Interview: Adrian Galysh

Dan McAvinchey: Adrian, how did you get started playing guitar?

Adrian Galysh: I started playing guitar after hearing Randy Rhoads and the album "Blizzard of Ozz". The power and emotion as well as the technique Randy displayed was awesome. I was hooked!

Dan McAvinchey: What guitars, effects and amplification do you use to get your sound?

Adrian Galysh: I currently use a Brian Moore Custom C-55 electric guitar as my main axe, an Ibanez Jem 7WH, and a Peavey Ecoustic with a scalloped fingerboard. I run through a rack that houses a Marshall JMP-1 preamp, an Alesis Quadraverb Plus, and a Tubeworks Mosvalve power amp. The cabinet is a Peavey MS 412 with Sheffeild speakers. I use S.I.T. Strings exclusively!

Dan McAvinchey: What are your goals, musically speaking?

Adrian Galysh: I hope my music, although there are no words, communicates and reaches people on an emotional, spiritual and entertaining level. I try to incorporate various instrumentation, and contemporary compositional influences.

Dan McAvinchey: What are your most recently completed projects?

Adrian Galysh: My most recently completed projects are my instrumental album, "Venusian Sunrise", and I just finished producing and playing on a country album by singer/songwriter, Jon Cassandra, called "Dreamed High, Dreams Die". I will soon be starting another instrumental album with keyboardist extraordinare, Josh Martin. It will feature some surprise guest artists.

Dan McAvinchey: How do you come up with your original music?

Adrian Galysh: I typically noodle around until I come across some riff, lick, or melody that I like. I develop that over a couple hours (or days) using a drum machine and keyboards. Usually the inspiration comes from my experiences with people and/or events in my life.

Dan McAvinchey: Do you record at home as well or rent time at a commercial facility?

Adrian Galysh: I record my music at my home studio which consists of digital recording gear as well as MIDI stuff.

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Dan McAvinchey: Why did you decide to form your own record label and release an independent record?

Adrian Galysh: Simple, no one (record labels) I approached would sign me. So I decided to do it myself and created Electric Mayhem Records.

Dan McAvinchey: What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an independent musician?

Adrian Galysh: The advantage is that I collect every dime the CD makes through mail order and the Internet I get great exposure that will help my next project get noticed. The disadvantage is the lack of funds for advertising, and no tour support.

Dan McAvinchey: Do you have any marketing or promotion tips for musicians about to release their first independent record?

Adrian Galysh: Make a plan, before you release the CD, to have press kits, mailers, consignment contracts for stores, flyers, web site, etc. Send press releases to as many local and national trade magazines as possible including information on how to buy copies of the CD. Try to have everything in place before you release the CD; this will make the most of the initial sales, and help create an immediate buzz about the CD. It's good to let everyone know the CD is coming out before it comes out.

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Adrian Galysh is a superb young guitarist from Fairfax, Virginia who has recently released "Venusian Sunrise", an EP-length CD with nine instrumental cuts that draw from an eclectic variety of influences including hard rock, new age, classical, and world music. The cement that binds the various influences together is Galysh's explosive technique on the guitar, as he uses both electric and acoustic models to create moods ranging from beautiful and inspirational to powerful/expressive

Dan McAvinchey invited Galysh to share his motivations and inspirations with other musicians who want to blaze their own trail into the music business.