Jack Burrus – Guitar & Vocal
 
Where were you born?
 Milwaukee, WI
 
When did you start to play?
I started playing guitar in 1966
 
Tell us about some of your previous bands.
I joined my first band in 1968. Although we did more practicing than gigging, it set me on the musical course I am still on today. The first professional band I joined was Daebreak in 1974 with current Off The Record member Jim Duwel. Later, while attending college in Northern Wisconsin
, I played in a blues band called The Dog Pound Band until I graduated. After moving back to the Milwaukee area in 1989 I was asked to join the popular fair and festival band The Rockerfellers. During the '90s Jim and I were in a band called American Dream. Like many of my peers I took a break from performing to raise a family but jammed with friends as often as possible.
 
Now with Off The Record, I am honored to once again be playing with old friend Jim Duwel along with new friends Mike Gasper and Doug Reed in a band that allows us to take advantage of our extensive experience and like-minded love of playing a variety really good music.
 
Who are your influences?
After learning the basics of guitar, I was determined to learn how to play like my favorite musicians: Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Martin Barre, Alvin Lee, Jean Luc Ponty, Steve Howe, Steve Morse...
 
If you had to take one album to your desert island, what would it be and why?
Yessongs - It's a spiritual experience!
 
What gear do you gig with?
I have built a custom Fender Stratocaster style guitar that I use as my primary guitar. I also play a Gibson Les Paul inspired guitar built by JDB Customs. To duplicate all the guitar sounds of the songs we play I have created a large collection of virtual effects, amps and speaker cabinets using a Fractal Audio Systems Axe FX II Programmable Guitar Processor.  

My vocal microphone is Shure KSM9 that gets routed through a TC Helicon Voice Live GTX vocal processor.

To hear myself and my bandmates I use a Shure in-ear monitor system with Shure SE-215 ear buds. 

 
One obscure interesting fact about yourself.
In 1978 I hitch-hiked from Glacier National Park in Montana to Seattle Washington then to San Francisco with just a backpack and $20. Truly an unreal experience, and I never had to spend the $20!