As a devotee of the arts, Dave Tourjé has an equal ardor and aptitude in the realm of music as both audience member and performer. He loves the temporary nature of music. Contrary to the gradual culmination to the lifetime of one of his paintings, the immediacy of music as an art form draws him most. It is played in a moment and shortly after dissipates into the air.
With early influences such as Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, Tourjé has always been a rock fan. However, these early influences also led to his discovery of the Blues and artists such as Muddy Waters and Freddy King, giving 17-year-old Tourjé inspiration to begin playing guitar.
Shortly thereafter, he found himself in his own bands such as The Dissidents in the 1980’s, favoring the spirited Punk Rock of LA at the time that often backdropped the surf and skate culture of his youth. Further expanding the horizons of his musical education, the blend of musical offers Tourjé found permeating the band scene not only reinvigorated his love of the Blues, but also brought about the familiarity and affinity for new genres such as Punk, Jazz and Folk. This led to the hybridization of genres and sounds prevalent in his late ’70s band, The Blues Disciples, which went on to inform Tourjé’s taste today. His latest band, Los Savages, culminates tinges of his earliest experimental punkish surf blend to the thoughtful melodical solo work, to produce the eclectic rock blues brought further to life by bandmates, Ian Espinoza, Bryan Head and Gary Wong.
Now, it is clear he is influenced most by life. Every track holds a distinct part of Dave, be it the NELA-proud California Loco or the business owner turned humanitarian, they are unique in that they are uniquely, him.
