Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd McCool.
Hi Todd, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story as a musician begins in Indiana, the land where basketball was religion in my childhood, and everyone’s dream was to be a basketball player — the only choice was for what team. By junior high, my hoop dreams were dashed, and I realized my heart truly lay elsewhere. I had a few musical family influences — grandparents and uncles who played piano, guitar, and horn. My dad was an all-state cornet player in high school, but he hung it up as soon as he got the chance, went into finance, and served in Vietnam. But I first began on the viola for a little less than two years; I wouldn’t call it a passion. When the rock sounds of the Sunset Strip began consuming MTV, my destiny became clear: I was to play the electric guitar.
Playing music with friends, one close friend was a musical savant, and his parents had the most popular band in town, so we used to plug in and jam out in their practice room. Over the rest of junior high and high school, I played with the main group of friends who were all in the band. I played drums in the concert band and got a good feel for all things percussion, even mallet instruments. In college, I opted to forgo a formal musical education, as the only available programs were classical and jazz, neither of which aligned with my aspirations at the time. So, I studied psychology and business instead. In college, I played with a couple of different bands and even wrote songs with one. We played frat parties and some regional Battle of the Bands competitions, and I took part in many late-night jam sessions, even inspiring some fraternity brothers to pick up instruments. It was the closest I got to a Woodstock vibe, and it was fantastic.
Once I graduated college, it wasn’t long before I felt the need to leave the Midwest if I were to do anything remotely passionate with my life. Amazingly, two guys in the band with whom I was writing songs decided they also wanted to leave, and after some back and forth, we chose Los Angeles as our destination. We did some networking, made friends, and I met more musicians in the LA area. I also had a day job and over the course of a year or two, was moving up the ranks and thinking about being a 9-to-5 guy, but life had other plans. One day, everything came to a head, and I decided to get back into passionate pursuits like acting, modeling, and of course, music. One thing led to another, and by way of coincidence and second-hand introductions, I found myself playing with a handful of different local independent artists. I did some radio spots, recorded at Capitol Records, and signed some autographs. Fast forward a couple of years, and I fell into the bar band scene playing covers. This was something I was advised to do if I wanted to get on a tour, by a somewhat famous touring guitar player who will remain nameless for now. I kept meeting people and playing in more bands, more and more cover bands, which started to pay the bills. Then, as a sub of a sub, I did a gig at Disneyland. Not long after that, a new show was opening at California Adventure, and the band I happened to sub with was the backing band for the audition. I got the gig, which was the Mad T Party for its entire run. It was a blast, and I truly became a full-time musician. Since then, it’s been 200-300 gigs a year, thanks to all the contacts I’ve made. I’ve done some sessions in there as well and feel like I’ve lived many chapters of life through the different scenes I’ve been dropped into, thanks to music.
Can you talk to us a bit about the struggles and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Struggles along the way? More like struggles all the way. Practically every day, I’m learning something new from an obstacle. As long as I can put a new practice into place, then whatever you want to call it, it was a catalyst for growth and more readiness for better opportunities. If I get a request for a song I don’t know, I go home and learn it. Other challenges? As far as having steady work, I have certainly had times when it was scarce, but thankfully, it’s mostly been steadily increasing for the last 10 years.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My main instrument is the guitar, and I sing a bit as well. In addition to working with corporate event bands, I play in a duo (The Adventures of Todd and Niki’ with Niki Bente) and a trio (FaultLines with Ashley Morgan and John Flanagan) where I’m singing a lot of harmonies and some leads. I fill in for other musicians when they need a sub on other gigs as well. I also do solo gigs, where I sing and play. Additionally, I play bass, which I learned long after the guitar. It was fun to transfer my knowledge of the fretboard, along with my appreciation of the distinct rhythmic approaches taken by many bassists — think James Jamerson to get the idea. I play the ukulele too and have been working on a course to teach it. I think it’s the best gateway instrument, easy on the fingers, and I have a unique approach to understanding music as it applies to the ukulele, which I hope to share with others.
I’ve been DJing, which I really love. Jim Morrison said about the future of music, ‘I can see a lone artist with a lot of tapes and electrical… like an extension of the Moog synthesizer — a keyboard with the complexity and richness of a whole orchestra, y’know? There’s somebody out there, working in a basement, just inventing a whole new musical form.’ That makes me think of a DJ. I like to combine beats from one song with the chords of another and the vocals from yet another. The ability to mix and match on the fly is so exciting to me, and I can create new styles of music this way. Also, I can get paid extra to play at the after-party at a wedding after playing in the band.
A lot of people would say I work too hard, but I literally PLAY guitar… and the rest. Oh, and I’m also working on the piano. I’ve wanted to do that for a long time and, during the pandemic, would practice 30 minutes to an hour every day. That’s when I picked up the bass too. Anyway, about the piano… I had a gig playing guitar at Howl at the Moon for a while, maybe around 2010-2012, which was a dueling piano bar at Universal CityWalk. It moved locations a few years ago and closed around the pandemic. But I really loved the idea of the piano players taking requests and interacting with the audience. Some very talented musicians there.
I think I’m known for knowing a lot of songs (there was a period where I think I had to learn 20 new songs a week for a year) and for being positive and a team player. If I’m not available for a gig, I help to the best of my ability to find someone else. At the end of the day, everyone wants to have a good time. I used to be scared of band leaders, managers, event coordinators, etc., but we’re all on the same team. Life is short; let’s enjoy it and support each other. I never stop learning. I’ve been told by many that I am the busiest guitarist in Los Angeles. I don’t really think I am, but I have done around 250 to 300 gigs a year for the past decade, with the exception of the “lockdown” year, and I think my work ethic (always learning and not getting burnt out) is a bit from my father (responsible, loving midwest military man) but also possibly just a balance of musical curiosity, egotistic tendencies, and never feeling good enough. That may sound strange and depressing, but I think a lot of people in this business can relate.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The opportunity and the sunshine. People from where I grew up wonder why I didn’t go to Nashville… That scene is way too saturated, and most people work for peanuts. Why not New York? Not enough work and too expensive. Los Angeles, on the other hand, is where I play mansions, see and sometimes meet celebrities, and witness baffling amounts of wealth being thrown around every day. Plus, I can work and get a tan. It’s a no-brainer for me. The thing I like least about Los Angeles is the real estate prices juxtaposed with homeless people on every overpass and all over downtown, wandering the streets in many other parts. Randy Newman said, ‘Look at that mountain, look at those trees, look at that bum over there, man, he’s down on his knees.’ It’s a real mind-bender.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.toddmccool.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddmccool/
Image Credits
aidenaizumi
