Today: Dec 09, 2024

Junior chases his dream of starting a band

Dylan HavillandManaging Editor

Richard Francois, a junior and business management major, closed the piano and adjusted the thermostat to combat the hot temperature in a practice room in Earl Hall. As he made himself comfortable he unzipped his case and took out his black Ibanez Fr320 guitar, which he explained suited his preference towards metal.

Leaning comfortably forward on his guitar, Francois has put the practice rooms in Earl to good use over his years of attending college. Much of this practice time is put towards improving himself as a musician for the new band he is starting, “Drowning Lessons.”

“I can’t find my own lead guitarist, so why not learn myself,” said Francois. “So I’ve been practicing rather than just learning songs. I’ve been trying to pick up new skills, work on my alt-picking, stuff like that, instead of just worrying about learning the next song for the next show.”

Previously Francois was involved in the band “At Your Forefront” a metal-core band that he spent several years with and helped found. It was with them that he picked up guitar and dove into his journey as a musician.

“For the first couple of years I just focused on learning [the band’s] songs and being able to play without holding them back because all of them were amazing at what they did,” Francois said.

During his time with the band, which broke up this summer, they played several lives shows. One of Francois’s greatest memories with the band was when they opened for “Falling in Reverse” at the Webster Theater in Hartford. He remembered fondly looking at the poster of the bands performing that night and knowing that they would be playing with them.

Once he finishes forming “Drowning Lessons,” in which he currently has a vocalist for, he hopes to even surpass that night as they head out into the musical world.

Francois is open for musicians to contact him regarding positions for the band and can be reached by his cell, 203- 543- 0052.

Photo Credit: Dylan Havilland – Managing Editor

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