In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Wes Hambright, an indie artist from Los Angeles, USA.
Their song ‘Cancel You‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists
You can follow Wes Hambright on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook
1. Tell us a little about where you are from.
I am originally from Washington DC/Baltimore region and have worked and lived in Los Angeles for over 30 years. I am currently working on a new album of Art Rock while also releasing some of my Film Scores and Instrumental compositions. I also am the Music Director for a Los Angeles Unified School District High School called Daniel Pearl Magnet High School.
2. What inspired Wes Hambright to start playing and making music?
WOW where do I begin with early inspiration? I was always interested in the outlaw bohemian aspects of Rock N Roll at first then when learning instruments the musical aspects took over and turned me on. Listening to Led Zeppelin and learning some John Bonham beats is an early memory that inspired me to hit the drums for hours. Along with that building electric guitars inspired by Eddie Van Halen and getting my first Big Muff through my Crate Amp inspired me to learn guitar. I also saw Elton John when I was 7 years old so that holds a huge sense of inspiration in my journey to this day.
Listening to Led Zeppelin and learning some John Bonham beats is an early memory that inspired me to hit the drums for hours.
3. Who are Wes Hambright’s biggest musical influences?
My biggest musical influences vary greatly but a narrowed top list would be Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Igor Stravinsky, Van Halen, Charlie Parker, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, The Stones and The Kinks.
4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?
My goals in the music industry is to continue writing where The Muse leads me and inspire people to expand horizons.
5. Tell us about your creative process.
My creative process begins many ways. Sometimes I have that melodic idea that spawns a lyrical idea or the opposite happens. Other times it’s a sound, patch, or amp setting that sparks an auto response in my fingers somehow. Yes, I believe in the Muse.
Sometimes I have that melodic idea that spawns a lyrical idea or the opposite happens.
6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding is my all time favorite. From a songwriter’s standpoint I think this song’s structure is perfectly paced, grows so organically that it has an indefinable effect on me.
7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?
I had a composition teacher give me this advice that I pass on to my students: “keep it simple stupid”. While studying composition, especially music that had to be played down by musicians on the spot, this mantra was an important rule to keep a session smooth.
8. What is your proudest accomplishment?
I can’t name one proud accomplishment but I can narrow it down to a few. I am proud of my accomplishments in film music where collectively the films expanded my skills and my imagination to write music that I would not have written otherwise. I am also proud of my teaching for the past 10 years where I inspire new musicians to be the best they can be.
I am proud of my accomplishments in film music where collectively the films expanded my skills and my imagination to write music that I would not have written otherwise.
9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?
My most embarrassing moment is when I was called up as a guest drummer for some tunes with some friends’ cover band and in the middle of playing “Cocaine” by Eric Clapton I fell off the drum throne backwards through a curtain.
10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.
My lowest points in music come from my film scoring days where some jobs that I felt I was perfect for were awarded to other composers. Sometime you get attached to a project in film where you get really inspired by the project but don’t get the gig.
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