Gary Dranow is an artist, musician, and sportsman whose life story is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the human spirit. With his music deeply reflecting his life, Gary’s unwavering dedication to his craft is a source of inspiration to fans and aspiring artists alike.
His band, Gary Dranow and the Manic Emotions are getting set to release their debut album Destiny Road. For a decade, he poured his heart and soul into the creation of the album. It’s an autobiographical and deeply personal musical journey that chronicles Gary’s struggles, triumphs, and everything in between.
The album was initially written in the 90s and the band intended to release it in the summer of 1998. It was recorded on Jefferson Airplane’s old 2″ 16 Track machine which was owned by his producer Jerry Manfredi. Now, 20 years later, they are ready to officially release their work.
We interview Gary Dranow about his upcoming project, his music, and what inspires him.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
How does this project compare with your other projects you had in the past?
Well, this is my other project I had in the past. Leaving Los Angeles, where my band was, and recording tapes were for Park City, Utah, having had a stroke a broken marriage and literally a broken neck had me leave my music behind for over twenty years. But after about 10 years away from music, while I was ski racing and coaching in the winters (From 1998 to 2010) and competing in equestrian in Three Day Eventing and racing bicycles in the summer keep me occupied, I eventually came back to music in 2008. Phew! That was a long sentence…LOL.
Anyway, I was basically starting over again from scratch. I start practicing, sometimes 5 hours a day and by 2018 I had my chops back and in 2019, just before the Pandemic I re-formed Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions 2.0 with a tight group of professional musicians consisting of Sherm Tate on Bass and vocals and after trying four drummers I found the brilliant Bon Smith. My fourth member consisted of guys moving in and out. So, in 2020 we started gigging (this is after 20 years away) in local venues to a good reception (As we were rebooked everywhere we played).
Okay now back to your question. In 2022, Jerry Manfredi, my LA bass player and musical director shipped me this mysterious 70 pound box (mysterious because he didn’t tell me he was doing it). In the box were 7 Ampex 2” 16 track tapes which were all the tracks making up my upcoming album Destiny Road. About that time and very serendipitous I found a record engineer/producer/mastering pro named Tim Wilson. How we found each other was a mystery to both of us but somehow I got his phone number and gave him a call. After asking me how I found him to which I told “I think Facebook” I told him of my situation with this box of 20-year-old tapes. A day later he gave me the contact information to Deep Signal Studios in Lakewood. California. After a quick phone call where I asked the manager Nick if those 20-year-old tapes could possibly be restored enough so he could pull the analog tracks off and transfer them to digital tracks (.wav Stem tracks) to which he said probably. A day later the tapes where back on a plan to California. After a couple pf weeks nick told me that all the tracks came off pristine and sent me a thumb drive with hundreds of individual stem tracks.
Enter Tim Wilson again. I got him the two zip files and he began the assembly and mixing the tracks together into the fourteen songs that now make up Destiny Road, which is being released May 12th. All but four songs were complete.
On one song I had my current writing partner a guitar phenom do the lead track on one song that I had not gotten around to record when I left LA and I had to record the vocals for three other songs and the album was complete.
That’s my old project becoming my new project.
Enter Chris Zoupa (Teramaze, Melbourne Australia). First in 2018 there abouts I had him transcribe all my Destiny Road songs which I did come from LA with board mixes. And then had him start teaching me my own songs and guitar rhythm and lead parts. This is still going on to this day.
But Chris and my relationship blossomed into the most amazing song writing collaboration I have ever experience. Jerry Manfredi was instrumental in getting Destiny Road out of me, but with Chris and I it’s another level. It’s like we’re brothers from different mothers. I come up with a guitar phrase, lick or progression and then Chris takes my ideas and puts structure to them, to which I write lyrics, stories really, as of today we have written fourteen new and completely different songs than from Destiny Road for our first (my second) album Never Give Up. We start recording the title track in my studio May 25th with Bob Smith recording his drum part for the title track “Never Give Up.” He is quite keen of the song.
What’s totally different from Destiny Road to Never Give Up is making music digitally instead of on analog tapes. The cost to record has gone way down and we all don’t have to be in one location to record the songs. Chris and I now have it down to a science and we have completed the demo tracks in Guitar Pro 8 (Did I mention Chris is a genius working with GP8 and can arrange an entire song with everything notated and tabbed which makes learning the songs for the band a snap!
What about this project makes you most proud? Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?
Let’s start with Destiny Road. I wanted to capture the important aspects of my life as a struggled with Bipolar Disorder to which I went undiagnosed until I was well into my forties. I wanted to tell stories that people struggling with any kind of mental challenge could relate to and even find solace in. I believe with Destiny Road I have done that.
For Never Give Up again I want to tell stories people can relate to. I write about personal experiences, just through a different lens now that my Bi-polar disorder is and has been well managed for the last 15 years. I tackle different topics like historical events as in Hadrian’s wall. Stories that have humor to them like Johnny Was A Driver (Which I wrote in the ‘70s) or Yosemite about an ill-fated back packing trip which is really a fun and funny song. I take on topics like climate change in Mother’s Angry. I write about promiscuity as a symptom of Bi-polar Disorder with Mania (the reason behind the name The Manic Emotions), too many new songs to discuss but as I said the collaboration with Chris Zoupa has allowed me to explore my creativity and through our different talents and musical strengths we have gelled into a well oiled song writing machine not a far cry from Elton John and Bernie Taupin or George Harrison, John Lenon and Paul McCartney. Each person bringing their own slice of the pie to the party. I just hope that Chris and I measure up to these lofty examples as history eventually views our work product.
What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?
Life and life experiences. I still have a touch of that mania that was and is behind so much of my creative well-spring. I don’t know how I’d fair if it wasn’t for my music as both an emotional outlet and now an occupation.
If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.
Jimi Hendrix. His guitar playing and song writing has always been a beacon for me, Chris and I are just now putting the finishing touches on our latest song, Jimi’s Song.
What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?
The last son I listened to was Greta Van Fleet’s Heat Above.
Favorite all time bands has to include The Dixie Dreggs with Steve Morse, anything by AC/DC, Joe Satriani’s Surfing with The Alien, Anything by Led Zeppelin, The Who, Jeff Beck and finally Robben Ford.
Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?
Those emerald hills I dreamt of that was the inspiration of Destiny Road, the song, of Pinebrook, Park City with my wife of 18 years (my fourth) Dr. Elizabeth Dranow and our three goldendoodles. This is where I feel safe, happy and full of creativity.
I really appreciate your time. Is there anything you’d like to share before we sign off?
Whatever your dreams are pursue them and NEVER GIVE UP!
