The Holland-based member of Brother Adams and host of a popular open-mic shares his love for The Offspring, Boston, Silverchair and more. Learn more about Driesenga; listen to music that’s shaped him.
From Bangers to Songs that Pull on the Heartstrings: Jair Driesenga’s musical inspirations. (Photo/Heidi Driesenga)
EDITOR’S NOTE: All musicians can trace their inspiration to key recordings that influenced their careers. Local Spins today showcases music that changed the world for West Michigan musician and open-mic night host Jair Driesenga. Scroll down for a Spotify playlist of his picks, including a couple of his own songs.
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Part musician, part emcee, part event coordinator and all community builder – that’s Jair Driesenga in a nutshell.
The Holland-based musical entrepreneur is the vibe and inspiration director at the city’s Park Theatre — make that the historic Park Theatre, as Driesenga is passionate about the venue’s past as well as its present and future.
Hosting Park Theatre’s Tuesday Open-Mics: Driesenga (Photo/Heidi Driesenga)
Originally a feed and grain mill, it became the Colonial Theater in 1920, complete with an orchestra and theater organ. After a fire gutted it in 1935, it was rebuilt and reopened as the Park Theatre a year later. “My mom saw her first movie there – Star Wars,” says the ever-enthusiastic Driesenga.
Shuttered in 1984, it was refurbished and today operates under the ownership of the non-profit Park Theatre Foundation, hosting various music and events. That includes PTOM – Park Theatre Open Mic, which includes live music, comedy, poetry, dancing and more, taking place at 8 p.m. every Tuesday. (View all Park Theatre shows here.)
Presiding over it all is Driesenga, with help from sound engineer Dave Dziuban. To perform, sign up via direct message at Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/parktheatreopenmic/
But his role at Park Theatre is just one side of Driesenga. He is a singer-songwriter, both as a solo act and with the psychedelic rock trio Brother Adams, for which he also plays bass.
When the pandemic hit, he started making beats and writing rhymes, leading to the release of 10 tracks, nine music videos and other content. He says his own music and musical tastes run the gamut, from alternative hip hop to psychedelic country to folk-rock, and anything in between.
1. The Offspring, “Americana” (1998) – It’s one I’ve been bringing up a lot. It dates me. I was ten years old when it came out. “Pretty Fly For A White Guy” was really catchy. You’d hear it on the school bus. I bought it when I went to the Meijer in Grand Haven. I was not really a pop-punk music listener. I was already getting into heavier stuff like Metallica. This also had edgier stuff, but was a really fun record. “Pretty Fly” is goofy and cheesy. It was about consumerism, teen angst. It was also my first entry into concept records. It was designed as an album, one song connecting into the next track. I do that in my writing and my live shows.
Listen: “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)”
2. Boston, “Boston” (1976) – I was in my teens and driving. I was always into rock ‘n’ roll, classic rock ‘n’ roll. This was like the Billie Eilish approach: Tom Scholz did it almost all himself in his basement, got Brad Delp for vocals. It gets played pretty regularly. I remember being at Taco Bell and hearing “Foreplay,” the instrumental playing. I thought, “What is this?” I had heard it before, but it really clicked. The recording is so immaculate, sounds so nice. There’s big poppy choruses on “Hitch a Ride,” blues on “Smokin’,” “Let Me Take You Home Tonight” is kind of seductive. It’s such a banger, an exciting listen. I still listen to it regularly.
Listen: “Foreplay”
3. Silverchair, “Diorama” (2002) – I was 17 or 18 making music with a friend. I was listening deeper. He got me listening to prettier music, with big lush arrangements, got me appreciating that vibe. Silverchair made a great pretty record that was still aggressive. “Across the Night” is a beautiful lullaby, so lush. Some of the arrangements were by Van Dyke Park, who worked with the Beach Boys. The vocals are crazy, how melodic and beautiful they are. One thing is unique: Silverchair was known for being like Nirvana 2.0, aggressive alt-rock. They started exploring other (styles), emotional, pull on your heartstrings. There are so many elements. Every time you listen you hear something different – strings, heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Silverchair is a highly underrated band.
Listen: “Across the Night”
Currently Loving: Soul Coughing, “Irresistable Bliss” (1996) – I’ve been digging in, realized I knew some of their tracks. I saw them on Kimmel or Fallon. “Super Bon Bon” is a hip hop jazzy hipster (tune). I like the way it sounds. There was a time in the 90s in the alt-rock scene with Cake, Beck, taking alt-rock and doing something different with it. It’s got a cool groovy bass line. The chorus hits hard for me. There are really funky out-there guitar sounds, abrasive. The lead singer has an easy, cool delivery, almost like spoken word. It’s got upright bass, beats like A Tribe Called Quest. There are other great songs on this record. I’m just getting it (absorbed). It’s really cool.
Listen: “Super Bon Bon”
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: Jair Driesenga’s Playlist on Spotify
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