WISCONSIN MUSIC PODCAST
FRIDAY MUSIC SHOWCASE #13
Artist: Robert Wessel
Group: Concept of Innocence
From the album Songs From the Heart by Concept of Innocence.
"As in Art": Taken from a saying that I'm not sure I'm quoting correctly. Someone I know once said "You have to live in the real world!". I thought "What's the real world? It's what we make it. It doesn't have to be an ugly place. We can make it something beautiful, the way an artist makes a thing of beauty out of something ordinary".
"From the Heart": There is something special and spiritual about music that comes from the heart. As a musician for many years, it has often been a battle between making music to appeal to some audience and making music that's true to myself.
"Without Limits": A song in which I tried to capture the joy and exhilaration of a life lived in search of one's own destiny rather than others determining one's destiny, and of reaching one's fullest potential, not letting limitations hold you back.
BIO:
I began teaching myself guitar at age 13 or 14. I began learning guitar parts off of rock records at about age 15. In my 20s and into my 30s I took lessons and classes at the WI Conservatory of Music in jazz guitar and theory. I had classes with John Foshager and David Hazeltine, lessons with Michael Sullivan, and an ensemble class with Don Linke.
I attended guitar seminars at the National Guitar Workshop with Mike Keneally, Jack Grassel, Matt Smith and Terry Syrek.
I played in local groups Beacon and Jonah's Vacation and in my church's worship group through the 1990s.
I played in classic rock cover group Thick Aza Brick from 2001 to about 2010.
I played in local progressive rock group Lyndenthal from 2014 to 2019.
I taught guitar lessons at Academy of Music in Menomonee Falls from 2001 to 2012, at Wondersound Music in Menomonee Falls from 2012 to 2020, and at North Shore Academy of the Arts from 2009-2015.
I formed Concept of Innocence in 1998 to play my original progressive rock songs. The band ended up being a duo of myself and drummer Jim Kube and recorded one album, Songs From the Heart. The group ran its course after this album. Jim contributed to writing songs and performed drums. I wrote songs, and performed vocals, guitar, bass and programmed the synth parts.
Since 2010 I have been spending most of the time I have to devote to music working in my home studio recording progressive rock, blues, and ambient/electronic pieces, which I've posted on soundcloud and have released on Spotify, itunes, etc. Since 2019 I've worked exclusively on another progressive rock release, which will feature new original songs similar to Concept of Innocence but also incorporating some of the ambient electronic and maybe even the blues sounds I've recorded.
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