Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Wylie of Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores

“I’ve been looking for something real to believe in,” sings Wylie Hunter on “Get On Up!” the opening track on the Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores‘ debut. The sentiment seems fitting, if only because Hunter and his band (William Taylor on guitar, Seth Barden on bass, Paul Fisher on drums, and Charles Cleaver on keys) have spent the little more than a year since that release chasing down the dream. The buys have managed to drum up goodwill and comparisons to The Boss all through and beyond the triangle thus far, but can the lead hunter, answer our fearsome questions? See for yourself.

1. If your band were a movie, which would it be?
Cool Runnings. We quote that movie more often than any other while we’re on the road. “Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up, it’s bobsled time!” Just a movie about four dudes and John Candy trying to do something that everyone tells them they can’t. We don’t have John Candy, but I like to think of us as the Jamaican bobsled team of bands.

2. When was the moment you first thought music was something you might like to try?
I don’t know that there ever really was one moment. I can’t remember a time when music wasn’t a huge part of my life. Driving to elementary school my mom and I used to sing along to cassette tapes by The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan. I’ve been singing ever since I can remember. But, when I got to high school and finally picked up a guitar it all just clicked, I suppose that was the moment I knew I wanted to be a “musician.” It was a realization that I could make my own music, and use it to say what I wanted to say. I guess the rest of my life has been spent trying to figure out what it is I want to say. 🙂

3. Describe “Americana.”
To me Americana means tradition. It’s American music, music that’s been passed down through the blues, into country, into rock. To me Americana is all about showing those influences and respecting them. That’s what it means for our band. It’s come to be a synonym for “alt.country” in more recent years, but I think that’s an oversimplified way of thinking about it. There are a lot of great “Americana” acts who would never fall into the alt.country category.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that would really surprise people?
I’m not sure how surprising it is, but I’m greatly inspired and influenced by a lot of bands that our band would never be compared to. I listen to My Morning Jacket nearly every day. I love that band because they sound like a seamless fusion of recognizable influences, while still maintaining their own sound. But we certainly don’t sound like them. I’ve also, in the last year or so, been influenced a lot by music that is going on in the Triangle. There are some great locals in a wide variety of different genres playing around town, and I get to see local shows a lot more often than touring acts. It’s really helped to expand my view of what makes awesome music.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (how ’d that turn out?)
When I was a kid I wanted to be an actor. I used to make little home movies on my dad’s camcorder and act in plays at the community theater. I was in a few plays in high school right around when I started playing guitar, and realized I’d rather just play music. I think the part of me that wanted to be an actor just evolved into wanting to be a musician.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Swing down to the Local 506 Thursday, October 6th to see Wylie and the Cazadores open for American Aquarium. And, by all means, give Wylie a high five when you see him!