Hiya Daniel Bohn, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
Thanks for joining us today… Tell us bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
Thanks for having me today! I’m from St. Louis, Missouri, in the USA. Music has always been a passion of mine and something I’ve connected with, even as a young child. My parents listened to records and CDs most days of the week, so music was always around me growing up.
A lot of my earliest memories have music connected to them in some way. I think because of that, music has always felt like more than just something I listen to or create. In a way, music is family. It connects us to people, memories, and different moments in our lives.
What’s the live music scene like in St. Louis?
Live music has always been large in St. Louis, I do think we tend to get looked over, for larger cities such as Chicago. However, the fans here are loyal and love to support live music of all genres.
Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
As a musician, I listen to a large amount of music. With that, there are bands out there who are incredible, and deserve love. If you haven’t, check out Caelestra and Vorga, both these bands are awesome, I feel they could use more ears to hear their tunes.
Do you think it’s easy to become a victim of our surroundings sometimes?
Absolutely. I think one of the harder things in life is learning how to move forward from being a victim of our circumstances. We can’t control everything that happens to us, and that’s okay. But sometimes we can become so consumed by what has happened that it blinds us to the things around us that could help us heal, grow, and ultimately find happiness. I think a lot of my music explores that struggle. Acknowledging the darkness without allowing it to become the only thing that defines us.
What are your ambitions for the band?
As a child and teenager, I wanted to be famous! Haha. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that the simpler things are what really make me happy.
Of course, I’d love for my music to reach as many ears as possible, but at the end of the day, music is a passion for me. I truly love writing, creating, and playing.
My biggest ambition is really just to share that passion, love, and creativity with anyone willing to listen. I hope that maybe a song, a lyric, or even just a groove can connect with someone emotionally. If my music can encourage someone, motivate them, or even help them find their own voice and pursue something they’re passionate about, that means more to me than fame ever could.
Whats your favourite social media platform to use and why?
I’ll be honest, social media is a tough one for me. I completely understand its value, and obviously I use it to connect with people and share my music, but I’m not the biggest fan of it. I think there are psychological effects that can be pretty negative, especially when we become too consumed by it.
But if I had to choose one platform, it would probably be YouTube. I’ve found so many useful videos over the years, whether it’s learning how to fix something, discovering new music, or finding some incredible fan-made content. When you look past some of the negatives of social media, it’s pretty amazing how much creativity, knowledge, and genuinely good stuff you can find there.
We believe it’s essential to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and X to introduce yourself to all the different types of audiences out there, what’s your thoughts on that?
I definitely agree that social media is important, especially as an independent musician. It gives us the ability to connect with people all over the world who may have never discovered my music otherwise. I’ve met some incredible people and found a lot of support through those platforms and even people who have assisted me with art and such.
At the same time, I think social media can be incredibly toxic. It’s easy to get caught up in numbers, algorithms, and comparing yourself to everyone else. As an artist, you can start feeling like your success or even the value of what you create is determined by likes, followers, or how much engagement a post gets.
I think there has to be a balance. I want to use social media to connect with people, share my passions, and hopefully introduce my music and stories to someone who might connect with them. But I also try to remember that there is a real person on the other side of every screen. To me, that connection is much more important than any number next to a post.
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
The industry is a tough one. On one side, I think social media and streaming services have made it easier than ever to get your music out and connect with listeners from all over the world. Technology has also made creating music more accessible, which has allowed more people to explore their creativity and make something of their own. Which is amazing.
On the other hand, I do think we have devalued art in some ways. We have more access to music than ever before, but very few musicians can actually make a good living from their music alone without having another job or career. There is something strange about having millions of songs available at our fingertips, while many of the people creating that music are struggling to make it sustainable.
I think there is a lot to be grateful for. Technology has improved and taken music to new bounds, but we also need to find better ways to value and support the people who create it.
Whats your thoughts on AI generated music?
One of the hottest topics as of late for sure. AI generated music is not great for anyone. I can understand using it as a tool, to assist you. But not creating full songs for you. In many ways, it is a form of theft.
Yes, it is quite neat that AI can create music from others music and make it sound so perfect. But that is the issue. There is no passion, there is not mistake, no pain, no love. It is what AI thinks you want to hear based on a few inputs. As I said earlier, AI is a tool, it is useful for helping one with emails at work, it can help organize thoughts and various other activities, or even help identify errors. But once we try to replace human art, with it, we loose what makes art well art. THE human.
Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is to trust myself and enjoy the process. It’s easy to get caught up in what other people think, how many people are listening, or whether something is going to be successful. I’ve learned that I can’t control all of that.
What I can control is creating music that I’m proud of. Of course I want to continuing growing with every release. And so far, I feel I have. I know not everyone is going to connect with everything I create, and that’s okay. I want to keep challenging myself, trying new things, and making music that means something to me. If it connects with someone else along the way, that makes it even more meaningful.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
Outside of the two bands I mentioned earlier, the New Ocean, In Abstract Illusion, Kardashev, ChVrches and DAX. In Abstract and Kardashev have quickly rose to be some of my top bands as of late. They are truly inspiring.
What was your worst experience on stage? Any funny stories to share?
I’d say one of my worst experiences was during one of my first live shows with my old band. I had bought these new drumsticks that were advertised as being “indestructible,” so naturally, I only brought one pair. Haha.
Halfway through the first song, I came down on a cymbal and one of the sticks cracked completely in half. I ended up having to play the rest of the show with one normal stick and one broken one. It was definitely a challenge, especially being one of my first shows!
Lesson learned: never trust anything that says it’s indestructible… and always bring extra drumsticks!
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
I do! I just dropped my new album, Gallant Guest, on July 10th, and I’m very excited about it. I’m also back to being fully independent. I decided not to release another record under a label and instead go back to releasing everything myself.
Unlike my past two records, Gallant Guest isn’t a true concept album. Each song has its own story. I wanted the freedom to write about different ideas and explore things outside of the fantasy concept I had built around the previous albums. I’m really proud of how it all turned out.
The title track, “Gallant Guest,” for example, came from the idea of dreaming about being the hero in someone else’s dreams. I loved that idea of entering these different worlds and stories through dreams, and that became the starting point for the song and album. I wanted to take that idea of Gallant and Guest and explore how they can intertwine with different concepts.
What was the recording process like?
The recording process was kind of all over the place! It started with most of the drums being recorded at a local studio, then I recorded the guitars and vocals at my old house. Somewhere in the middle of everything, I moved, so I ended up finishing the production and any additional recording at the new house.
So in a way, the album traveled with me through a couple different chapters of my life. It wasn’t the most traditional recording process, but overall, I had a great time creating it and I’m really proud of how everything came together.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
I think as a musician, you can always go back and find something you would change. You can spend forever tweaking a song and never truly feel like it’s finished. But at some point, you have to let it go.
Looking back at Gallant Guest, I’m really proud of how it turned out. There are always little things I might do differently now, small tweaks or changes, but I also think that’s part of growing as a musician. Each album is almost like a snapshot of where I was creatively at that time. I’d rather take what I learned from this record and carry it into whatever I create next than keep going back and changing the past. I have learned so much with this album, and I absolutely can’t wait to see how it all sums up on the next one.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Travel, see the world, experience culture, and music of other places and people. Go in with an open mind. Learn from it and truly live in the moment.
Secondly, give more than you take, happiness is not always what more you can have, but sometimes what can you do for others. Lastly, find that passion, and love the hell out of it. Grow it, admire it and keep it private or share with the world, but just do not ever give up on it. Because those passions are what make you, you..
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