Breaking out in the Indie scene is hard enough if you emulate already popular bands. Trying to do it with a unique and melodic sound would prove to be even more difficult.
"I guess you could call it 'new folk'."
Gabriel is indeed in the category of unique; his guitar kicks out sounds mainstream audiences would find complex yet at the same time addictive. Gabriel refuses to jump on the bandwagon, creating tracks with vocals that are smart, well executed and at times humorous. Gabriel has played at many different venues over the past year, from Doogies in Guelph to The Casbah in Hamilton, and even the odd house party or open mike, Gabriel is never without an ear to hear his latest creation.
How did it all start for you? I have been playing guitar since I was in grade 4 and although I wrote several short guitar riffs, none of them had lyrics. My father told me several times that it all be much more interesting if I put some words to my little tunes. Despite several attempts I wasn't really able to write a full song until I went away to Spain in February of last year. I believe it was a combination of being isolated in such a strange and beautiful country, and trying to learn spanish at the same time, somehow spawned an english-speaking, inner-monologue in my head that was ultimately capable of writing lyrics.
What do you find is your main inspiration? Playing guitar and singing is a great release for me. My emotions may drive me to play guitar, but the music I've created in the end makes me emotional in turn; so I don't know how it all works itself out, but it does. Everyone has their own way of getting out their emotions, a painter paints his or her emotions on a canvas just as boxers might pound their emotions into a punching bag. I heard a rumour one time that a man in southeast Asia once tried to hold in all his emotions but it led to a ruptured spleen; he survived...but I am still going to keep playing my guitar.
"...if you look at all the songs I've written you'll get a feel for who I am."
Your sound is obviously far from the current ‘norm’, why do you think this sets you apart from the pop-rock-Nickelback scene? When people ask me what kind of music I play, I really don't know what to tell them. It's not that my style is different or better... It's just my style. I guess you could call it "new folk", I try to focus on making the lyrics witty, but with a contemporary guitar feel. Music comes in so many different tones and melodies, it is really too bad that there has to be a commercial norm for what is "good" or "bad" music or for what is radio-worthy.
In terms of your desired audience, who do you want listening to your lyrics? I would love it if people of all age groups and demographics were able to find some meaning in my lyrics. Some of my songs are funny, others are sad, and others are just ridiculous. I try to write about many different things in hopes that many different people will be able to listen to and enjoy my music.
What do you want audiences to get out of your songs? Does it carry a single message or is it an always-evolving meaning depending on the individual and their interpretations? When I write a song I try to stay away from any ambiguous messages so that the audience can come away knowing exactly what I meant to say. I would like to think that when an audience hears a song of mine they are either rejoicing in life, reaching for a tissue, laughing themselves silly, or holding their pint up high in the air. Yeah, if you look at all the songs I've written you'll get a feel for who I am. I'm all over the road when it comes to themes in my music, but if you walk away thinking ‘I will do something interesting with my life today’ or ‘let's go get hammered now!’ Then I've written a decent song by my standards.
Gabriel is currently in the process of recording and hopes to have his web site up soon. To contact Gabriel about shows, life or perhaps even to hear more of his music, e-mail him at .
