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A small town boy from Nova Scotia, Hebert went west to Whistler on a whim right after high school in the early, early ’90s (he’s 32 now). He returned to the east, only to go west again, spending a couple years in Vancouver before returning to Whistler in the mid-1990s to work as a ski-school instructor. Trained in piano and percussion as a kid he picked up guitar while in Vancouver.
"I’m a heavy metalhead," he confesses. "When I learned guitar I learned heavy metal style: Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer."
Despite his love of the hard stuff he has no problem adapting it for the lounge/chill out scene. Mallard guests will often be blissfully unaware that the smiling young man with the guitar is playing notorious metal classics.
"Why not?" says Funk. "It’s a lot of fun." His disclaimer: "That’s the Maritimer in me."
"Rob is an excellent example of a talented and versatile musician without the ego."
— Glenn Mishaw
A current fascination with Celtic music has reconnected him with his Maritime roots, but even so, Funk says Whistler is home. He started gigging in this town soon after he arrived. One of his favourite stories involves his first New Year’s Eve job at La Brasserie in 1996, which resulted in nudity – he doesn’t say on whose part.
For the past two years he has been a self-supporting musician, keen to take opportunities when they arise. It’s not uncommon for him to have three jobs a day during the busy Christmas season. No matter how many hours he’s logged in a day, the last straggler at closing time is going to get the same smile and enthusiasm from Funk as the hopped up crew partying at the peak of après-ski.
How does he sustain himself?
"It’s pretty fun playing," he says. "The hardest part isn’t the playing. In a situation like that where it’s Christmas and it’s super busy it’s getting to the gigs and setting up.
"I’m my own roadie. I have to set up and tear down. The playing is easy."
"When you’re playing with Rob, he’s the glue that holds it together."
— Kostas "Kostaman" Lymbertos
It’s his easy, "good-times" approach to playing and his ability to join in with any style at any speed that has made Rob Funk an integral part of the Whistler live music scene, appreciated by all with whom he has shared a stage. He deems the Whistler scene "healthy," citing a wealth of venues and collaborators, both known and in the underground. A healthy number of the Whistler live music scene is involved in tonight’s St. Patrick’s Day party gig at Merlin’s. Collaborating under the moniker The Pickled Livers is Funk, Yoshida, Raj Das, Kostaman, Mishaw, Greg Garland and Andy Gallant (a.k.a. Tiny Elvis) with guests. While there is no official Pickled Liver bandleader few would argue with the choice of Funk for spiritual frontman.
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June 17, 2013, 5:00 PM
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June 17, 2013, 11:15 AM
Whistler Farmer's Market sees busy first day of operations
Market opens with vendor numbers at maximum More...
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June 16, 2013, 12:30 AM
Neal Kindree takes Test of Metal win
67-kilometre mountain bike race sees 871 racers at the start More...
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