Nick Behnan champions Motown, funk, soul, rock on debut
If you’re a fan of Detroit music, chances are you’re heard the name Nick Behnan or seen him perform around town.
The Farmington Hills native is the lead guitarist in a number of Motor City bands, including The Infatuations, The Lows and Jiva. He also composes music for TV shows and movies, everything from network and cable TV shows to Fox Sports themes, right in his home. He’s also the touring guitarist for “Pride & Joy: The Marvin Gaye Musical.”
This year brought a new experience for Behnan, as he recently released his first full-length instrumental album, “Magic Trip.” Behnan wrote, arranged and produced the record.
Behnan says creating a fully instrumental album is something he’s been wanting to do for a while.
“I’ve been lucky enough to release music in several different genres with all the various bands I’ve worked with over the years, but never a purely instrumental album, front to back,” he says. “I think there’s a lot of instrumental music out there in jazz and even hiphop, but not as much in the funk, soul and rock genres.”
Without a lead vocalist, the guitar often becomes the voice on “Magic Trip.”
“On some songs, I used vintage synths or electric piano as the lead melody, but for the most part, it’s guitar driven,” Behnan says. “And I definitely didn’t want the album to just be one long jam with extended guitar solos, so I created the instruments to act as ‘the voice’ and carry actual melodic hooks. Of course, there are plenty of improv guitar solos, too, and instrumental jams.”
Listening to “Magic Trip,” it’s obvious Behnan is heavily influenced by Motown and the Detroit sound, as well as funk, rock and blues, which makes it captivating.
“I honestly don’t think there is another U.S. city that has put out more iconic and historically important music than Detroit as a whole,” Behnan says. “De
troit music, in general, has played a huge role in my musical upbringing, probably mostly from Motown music — Stevie Wonder, (Jackson) 5, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations, especially. Lots of Michigan-born rock bands, too, like The Stooges, Rare Earth, Alice Cooper, MC5, Bob Seger, The Romantics and more recently The White Stripes and The Raconteurs.”
Behnan says he enjoys writing and recording music collaboratively with his many bands, but he also thrives working solo.
“I’m really blessed to have been able to always work with so much great talent,” Behnan says, “but on the other hand, when I’m working in my own studio and playing everything myself, sometimes it can be nice, because I can try so many different ideas out and ultimately get the song to sound just like I want it. A lot of people don’t like to spend the amount of time that I do in the studio. They might be anxious to get home or whatever, so being in my own home studio allows me the luxury of sometimes being up until crazy hours, working.”
Rock with Nick
• Nick Behnan online: facebook. com/nickbehnan/
• Nick Behnan’s “Magic Trip” online: smarturl.it/xihi3o