Meet Zeke Carey

An Interview with Zeke Carey - Guitarist 

Hi Zeke,  how many years have you been playing the guitar?
I've been playing I guess since middle school.  I started out on the drums but wasn't very good at it.  I just liked the rhythm.  My older brother Mike was a classically trained guitarist so I gravitated toward the guitar.  I had a band in high school and we played local parties.

What was your first guitar?
My first acoustic was a mid 70's Yamaha FG 200 that I bought at Bronen's Music Store in
Paramus, NJ for $120.00.  We got along great with Tony and Dave at that store. We even hung out there on weeknights playing indoor wiffle ball.  They were fun times.  My first electric was a 1969 Fender Mustang from Pearl River Music.  That was a fun guitar.

What musicians influenced you?
I was a big Who fan growing up. My brother Tim, who I shared a room and his stereo with, liked Bruce Springsteen. He kept playing Greetings from Asbury Park album.  I think that story telling kind of music had a big impact on me.  It was so visual and real.  I also liked Steve Forbert an awful lot.  I saw him on his first small tour of Colleges and he blew me away with his energy doing his live show.

How many bands have you been in?
I've been in a few bands over the years: Coyote, Spongi Longo, The Negheads and Reflex Blue to name a few.  It's been a great way to meet friends and good people.

What's it like to gig?
It's a lot of fun doing a gig but the booking and the promoting is more than half of it.  There is a lot that has to happen before the gig's first note.  I enjoy playing the gig because I think of it as a release of sorts. I really enjoy seeing others dance, sing and just have a good time at the shows.  I love it.

How often do you practice?
I do a lot of writing, so I try to keep everything "fresh". I was down recently with pneumonia and I couldn't play for about two weeks.  I came back to a previously booked gig and I was amazed at how out of shape my hands were.  You forget when you are playing and having fun that it's a hand exercise all night long.

What was one of your accomplishments as a musician?
I guess it was when I opened up for Graham Parker and Steve Forbert.  Both times it was at Jigg's on Rt. 23 in Butler, NJ. I mixed the sound for both nights and opened up for two of my favorite songwriters.  That was a blast and I thank Tim for giving me that opportunity - Live Music is Live.  It has an energy and playing in front of a great room, well that's about as much fun as you can have standing up.

"Playing original music out in this area isn't always easy.  The fact that people are coming out to see the band and CD sales always go well is a great testament that musicians make up our sound" says Zeke.

Here's some trivia about the Zeke Carey Band: They've been playing at the Hansel's Open Jam for the past 15 years and have played over 875 shows at the same bar.  

                                  Visit tothegig.com and learn about our Pre Launch.