The HAARP UNIT is currently the progressive rock solo project of Brian Vaughan. This band is definitely into the rock side of things in a loose sort of way.
The HAARP Unit is currently a "one man" band. At the moment the only member is founder Brian Vaughan (myself).The concept of The HAARP Unit is a free-form idea which can include having a band with several members or remain a solo performance entity (my setup is a sound system with effects & playback devices with which I can do layered loops while performing live with several instruments and use pre-recorded backing tracks if needed- so if no-one is available for band members, I can still play good tunes with more than one part). I have done a string of live radio gigs since 1996 (an acoustic set on KKUP 91.5fm, an electronic guitar set on KKUP in November 1997- which was the first HAARP Unit gig, then on 4-30-98 I played a longer set on KFJC 89.7fm, nearly 90 minutes or so long consisting of both guitar & synth music, then another acoustic set on 10-25-98 at KKUP. My most recent radio concert was on 11-13-2002 on Larry Grant's show "'Til Morning Come", an all-nighter also on KKUP, where I played solo electric guitar with plenty of effects. The show got positive feedback from listeners). I also have recorded with Skip Spence, jammed and composed with Peter Lewis, also jammed with Bob Mosley (all from Moby Grape). All these sessions were in private- not in concert. I have been with 6 different bands from 1987 to 2016, & quite a few recording projects in studio. A little bit of my early history: I started playing guitar (my main instrument) seriously in June 1978 and never stopped. The passion of music kept burning in me. Becoming self-taught out of necessity, I developed my own style early in my practice. I spent the first 5 years of practice mostly studying music & woodshedding on my own, so I didn't do hardly any jamming with other people until the 5th year. From that time on I got positive feedback from other musicians who found out what I play during sessions and parties, etc. Since 1984 I've been involved with numerous jammers, projects of various types, many have resulted in some good recordings. Even if the recording isn't always good, the ideas are worth keeping and doing again. Some of my early influences on guitar include Tony Iommi, Dave Brock, Robert Fripp, Jimi Hendrix, Alex Lifeson, Jimmy Page, John McLaughlin, a later influence is Michael Oldfield, & others. I've also experimented with making sounds on guitars that aren't readily recognized as guitar music, making it somewhat more "synth" like. The styles run through a very broad spectrum- from hard rock, fusion, space music, psychedelia, some jazz & blues influences, ambient, metal, progressive, folk, Celtic rock, East Indian and Middle Eastern influences in addition to Western classical influences. A short list of influences can't say enough- a lot of music I like goes back centuries ago, in addition to the modern stuff I love just as much. The HAARP Unit is my ongoing solo project. The tunes "Gothic Cathedral", "Shifting Sands Of Sumer Part 1", "Shifting Sands Of Sumer Part 3", & "Caravan To The Sacred City" on this page are from the 1998 concert on KFJC. In any studio project coming later I will likely play most instruments (but will be looking for a really good drummer who can dig what I'm into, so he or she can have this slot, so if that sounds like you, contact me!). I have a lot of material & archives & want to get a lot more done.
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