Darryl Minsky
Ex-Manitoban now residing in Calgary. Played guitar/bass since he was 15. Darryl has eclectic musical tastes, from Classical to New Age to Blues to Electronica, to his first love, Rock! His early music collection consisted of Grand Funk Railroad, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Scorpions, and Uriah Heep. He's never been the same since. His parents listened to James Last and other similar "big band" orchestras, which help shape his classical tastes. They also listened to polkas, but we won't talk about that. Early on, Darryl played lots of classical guitar, but after a while started having more fun with his electric guitar, and now only plays the classical guitar occasionally. He loves to remind people how classical music and rock have similarities. This usually blows their minds. Playing rock was only at jam sessions at friends' homes. The jams were a regular thing, and depending on the mood of the guys, varied from blues to metal to reggae to jazz to...whatever. However, hard rock was flowing through his veins, and he wanted a bit more structure. A few years ago he and friend Steve Pratt formed Olde School, a band that played only hard rock from the 70's and 80's. That band rocked out in various pubs around Calgary and Southern Alberta. Darryl then decided to try playing as a bassist, and joined the blues band Whiskey and The Painkillers for a short time. Darryl heard the calling of a rock band again and answered an ad in FFWD magazine. That's how Rock Garden was born!
Darryl has recently taken up a new instrument, the AUTOHARP. With 36 strings and a beautiful sound, he can be seen playing this "chorded zither" at Rock Garden gigs, or busking around Calgary.
His influences are Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmore's Night) , Mike Oldfield, Joe Satriani, Zakk Wylde (Ozzy, Black Label Society) , Judas Priest, Uriah Heep, and Johann Sebastian Bach
Darryl uses Marshall amplification, Fender, Dean, Ibanez, and Yamaha guitars, Oscar Schmidt Autoharps, and Tokai Gakki Chromaharps.
When he's not playing guitar, he's riding his Goldwing motorcycle, or learning more songs on his Autoharp
Darryl has recently taken up a new instrument, the AUTOHARP. With 36 strings and a beautiful sound, he can be seen playing this "chorded zither" at Rock Garden gigs, or busking around Calgary.
His influences are Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmore's Night) , Mike Oldfield, Joe Satriani, Zakk Wylde (Ozzy, Black Label Society) , Judas Priest, Uriah Heep, and Johann Sebastian Bach
Darryl uses Marshall amplification, Fender, Dean, Ibanez, and Yamaha guitars, Oscar Schmidt Autoharps, and Tokai Gakki Chromaharps.
When he's not playing guitar, he's riding his Goldwing motorcycle, or learning more songs on his Autoharp
