Meet Thom Whitney | MUSICIAN, DESIGNER, CREATOR

We had the good fortune of connecting with Thom Whitney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Thom, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
In my experience, people who aren’t performers are totally unaware of how much work it is to move all of our gear to the venue and get set up. In MUSUJI we joke at nauseum that the best part of rock n roll is loading and unloading! For a typical show in which we will be playing at 9 or 10 pm we arrive at the venue around 5pm to load in, sound check, set up the merch table, change clothes, stretch, warm up and go over any last minute details about that specific show. It turns into a whole day affair quick!!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a Bass Player, Song Writer, Landscape Designer, Soccer Coach and overall control freak. I think that anyone in a creative field has to find a way to focus their vision into fruition and that may be what I am most proud of. I never want to wait for things to just happen and when I get excited about a project I will become obsessed with it until it is finished. A finished product regardless of how “good” it is will perpetuate the next and that may be the most important advise I could pass on. If you want to do something, the solution is simple; do that thing. This may also be what has set MUSUJI apart from other bands. We just try to write and play the music that excites us, without a goal of being a specific genre. At our last show an audience member raved that we sounded like all of his favorite bands and none of them at the same time. I loved his feedback about the set because I agreed with him. We have been a band for 15 years now and we have gone through so much together. The biggest lesson that we have learned over the years is that if you enjoy the people you are working with, it doesn’t feel like work. We genuinely still love each other and support each other in our lives, not just music. This allows us to be bold, try things whether they “work” or not and just keep creating!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a Colorado native, I love this question. Denver has such an amazing dynamic between urban areas and natural beauty. Red Rocks is a must see in my opinion whether you are going for a show or just exploring during the day. It is a wonder of the world that we have in our very own back yard. I am an avid hiker and skier so depending on the season there would also be a trip along I-70 west into the hills to frolic in one way or the other. For culture, I love a good Sante Fe Art district first Friday walk or a trip to either the Denver Art Museum or the Museum of Nature and Science. For music within the city I am definitely catching a cocktail and a music set at Nocturne, Lost Lake, or Bar Bar depending on how “scummy” I am feeling that day. That being said there are so many awesome little pop up festivals, parks and amazing restaurants all over Denver that you are never going to be bored when you are visiting me. Plus, I will probably make you listen to the latest mix of a new song while we are enjoying the traffic.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that have helped me along the way and I can’t possibly thank everyone. My family, my partner, and our daughter probably deserve the most credit for dealing with my nonsense. The tough part about having a “creative” in your life is that they will constantly be showing you their “latest & greatest” which can be an exhausting task for families, I am no different in this. Fortunately for me, my partner Lola is a performer herself and she understands the process. I would also mention the book “The Alchemist”. I received this book as a high school graduation gift from a friend of my sister and it really affected my outlook on life. The down and dirty lesson of the book is that the journey is as important as the destination. You have to look for little victories along the way and you can’t get too bent out of shape when things don’t work out. The lessons I learned and took to heart from this book have been extremely beneficial in staying calm, and finding beauty in my life. I have received so much support from friends, other bands, agents, and people we have met along the way and I consider myself extremely fortunate to live the life I do.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musuji/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musujimusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9M-zrSMk2kJXb07M9iPL_Q

Image Credits
Live Photos by Jesse Hassler Promo and Album Art by Ryan Eschenbach