Meet Gar Borras | Musician/Singer/Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gar Borras and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gar, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’m a musician that had a regular job and wanted to make some extra money while doing something that I love. In the 80’s I was chasing a recording contract like every other musician in Los Angeles. Then In the 90’s I had to get a job to pay the bills. At that time I had seen the success of a very popular Van Halen tribute and decided to form a tribute band instead of playing in a cover band. A tribute band is focused on recreating the experience of a single Iconic bands show. Cover bands play an array of songs by an array of artists and don’t focus on recreating the experience of any of the bands or songs that they cover. I decided to play in a tribute band. I liked the idea of performing shows that were similar to what I was doing back in the 80’s which is still called “showcase”. I experimented with different tributes until I started a tribute to Guns N’ Roses in 2011. I had no Idea that it would be as successful as it became and I’d still be doing it today. The band is called Appetite 4 Destruction and has played in cities all over the United States as a tribute to Guns N’ Roses. I’m the singer with the task of sounding like Axl Rose. The most difficult singer to recreate and emulate in music today. I have to look, sound and recreate his mannerisms. Which mixes different skills of being a “high level singer” with an incredible range and unique raspy ness, and being “an actor”. Because the audience will be super fans of the original band. Everything I do is under the microscope. The most important factor is sounding like the singer of the original band. The closer a tribute band is to the recreating the original Iconic band. The more valuable the tribute band is. The biggest focus will always be on the singer.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
All I wanted to do was make some extra money and had no idea where it would go. I didn’t have aspirations of being in a tribute band. I just didn’t want to be at that stage of my life and not playing music. I was considered too old to be chasing a recording contract and didn’t want to play in cover bands but liked the idea of playing showcase shows because it was similar to what I was doing in the 80’s playing in the Iconic clubs and venues in Los Angeles doing original music.

Early on I could see that only a handful of bands were successful. Which is still the way it is today. What was making certain bands rise to the top? They were recreating the experience of seeing the original band that they are a tribute to. From the sound to the look and the movements. The more accurate the bands are to the original. The more successful they become. The bands that fall short are playing at smaller clubs and have smaller audiences. You definitely get out of it what you put into it.

There are no classes you can take or books you can read. The only option you have is to teach yourself. There is a lot of trial and error. A lot of experimentation and stabbing in the dark. But the harder you try and put in the work. The better chances you have.

Even though I’ve been doing this since 2011. I’m still working on improving my skills. I don’t think it’s in my DNA to not try to take what I do to the highest level that’s possible for me to reach. It’s who I am as a musician.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in Los Angeles where there is virtually every kind of activity imaginable. I’d say look into the things that you have a passion for.

If its out doors, Go to the beach, the mountains, the desert.

If it’s land marks, go to Disneyland, the walk of fame, the Hollywood sign, Griffith Observatory and more

If it’s food, there is every kind of restaurant imaginable from high rated Zagat places to local eateries with excellent Yelp ratings.

There is no shortages of any kind of activity or entertainment.

Since I perform shows where I’m going home late at night, hungry as hell and nothing is open. In Los Angeles Canter’s Deli and In and Out are go to’s. Anywhere else in LA late at night I’ll stop at Raising Canes for some chicken fingers.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Big shout out to Swan Montgomery the singer for Led Zepagain. In my early years of playing in tribute bands around 2000. Swan had suggested my tribute band at the time to a promoter of big shows in Arizona. That suggestion catapulted my band into doing much bigger shows at much bigger venues.

I’d also like to give a shout out to Malia Rummel of Live Nation. Back in 2005 she contacted me about doing shows at the House of Blues Sunset Strip. I’ve been doing shows for Live Nation at HOB Anaheim, San Diego, Las Vegas, Riverside Municipal Auditorium and the Magnolia ever since. I have her to thank for opening that door even though I have no idea what she is doing now. I guarantee she is very successful.

Website: https://www.a4dla.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/appetite4destructionla/

Twitter: https://x.com/A4Destruction

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Appetite4DestructionLosAngeles/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Appetite4GNRoses

Other: I also do a Podcast on the Chaotic Riffs website called “Time Machine”. It’s actually called Gar Borras’s Time Machine but was too long of a name so they reduced it to Time Machine. It’s about POP Culture and covers everything under the definition of “POP Culture. Music, Movies, TV, etc… Just look/scroll down and you’ll see it. There will be an episode that will grab your interest.

https://www.chaoticriffsmagazine.com/

Image Credits
Kim Lawrence
Jaymz Ebberly Jr