Gregg Tripp:
‘I’m going to work my butt off ’
You may not be able to tell from his
performances, but Gregg Tripp's climb
to success is not all fun and games
If you went to hear Gregg Tripp and
The Hotz a few years ago, you could
expect to see Gregg Tripp going a little
crazy onstage, jumping on nearby tables,
grabbing beers from shocked wai
tresses trays and pouring the beer over
his head
Although Tripp says the show is a little
less wild now ("I haven't poured any beer
over myself lately"), he still thinks that
the fun and excitement of rock and roll
are a vital part of his entertainment
After ten years as a professional rock
musician. Tripp is slowly starting to make
it His first album was recently released
and he's performed all over the
Northwest opening for such folks as Bob
Dylan, Pat Benatar the Tubes, the
Allman Brothers and Tom Petty He will
soon be seen on TV. on "Good Morning
Oregon" and a show for KOZY
L In spite of this hoopla Tripp realizes
I that there's a lot more to becoming well
B known than having a good time and
A playing good music "I don’t think it all
W depends on talent I've got a lot of hard
work to do But it that's all that s stopping
me then there s nothing stopping me "
Tripp does most of his playing around
the Northwest, often traveling to
Portland and Seattle He hopes that radio
airplay from his album (and another one
he has in the planning stages) will open
up opportunities in California and the
Midwest He doesn't plan on being a
"heavy-weight" in the near future but he
does have plans
“I'm going to work my butt off the next
ten years and whatever comes of it I’ll
be satisfied I believe in what I'm doing
now more than ever I think that if I do
what I do. and 1 do it well, it'll all come
down It fust takes a lot of work "
His work takes all forms Whether
going to bed at 4 a m after a show in
Corvallis and getting up at 6 to do a TV
show, or putting in long sessions month
after month in the recording studio Tripp
attacks his work with the same energy he
puts into his stage act "If I die it'll be
because I'm always writing songs while
I'm driving in my car Some of the best
thoughts come while you're doing other
things "
The struggle is mostly within myself
There's a great big world out there, and I
want to get out and play
by matt meyer
The struggle tor success in
the music industry Is unpre
dictable H can take days or
decades But Don Latarski
knows one thing for sure it's
not easy
Latarski is the founder,
leader and owner of Lon
Guitarsky, a local band that
plays a stylish blend of jazz,
rock and fusion He is
responsible tor promoting
the band, finding work for it,
ana aDsoroing me Drum 01
the economical punishment that the
band has been dealt
"There s not much work,
Latarski said As a result, fve had
to pay a lot of the losses out of my
own pocket ’
For months now Latarski has
made no money playing with Lon
Guitarsky Little work has meant that
the band hasn't made a profit, and
Latarski has had to go into debt to
make ends meet
"The problem is that in order to
keep the band together, you've got
to have work Where I am now. I
can t guarantee the band members a
salary '' Latarski often ends up
paying the band members from his
own limited funds.
The current recession is the chief
cause of Lon Guitarsky s ills Bars
want to hire bands that will sell a tot
ot beer, and tavern owners seem to
feel that rock and roll serves that
function better than jazz
"Our music doesn't have the same
mass appeal that rock and roll
does " Latarski said "The kind of
Don Latarski:
Tve had to pay a lot of the
losses out of my own pocket.’
music we play isn't the kind of music
you get drunk to
The lack of work and money has
forced Latarski to make some pain
ful decisions "There is a good pos
sibility that the band wifi take a
vacation." Latarski said "That's a
polite way of saying that we ll have to
break up until it becomes econ
omical to play again ‘
Latarski hopes that H will become
economical to play again in three
months, after his first album,
"Haven," is released Latarski says
the album promotions will include a
West Coast tour
Despite the frustration and
pressures that Latarski is experien
cing, he says he is optimistic about
the band's future
"Every band has these problems I
don't mind the fact that I'm not
getting paid tor playing I'm really
excited about how the band sounds
I feel that I'm working with the very
best people in the area, and we re
sounding better all the time, ’ he
said
What about the climb to success’
• A lot of people think it's going to
happen Ido, too." tagdMa
court nier
Intramural Fans cheer team
Tennis Singles
Women
Men novice
intermediate
advanced
Slow Bike Race
Men
Women
RESULTS
1st
Sue Embmder
Don Gray
Nick Beres
Doug Hanson
Mike Reoar
Marcy Wklow
Frisbee Golf Tournament Dan Gossack
2nd
Kathy Schalk
Scott Trusdell
Steve Turcotle
Doug Bauer
Reed Lacy
Jane Meyer
Ultimate Frisbee Tournament
Fun Run October 8
4 mite
2 m«ie
Fun Run October 20
3 5 mile
2 5 m>le (men;
2 5 mile (women)
Defending Champions Sig Ep
John Goodenberger Charlie Kanjig
Kelli Dawson Mike Anms
John Goodenberger John Lehman
Mark Stanbrougr
Sue Gnsby
Sharon Bell
FOR ALL THAT YOU DO
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rv
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Volleyball M*,We
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1 Fun Runs M, W
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November 2
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BADMINTON.
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Beginning in November, students
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KING Of BIFRS