Sam Quinlan
"Technique is simply a vehicle for artistic expression...nothing more and nothing less" - Q

Sam grew up in a musical household. His mum is a classical pianist/composer and his dad is a guitarist/singer-songwriter. He graduated from Box Hill Institute in 2015 with a Bachelor of Applied Music (Performance) on guitar.

Sam started playing guitar at around 12 and is almost completely self-taught. He learned the very basics of guitar from his dad, then learned his way around music from the many albums he grew up with, while learning to play with other musicians from his time in the talented music team of Stairway Church (when it was Christian City Church Whitehorse). He dabbles in other instruments and has particularly shifted to bass in recent times. His ears and musical sensitivities are much quicker and more developed than his fingers.

Sam’s taste is – he must admit – heavily centred on music made by white, middle-class males. He started out loving classical and children’s music, moved to Triple M and more alternative genres of rock in high school, went heavier and more progressive after that, had a love-hate relationship with jazz during his music degree, and continues to branch out when the mood strikes. Good pop/rock has been in there the whole time as well.

Sam contributes bass, backing vocals and some composition/arranging to local prog-rock band Enlight, and is a long-time member (guitar, BVs & other duties) of Tim Coghill’s original music ensemble. He plays solo acoustic gigs every now and then, mixing original songs with non-standard covers and the odd original poem. He still dreams of founding a band under the diverse umbrella of progressive-alternative rock.

Influences

Dream Theater, Eddie Vedder, Karnivool, Opeth, Nick Drake, Sigur Rós, Pat Metheny, Soundgarden, many others.

Favourite moment in the Saddle

Probably when I nailed the guitar climax of 'Glósóli' at the 'Takk...' gig.

Shameless plugs

Saddle gigs