We love that our customers are passionate about music. Our employees are passionate about music too! We go behind the trade counter with Robert Holcomb, Assistant Manager of Bookmans Ina and music mastermind, to share his philosophy of music.

Robert

What is your music background?
My musical experience isn’t much. I was in various metal bands after high school for 2-3 years playing Metallica/Guns’n’Roses type music. It was a lot of fun, but kinda went nowhere. I stopped playing for several years and then got back into it playing for my church group. That was different, but I learned a lot and now I play more of a Jazz/Blues style that I enjoy very much and continue to develop.

When did you first become interested in learning to play instruments?
I started playing when I was about 15 or 16. The first thing I learned to play was the intro to Welcome Home Sanitarium by Metallica and I thought that was just awesome.

Do you write your own songs? What is your song writing process?
I do write my own songs, but I don’t have a process. I sit and fiddle with chord progressions and when sometimes one strikes me and song develops.

How do you describe your music to people?
My music is jazz mixed with a bit of blues and rock for flavor and not really aggressive but I really try to develop melodies that are interesting.

Who are your musical influences?
My musical influences include Metallica (pre-Black Album), Rush, Megadeth, Pink Floyd, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, Django Reinhardt, Dexter Gordon and The Black Crowes among others, but those are my favorites.

How many hours a week do you focus on playing music?
I try to play for an hour or two per day on average so about 10 hours per week on average.

What music have you found yourself listening to lately?
I have been listening to a lot of Blues Traveler and Garth Brooks as well as some Black Label Society. I’m trying to learn to play Minor Swing by Django Reinhardt.

What is the hardest part of being a musician?
The hardest part of being a musician is practicing. It gets kinda boring and tedious at times but it always pays off.

What are your long term goals for your music career?
My long term goal is to get a group together that jams once a month or a couple times a month for fun and maybe plays out every once in a while.

Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?
My advice to aspiring musicians is to play what you love and don’t try to be the next big thing. Do what you love, enjoy it and let it go where it goes.

Join Robert every third Saturday for our Bookmans Open Jam.