Cross Town Band

David Van Kleeck

Interview

When and where were you born?: September 14th, 1955 in Lynwood, Los Angeles County, California

When and where was your first public performance?: San Francisco, California in June 1973, where I sat in with some bands on the military base on Treasure Island, where I was stationed until my discharge from the U.S. Navy in September of 1973.

Then where did you first perform as a hired act at a civilian venue?: Alhambra, California in 1975. I played  solo w/guitar accompaniment doing covers of Neil Diamond, Jim Croce, BB King and the usual mixture of Top 40 and standards as well as a couple original compositions of my own. 

What is your main instrument?: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals and Lead Guitar are my main instruments. I also play Bass Guitar, Drums and some Keyboards. Most of my writing comes from guitar against drums, or drum machine loops (which drives Bob NUTS!). I write a more rounded song from scratch when the beat, timing and rhythm structure are developing at the same time as the lyrics.

I understand you are also a bit of a sound engineer?: Now, don't say that or I'll be doing roadie work for the sound crew as payback when we start the tour. I dabble in sound, okay? I know what sounds good and I know how to get the sound I'm after and I am lucky enough to be able to capture it on tape or disk, but that's about it.

Now wait a minute, I listened to the songs posted on your band site. I understand you performed all the instruments and sang the melody and harmony while running the recording gear and then mixed it all down and made CD's for the band on top of posting them to the band Website?: OK, who have you been talking to? They're fired. No, no, just kidding. Yes, I did do that but it is not a big deal. If I could Master the recordings, and play all the instruments as well as the band does, it would be something worth making a fuss over. For that kind of talent, you want to be talking to Guy Bergeron or Slowvein. Now theirs is some monumental talent. Guy Bergeron plays all the instruments on his Albums, writes all the music and lyrics, records, masters and markets the whole thing and it is GREAT! Go check him out. And Slowvein? Now there is a group that deserves some real recognition! Incredible live performances and truly unique songwriting talent is what that band is made of.

What made you decide to pursue music?: Music has always been a part of my life. Choir and Band in school up through High School. And, according to one very reliable source, at age 2 I was singing along the entire Top Twenty on the radio. According to the same background source, I was also known to slide myself along the tile floors, using a book as a steering wheel, as I "drove" around the house. I guess I was instinctively preparing for life on the road as a musician <chuckles at the obvious pun>

What have you accomplished so far in your career, or is this a hobby?: Honestly, this is more of a calling than a career. I have never been able to leave music behind, it's just in the blood, you know? I can't imagine life without it. As far as "accomplishments"<does the finger "quote" thing>, there are so many different answers to that question. I could say I survived the road and the pitfalls while some other people I know did not fare as well, if you can call that an accomplishment. I could say that I've learned and grown along the way, which is more of a byproduct of living than an accomplishment. Or maybe I could point to four previous original albums of material released in the late 70's. But, I think what I really want to answer is that it took music for me to find myself, my incredible wife and even brought me to the realization that there IS a God and I am NOT Him! That changed my whole perspective on life, on what's really important, and I have been being changed from the inside out ever since. That, I think, is what I want to say about "accomplishments", if that's OK with you?

Sure, no problem. It's obvious from what I've heard from this CD that you have a religious or spiritual lyric style that lends itself well to the style of music you are playing: Well, that may be true, I do consider the lyrics to be spiritual in nature and I make certain whatever is written is in agreement with The Bible. I tend to stay away from the idea of "religion" since there are way too many to keep track of, so "religious" to me is too generic and misleading. I write about many subjects, and I look at life from the spiritual perspective of believing in God, Jesus and The Holy Bible, so when I write about something it tends to automatically come from that point of view. It doesn't mean I hit people over the head with Scripture, I just see things in life in a different way now and so it effects the way I write about things.

Are you married?: Yes, to Callie, my soul mate and partner in rhyme for over 18 years now. Without her, I wouldn't be here - literally!

   

{Can you feel the love in that picture?}

Any children?: Yes, two, and three grandchildren! Jason Edward Lasher and Linda Marie Entriken are our children and have made us very proud each in their own unique way. Linda Marie has given us three granddaughters and is hoping to be blessed with a grandson in the future. Jason Edward left this world far too soon and it is in his memory that Cross Town dedicates our Debut release "Point Of View".

Well, that about wraps it up for me, anything else you'd like to say?: Not really. My Dad used to say "better to keep one's mouth closed and let people think you a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt!" Interviews are an interesting way to pass the time and, hopefully, we've given your readers something interesting to chew on or at least piqued their interest in our new Album.