Howie Fritz (g/v): Howie is one of the most amazing blues guitar players I have ever played with...he used to play on campus in Howie and the Rain...by 1994, The Rain consisted of Andrew Scott and Erik Greb and I would fill in...At an annual Springfest-type festival at Drew in 1994, Howie was billed right after The Remnants, so Erik, Andrew and I stayed on stage after our set and jammed with Howie. At one point, Howie popped a string, and his guitar went immediately out of tune. So, he picked up his other guitar, and popped a string on that one, too. Then, he used Erik’s backup and, low and behold, another string popped!!! So, Howie kicked on all of his effects pedals, making his guitar sound very very strange and began to wail away at these big, long, pulled notes that sounded like they were coming out of another galaxy. I almost stopped playing and remembered staring and thinking to myself “this is what it must have been like for Noel Redding to be playing along with Jimi Hendrix!” I think I may have found him on the web here, but I’m not sure….

Why this name?
It's my name.
Do you play live?
Periodically. I have children and work my tail off to pay the bills. But music is what I do best. Thank god for the internet.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
Yup! It allows artists like myself, who have some talent, to be heard. Instead of laboring in a small club for four to five hours a night getting paid 50-100 bucks and rarely being able to "play originals," I am able to get a few people to listen each day. Hell, by the end of a year I might have had a thousand people hear one or two of my tunes! That is so much cooler than sending 100 tapes out to record companies, only to have them tossed...!!!! I put stuff out there...If I were to go perfection I would put nothing out. In all my pieces you can hear the mistakes and warts. They are almost always first takes. Otherwise I would never finish anything. I don't claim anything about or for what I create. I do it because I have to. Otherwise I would be incomplete. The internet allows me to hear others who are also "in process" of creating. That is what I love to listen to and know about musicians. Especially the great ones. What was it like to have the idea emerge...right from the brain and heart the very first time.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
No. Not unless I could control my schedule. I'd rather start my own label.
Band History:
42 years playing guitar. Many bands. Alot of bullshit...These recordings are of me and a drummer or me and the DR5.
Your influences?
Hendrix. Johnny Winter.
Favorite spot?
At home with my family.
Equipment used:
DR-5. Mesa Boogie. Les Paul Standard. Fender Strat. Allen Woody Bass. Guild Acoustic. Small Rogue amp. Zoom 505. Marshall (someone left it with me for safe-keeping. Roland 840. Tascam 244. My daughter's Casio keyboard.
Anything else...?
Thanx Jimi. Thanx Johnny. Thanx VS Planet. Thanx SoundClick. Thanx Tascam. Thanx Roland. Thanx ANYONE who listens.
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