar players are Jake E Lee and Eddie Van Halen.He has been playing guitar for 25 years and has been into music his whole life. The things that got him into music are 1)The soundtrack for Smokey and the Bandit movie. The song "East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reid made him obsessed. He could not listen to it enough. 2) Was "Cinnamon Girl " by Neil Young. The sound Neil Young's amp made in that song made him wonder how someone could make a guitar sound like that. 3) And this is MOST IMPORTANT, was hearing Eddie Van Halen for the first time. Hearing Van Halen changed his life forever. He knew when he heard Ed that he really wanted to play guitar. His dream guitar is even a replica Eddie Van Halen " Frankenstein" guitar made by Fender. He played out heavy from the years 1989-2008. Brian is such a fan of guitar he named his kids Zakk, after Zakk Wylde and another Edward Jacob, after Eddie Van Halen and Jake E Lee. Having worked a lot years in music stores Brian has seen alot of trends in music and music gear. He says he has sold more Fender guitars and products than anything else. He says some of the craziest trends and products are guitar synths and those little plastic Danelectro pedals. He says after seeing all the trends in music, from glam to grunge, metal to rap metal and everything in between, the common thread between all of them is rock and roll. No matter what style, it leads all of them to the same thing- loud rock and roll guitars. I agree. He can spot a new player a mile away. The advice he would give them? If you are into rock music get an electric guitar, if you are into Garth Brooks or folk music, get you an acoustic guitar. If you are getting your first guitar, get yourself a hard tail. Do not get a floyd rose whammy bar. I asked him how the Augusta music scene has changed since he first started in it back in the 80's. He says it seems like it hasn't changed at all. He says there is always a group of kids playing whatever is popular at the time, be it grunge, metal or whatever and it's what everybody is doing. The scene doesn't change, just what they are playing. Brian is a very knowledgeable and helpful salesman. He has been an asset at Rock Bottom Music.He has worked at all the big Augusta music stores and says "A World of Music" was at one time the best music store ever and says being at Rock Bottom is the same way. Rock Bottom IS ROCK AND ROLL and will go down in Augusta music history the same way as World of Music and that he is proud to be a part of Rock Bottom. He says Rock Bottom is not a corporate machine and he has found his home. I agree Brian, it's a blast getting to work with you! Next time you are in the store make sure you say hi to Brian and ask him about Eddie or Jake!!!!!!!!!!

check out some more pics of brian at http://www.flickr.com/photos/48717650@N06/