- ROD SEMINOFF
Q:From whence do you hail? (where are you from?) …birthdate …town …country …city
A:Toronto Ontario. March 17, 1961
Q:Any moving that went on? Ie. Switching of cities etc. before coming to the Toronto area?
A:No, born,raised,partied,puked and working right here the whole time-honest!
Q:What caused you to become interested in music? –and particularly your instrument(s)?
A:My mom (Pauleen) and my father (Peter Pollock) just kidding Dad!, dabbled in music in the closet so to speak, mom playing a bit of piano, and dad plunking one finger notes to some Wilf Carter tune on some beat up piece of shit guitar that wouldn’t burn in a bomb fire pit! But I can remember it very clearly, it was my cousin Bill, a good seven years older than me, that was playing that Johnny Cash tune, Folsom Prison Blues, and it was that line in the song that said, “ I bet their drinking coffee, and smokin big cigars”……well, for some reason, that was the line that hooked me, I just had to learn how to play and sing that tune….I thought that was pretty cool stuff. I was 9 at that time.
Q:How long have you been playing your instrument?
A:I’ve been playing guitar now for about twenty-six years.
Q:Are there any other instruments that you play?
A:I mess around with harp and piano a bit, but guitar is my main squeeze.
Q:. What are/have been your influences in your style of playing? (include favourite artists of today)
A:My influences on my style of playing are credited to Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, and Pat Travers from Ottawa, Ontario. Others are George Benson, April Wine, -lots of stuff.
Q:State your musical history ….ie. bands previously played in, styles performed, education etc.
A:Started playing professional at the age of between 17 & 18, and played right through to the age of 22, mostly with a band called Rif Raf, a grit your teeth, fart rock’n’roll band that toured just about everywhere including the asshole of Canada. At the end of that time, I cut my hair and got a real job and have stayed in the work force ever since. Relish sandwiches and Hamburger Helper just didn’t cut it any more. I didn’t play very much for the longest time until I hooked up with Mark about 8 years ago and put together a duo, did a few clubs, some resorts up in Muskoka, …..he kept bugging me to put a band together and last year, we did. The rest of the guys or the rest of THOSE GUYS, are players that we lucked into, and I’m very privileged to play with them. ... They are all very talented.
Q:Any awards/accomplishments of note?
A:No! Bite Me!
Q:Please list the gear you use.
A:At present, I’m using a Takamine EF360S acoustic, a 74 Fender Strat powered by a Marshall VS265 with a DOD Tech8 multi effects unit.
Q:Why did you join Those Guys?
A:I'm That Guy!
Q:. Describe briefly something about EACH band member.
A:Anecdote on each band member:
MARK: Mark was a bass player all his life, in fact, he was a bass player when I met him, honking out some raunch in somebody’s basement where I met him. Soon afterward, he picked up the guitar, and I got to tell you, he’s one of the better players I’ve ever had the opportunity to connect with….whats taken me 25 years to learn, he’s picked up in 5….. asshole!
JIM: Jimbo, our keyboard player is truly a wizard…, this guy plays for a living….what balls…he’s at it night after night basically playing for any band that will have him….and he’s got a few bands let me me tell you. I think, instead of Wizard, I’ll call him the Whore of the band.
MIKE: Mike was introduced to us by Ed. Mike is one fine bass player….can’t return a phone call worth a shit, but great people none the less. Mike’s the guy that puts the sound together for us…runs the PA so to speak…makes the connections..wires up the sound and pow wows with Jimmy and I after each gig where we exchange lightbulbs amongst one another.
ED: Ed, our kicker, I worked with him years ago, remember when I said I cut my hair and got a real job, well, that was where I met Ed….VTR Productions, he was a tape operator, I was just a slouch, in shipping or something or other and being that I am just as much a bent individual…we hit it off immediately. Never really hung out..but did get together and make some music happen for either ourselves or someone that wanted a recording. In my opinion, he truly is a well rounded musician, he’s got a bent sense of humor…and he’s a great kicker and vocalist.
Q:What are your other interests/activities?
A:love my sports, love my Cyndi (13 years), Cyn and I have an old farm house (over 100 years old) on some acreage up in Muskoka we go to every weekend throughout the year. I indulge in everything from building things, hunting ,fishing, canoeing, hiking, snowshoeing, sledding, one way rocket building, gardening, feeding my birds, whatever….if it keeps me outside , I do it!
And finally, I am blessed to have a shit load of some really good friends that make life a pretty nice place to be in. :)
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