Keyboard Magazine - March 2008 - (Page 96) WEEKEND WARRIORS BOB VIGNES: A JOYFUL NOISE IN JERSEY by Ed Coury Disciples of progressive rock know Neal Morse as the keyboard player who formed the band Spock’s Beard with his brother Alan in 1992. Ten years later, he embraced the Christian faith, and left the successful band he helped to create. Morse, according to his official website, “had to begin all over again: musically, emotionally, and spiritually.” Weekend warrior Bob Vignes, who went through a similar spiritual transformation, is a devotee of Morse and his music — especially the 2004 release, One. Featuring guitar virtuoso Phil Keaggy and drummer Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater fame, One is a concept album that combines elements of prog rock and other musical styles to convey Morse’s vision of life from a Christian perspective. Yamaha Motif ES7 to FOH mixer Peavey KB/A100 A simple but effective rig works the best for Bob Vignes. Neal Morse, One (Metal Blade) THE MIKE WELLS BAND ONLINE Bob Vignes is the keyboard player for the New Jersey-based Mike Wells Band, which plays a mix of contemporary Christian music and folk rock in and around the state of New Jersey. You can hear some of the band’s recordings online: www.myspace.com/the mikewellsband. 96 keyboard 03-2008 Why do you play? Maybe you’re a pro, and rely on your musical skills to bring home the bacon. Or perhaps music is a part-time pursuit, and you’re in it mainly because you love to perform. Bob Vignes, a 46-year-old IT manager from Aberdeen, New Jersey, has been playing keyboards for more than 20 years. In his younger days, it was all about the tunes, and getting the best gigs for his band. But today, his priorities are different. “Now,” says Bob, “the focus is for the music to draw people in, and focus on Christ.” After high school, Bob Vignes signed up for a stint in the military. When it was over, he returned to New Jersey. “I had to move back home with Mom and Dad,” he says. “At that point, I didn’t have much of a social life, so I started to learn the piano on my own, ya’ know, with beginner books. I started to get tired of listening to myself play “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” so I bought a book of Billy Joel songs.” The self-taught musician began to learn songs by listening to recordings. “I was getting pretty decent at just hacking around on the piano,” Bob remembers. “My brothers-in-law had a rock band, and they had a couple of guys who left, so they were struggling.” He offered to come to the rescue. “I went out and bought a Yamaha CP-30. Their old keyboard player had a Korg Poly 800, so I put it on the CP-30 and started gigging.” Bob and his bandmates achieved a fair amount of regional success, playing a mix of original songs and cover tunes. “We kept playing clubs in the Jersey shore area. We played the Stone Pony. We played in the Village a couple of times.” But after eight or nine years of rocking the Garden State, Bob converted to Christianity — a decision that dramatically changed his outlook on life. “I just found it very difficult for me, on a personal level, to continue going to bars and listening to cursing,” he remembers. “I needed to sort of get away from those things.” He left the band, and for nearly two years Bob didn’t play in front of an audience. He considered getting into Christian-oriented music, but didn’t know much about it. “I thought it was just all old hymns,” he says, “and I didn’t care for them. They didn’t touch me. They didn’t move me.” That changed when he stumbled across a radio station that played contemporary Christian radio music. “There was hope for me at last!” he says. These days, Bob has two main musical outlets. One is the Mike Wells Band — a six-piece outfit that plays original contemporary Christian rock and folk. “I’m the keyboardist,” Bob says, “but [vocalist] Bridget Larson also plays piano, so there are two keyboards in the band. She uses a [Yamaha] P60.” Bob fills the rest of the band’s keyboard needs with a 76-key Motif ES7. “I’m holding down strings, pads, organ, bells, and other sounds.” For a monitor, he uses a Peavey KB/A100 keyboard amp. The Mike Wells Band plays on weekends, usually in coffee houses throughout New Jersey, and for special events held by churches in the area. Bob Vignes has a regular Sunday gig at Calvary Baptist Church in Aberdeen, NJ, leading the praise and worship band. “I use [an] acoustic baby grand piano. It’s a Yamaha G1.” Bob used to take his 88-key Yamaha S90 synthesizer to church. “I had a young teenager who was also in the band with me. I was trying to groom him, and he didn’t have any equipment. So he was using the baby grand, and I was driving the music from the S90. But once he went to college I thought to myself, ‘I really don’t need to lug this back and forth, I’ll just use the acoustic.’” During the week, Bob is an IT manager for Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. “I manage computer programmers, about seven of them.” Music is a way for him to relax after work. But more importantly, he says, it’s a way to serve his religion. “The goal of the music is not really the music. If I can point people and lead people to think and feel about Christ, that’s the goal.” http://www.myspace.com/themikewellsband
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