Traveler Interview: The guitarist

This traveler was in the dinning hall playing his guitar for the hostel one morning. We wanted to get his story and learn more about him!


What is your name?
Martin Saville

Where are you from?
I was born in South Africa and I was raised in the UK.


How long have you been in Chicago?
On and off for about 4 months I would say

What are you doing here?
Well I was working for 6 flags, then when the season ended I went to live with some family in Tennessee. I just missed Chicago so I came back! (smiles) I am looking for jobs and an apartment. So I’m playing in train stations and bars for now, thank goodness for that so at least I can sustain myself. (laughs) I’m staying in the hostel until I can get an apartment.

When did you first start playing music?
Well I’ve been singing since I was born (laughs) and guitar…for about 3 or 4 years now.

Wow! That’s not a very long time!
Yeah

What style do you like to play?
Well soft rock is my favorite. But I like to have a lot of rhythm so I put that in there too. (smiles) So a lot of soft rock with good rhythm

Have you played anywhere else other than Chicago?Yeah! (smiles) I played in Memphis for a while. I got to open for the Wailers. That is my biggest achievement. My inspirations are Bob Marley and John Lennon and stuff. So it was really cool to open for the guys who knew Bob Marley personally! (smiles) Yeah but I messed up the opening set. (laughs) You know there were so many nerves and pressure, that I just messed the whole thing up. But I kept going and it was fine (laughs.)

Do you have an interesting story of something that has happened while you have been in Chicago playing?
Oh yeah! Lots of interesting stories (laughs). One about music…well just the other day I was at the train station playing. And one of my guitar strings broke. (smiles) That was the first time that had ever happened to me before. It’s one of those things that as a musician you know it will happen sometime but you don’t ever plan for it. So the way I got around it was I just kept playing! (laughs) It was okay.

So how long are you staying here at the hostel?
Well until I can find an apartment. I just got a job so I start on Friday. So I’m hoping in a week I will have an apartment.

Well good luck! And thanks for talking with me!
Yeah no problem, enjoy your day!