Mike Spriggs

Guitar
Vocals

Mike's background can be summed up in one word:
Beatles, Beatles, Beatles!  "I’m not joking actually," Mike says.  "I had fun learning music and I still do.  I taught myself guitar through two books entitled 'The Complete Beatles Volumes I & II'.  Each book shows you how to play the notes on the guitar to every Beatles song. Some fabulous chords are used in their songs as well as amazing vocal harmonies. For me this was a fantastic way to learn music."

In high school, Mike joined his first band, The Originals, and together they won the CFNY Music Search contest representing Canada at the New York New Music Festival in 1990.  Mike joined The Dawgs a few years after that and the group has since accomplished many goals such as recording and completing a CD comprised of original material. "Staying together for over 17 years means we are still having fun," Mike says.

Mike's guitar influences includeIthe melodic feel of David GiImour from Pink Floyd.  For songwriting and vocal harmonies, Mike still loves the old stuff -- The Beatles, Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly.

One of Mike's favourite roles within the band is that of background vocalist.  "I love vocal harmony," he says.  "I have always thought that has been my major contribution. I love finding a harmony and adding it to a song where there was no harmony before."

As a guitar player, Mike specializes in both rythym and lead guitar. "You have to know when to bring it up and then bring it back down," he explains.  "The best musicians in the world will judge a player by when he’s not playing."

In terms of what he likes most about playing in The Dawgs, Mike lists the camaraderie, band weekends, the highs, the lows, the in betweens, but mostly the energy shared between the band and a packed dance floor.  "Performing with the Dawgs has enabled my musicianship to continue improving in a fun and professional environment, taking my enjoyment of playing music to a higher level," he says.  "Mainly I love playing and creating music and I enjoy the friendship of the members of the team that I do those things with. That’s not easy to find. It’s as simple as that."