It’s only a matter of time before Tobin Spring gets noticed in a small-town-guy-makes-it big sort of way. After all, good things come to those who are patient.
One could argue that 28-year-old Spring, frontman for local band Laganza, is halfway down the road to stardom. He’s able to create jaw-dropping solos that leave audiences mystified. The fact that he plays them without even a glimpse at the strings is also awe-inspiring.
Ask the talented guitarist/singer/songwriter about his abilities though and you’ll get a rather modest response.
“From my perspective, I wouldn’t call myself a natural,” says Spring. “I play a lot… I’ve worked hard at it. I had some great teachers along the way, but I feel I’ve always been a slow learner. I don’t think I practice enough still.”
Music has been a part of Spring’s life for as long as he can recollect. His father Bill played in a blues band in the 1970s and his mother Janine always encouraged her four children to play instruments.
Spring admits he tried his hand at different instruments – the piano, a lesson or two on the saxophone. But none of them seemed to turn him on, until he was introduced to the guitar, that is. He found the guitar at the young age of 11 and it was a bit of a rocky start.
“It was always really hard for me,” says Spring of learning the guitar ropes. “I never felt it came naturally….I really had to work at it.”
He admits boring lessons from an uninspiring musician may have made it difficult for him to grasp the concept of playing the guitar. Getting the chance to learn from Ryan Corrigan — better known as Hawksley Workman — changed all that, fully igniting his musical desire.
Over the course of a year, Workman opened Spring’s eyes to a new world of music. Spring thrived when introduced to his mentor’s expansive musical taste which included the likes of Leonard Cohen, U2 and Neil Young.
“(Workman) presented me with a variety of what he liked and some of it I latched on to right away,” says Spring. “At one point, I think he might have said something along the lines of, ‘How do you feel about singing?’ Where most kids would have been like, ‘No way,’ I was willing to give it a try.”
Rising to the challenge and leaving his comfort zone, Spring found his voice. As his love of guitar grew, so developed a new-found love for singing.
In the early 1990s, Spring heard of Huntsville High School’s Black Hole Cabarets. These events provided aspiring high school musicians from around the community a chance to take the stage and perform music of their choice. During his Black Hole days Spring joined up with drummer Derek Cochrane and bassist Benji Jordan.
“Somebody suggested I jam with Derek and it was kind of by coincidence that we bumped into each other,” recalls Spring. “He used to walk around with a bongo, so one day I said, ‘Hey, let’s jam.’ I was around 14 and he was a year older. He and I would get together just to jam with the drums and guitar. He’s got a real knack for taking basic grooves to another level. He plays open-handed which lends itself to a very unique style.”
Jordan wowed Spring was his ability to take the simplest bass lines and funk them up. “He really made them his own,” said Spring.
A friendship between the trio was forged. That they all shared a common desire to create music made playing together a perfect fit.
And so, Laganza was born.
Spring, Cochrane and Jordan jammed together whenever they had time, committed to creating a different sound – one anyone could groove to. That sound encompassed their favourite music genres: rock, reggae and blues.
Putting his creative flare even further to the test, Spring started writing music.
In 2001, Laganza released its self-titled cd, produced at Puck’s Farm in Schomberg. It featured nine original tunes, all filled with funky beats and simple, catchy lyrics. The band had something solid to show for all their hard work, and word was spreading about the talented band.
“Around nine years ago, I decided it would probably be a good idea to get some musical education,” says Spring. “I wanted to have the tools to play whatever style I decided on. I went to Cambrian College for a year and a half and studied classical, then went to Humber and completed the jazz program. As much as I learned about music, it was all jazz-oriented. I’m glad I did it, but looking back, at times I think I took the long road.”
As time went on, bassist Jordan moved away and was replaced by Will Main. Main later left Laganza to perform in the Deerhurst Sing show. That’s when Ryan Murray (Skim) came into the picture.
Spring was familiar with Murray’s one-of-a-kind bass-slapping ability and thought he’d be the perfect fit. As well, Spring thought it a good time to add a second guitarist to the band in the form of Brian Hawley.
Laganza released its second album, It’s Only Life, last year. The CD offers a taste of a new sound the band has been experimenting with. Tunes like September and Only Life became instant hits among Laganza followers and received airplay on local radio.
“We’ve always leaned toward variety,” explains Spring. “We love blues, we love reggae and we love rock. But one of our biggest challenges has always been having conviction with what we’re playing. The tricky part has been writing lyrics. With our first album, it was one-dimensional in a sense because a lot of those songs are two or three chords repeated. But it was fun. Lyrically and structurally it fit those songs because at the time, we didn’t have the capability to write beyond that. I think we’ve progressed in terms of writing lyrics that have more meaning and go more than one place. It’s more of a rock-based album with a focus on songwriting. With the new album, it wasn’t about being more complicated. We’re just always driven to break new ground.”
Spring worked hard to promote Laganza, landing some noteworthy gigs with big-name bands like Big Sugar, Kim Mitchell, Trooper and April Wine. He also became the mastermind, along with co-ordinator Sean Connon, behind the hugely popular Northern Blues Review. Originally held three years ago as a fundraiser for Huntsville’s Rotary Youth Park, the show has steadily gained momentum and now takes place twice a year at the Algonquin Theatre and offers shows in Bracebridge and Parry Sound. Maintaining a blues theme throughout the show, the Northern Blues Review, which returns to the theatre for the seventh time on April 3, also encompasses elements of jazz, soul, and, of course, some old-fashioned rock and roll.
So what’s next for this small-town band with big dreams? If Spring has his way, one day Laganza will be touring the world offering a must-see live show filled with original material and a signature sound. But until that happens you can catch Laganza on the home front at venues around Muskoka, including XX.
