Steve Trost

Dept. of Economics

Virginia Tech

3016 Pamplin Hall

(Mail Code 0316)

Blacksburg, VA 24061

        

home	research	teaching	c.v.	links

Music

As long as I can remember, music has been a big part of my life.  I got my first "saxophone" when I was about 4.  It was plastic and I feel like it might have had a penguin on it for some reason.  I played recorder in fourth grade and graduated to a real saxophone in fifth.  In seventh grade I moved on to middle school where my band teacher, Mrs. Beal introduced me to jazz.  That introduction, along with a Coleman Hawkins CD I checked out from the library and Sly and The Family Stone’s Greatest Hits that my Mom had started a life-long relationship with music of all types.   I played tenor saxophone through middle school, high school, and into college.  I was in several jazz bands and combos as well as rock/funk/blues bands.  And while I have lapsed in my devotion, I hope to pick it up again someday when I do not share walls with neighbors.  I also played bass in several bands through high school and college and have done some jamming recently here in Blacksburg.  In the past five years I have picked up the guitar and have written a bunch of tunes that no one will ever hear.

Last year I picked up a Fender Fretless Jazz Bass on eBay and I love it.  I play it trough a little Line6 amp that I also love.

Links to a few of the artists that I dig

The White Stripes - Jack's playing inspired me to get an electric guitar.  His song writing inspired me to write my own.  I recently met him in Nashville as part of a contest I won.  Here is a pic.

The Raconteurs – More Jack!  I didn’t love the first album but the second is killer. 

The Dead Weather - Yep, even more Jack.  

Tool - I saw them in concert three times in 1993-1994 and never turned back.  Musically, no one in the genre even comes close.

Sonny Rollins - The master.  I've seen him five times (and met him once!) - it never gets old (and seemingly, neither does he).

Iron and Wine - A recent favorite.  I may be getting old but these songs are beautiful.

Blackalicious - The smartest, most skilled hip hop group out there.

Lyrics Born - Blackalicious' Bay-area colleague.  Crazy skilled.

DJ Shadow - Turntable Genius.  If you haven't heard his masterpiece "Entroducing" you are missing out on the finest example of the artistry of turntablism.  Shadow, LB, Blackalicious and many others are all on Quannum Records.  Check it out.

The The - A sentimental favorite of mine.  His second album "Soul Mining" is my all-time favorite album.

Sly and the Family Stone - Simply put, one of the best bands ever.

Elliott Smith - The best songwriter of the past 20 years.  Gone too soon.

Gogol Bordello - The BEST live band out there!  Gypsy punks from the Ukraine. 

ISIS - Big landscape rock.  I know Bryant Meyer (guitars and keyboards) from way back.

Kings of Leon – Awesome blues/southern rock.  Their most recent is a bit "Coldplay" for me but everything through "Because of the Times" is great.

Drive-By Truckers – more great southern/indy rock.

The Black Keys – Great blues/rock duo from Akron, Oh.

 

Some cool music sites

www.daytrotter.com

www.pandora.com

More coming...