Rockin' traveller true to his roots

Kyler Schogen is like a rolling stone that gathers no moss. Born in Germany and raised in Vancouver, the singer/songwriter lived in Los Angeles for 14 years until moving to Alberta to provide support to aging parents.

In 1996, the guitarist formed the Kyler Schogen Band, playing live from Whitehorse to the Mexican border. A road warrior that’s notched tens of thousands of miles, Schogen now lives on an acreage near Bellis just outside Smoky Lake. Tonight the Kyler Schogen Band plays at LB’s Pub at 9 p.m.

Growing up in the late ‘60s in Vancouver, Schogen was completely immersed in the musical legends of the day — Jimi Hendrix, the Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Hendrix tops his list of influences.

“I totally got it as soon as I heard him. He had such a unique guitar style and so revolutionary.”

From the Allman Brothers Schogen admired their blend of old blues rhythms with contemporary music, and Pink Floyd’s longer-than-life guitar solos.

“We are the sum of our experiences. You’re probably going to see influences of all these bands in my work. The trick is to make it sound like your own, not like you’re taking from someone else.”

The band released three albums and through SunCave Records, the foursome plans to release a fourth CD in June titled Pocket Fulla Nothin’.

The first album in 1996 was Peace Garden, an edgy rock-pop CD that was something of spiritual search for Schogen. “I had started meditating a year or two earlier and that brought a lot of stuff to the foreground, which in some form or other filtered heavily into the concept of the songs.”

By 2003, Schogen had moved back to Alberta and when Plain and Simple was released it had a bluesy sound with a strong roots element. “That was reflective of what I was doing and where I was living.”

For four years from 2004, the band played on cruise ships and Schogen socked away enough money to compose and record his own music. “I got tired of mainstream and I wanted to play what was true to myself, what’s inside my head, what’s inside my heart.”

In March 2009, Electric Life came out as a full-throttle blend of original compositions and arrangements. “The stuff you grow up with sticks with you. Having played more highly charged music is where I came from.

Pocket Fulla Nothin’ is loaded with a bluesy-rock-R&B vibe. There’s Too Much Chatter, a crossover piece on trying to find peace in a noisy world; Devil at the Door, a funky guitar-groove number on things we dislike about ourselves; and Human Drama, a jazz influenced piece on life’s challenges.

Rounding out the band are his brother Frank Schopgens (bass), Todd Colbourne (keys/harp) and Steve Douglas (drums).