Interview: Band Of The Week - Phil Ayoub - Page 2

Phil: (laughing)Innocent... that's my shtick. I let people think that.

That's your shtick? I thought Boston Boy was your shtick.

No, no, no I let people think I'm innocent; lull them into a false sense of security, a false sense of knowing who I am, then I surprise them, in a good way, of course!

Of course! I was pleasantly surprised. I know that.

Well then it works!

Are you ready? We should start the interview.

Yup, go for it. By the way, my answers can be long-winded sometimes.

So Phil, tell me how an Investment Banker with an MBA becomes a singer-songwriter?

First, let me say that I wasn't an Investment Banker per se, but I did work for an investment company for seven years, cause my friend helped me get the job. As for the MBA, well I got that for two reasons....

First, I was a bit ashamed to tell people I wanted to play music and write songs. I didn't have much experience in it and got C's in music classes in elementary school. I wanted to keep my ambitions quiet. And second, in case music didn't work out, it would help me down the line. At least I think it will!

So I was working the day job and hating it, slacking off, and doing music the rest of the time. It was like having two full-time jobs. Finally, I tossed the day job aside and am trying music full-time

So how did you learn to play, sing, and write songs?

Well I did take lessons and, in the case of singing, I still work with a vocal coach. But I basically learned by playing Hootie and the Blowfish and U2 songs. I appreciate how they could do so much and write some great songs using basic, easy chords. With those types of bands as my guide, I started to come up with my own ideas and had a feeling that I was kind of onto something.

I was also always into writing, whether it was journalism in college or creative writing in high school. I was an English major and people used to assume that I read a lot. But it was actually almost all writing. Any reading I did was Cliffs Notes…(laughing)

Article Author: A.L. Harper

I'm a writer and music journalist originally from Salt Lake City, but now living in Scotland. I was a Punk/Goth in the '80s and these artistic influences have stayed with me; although a love of Chopin, chamber music, and Spanish guitar would seem to belie this. …

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