Musicians
Musician
Podcast guestDave Whitmer
Metal bassist and guitarist on the Twin Cities scene since the late '90s, now playing bass in the progressive metal band UXIA and a Nightwish tribute.
Dave Whitmer fronted and wrote much of the music for the melodic metal band Rising Fall, and was a founding member of Epicurean. Today he plays bass in the progressive metal band UXIA and in Minnesota's tribute to Nightwish.
On the Minnesota Music Note
Fun facts from the interview
- His first time on stage was a high school variety show, playing a medley of Tesla's "Signs" and Blues Traveler's "The Hook" with two friends.
- At 13 he heard an electric guitar in his apartment hallway, knocked on the door and asked to watch. The neighbor let him in and later taught him Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls."
- His first musical hero was Ritchie Valens, followed by Billy Joel.
- A friend's dubbed cassette of Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son turned him from Metallica into a Maiden fan.
- In 1994 he saw Cynic play the Mirage on the tour for their album Focus.
- He started Rising Fall as the bass player and became the singer because nobody else could sing.
- Someone once said Rising Fall sounded like Iron Maiden would have if they had come out 10 years later.
- He gets anxious all day before a show, but it fades within about 30 seconds of starting to play.
- He has never expected to make money from a show. When a gig pays, he calls it a bonus.
Something here look wrong or out of date?