Gadabout, raconteur, ne’er-do-well-er. Gregarious and fecund. An artist who has said his dream is to be the American Susan Boyle with an album title (Dirty Red Pagan) suggested by Andy Partridge of XTC. Gilbert Neal is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter with a uniquely imaginative multi-genre style that’s refreshingly difficult to categorize. In addition to his contributions as an indie rock solo artist, his adventurous, exploratory spirit has even found him in a Genesis tribute band and a country music line-dance band.
Born in Buffalo, NY and currently based in North Carolina, Gilbert Neal has performed in various bands, jazz ensembles and theater productions throughout the years. However, at the heart of it, Gilbert is first and foremost a songwriter, with most of his lyrics being quite personal, telling a specific story or referring to a particular incident. Thematically, Gilbert is inspired by religion, politics, sex, loss and parental love. His sometimes quirky songs can be tongue-in-cheek, theatrical and somewhat socialist, frequently weaving in sexual, and godless messages in the lyrics. Gilbert says he strives to make each album 1) a cohesive piece of work and 2) guaranteed to possibly make a fantastic musical!
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Gilbert about influences, the new project, the digital music world and more.
Full Q&A along with links and streams below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I am from Buffalo, NY, the snark victim capital of the world. I live in North Carolina. My style of music is an intimate portrayal of a semi-reformed lothario who knows lots of musical ways to talk about his evil twin. I’ve been in all kinds of musical situations and my albums contain a little of every style I’ve played. Lots of theater seeps out. Ballads, big ones, I love. I try to be funky and soulful but it all comes out broken somehow, which I like.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
I have decided that the dream comes alive most accurately when I just follow my muse down the road to the boarded-up buildings in my memory. There’s a purity to working alone. A sanctity I require to come up with some of this goofy oevre. And I stay the course because I’ve got so many more things to say. There’s people out there who need me. People in elevators. Fast-food window people. Sexy Chinese girls.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
I have more $$ so I was able to indulge in more whimsy. Horns, strings, a harmonica player (his track didn’t make the cut) but aside from that, all 5 albums are of a piece, really. I think if there’s been any growth, it’s been in an ease of expression lyrically. It’s all a kind of concept about lust, defeat, atheism, and there’s a song-cycle about one affair in particular. While it was happening, all i could think was “this is gonna make a great song”. So I set out to accomplish the progression from meeting to sex to resignation to appraisal. I mean, it didn’t happen TO me but I was very close to it.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
I write a song. I send the song (in demo form with click) to my drummer Steve Camilleri in Florida. He drums and returns the files. I record my parts and hire soloists or strings/horns who record remotely or locally. I sing at a local studio better equipped for vocals. All of this is sent to Darrell Nutt at Def Media in Florida (a different part) and he mixes/masters. Steve and Darrell have worked with me on the last three albums, but I haven’t been within 500 miles of them. That’s so much better than finding local guys, all showing up in the same room, and trying for a perfect take. My technique saves me, too, the stress of constantly checking the studio clock. We work at a relatively easy pace. Anyone can do it.
The challenge, for me has been that anyone can do it. That, and the fact that I don’t fit into a well-trodden demographic.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
Anything else before we sign off?
Fuck Trump
