KELVIN “MADDER SCHMIDT ~ Bass Guitars
- Likes: Fantasy and Mythology
- Dislikes: Fucking up
- Hobbies: Doodle Art
- Fav. Food: Tacos
- Fav. Movie: Life of Brian
- Fav. TV show: Early Simpsons
- Fav. Position: Centre
- Fav. Drink: Coffee n Cream
- Who’s most Bootylicious? Jessica Rabbit, I mean Alba
- Musical Influences: John Paul Jones, Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, Sting, Mike Star, Ben Sheppard, John Entwistle, Geezer Butler, Phil Lynott and Norwood Fisher to name a few
- Music I’m ashamed to own: I’m only ashamed I don’t own more!
- Drives: RAM 1500
- Name of Invisible Friend: Thor
- Nicknames: Schmitty, Smiley, Kelvin on Bass
- Celebrity I once met: Burton Cummings
- Celebrity I’d like to meet: Willian Shatner
- Someplace you might find me: The Laughing Bean
- Occupation: Landscaper
I think it was watching the Donny and Marie Osmond show that I remember thinking I want to perform music, then I heard Led Zeppelin and that sealed it. At around the age eight I began Classical guitar lessons starting on a Ukulele then on a Yamaha Classical guitar for year 2 and 3. I was the least accomplished in the class haha!
I convinced my parents into buying me an electric guitar and I began to learn some Classic Rock songs and got to around the level of mediocre rhythm guitar player.In High School (Winkler Manitoba, Garden Valley Collegiate) some friends of mine had started a band and needed a bass player. So I bought my first bass, it was an Ibanez. Some of the first songs I learned were Highway Star, High Class in Borrowed Shoes and Jesus Just Left Chicago. We played a few local Bars and at an outdoor Biker Party casked Joey’s Rock Pile.
After high school I moved to Winnipeg and Played in a couple of cover bands and toured the Canadian Midwest with Angel Heart for 2 years in the early 90’s.
I made the move to Vancouver in September 1994, the first band I went to see when I got here was Alice in Chains. I stepped back from music for a few years to pursue a relationship and when that grew apart in the year 2000 another opportunity for me to play bass arose with the acoustic stoner rock band Shecky.
In 2010 I met some musicians form ads on Craigslist and eventually got together with BC TREES an original Alt HipHop band and played quite a few shows at Vancouver Bars and some outdoor events such as Car Free Day, The Shipyards Night Market and the BMO marathon.Post COVID I started the hunt for a new band and stumbled upon SKOOKUM and after answering the call to audition I was presented the opportunity to develop and play the bass on some songs in the making and contributing to new material. So it has been a privilege and an honour to be a member of SKOOKUM in producing the album Silence is Golden!
