Meet Connor McPherson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Connor McPherson. 

Hi Connor, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Grew up in a log house out in the country (Edwardsburg, MI) with 3 Brothers and nothing to do; got into music as a way to pass the time. Started with a drumset my dad’s friend left at our house, then with an old Yamaha keyboard my family inherited, and then guitar when I bought one for 2 dollars at a garage sale at the end of my road. This was around 4th grade. Joined band in 5th grade and learned percussion and stuck with it all throughout my schooling. Started songwriting sometime in high school. Once I graduated, I went to Western for percussion and music education and started my solo project pistol gang, and joined some other bands as well. Been playing Kalamazoo and surrounding areas now for around 8 years now. Been part of the DIY music and art scene since I pretty much got here 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Music has always been something that interested me, so that side of things was never difficult until I went to Western for music. It was probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do thus far. Being in the school of music seems like fun, but it’s a lot of work striving for perfection that you never achieve. A lot of 12-14 hours days, not including practicing, which I had to do at Western since it’s uncommon for someone to own a 5-octave marimba and a plethora of percussion gear. Spent a lot of time in practice rooms balled up in frustration, wishing my hands would work the way I needed them to. Also, anything lower than a C+ is considered failing in that school, so the demand of excellence is very high, and that was always hard to cope with. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have a teaching degree, but I haven’t used it yet. I do whatever job that works for me in the moment, and I spend the rest of my time being creative and engaging in things that interest me like music, art, tinkering with old electronics, and fishing 

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
Not really. I’ve pretty much always had a plan, and I stuck with it. The only time I took a risk was not becoming a teacher as soon as I graduated. I felt like I have more life to live before going down that path 

Contact Info:

• Website: Pistolgang.bandcamp.com