Caith Threefires

Caith Threefires was born in Boston and raised in Lexington, Massachusetts. An incurable multi-instrumentalist, he plays Irish bouzouki, mandola, mandolin, guitar, bass and keyboards and sings lead and harmony vocals. With musical tastes from ABBA to Zappa, he is most passionate about folk, metal, progressive rock, medieval, and experimental forms.

"Early musical memories are Simon & Garfunkel and Peter, Paul & Mary during the late ‘60s," he recalls. "My first album was Jim Croce's Life and Times -- I loved the story-telling element of his songs." Caith was also drawn to early ‘70s rock such as Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Sweet, Rick Derringer, the Edgar Winter Group and Elton John. "When Elton's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road hit the shelves, that opening medley of 'Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding' blew my mind. Davey Johnstone's guitar sound on that song made me want to play."

Caith began acoustic guitar lessons at seven and got his first electric guitar for his 13th birthday. "I first realized the bass was not just another guitar while watching a Pablo Cruise concert on TV. Their bass player really grabbed my attention during an extended jam on a big white Fender Precision. My second bass epiphany occurred when I discovered progressive rock bands like Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Kansas and Rush. Geddy Lee and Chris Squire founded my obsession with the Rickenbacker bass."

In high school Caith studied composition and music theory and played guitar with the school jazz ensemble. With his garage band of the same era, the repertoire ranged from The Cars to Black Sabbath. After a brief stint at Boston's Berklee College of Music, he made a bit of a switch in focus. "I had always loved science and nature so, for a time, I applied myself to another calling." Caith studied Wildlife Biology and Watershed Management at the Universities of Rhode Island and Arizona, respectively.

In the ‘90s, Caith discovered traditional folk music, starting with medieval repertoire then expanded to include Celtic, Scandinavian, Appalachian and Colonial American genres, via artists like Hesperus, Ian and Sylvia, and Golden Bough. During this period he began playing mandolin and Irish bouzouki more than the guitar.

Despite a growing instrument collection, Caith's return to music waited until 2010. "I advertised myself as a multi-instrumentalist on MySpace, and was answered by a band needing a bassist. After a single weekend of rehearsals I found myself onstage for the first time in 25 years, playing bass and singing with Celtic songstress Sharon Knight, in the folk metal band Pandemonaeon."

Caith joined Tempest in similar fashion. "I'd been a Tempest fan for years. Lief knew I played bass because Pandemonaeon had shared the bill with Tempest several times. When the bass spot became available Lief invited me to audition. Needless to say, it was a great fit, and all the details continue to fall into place. This is going to be fun.

To learn more about Caith's other bands, please visit
www.pandemonaeon.net
www.sharonknight.net

Gear:
2011 Rickenbacker 4003 bass
Gallien-Kreuger 1001RB head
Aguilar GS112 cabinet
Ampeg SVT15E cabinet

Discography:
DIGITAL GRAFITTI, VOL. 3, Various Artists (1993) Big Noise Records (with Terra Firma)
DANGEROUS BEAUTY, Pandemonaeon (2010) Trance Jam Records
NEOFOLK ROMANTIQUE, Sharon Knight (2013) Trance Jam Records