Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Two Dates and a Dash Podcast Episode 101: Brian Quinn, Lead Guitarist for the band Candlebox
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Two Dates and a Dash Podcast Episode 101: Brian Quinn, Lead Guitarist for the band Candlebox
As the lead guitarist for multi-platinum rock band Candlebox, Brian Quinn has traveled the world performing in front of crowds as large as 90,000 at a time and sharing the stage with some of most iconic legends in the industry. But to this life-long musician, he’s just as happy performing to an audience of 100 as 100,000. Because for him, it’s all about the music. It always has.
Drawn to the guitar at a very early age, he first picked up the guitar at the young age of five and was playing sold-out shows by the age of 15 with his hardcore band Burial Ground (1990-1996). He, then, spent six years performing in the hardcore circuit with what was considered one of the most influential acts of that time, inadvertently being credited with “inventing” the sub-genre of hardcore music described today as “Bloodcore”. Burial Ground released an independent album that received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. But, by 17 larger things were calling and Quinn headed to Philadelphia in search of something more.
Soon after arriving in the city of Brotherly Love, he co-founded the Philadelphia-based rock band Octane (2000-2005). Still considered to this day as one of the most successful bands to come out of Philly, Octane sold more than 65,000 copies of their independent debut release and enjoyed more than 1000 spins of the single “I For One” on Philadelphia rock station 94.1 WYSP.
During this time, Quinn was named “Best Guitarist” in the Philadelphia region by the Philadelphia Music Awards in 2001 and 2004 and was routinely praised by fans and critics alike for his signature guitar technique, his ability on “slide” guitar, and dynamic on-stage presence.
After enjoying five successful years with Octane, Quinn left the band to found a blues-based hard rock band that would later become known as Fosterchild. This project would quickly gain national attention and the band was signed to the SMG/ILG/WARNER record label from 2007-2010. The band hit the road on a U.S. tour and it was then that Quinn met Kevin Martin, lead singer of Candlebox. Immediately impressed with Quinn’s talent, Martin promised him he’d one day have a spot in Candlebox.
Quinn continued to tour the country with Fosterchild and even garnered a special invitation to perform for the U.S. troops stationed at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where the group performed in front of thousands of soldiers on New Year’s Eve of 2010.
Quinn has been invited to perform at NAMM Ultimate Jam Night for the past two years, alongside Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan and many other iconic artists. He routinely guests with the American Vinyl All Star Band featuring Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan/Doobie Bros.), Barry Goudreau (formerly of the band Boston), Robert “Mousey” Thompson (Wilson Pickett/James Brown), Leroy Romans (Third World / The Wailers), and Tim Archibald (Peter Wolf / RTZ).
A proficient studio musician as well, Quinn provided the critically-acclaimed guitar work on Candlebox’s last album Disappearing In Airports, which debuted at #9 on the Billboard Charts, as well as the 2017 release of Disappearing Live. He most recently contributed his axe-work to Candlebox’s forthcoming album Wolves, which is slated for a September 2021 release and has also lent his guitar skills to a myriad of artists across multiple genres of music.
During his career, Quinn shared the stage with such acts as: Ozzy Osbourne, Slash’s Snakepit, Gene Simmons, Metallica, Kid Rock, Disturbed, Judas Priest, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sixx AM, Chevelle, 3 Doors Down, Seether, Sevendust, Three Days Grace, Candlebox, Tantric, Shinedown, Robert Randolph & The Family, Alter Bridge, Godsmack, Taproot, Nonpoint, Mudvayne, Deftones, Zakk Wylde, Black Label Society, Buckcherry, Warren Haynes, Marshall Tucker, Devo, Finger Eleven, and the House Of Blues All-Stars (with whom he performed alongside rock legends Jeffrey “Skunk” Baxter of Doobie Bros & Steely Dan, Fran Sheehan and Barry Goudreau of Boston, drum phenom Kenny Aranoff (John Mellecamp, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty), Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction, Alanis Morrisette), and James Montgomery of Johnny Winter fame).
Quinn is currently endorsed by Gibson Guitars, D'Addario Strings, Planet Waves Accessories, The Rock Slide by the Songhurst Guitar Company, and LPS Clothing. For more information, visit www.brianquinnguitar.com.
View all episodes
By Matt CubblerAs the lead guitarist for multi-platinum rock band Candlebox, Brian Quinn has traveled the world performing in front of crowds as large as 90,000 at a time and sharing the stage with some of most iconic legends in the industry. But to this life-long musician, he’s just as happy performing to an audience of 100 as 100,000. Because for him, it’s all about the music. It always has.
Drawn to the guitar at a very early age, he first picked up the guitar at the young age of five and was playing sold-out shows by the age of 15 with his hardcore band Burial Ground (1990-1996). He, then, spent six years performing in the hardcore circuit with what was considered one of the most influential acts of that time, inadvertently being credited with “inventing” the sub-genre of hardcore music described today as “Bloodcore”. Burial Ground released an independent album that received rave reviews from fans and critics alike. But, by 17 larger things were calling and Quinn headed to Philadelphia in search of something more.
Soon after arriving in the city of Brotherly Love, he co-founded the Philadelphia-based rock band Octane (2000-2005). Still considered to this day as one of the most successful bands to come out of Philly, Octane sold more than 65,000 copies of their independent debut release and enjoyed more than 1000 spins of the single “I For One” on Philadelphia rock station 94.1 WYSP.
During this time, Quinn was named “Best Guitarist” in the Philadelphia region by the Philadelphia Music Awards in 2001 and 2004 and was routinely praised by fans and critics alike for his signature guitar technique, his ability on “slide” guitar, and dynamic on-stage presence.
After enjoying five successful years with Octane, Quinn left the band to found a blues-based hard rock band that would later become known as Fosterchild. This project would quickly gain national attention and the band was signed to the SMG/ILG/WARNER record label from 2007-2010. The band hit the road on a U.S. tour and it was then that Quinn met Kevin Martin, lead singer of Candlebox. Immediately impressed with Quinn’s talent, Martin promised him he’d one day have a spot in Candlebox.
Quinn continued to tour the country with Fosterchild and even garnered a special invitation to perform for the U.S. troops stationed at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where the group performed in front of thousands of soldiers on New Year’s Eve of 2010.
Quinn has been invited to perform at NAMM Ultimate Jam Night for the past two years, alongside Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan and many other iconic artists. He routinely guests with the American Vinyl All Star Band featuring Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan/Doobie Bros.), Barry Goudreau (formerly of the band Boston), Robert “Mousey” Thompson (Wilson Pickett/James Brown), Leroy Romans (Third World / The Wailers), and Tim Archibald (Peter Wolf / RTZ).
A proficient studio musician as well, Quinn provided the critically-acclaimed guitar work on Candlebox’s last album Disappearing In Airports, which debuted at #9 on the Billboard Charts, as well as the 2017 release of Disappearing Live. He most recently contributed his axe-work to Candlebox’s forthcoming album Wolves, which is slated for a September 2021 release and has also lent his guitar skills to a myriad of artists across multiple genres of music.
During his career, Quinn shared the stage with such acts as: Ozzy Osbourne, Slash’s Snakepit, Gene Simmons, Metallica, Kid Rock, Disturbed, Judas Priest, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sixx AM, Chevelle, 3 Doors Down, Seether, Sevendust, Three Days Grace, Candlebox, Tantric, Shinedown, Robert Randolph & The Family, Alter Bridge, Godsmack, Taproot, Nonpoint, Mudvayne, Deftones, Zakk Wylde, Black Label Society, Buckcherry, Warren Haynes, Marshall Tucker, Devo, Finger Eleven, and the House Of Blues All-Stars (with whom he performed alongside rock legends Jeffrey “Skunk” Baxter of Doobie Bros & Steely Dan, Fran Sheehan and Barry Goudreau of Boston, drum phenom Kenny Aranoff (John Mellecamp, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty), Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction, Alanis Morrisette), and James Montgomery of Johnny Winter fame).
Quinn is currently endorsed by Gibson Guitars, D'Addario Strings, Planet Waves Accessories, The Rock Slide by the Songhurst Guitar Company, and LPS Clothing. For more information, visit www.brianquinnguitar.com.