The Genre Benders: Bio
The Genre Benders - The Group
Ever felt that you had more to offer than you have had the opportunity to show? You could be a Genre Bender!
The group is a collective of musicians, artists, songwriters and other talented people who come together to make the music they want to.
To push themselves and the limits of their musical experience.
To find new things in themselves and the people around them and share that creativity with the world.
Each of the members to date has a brief biography below.
"Dr" Peter Baker - Saxophone
Pete has a PhD in statistics and works for the CSIRO. He has also played keyboards for many years, including with the Australian Joe Cocker tribute band. Has recently taken up saxophone to get a better handle on his love of jazz.
Ian Focks - Violin, cello
See www.focks.net
A musical freak of nature. Can play anything but is particularly good at violin and bass. Runs his own business making devices that measure explosions and plays music for fun. Has his own studio in a former brothel ...
Mark Gillett - Songwriter and Inspiration
Mark worked with Huge at the Department of Social Security (now Centrelink) in Maroochydore. He was one of the founders of the Maleny Folk Festival (now Woodford Folk Festival) and a leading light of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland folk music scene. Sadly, Mark died in April 2007 after a short battle with cancer. He is sorely missed and his legacy lives on through the Red Kettle Folk Club.
Huge - Vocals, guitars, bass, drums, keys, programming, songwriting, arrangement, production
"The King of Quirk" Huge is The Genre Benders' leader. The project is his idea and he manages the act.
Beginning his musical awareness as a singing Christmas Tree in kindergarten, Huge has started many careers and hated all of them - he just can't stop playing music. If he has nowhere else to play, he plays it in his head, which people nearby would consider a blessing if only they knew.
In no particular order, Huge has been a teacher, fruit picker, football player, cleaner, drummer, jackaroo, journalist and public servant. At least, that's what he remembers doing.
This has added up to give him a wide view of people and an understanding that most people are just fine and basically all go though the same shit, which is what artists should be writing about ...
Adam Howard - Sound engineer
Adam wanted to be a professional golfer before deciding that sound engineering was his true calling. He has a degree from the School of Audio Engineering at Byron Bay and wants to specialise in Mastering.
Matt Mikkelsen - Lead guitars
World's most awesome lead guitarist. Won the Australian National Guitar challenge when he was 18 and studied at the Guitar Institute of Technology in LA. Can play anything with strings and a neck. Loves the Blues and is a really great teacher.
"Big" Phil van der Vliet - Sound engineer
Phil built and administered computer networks at Brisbane International Airport before deciding that he really wanted to pursue his hobby and first love - sound engineering. He is half-way through a degree at the School of Audio Engineering at Byron Bay and runs Fishsticker productions.
Peter "Willy" Willersdorf - Bass
Willy wanted to be a classical cellist when he left school but decided he was sick of waiting for Europeans to die so took up bass. Has played with a "who's who" of Australian music and is now technical officer at the Australian Creative Resources Online facility at the University of Queensland in between gigs.