Darcy Mazerolle!

Next up we have Darcy Mazerolle. He is brand new to collecting but his passion for music is uncomparable.

Aside from vinyl, Darcy has been playing music for his entire life. He has opened for bands as big as Brooks and Dunn and has played throughout the maritimes at pubs and headlined numerous of his own shows.

His songs can be heard on country radio across Canada.

I like to consider Darcy as one of my best friends and am proud to have him as my next interview!

Here we go!

Introduce yourself!

Name: Darcy Mazerolle     

City/Town:  Moncton, NB

Job:  Singer/Songwriter in limbo

Maritime Vinyl (MV) - What do you collect? Vinyl; CD’s; Cassettes; 8 tracks; bootlegs; music memorabilia; magazine; etc..

Darcy Mazerolle (DM) - I just recently started collecting vinyl.  I've had for some time an antique Shelbern turn table/radio that I have been wanting to fix (needs tubes) and a late 80's Panasonic turn table that seems to work quite well.  I had no intentions of starting a collection until you (Brad) gave me 2 autographed copies of Steve Earle's "Guitar Town" and "Exit 0" records.  My girlfriend then tracked down a Steve Earle "Copperhead Road" record in excellent condition and I figured the collecting had begun.

MV - Do you prefer one audio format more than others? (example: vinyl more than cd’s)

DM - Cd's are ok but I have most of my music collection on the iPhone and the rest on the iMac.  Digital definitely sounds great, but I am anxious to get set up properly with vinyl.  I don't have an amp or speakers for the turntable yet so its currently being played through my tv.  I have heard a real system in action though and it was an amazing sound.  So at this point in time, I love the sound of old records through the tv, but the digital would have to take it.

MV - What is your favourite genre of music? Some of your favourite artists?

DM - My favourite genre of music has changed over the years.  I used to love Country, but after exploring with Bluegrass, Punk, Jazz, Folk, Blues, and Rock, I would have to say my tastes fall into a more Folk/Jazz/Blues category. 

Some of my favourite artists are: Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakam, John Mayer, Chris Colepaugh, Justin Townes Earle, Weezer, Miles Davis, Matt Mayes, Neil Young, Bob Dylan.

MV - How big is your collection?

DM - At the moment I would say about 20 good pieces of vinyl.  Just starting folks! ;)

MV - Do you concentrate your collection on one or more artists in particular?

DM - Well, since the Steve Earle records started falling into my lap, I figured I would focus on trying to get the whole collection in vinyl.

MV - What is the first album you remember purchasing? Do you still have it?

DM - The first piece of vinyl I have ever purchased was about 5 years ago.  It was a double album, live version of Cheap Trick, and yes I still own it. 

MV - What is your favourite item in your collection?

DM - Again, I don't have a big collection yet, so I would have to say my 4 Steve Earle records. (I bought the Copperhead Road in a 45 the other day for a buck)

MV - Do you still actively collect or was this something you concentrated on in the past?

DM - Just getting started!

MV - What is your preferred way of adding to your collection? Shopping online? Flea Markets? Independent music stores? Etc… Any favourite store or websites?

DM - I lOVE flea markets and auctions.  I just love old stuff in general, so flea market and auctions are fun because you never know what you will find.

MV - How do you store your collection? Shelves? Boxes? Your attic?

DM - The Steve Earle records are currently hanging on my wall, but when I get settled into a house in the near future I will have a music room with "book shelf style" shelving to store them all.

MV - Does your significant other support your passion for music? Did you have to convince him/her?

DM - She's a great girl! She supports whatever it is I believe in and whatever makes me happy.  No convincing needed, just a long wait to find the right girl!

MV - Do you know any other collectors?

DM - That's a funny question coming from the collector who is interviewing me..

MV - You opened for some pretty big acts in the past few years.. One that really stands out in my memory is being one of the opening acts for Brooks and Dunn when they played Magnetic Hill in Moncton.. How did playing a show of this magnitude compare to other gigs.. (road crew, other artists back stage, big sound system, etc…)

DM - Well, I have always found that the more people are at a gig the less nervous I become, this was definitely the case.  I was allotted 30 minutes for my show, and it seemed like it went by in 30 seconds.  It was definitely a fast plug and play type of show, which was great!  I remember the standing about 15-20 feet away from everyone in the band and when the drums kicked in, it felt like someone was kicking me in the back.  When I talked or sang into the mic, I could hear my voice echoing off the side of the hill.  It was a pretty intense feeling when 42,000 people are screaming and all you can hear is a loud rumble.  Definitely a gig I will never forget!

2006 Country Rocks the Hill (Chris Colepaugh and I)

2006 Country Rocks the Hill (Mario Robichaud (my keyboardist) and I in front of Alan Jackson's Trucks)

Me in front of Brook's & Dunn's Peterbilts

Jennifer Nettles (of Sugarland) and I

MV - Most of the early shows you played was with a full backing band. You had some of the best country musicians the east coast has ever seen backing you up.. In the past few years it seems that you have been playing more shows solo. Do you prefer one method over the other?

DM - I love playing a show with a full band, however, the smaller gigs are easier and cheaper on expenses when I play solo. 

Performing at the 2006 ECMA Awards Show in Cape Breton, NS

2006 ECMA Award Show (Chris Colepaugh and I)

2006 ECMA Award Show (Danny Bourgeois on drums)

MV - I have known you literally my whole life and have noticed that you have broaden your taste to many different genres in the past decade.. When you were younger you seemed to be 90% country.. Now you seem about 30% country (correct me if I’m wrong).. We have had discussions on Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and other singer songwriters along those lines. Can you explain what seems to have drawn you closer to these artists..

DM - Well if you stripped my love affair with music down to the core, you will find that I am not an AMAZING guitarist, neither am I an OUTSTANDING singer, there are plenty of people around here that can leave me standing in the dust when it comes to playing and singing.  However, where my truest passion lies, and something I am 100% confident about, is my songwriting.  That being said, as I was getting older and my songwriting became more in depth, I started appreciating and admiring some of the greatest songwriters of all time; Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and of course Steve Earle.

One of my best friends and fellow musician's Mario Doiron and I performing at The Boulevard Pub in Miramichi, NB

MV - Who is your favourite artist?

DM - Do I really need to answer this at this point??

MV - What is it about Steve Earle that draws you to him more than any other?

DM - When I was younger, it was his rebellious, cool, carefree style.  Today, its his rebellious, cool, carefree style.  He's a man with the most powerful tool known to man (music), and he can write a song that can tear your heart out, change your views, respect everyone and make you want to change the world.  Music truly is more powerful than money, because its like a disease that can be spread to EVERYONE!! Young people, old people, rich people, poor people, no matter the race, the gender, what part of the world you live in…music is infectious and Steve uses it to its full potential.

MV - You have seen Steve Earle a few times live. Can you explain what that was like?

DM - I am not the type of guy who gets star struck.  If I run into most artist, its no big deal to me.  However, every time I see Steve in concert, or his buses parked outside, I get pretty damn excited.  I was 6 years old when I heard the Guitar Town album for the first time.  I had said to myself that day, this is what I want to do for a living.  I've been pursuing it ever since, and to see the guy who influenced me and my music so much over the years is sort of like meeting Jesus.  Ya know, you've heard about him and all the great things he's done your whole life, but if you finally met the guy it would be a pretty amazing feeling.  Not the same if you were to meet Judas or Luke or one of the boys.

MV - Where do you listen to most of your music? (Sitting at home, headphones while walking, in bed, while you eat… etc….)

DM - Well, to be honest with you, I have yet to find a place that I can call home.  I've always been bouncing around apartments, crashing on couches and of course living in my parents basement for periods of time.  We are talking about finally getting our own house in the near future and I will definitely try to have my own music room, for my guitars, records, computer, etc… But for now, its wherever I can, in the car, on the iPhone, at home when no one is home in the apt upstairs for me to annoy.

MV - What instruments do you play?

DM - I play guitar, Mandolin, Harmonica, and a very limited piano (had a short Jerry Lee Lewis phase)

MV - Do you prefer one instrument over another?

DM - I love fooling around with them all, but nothing beats an acoustic guitar and a harmonica for me.

MV - What is drawing you to possibly starting a vinyl record collection?

DM - It was the 2 autographed Steve Earle records you gave me.

MV - How are you currently involved in music? (song writing, collecting, being a fan, performing…..)

DM - Currently I am sitting at home trying to get back into writing.  After the music career died down, I moved back home where I played solo gigs at the local pubs in Miramichi.  After a couple years of playing cover songs I grew tired of feeling like a jukebox.  I wanted to push my own songs, but there didn't really seem to be the market for it up home.  So I told myself on New Years Day of 2011, to put my guitar and music away for a whole year.  I did, and I am now working on getting back into the swing of things.  Not so much chasing the stage anymore, but as a songwriter.  I recently bought back the rights to DarcyMazerolle.Com and plan on pushing my music through the internet verses the stage.