Below is an email interview with The Ducks. All interviews are published unedited.
- Does being married make the task of recording tracks easier or more difficult (has either of you stormed out mid song)?
Music, and recording music together has been a real unifying factor in our relationship. Our mutual love of the songs we do is really a nice addition to the love we already hold for each other. Our lives, as with so many others, have been accompanied by a soundtrack, a score, in a way, of songs we have heard and sung and played. Recording together has been a perfect way to bring our lives and musical soundtrack together.
- How long have you been making music together?
Tom– “Linda has been with me from the time I started playing in public , around 1979, her brother was the bass player in one of my first bands, and Linda was our top groupie. One thing led to another and Linda and I fell in love and married. I have kept busy in music here in Grand Rapids, and Linda has stuck with me through it all. About 4 years ago I began designing song projects (recording at home) we could do together, as I have always known Linda is a great singer. The Ducks project seemed like a logical progression for us.”
- How would you describe your music tastes and do they differ?
Our tastes are remarkably similar! Although Tom tends to lean toward more eclectic, and varied styles, we both appreciate good music of any “genre”. We are both in love with music in general, as a means of expression.
- Do you ever perform live?
That is a point of contention right now. At the moment, we have offers to perform locally, Tom has a duo underway with another local musician, and Linda is involved there. Time will tell. Meanwhile our recording together is going along swimmingly.
- What music plans do you have in the near future?
We are currently working on a new group of our favorite classic folk songs of the past,the very earliest we can recall hearing as we grew up , the folk songs that have, in a sense, shaped us in those young years. 3 songs complete so far, more in progress for that project , which will be a CD. Tom is playing live locally, and at the same time trying to coax Linda into facing her adoring public locally.
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