Having grown up a small-town boy from Wisconsin, Garek moved to the Big Apple to pursue and develop his artistic talents. With his debut EP Take the King, he gives us a unique musical style that blends industrial rock & pop music. He has been recognized by LOGO’s NewNowNext and by myCultureMagazine.com as Artist to Follow.
Who is Garek?
A country boy with a passion for rock n’ roll and a terrible habit of wearing too much makeup.
How would you describe your music?
A mixture of Industrial Rock and Pop. It’s hard to pick one because I have too many guitars (and scream too much) for Pop, but I’m not “hardcore” enough to fit in with other Industrial acts. Some people have called it Darkwave, whatever that is. I think the best description i’ve heard is, “It’s like Depeche Mode with a baseball bat.” It’s like High School; I don’t really fit in anywhere.
Is there a message you’re trying to deliver through your music and artistry?
To encourage people to be as honest with themselves as they can be. You really only get one shot at this, so why spend it trying to fit other’s expectations or opinions? I wanna reach kids in the middle of nowhere that feels isolated by their peers, surroundings, or whatever and tells them, “I get it. Let’s talk.” I grew up feeling isolated and alone, and if I can save somebody that experience through a song, a video or a piece of art, I’ll die happy.
Are there any particular musicians or artists you admire, and what do you admire about them?
Marilyn Manson and Alanis Morissette are my two biggest musical influences. They might seem like opposites, but to me, they shared a commonality in the fact that they both had such unique voices, and they were using their voices to speak about what was important to them. Whether it was Manson’s aggression or Alanis’ vulnerability, I found so much to which I could relate. Lately, I’ve also been listening to Eminem’s earlier material. The way he used music to express his anger is inspiring. I may not be dragging my girlfriend through the woods or stealing my mom’s pills yet, but it’s certainly interesting to think about. I think Sylvia Plath is great- her confessional poetry is a style I try to borrow from in my music.
What is the one thing you wish you knew when you entered into the entertainment industry?
What a long and arduous process this would be! Everybody thinks that you get discovered- I.E. some music producer hears you singing on the subway or stumbles upon your Myspace, you get a record deal and then BOOM, you’re in rehab with millions of dollars and track marks up and down your forearm. There is no correct way to go about “making it” anymore. There are shortcuts (American Idol, X-Factor, The Voice, etc.) but I’m not sure any of those singers end up producing something honest and specific to them. I’m sure I wouldn’t even make it past the first round. Every day is a challenge. Sometimes I think the only things that keep me going are my naivety and stubbornness.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The producer that I was interning with, before I became an artist, sat me down (after I had spent about 20 minutes explaining to her what I wanted to stand for, what I wanted my image/branding to be, how I wanted to change the world and all that other bull) and said to me, “Just make the kind of music you want to make. The rest will come.” And she was so right.
From where do you draw inspiration?
Nature and people. I grew up surrounded by nature; I’ll always be a country boy, and there’s something about Nature that always forced me to look inside- something that encouraged introspection when I was alone in the woods. It’s hard living in New York City because there’s very little nature here, and the constant interaction with other people is, for me, exhausting. I’m such a sensitive person as it is (cue the strings) so human interaction, especially on the magnitude of NYC, can be difficult to navigate. That’s the other place from which I draw inspiration, though. My (often failed) relationships with people.
How do you see your music and artistry developing over the next several years?
I have a lot of anger that I haven’t properly dealt with yet. I’ve never been comfortable expressing my rage or my aggression. I’m terrified of scaring people away. When I finally become brave enough, I hope to address that. Maybe on my first country album…
Where can our readers see you perform?
In clubs and music venues in New York. I’d really like to start traveling and performing for other people, too. Maybe a DIY club tour around the country is in order.
What can we look forward to from you?
More content! I’ve been really inspired lately and I’ve been sitting on a bunch of songs and art that, for one reason or another, I haven’t been able to share with people. I’ve been figuring out how to navigate this industry by myself, so now that I have a better handle on it, I think you’ll be seeing more of me with increasing regularity- whether you want to or not.
