Ian D'Sa

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Ian D'Sa
Background = solo_singer


Img_capt =
Birth_name = Ian Michael D'Sa
Born = birth date and age|1975|10|30
Origin = United Kingdom
Genre = Post-hardcore
Alternative rock
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter, Guitarist, Vocalist
Years_active = 1993–present
Instrument = Guitar, Piano, vocals, drums
Associated_acts = Billy Talent (formerly "Pezz"), Die Mannequin, Alexisonfire
Label = Atlantic Records, Warner Music Canada
Notable_instruments = Fender Stratocaster Fat Strat Deluxe
1962 Fender Jazzmaster
1952 Fender Telecaster Re-issue

Ian Michael D'Sa (born October 30, 1975 in the United Kingdom) is the guitarist for the Canadian band Billy Talent. His family moved to Canada in 1978 when he was 3 years old. He is of Goan descent and grew up in Mississauga, Ontario learning guitar at the age of 13. While attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Highschool, he started a band in 1991 called "Dragonflower" [ [http://phorum.nettwerk.com/billy_talent/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=3&an=0&page=0#3 ATTN: Read Before Posting! Juicey info in here!] ] After Dragonflower broke up he formed another band named Soluble Fish. He eventually met Benjamin Kowalewicz, Jonathan Gallant and Aaron Solowoniuk at the highschool talent show. While playing in Soluble Fish, he started a new band with them named "Pezz" (later to become "Billy Talent") in which both bands played together for several years until Soluble fish broke up in 1996. While playing in Pezz, D'Sa went to Sheridan College where he got his degree in classical animation and even worked on the TV shows Angela Anaconda, Birdz, and the film "Adventures in 3-D IMAX" as an animator. [ [http://www.fm96.com/station/ongoing_history_of_new_music.cfm?recID=151&ell=8943&pge=1# The Ongoing History of New Music] . "Before They Were Famous" "Original Broadcast date: 13-11-05 on CFNY."] As of 2000 the band had changed their name to "Billy Talent" after the fictional character in Bruce McDonald's film "Hard Core Logo".

D'Sa co-produced Billy Talent II with Gavin Brown. He also did art direction and package design on the Billy Talent II album. He received co-direction credit for the video, "Fallen Leaves", for which the band was awarded Best Video and Best Rock Video at the 2007 MuchMusic Video Awards.

D'Sa recently produced the 2 singles on Die Mannequin's EP Slaughter Daughter, the songs being "Do it or Die" and "Saved By Strangers". He played guitar on Sarah Slean's "Lucky Me". He makes a cameo in The Operation M.D.'s single "Sayonara" as a doctor pushing Stevo in a wheelchair. He also makes a brief cameo as a year book photo in the K-OS video for ELEctrik HeaT - The Seekwill. He also sung guest vocals with Alexisonfire during a few live shows.

D'Sa has also been involved with Song for Africa, a project to connect Canada's youth to the AIDS pandemic, playing guitar on the song and in the video. In July of 2007 he travelled to Kenya, Africa for 10 days to be part of the upcoming Song for Africa Documentary film.

When playing live shows, he plays a montego black Fender Stratocaster Fat Strat Deluxe with a red pickguard or a gold pickguard. This is from the American deluxe series which have scn noiseless pickups. When recording in the studio, he uses a '52 Fender Telecaster Re-issue, a '62 Fender Jazzmaster, a '58 Gibson Les Paul Junior and several other vintage guitars. Also he owns a three colour sunburst stratocaster with a white pick guard, which is shown in the "Devil in a Midnight Mass" music video. He uses a 60 watt head custom made for him by Mark Stephenson of Stephenson Amplification.

Ian is known for his unexpected appearances at fellow Alternative and Punk acts live shows. He is known to guest many times as vocalist in some random shows of Alexisonfire. He has also joined Sum 41 as a guest guitarist for a one-off performance of their popular song "Pain for Pleasure".
He also performed as a guest in one show with UK band Reuben in 2006.

Links

* [http://www.punktv.ca/streetteam/jrox.php?id=1008_1_bid_10 Interview with Ian (2007)]
* [http://www.songforafrica.com/ Song for Africa]

References

Billy Talent