Ben Gunning will be the first to admit that his new solo effort Beigy Blur isn't easily categorized in either a mainstream or underground musical genre, despite the album's heavy pop-hooks, 70's AM melodies and groovy feel. The former Local Rabbits guitarist joined Mike Perreault on the patio at Squirly's to discuss his new album, the current state of pop music and the daunting pitfalls of the underground music scene.

IT SEEMS EVERYBODY THESE DAYS HAVE SOME KIND OF THROWBACK IN THEIR SOUND, BUT WHEN I HEAR YOUR MUSIC IT'S THE RIGHT KIND OF THROWBACK (TO ME AT LEAST). CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS ALBUM CAME FROM?
The challenge for me to make music in what you would call a 'œpop format'? is to accommodate all my growing tastes and as far out as they may be, to try to bring them into a context that you might be able to call 'œpop'?. If there's any element that seems a throwback it may be because I'm trying not too much to conform to the formula of the pop thing. I try to keep a modern approach because there are a lot of groups who are trying to capture a specific sound and that doesn't make sense to me.

DO YOU STILL IDENTIFY WITH THE INDIE SCENE THAT SUPPORTED THE RABBITS, ESPECIALLY AFTER CREATING SOMETHING SO LEFT-OF-CENTER LIKE BEIGY BLUR?
I think a lot of Rabbits fans are just going on the classic way of most people: stopped buying music and started working in an office or something. They think that it's something you do when you're a kid and that makes it harder to make mature music in that format. As stifling as the mainstream is, I think the indie culture can be, in a way, worse because it has the guise of being separate from the swarm or whatever and people like to think that they are these free agents. But if you look at the amount of style that's reported in that world, it's pretty scary. It's gotten to the point where talking about music is boring or elitist to some people.

YOU'VE DONE THE ROCK N' ROLL ROUTINE FOR YEARS WITH YOUR FORMER BAND. NOW THAT YOU'VE SETTLED, DO YOU FIND IT HARDER TO BALANCE YOUR HOME LIFE WITH YOUR MUSICAL CAREER?
Well, I stopped going on ridiculous money-losing tours and stuff like that so I'm just trying to think of more creative ways to make music, play shows but keep it realistic and not put myself and other people in jeopardy.

DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE TAKING ON THE LEADER ROLE IN THE MUSIC?
It was difficult at first. I am privately confident in what I do. I can defend what I do musically, but when I'm playing with other musicians, like I was with the Rabbits for such a long time that I didn't have to deal with anyone else, so I knew these people and it was easier to just say something quickly. Now I'm a lot better, but at the beginning it was tough to, you know, make eye contact and tell people, 'œdon't play it like that, play it like this,'? but I realize the that good musicians, especially when they have a lot of experience playing different kinds of music with different people don't have a problem playing things the way they should be played. And that's the advantage of not being in a 'œband,'? which is something that I really like.

A LOT OF INDIE MUSIC IS COLD AND STIFF, WHILE YOUR MUSIC IS FULL OF GROOVE AND A BIT OF SWAGGER. WHY DO YOU THINK THERE'S A LACK OF FUNK IN UNDERGROUND MUSIC TODAY?
Frankly, I think that people are a little bit afraid sometimes and that's really harsh but I don't know, maybe people think that there are certain territories that they shouldn't tread into. Personally, I'm not afraid to integrate that kind of music. If I like something I feel that I have an understanding of it and appreciate it, bringing it into my music isn't exploitative in any way.

By Mike Perreault