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BHI Staff Profiles

Meet...

Sam Raines

He/Him

Academic Course Manager (Performance)

How did you get your start in the Music Industry?

My start in the music industry was with my band mates from Box Hill Institute and a band we started called 'Greasers'. I was 18 years old and had absolutely no idea how the industry worked but was keen to be a part of it. We actually did a bunch of our recordings on campus in the old Whitehorse building, however that was not equipped with all the great recording gear that's available today, so it was mostly recorded by us in a rehearsal room.

We're still on Soundcloud - check this out! https://soundcloud.com/greasers

Are you working on anything at the moment?

At the moment I play a lot of live shows with an artist called Mia Wray. She keeps a pretty busy touring schedule, so we play regularly in Aus and overseas.

In the last 12 months I've also toured with Todd Rundgren, Vika and Linda, Phil Jamieson, Didirri, and Alex Gow. In this same time, I've recorded with Davey Lane, Stepmother, Didirri, and Kaitlin Keegan, who are all great Melbourne artists.

I also play in an instrumental surf-rock band called The Bluebottles. This is strictly a band with no ambition other than to have a good time playing shows in Melbourne. It's good to have a low-key band like this to keep things fun. We've had like two rehearsals in the 7 years we've been playing together.

What's your favourite memory from being a part of the Music Industry?

Touring overseas is always a highlight for me. Getting on a plane with your friends to go and play music in another country for weeks at a time is pretty hard to beat. I don't have a particular favourite of these tours, they all have highlights. And lowlights...

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

To finish my music studies, even when the outcome wasn't clear...

'The moment you quit is the moment before you succeed.' It's super tacky but I like how it relates to time. I actually think it's way more existential than it first seems.

To spend time practising what you are weakest at. I heard Joshua Redman talk about this at a workshop years ago and it always stuck with me.

What is your favourite song?

Vein Melter' by Herbie Hancock from the Head Hunters album would be right up there. Harvey Mason (the drummer) plays the same pattern throughout the entire song, and I didn't even realise this for years until I sat down to transcribe it one day. I was able to interview him in 2013 and asked him about the part. He mentioned it was inspired by Ravel's 'Bolero', which also has a repeated 2 bar drum part throughout the entire piece. These parts theoretically don't change, however the way they are expressed and relate to the other parts means they are constantly changing. Very cool... 'Complicated' by Avril Lavigne would also be up there.

Thanks for letting us learn a little bit more about you!

Check in next week to meet another BHI Faculty Member.