Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

    7-Toed Pete is a dance and party band. The group is led by guitarist Brian Austin. His day job, so-to-speak, is working as a dentist - a very successful dentist at that. But when he takes off those gloves and checks out he spends his time applying his greatest passion of playing music.
    He has been making music since he was a kid, and lives and breathes it no matter what he's doing. Ultimately, the medical bug struck him when he was just entering college, but he remains steadfast in his appreciation of all things musical.
    I had a brief interview with him recently, to pick his brain and find out what makes him who he is. The following, then, is a part of our conversation:

NF: When did you decide you are a musician?
BA:    Actually a brother-inlaw gave me a set of old drums when I was 10. I beat the crap out of them for a while. And then I was about 12 or 13 he gave me an old Kay electric guitar. It was in terrible shape, with a huge chunk missing from it…but it was my guitar. Only problem is I didn't have an amp for it. I got tired of sitting there playing it and not being able to hear anything. Well, I had an old 8-track tape player boombox that I took apart and I found that when I had it turned on and I touched certain wires together I could hear something. That was my first guitar amplifier.
Do you still use it?
No…it's retired. Actually I wish I still had it.
You could probably sell it on eBay.
There you go.
Okay…you're going into your teen years and you start a band?
Actually yes. When I was 15 I heard there was a band auditioning for a guitar player in Stamps, Arkansas. I auditioned and got the lead guitar spot in that band.
What was the band called?
We called ourselves Radical. We had two or three gigs a year…they were the highlights of our lives. We played a couple college parties and a couple private parties…I felt great. Here I was, 15 years old, and I'm playing to these college chicks…White Snake, U2, Dire Straits…a lot of the songs that were big then.
What does the name, 7-Toed Pete, actually mean? It is most unusual.
It was actually a term my dad used whenever he was playing poker. I don't really have a meaning for it…when we were getting together in 1995 and looking for a name, the band Hootie &
The Blowfish was popular. I mentioned dad's term and the rest of the band liked it…so we became 7-Toed Pete. I suppose I should invent a definition…
Who are your primary influences as a guitarist?
I think I'm more of a bluesy player. I listened a lot to Stevie Ray Vaughan - and still do, actually - thanks to our so-called Classic Rock stations. I also like a lot of the Christian-rock artists like 3rd Day and U2. I also like a lot of so-called Alt-rock bands…but if I have to peg it, I'd say anything from old Van Halen to U2. I don't limit what I listen to…I like a lot of stuff across the board.
Do you write songs?
I really don't. I feel like I can play and put music to things. Yes, I have written a couple songs, but it doesn't come easy to me. I do come up with a lot of melodies, but I've never been confident in my lyrics…or at least enough to put something out.
You've had many large transitions in the last few years. How has that affected your music? A lot of times, good songs come out of personal trials, especially relationship issues.
You're so right. It was about four years ago that my wife and I split up, and she wasn't just my wife, she was our lead singer, too. I won't deny that I was pretty down about everything. My reaction was to start equipping a nice music studio at home with pretty much everything a band could want…amps and drums and everything.
I've heard that you are a real sportsman…you even had your own fishing show…
Yeah…actually it was a hunting and fishing show…I only did it for about 6 months, but it got real popular. It was on Channel 7. It was called Great Outdoor Discoveries. We recorded our theme song at Randy Boyd's studio…
Who is in your band, 7 Toed Pete?
Melinda Bonner, vocals; Joey Furr, drums and vocals; Jay Moix, bass; Paul Bowen, keyboards and sax; and myself on vocals and guitar.
When did you get the band back together?
We restarted this band in 2007, after all the family issues were settled…
You don't choose to perform publicly that often. Why is that?
I play music all the time…I just don't play out that much. It's so much fun…I just don't want to mess up the pleasure I get from playing by overdoing it. And I don't have to…
A lot of players dream early on about only playing music. It often seems that many get bored, though…
I've noticed that occassionally and I wouldn't want to risk it. I enjoy it too much, so I tend to protect that aspect of my playing. When you're a musician you got that itch. All I want to do is scratch that itch once in a while.
At what point did you decide to go into the medical profession?
When I was in high school, the first time I took the ACT I put down that I wanted to be an architect. I loved biology and chemistry and all that. I had a dental appointment, and I asked the dentist how he liked what he was doing. It's fine, he told me. "You work about 4 days a week and make plenty of money"…so I thought, okay, that sounds good to me. The second time I took the ACT I put down dentist. It wasn't this long sought after plan. It was just that simple. In high school all I cared about was drinking beer and chasing chicks and that's it. I didn't study or anything. I went to undergrad at UCA…so I suddenly had to actually study, which I found rather difficult. I really worked hard and even took summer classes…and I went straight into college, did undergrad stuff for about 3 years then straight into dental school.
Where was the dental school? I know there's not one in Arkansas…
There are two places in the region, Memphis and Dallas. In college we had this guy from Memphis give a talk that I attended and without interviewing me he told me I was accepted. I then checked with the school at Baylor in Dallas, and he seemed impressed and invited me to apply, which I did and got accepted. I went there for 4 years and had my dental degree. You can specialize after that if you want to. I do orthodonics, place implants and all that stuff. I tend to specialize in cosmetic dentistry. Looking good is important to people, you know.
Er…I try to look my best whenever I can…
Don't we all?!
When did you finish dental school?
In 1993. I was wanting to go to Little Rock, but my sister lived here in Maumelle and I found out there were only two dentists in town and one was moving out, so it was here I set up practice. In 1997 I built this building and set up my practice…
What do you do to keep busy, Brian?
I love developing property and everything to do with sports…and I love to travel…especially if the fishing or hunting is good.
Is it tough to juggle between your profession and musical passion?
Not at all. As I mentioned, we play when we feel the urge, and this job seems to support it all. And that's a great thing, too. What it means is that I simply don't have to risk over-doing my music-making like so many people do. How many bands have you seen that simply don't seem that into it anymore?
Quite a few, actually…but they're playing because they really don't have anything to fall back on.
Exactly. As I mentioned, I don't want to ever risk that syndrome. And I don’t have to…
Last question: When you were a kid what did you want to grow up to be?
Either a rock 'n' roll star or a basketball player…I couldn't quite decide…
So you became a guitar-playing dentist.
Yup…and I love to play basketball still, but no longer wish to be a pro b'ball player. Maybe some day…

    7-Toed Pete is a very fine band. Primarily a dance and party outfit, whenever they play it can be tough to find a spot on the dance-floor. A recent gig at West End was a perfect example, with the floor literally crammed with folks moving about in the general reverie of the mad world of rock 'n' roll.
    They frequently perform at West End and Cajun's Wharf…and at select private parties when given the right chance.
    You can catch them in February at Cajun's Wharf on February 25th, and at West End on May 1. At the Cajun's gig the band will be recording live so you can be on the album if you make it out.

    For bookings and further information about 7-Toed Pete - or your dental needs - contact Brian Austin at (501)851-3262, or (501)258-4841…….

                            ---PR

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