NLFB Recap | Sudbury Music Spotlight: Josh Turnbull
Local musician Josh Turnbull was one of our highlight performances at the Northern Lights Festival Boreal this year. Not only is he a solo artist, but he is also a part of the musical duo Field Test, and he developed Sudbury’s awfully fantastic book, the Awful Alphabet alongside local designer and artist Tracy Baker! Check out more from our interview with Josh here!
Photo: Warren McGoey
Header Photo: Lee Burton
Tell us a little about yourself and your music?
I grew up in a little part of the Greater City of Sudbury called Garson, and I moved to downtown Sudbury to start an artist residence and play music as much as I could. I eventually moved to Toronto to study Recording Engineering at RAC and continue playing as much music as I could. I’ve played drums with a bunch of my friends, and have travelled and played music for people across Canada and parts of Europe. Recorded albums, but never my own. It’s my turn 🙂
My music is a product of years playing it. I’m just trying something new.
What does playing the Northern Lights Festival Boreal mean to you?
A stage of growth. I’ve played NLFB a few times in the past, usually as the drummer in a band or as an accompanying musician. This year is different, I’ll be promoting a recent release, a collaboration with my good friend Sara Ciantar. Together we picked 5 of each of our songs. We then separated ourselves from the outside world (as much as you can in a loft downtown Toronto). We played our songs, accompanied each other and created the first release from our ‘Field Test’ collective: Field Test – Josh & Sara Sessions.
So this year I got to come back and play my own songs in my home town to my friends, family, and all the NLFB goers. It feels like growth.
Musically, who and what are your influences?
My influences changed a lot through different stages in my life, musically depending on who I was playing with or what I’d been listening to, or emotionally from whatever was happening in my life at the time, changing what it was I wrote about.
As far as other artists and bands influencing my music goes, I grew up in the 90’s and grunge was everywhere. I often listened to music not based on the lyrical content but by how it resonated with my ears and my soul, so a lot of the projects I’ve been a part of were rich with sonic layers and rhythms and had less standard structures. Whereas now, the lyrics are all on me, though I can’t give up that complexity in song structure. I try, but I just get carried away sometimes. I play an acoustic guitar and sing songs, what can I say. I do it… differently.
What can we expect from your upcoming performance?
A mix of flavours. I’ve been writing songs and singing them to band mates, friends and family for years, so I’ve sponged a few things, and I’ve let things pass me by. My influences changed a lot through different stages in my life, musically depending on who I was playing with or what I’d been listening to, or emotionally from whatever was happening in my life at the time.
Anthony Crozzoli
Anthony is a Laurentian and Cambrian Alumni who is a lifelong fan of athletics, spicy foods, and romcoms. Loves his 2 for 1 wings at the Doghouse. He’s here to keep you in the know about our local varsity sports scene!
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