We are all looking for something that makes our soul sing and I have found it in the most uncommon of places – in the sound of a distorted guitar.
So as a teen, experiencing this for the first time has sent a charge of lightning into my blood, that keeps on burning ever since.
Why did these Hard Rocking musicians impressed me?
They were having so much fun, and the passion in their playing seemed like an unstoppable force of nature.
Yes, I desired to be like those grown men, on a stage. A silhouette in a blinding glare of lights, with a roaring crowd cheering me on!
Not just pure excitement – Rock N’ Roll offered something else too. It was an idea of total freedom that challenged the rules of society and its strict family traditions.
It’s true that the music of rebellion brings together all those who are unhappy in their actual life and are seeking change.
The teenage dreams of stardom are always a welcome stimulus for a young and undeveloped mind. Hence my hunger for success egged me on!
I was embarking on a great adventure, longing to be alongside my heroes and coveting their acceptance as an equal.
Somewhat repeating the fate of Odysseus, I was sacrificing everything for a chance to shine in the glory of Heavy Metal.
Utilizing a violin in an aggressive way was a great challenge since there was no good examples in the mid-nineties.
I insisted on my presentation not falling into a gimmick, but serve as a natural asset to the genre of music, respectfully.
It’s still hard to break the stereotype that a violin could only be used in Metal as an Orchestral ornament. Most people still only see it as that.
But I realized that the ability to work with distortion was crucial for the development of the style and it took me years to find the right balance between playing, style and the effects.
Even though it had to be an electric instrument, the feeling of the neck needed to be as close to the authentic violin as possible. But the richness of natural tone had to be developed into a wail of a mean Rocking machine.
I found all that and more in E.F. Keebler custom instruments. First with the “Black Dragon” 5-string violin and then the “Warhorse”.
The rest is history.
A fusion of genuine love and understanding of Rock and Metal music and being constantly inspired by the greats. Always challenging self to achieve perfection, until relentless and tireless work bore the fruit of success.
Most important however, was finding my own path.
Even though I’ve met a great deal of famous and celebrated musicians from my favorite genre and some of them showed great respect and appreciation, I have never found a true brotherhood and camaraderie among them.
A life-long search brought me back to where it all began.
I understand now that I’ve always had everything I needed – in me. It was always there.
