Ron Campbell has been part of Powell River’s music scene since he was 13 years old, when he played snare drum with his high school band. Campbell is about to release his sixth album, the latest one with his band The Blues Busters, entitled The Main Event. It includes 16 tracks, all originals, some old and some new, written by Campbell’s longtime collaborator Dennis Fox.
When did you get into music?
Somebody bought me a set of bongo drums when I was eight years old and I started banging away, playing along to my parents’ Harry Belafonte records. When I was 13, The Beatles came on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was really when I decided this was what I want to do with my life. I just thought that sound was so exciting and so cool; I wanted to do that.
When did you switch from percussion to guitar?
Drums were my main influence for quite a while and then it was piano. In the last 20 years or so it has been guitar.
When are you releasing the new album?
Everything is recorded and now it’s about mixing it, tweaking it and making it as good as it can be. I tend to be quite a perfectionist about that. The very first album I ever did was recorded live off the floor; no overdubbing, no special tricks and everything was just one take. This one is the opposite. I’m really taking care to make sure everything is as perfect as it can be. There’s a lot of finicky stuff in the mixing and mastering and trying to get everything as perfect as I can get it.
Is the Blues Busters the only thing that occupies your time?
I’m also playing lead guitar for Denis and the Menaces. Denis and the Menaces is Denis Tanguay’s band. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track and we have to say, “Okay, which one are we talking about? Dennis Fox, my longtime collaborator and musical partner, or Denis Tanguay?
What do you think of the new talent emerging in Powell River?
It’s great. I’m really happy to see the young guys coming along. Jasper Sassaman, Lukah Bouchard, Ben Wayne Kyle and all those young guys. I look at them and kind of see myself 50 years ago.
You’ve been in the business a long time. Are you content?
Absolutely. I’m totally living the dream.
For more information, go to ronc.net.
