Daily Inspiration: Meet Edward Thacker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Thacker.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As a musician, I started very young-five years old-writing songs and singing them mostly to my somewhat annoyed siblings. At 12 years old, I started a band called ‘The Plague” I had about 15 of my songs as well as a few we wrote together as a group. We played our first gig in the area of gate nine inside of CU’s Folsom Field stadium. We played with two other bands, much older than we were; “The Dancing Assholes” and “The Dead Weasels.”

We went over like gangbusters and had a pretty good start as that band. That band would morph over time, changing members and eventually disbanding. Later, in high school, I allied with a local kid who would turn out to be the lead singer and lyricist for the band I would form when I left home for the first time. We were Baldo Rex. Baldo Rex would move around the country to various locations, Boston and San Francisco, before finally returning to the Boulder/Denver area. After a few years of putting out tapes and singles, we finally produced our first full-length album, “Parilda Cilgen Elmas” (a Turkish phrase, meaning “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”).

We toured this album and became somewhat legendary on the indie circuit. Our next album would be the sprawling but beloved “I Eat Robots I’m So Sad.” After touring this record a few times, this band would break up. As a musician, I continued writing and performing around the country, still residing in Boulder. Over the last 10 years, I have gone by the moniker “The Red Tack,” an anagram of my name.

I have produced two critically acclaimed full-length vinyl albums in the last 5 years, “Night of the Sorrowful Face” and “Judy,” and continue to write and perform both locally and nationally.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think nearly everyone knows by now that the life of a musical artist is not an easy one, yet it is the only life I can imagine living.

Music, art, and life all go hand in hand. These are the wings that lift us from the doldrums and dredges of everyday life.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
First and foremost, I am a guitarist. I have been playing the guitar since I was ten years old, and I am still a student. I play every day and learn something new every time I pick it up. It is an unforgiving, yet exhilarating instrument. The guitar can take you places that no other vehicle can take you. Secondly, I am a songwriter, singer, and performer.

I write songs nearly every day and have been doing this for a lifetime. Locally, I play at both small and large clubs and venues. In Denver, one of my absolute favorite places to play music is the legendary Lion’s Lair on Colfax Avenue. Mutiny Information Café and the High Dive are also some of my favorites.

If I get the chance, I love playing the Bluebird Theater. Someday, I hope to grace the stages at both Mission Ballroom and every musician’s dream: Red Rocks. In Boulder, I have had the excellent fortune of playing both the Fox Theater and Boulder Theater many, many times. Both of these theaters are amongst the best stages in the country.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
The podcast I love and listen to for musical inspiration is Adam Perry’s podcast, Mile High Stash. Adam asks both local and national musical stars one specific question, and gets great musical insights along the way: https://milehighstash.com/.

Another podcast I love is Priya Rajkumar’s, “She Likes It Heavy” podcast. A beautiful musical journey every time I get a chance to listen: libsyn.us4.list-manage.com. I also love anything musical that the BBC puts out, and Elton John’s Rocket Hour is fun as well: https://music.apple.com/us/curator/rocket-hour/993269779.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theredtack.wixsite.com/theredtack
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedtheredtack/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TedTheRedTack
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/VNG9vJBYFDM?si=vEkiLzxbzT139GZZ

Image Credits
Lisa Siciliano