Turcotte, a ‘Thief and Tyrant’ A counselor at Pierce College by day and a musician by night

DANI NOVAZSKI Reporter @dnovazski

Rock ’n’ roll counselor David Turcotte, who has a passion for helping students navigate through the complexity of college, is returning to the stage to pursue his first love, music, with his new band Thieves and Tyrants. Turcotte is excited about his new musical endeavors and is fully ready to get back in the scene. Thieves and Tyrants, with their energetic, gypsypunk-ska sound, had a packed show for their first performance.

A staple player in the Long Beach music scene as a young adult, Turcotte has played in different projects throughout high school and college, notably Fungus Mungus and the Shrooms. During a time where the local reggae-ska music scene was thriving, Turcotte was a musician performing in the heart of it all.

“I grew up playing music in the Long Beach music scene back in the early-mid ‘90s with a lot of bands like Sublime, No Doubt, Suburban Rhythm, One Eye Open. At that time in Long Beach, it was kind of a magical time for music,” Turcotte said. The drummer for Thieves and Tyrants, Jordan Dustin, has played with Turcotte for years, and recalls his importance in the Long Beach music scene of the ‘90s.

“He was very much revered in the local music scene since I started coming up through the ranks,” Dustin said.

Turcotte brings the sound of the guitar to life when he plays. Dustin recalls how Turcotte’s ability has always been respected.

“Dave was always known by local musicians as the ‘color guy’ on guitar. He can paint a picture using his guitar tones and effects with a very unique yet authentic style,” Dustin said.

After years of being in college without a strong sense of direction, Turcotte decided to pursue counseling. He also got married and started a family, moving to New York to work as a counselor at LaGuardia Community College in Queens.

After spending a number of years on the East Coast, Turcotte felt that he wanted to be with his mother who was having health issues, so his family decided to move back to Long Beach. After returning to California to care for his mother, Turcotte got a job at Pierce College as a counselor.

Having felt lost as a community college student, Turcotte thrives in helping students reach their full potential.

“It’s a good feeling to help someone. After years of doing this, it’s not about me, it’s about helping students become who they want to be,” Turcotte said. “It’s wonderful that I can provide tools, information, and counseling, but it’s