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Étienne Lafond
Guitars
Website
Wishmaster Band
Date of birth:
December 22nd, 1974.
Age: 30.
Spoken languages: French and English.
Studies: BA in English Studies (UQTR).
Origin: St-Alphonse Rodriguez, Lanaudière, Quebec.
Guitars: Ibanez RG and Ibanez Prestige 7 strings.
Amplifiers: Polytone Mini-Brute (110 watts), Fender SKX
(100 watts) with a Fender cabinet.
Effects: Boss GT-6.
Guitar experience: Since January 1990. Diploma in music
at the Cégep Joliette De-Lanaudière (Pop, Jazz). Six hours
of practice per day from age 15 to 23 (even more on week-ends!)
Biggest show given: In front of 20 000 people.
Principal musical influences on guitar: John Petrucci (Dream
Theater), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Dave Mustaine (Megadeth),
Marty Friedman (Megadeth, Cacophony), Chris DeGarmo (Queensrÿche)
and Michael Wilton (Queensrÿche).
Principal musical influences: Dream Theater, Extreme, Nightwish,
Rhapsody, Queensrÿche, Megadeth, Liquid Tension Experiment,
Symphony X, Angra, Spiral Architect and Howard Shore (Lord
of the rings soundtrack).
Albums which changed my life: Extreme: Pornographitti, Queensrÿche:
Operation: Mindcrime, Megadeth: Rust in Peace, Dream Theater:
Awake, Dream Theater: Scenes from a Memory, Rhapsody: Legendary
Tales, Nightwish: Once.
Shows which changed my life: Nightwish: Once (2004), Dream
Theater: Train of thoughts (2004), Dream Theater/Queensrÿche:
Out of the studio (2003), Dream Theater: Six Degrees of
Inner Turbulence Tour (2002) , Dream Theater: Metropolis
2000, Scenes from New York (2000), Megadeth: Cryptic Writings
(1998) and Extreme: Waiting for the Punchline (1994).
Five best albums of all time:
1- Dream Theater, Scenes from a Memory.
2- Nightwish, Once.
3- Extreme, Pornographitti.
4- Queensrÿche, Operation: Mindcrime.
5- Megadeth, Rust in Peace.
More info on his background:
Since the first time he listened to "Eruption" from Van
Halen (at the age of 5), Étienne always wanted to play guitar.
But he only took it at the age of 15, when he got really
interested in music. Extreme was the band that made it all
happen for him. After that, guitar lessons in high school
and intensive practice (6 hours a day).
- 1992 to 1995, College in literature, languages and music
(pop-jazz). He played in a few small bands during college
and did a few big gigs. But he didn't really like the music
program in college because they had over 20 hours of courses
and only one was devoted to the guitar. With the frustration
of a 20 year old young man, he finished his diploma in Languages
and dropped the diploma in music. During this period, he
met guys like Daniel Boucher and made friends with the guys
who were going to become Yelo Molo.
- 1996 was the beginning of university studies and also
serious projects. He also worked in two music school at
that time. With "La Grande Portée" music school, Étienne
had the chance to play in front of 20 000 people and to
play in the opening act for La Chicane, Marie-Chantal Toupin
and Les Respectables. After that period, he stagnated on
guitar until he discovered Dream Theater. Since that time,
he wants to be a balance between technique and emotion.
He became much more critical about music and he has many
opinions against pop and alternative rock. He thinks they
are empty musical shells and that they do not exploit the
true talents of the musicians, even if sometimes those are
not true accomplished musicians. Étienne is not afraid of
his musical opinions because, in Quebec, we show a delay
of 20 years over what occurs elsewhere in the world ( especially
in Europe). Many radio phonic monopolies prevent us from
evolving. A large part of the disc industry is also responsible
for that and they will probably never be ready to endorse
Quebec's products like Dream Theater.
- 1998 and 1999, an album and a mini-album with Whatever,
a folk-rock band.
- 2000, a demo with Awake, a progressive rock band.
- 2002, a demo with Twister, a punk-rock band.
- 2004, an album with Envision Project, a folk-rock band.
Since September 2004, he is also in a band named Wishmaster
(Nightwish tribute) a band which show great promises and
a great future.
His goal in music: His dream has always been to play music
professionally, but with time, he sees that he is not ready
to succeed at all costs, but only on his conditions. Étienne
prefers not to become a professional artist and to be happy
with the music he creates rather than making his manager
happy…
Projects carried out: Whatever: Time factor (1998), Whatever:
Special Edition (1999), Awake (demo, 2000), Envision Project
(2004), Wishmaster demo (2004) and soon Talion: The Keeper
(solo album).
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