Tim Isberg brought the music to the military during his 30 years as a soldier, serving tens of thousands of kilometres away from his Edmonton home.
Today, he’s flipped the script – bringing those military experiences from abroad into the music that he writes, records and performs across Western Canada.
“Music has been kind of a thread that has been throughout the pages of my military career,” said Isberg, a retired Lt.-Col. in the Canadian Armed Forces. “Those places and the people that I’ve been with and the music that I’ve heard has inspired stories to be told … and I’m telling some of those stories.”
Isberg brings the music and memories of military career to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Cochrane Branch tomorrow as part of its monthly concert series.
During his years in the army, Isberg conducted fieldwork in different war-torn countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East as a combat arms officer. Later in his career, he ran a national literacy program to help Afghan military and police read and write their own language.
It was while stationed at an American-led compound in Kabul, Afghanistan, that he created The Band With No Name, a revolving door of military musicians who would regularly rehearse and perform for their fellow soldiers once a month.
“The troops loved it,” said Isberg. “We (didn’t) have YouTube or anything … when you’re stuck in the compound, you’re stuck in the compound. Having live music and an outdoor concert was a big deal. For them it was … a great relief to have that entertainment that otherwise, they won’t have any.”
As soldiers rotated out of their posting and new ones rotated in, band members and the songs they performed also changed to reflect the new dynamic.
“We would change our set list a little bit because the band would change … I don’t ply and sing Dancing Queen very well,” Isberg said with a laugh, adding while the effort it took to keep a working band together on a military base was hard work, it was all worth it.
“It caused stress in some degree to put this together … but at the same time what made it all worthwhile was the fact that you’re performing and offering that release to the people that are in front of you listening,” he said.
“Playing songs that make people cry, people laugh ... it’s entertainment. It’s a little taste of home, too. It was definitely worthwhile to do.”
The Legion’s barbecue supper begins at 6 p.m. Friday, with Isberg taking the stage at 7 p.m.
