22 - Friday, September [6,

A
bassist’s
tale

WITH THE radio always on
around him, Alexander A-
Train was brought up to the
finest Motown sounds of
The Temptations, Smokey
Robinson and others. Seep-
ing through the walls was
another type of music:
Beatles, Rolling Stones.

STEPHEN
BARRINGTON

feature writer

“Even though | listened to
black radio, | had my ears open,
and | would hear all this other
stuff," says A-Train, former bassist
with the now-defunct Payola$ and
later Rock and Hyde. ‘It was
always there.”’

When he picked up a guitar for

the first time, he rubbed the flat af

his hand across the strings,
creating the sound of a train, and
at nine years old took his first stab

1988 - North Shore News

A MAN and his bass...

at playing.

Finding his childhuod music on
the gospel circuit of southern
California, the Los Angeles-raised
teenager was soon working the
bars and dance clubs as well as
the churches.

“Motown, James Brown, music
of that era and, of course, the
church started me off with the
beat and the feel,’' he say's, finger-
ing his acoustic bass and pioduc-
ing a tune seemingly without ef-
fort.

He has used the name A-Train
since the early ‘70s, and ‘‘though
it should have," the handle did
not come as a result of that first
musical effort.

With people always wanting to
shorten his name, A-Train became
progressively known as Alex, Al
and finally just A. Couple that with
having to pull slow drummers
through a set “like a train,” and
the A-Train moniker was born.

“Besides, it's better when the
band is introduced. ‘On bass:
Alexander Boynton’ doesn’t sound
as goad.”

Only later did he discover Duke
Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s

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Alexander A-Train.

Take the A Train.

After one tour of duty in the
Vietnam War, he declared himself
a conscientious objector and came
to Canada — more specifically the
North Shore — in ‘‘self-imposed”’
exile.

A-Train played the afd Hornby
Street strip, putting together and
playing in such bands as Smokin’
Pocket and Body Crew, all the
while working toward an academ-

NEWS photo Terry Peters

ic degree in music.

As a composer and arranger, he
has penned the Vancouver Song
for the city’s centennial, Stargazer
for a CBC-TV show and music for
various other film/video produc-
tions.

His age he puts between 33 and
37, reasoning, ‘People in the
music industry are a bit too fickle.
They say: ‘He can do it, but
maybe he’s a bit too old.’’’

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Exploring the world of com-
puter-generalted and -enhanced
music, he counts among his cred-
its computerized themes for an
Expo display and the SkyTrain
launching.

“Live sound will never be
totally reproduced (by a com-
puter), though they can come re-
ally close. | don’t think we'll ever
get away from live playing, but |
think there will be fewer live
players who can really play.”’

In his latest project, A-Train br-
ings his stylish bass playing to The
Terry Edmunds Band, which can
be heard regularly at various Van-
couver venues.

The Fall Family Festival

Axis Mime Theatre in
BODYWORKS
Sun., Oct. 2, 1988 2:00 pm

Agirl, a problem, a top secret
mission —a fantasy adventure.
With giant props, puppets.

Sun., Oct. 16, 1988 2:00 pm

A captivating musician who
brings his life size puppets
alive with wit and humour.

Kim & Jerry Brodey in
Concert
Sun., Nov. 6, 1988 2:00 pm

Dynamic musical team who
mix music, mime and mayhem
with a social conscience.

Bruce W. Hunt and
Georgina
Sun., Nov. 20 2:00 pm

An enchanting magic show full
of fun and mysterious
occurrences,

Festiva! Packages now on
sale until September 30,1988

See all four shows fo
$12.00 and save 40% 3 the
single tlckat price.

| Sing! tickets $5.00 (flat rate)

Tickets! In person at
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987-PLAY. VISA or

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t