Today's behind the scenes feature, Gary Delusion, internet DJ and owner of the immaculate world of stoner/doom/riff radio that is Grip of Delusion, also the home of Doomsters International, the Federation of Riff Mongers and Doom Mavens.
Start at the beginning, how did you get started with this crazy idea of broadcasting about music?
Far ago in a land far away (from Ripple HQ) was a young lad who used to tape his favorite college metal radio station on cloudy days, since that was the only time it came in clear enough to listen to. He would listen back to these tapes and hear the DJs in training and would think to himself "I wish I could do that". Zoom ahead about 13 years to see our intrepid question answerer being introduced to the world of internet radio. He thought to himself "Hey I can do this!" and started his career as an internet radio DJ who was still worse than those kids in training all those years ago on the college station. But he had fun doing it and after a few years of working on other stations, had decided to start his own. He noticed there was a lack of free stations promoting some of his favorite types of music and therefore he knew his direction. Taking the song title of one of his all time favorite bands, the Sludge, Stoner and Doom radio spectacular known as Grip Of Delusion was born on April 1st, 2011!
We're all the product of our musical past. What's your musical history? First album you ever bought? First musical epiphany moment? First album that terrified the hell out of you?
The first tape I ever got with my own money was Twisted Sister's Stay Hungry. My mom was happy to encourage my joy of music and would usually let me get a new tape every time we went to the store. Most of the time I had to suffer with the light rock station in the car.
In high school, I would hassle kids I thought that had good musical taste to see what they were into and this is when I got into punk, hardcore and even met a Mr Warren Zevon. This was the time of my first musical epiphany, 1986, Garage Days Revisited by that band (uhh whozeewhatsit?) that cover another awesome band Killing Joke.
So by the time I got to college and the job at the local record store afterwards, my musical tastes had branched in every direction I could find and I probably had another 300 musical epiphanies in that time alone.
The bad part of having a station is there is sooo much music to go through that I don't get the chance to really absorb it. If it fits the station, then it gets added and I will get a better chance to digest the band as I hear it being broadcast. The good part of that is there are so many bands making the music I wanna hear that I can't get a chance to hear it all. Uhh what was the question again?
What do you see happening in the music scene today, good and bad?
I dunno if you could still call it a scene, though I would phrase it more as a global musical community. The good part of that is getting to learn about bands from all parts of the world. The bad part is there are too many bands to try and listen to hahahaha.
With so many music sites, how would you describe what you do? What's your unique take on the music and broadcasting?
What we do is simple. Grip Of Delusion is the essence of what I think internet radio should be. It's dedicated to a certain sonic spectrum because it's the music we wanna hear and it is available for free to everyone with an internet connection. If we like the band then we add it to the rotation for others to check out and if the listeners in turn, like the band, they go out and support the bands by purchasing shirts, vinyl, fleshlights etc. No pay to play here. This is our way of helping out good music.
Illegal free downloads on your site. Yes or no, and why?
Nah.
What's been your all time greatest "Find"? That band you "discovered" before anyone else and started the word spreading?
I remember finding a band from Hungary called Chief Rebel Angel, that I checked out because I was in the mood for an Entombed clone and it turns out it was nothing of the sort. Youtube that shiz!
If you could write a 1,000 word essay on one song, which one would it be, and why? What makes that song so important?
Hahaha if I could write a 1,000 word essay on anything, Grip's blog would be a powerhouse hahahahaha. But if I could, I would choose Tocohara by -(16)-, to this day that song makes me want to junk punch babies. The station itself is my essay. What I can't put into words is translated by the music I have chosen to broadcast.
Give us three bands that we need to keep our eyes out for.
This is tough one, since I have met many fine folks and to single a few out would be hard. I will say the next three bands you see live that fucking kill the stage are the ones you need to get behind.
Tell us about your personal music collection. Vinyl? CD? What's your prized possession?
I was started on 8-tracks and grew up on cassettes and cds, so I guess I'm a fan of portable. I like physical media, but the wife is happy that hard drives take up way less space in this packrat's office. hahaha If mp3s could get that cassette warmth, then I would be the most happy. I am half deaf from 15 years of the construction industry, so the whole "vinyl is superior" is lost on me (plus not very portable), but I will pick up records from my favorite bands cus they look cool on the wall. That leads me to my prized musical possession of a 1994 Bacteria Sour, Pushead Fan Club version of -(16)-'s Tocohara 7".
What makes it all worthwhile for you?When I get a message from somewhere around the world and they say "I just found your station and I love it".
How would your life be different if you weren't involved in music?
I think I would be masturbating an awful lot more, probably have some wiener callouses by now.
Ever been threatened by a band or a ravenous fan?
I would welcome being threatened, that would mean I am important enough in their life to be an issue. It's worse to be ignored.
In the end, what would you like to have accomplished, or be remembered for?
I think I have accomplished my goal of creating something cool now I just want to make it better. Will I be remembered? It would be cool, but I doubt it. I will be happy to be considered as a peer to the other folks involved in this business.
Many people may not realize the hours you devote to what you do for little or no pay. Is there a day job? If so, how do you find the balance?
There is definitely NO pay at all in internet radio. hahahaha With the current shambles that is known as the unionized commercial construction industry of NJ, I am currently working for a giant package delivery corporation, it keeps us afloat, but it can be a lot of hours.
There was almost no balance to the point that I had recently shut the station down out of frustration. A cohort of mine from the UK by the name of Ed Gane (Amplifier Worship podcast), talked me off the ledge and jumped in to help run things, which gave me the balance and the kick in the ass to keep going. Thanks Ed.
What's next? Any new projects?
The focus has doubled back to getting the station even more excellent than before. We added a live DJ named Baphom3t (The Left Hand Path) and are always looking for new podcasts to air. We will have some more live shows in the future, but top priority is always the quality of the music in the rotation. I putz around with Grip Of Delusion Recordings (currently hosting Curse The Son and our compilations) and I hope someday to have the blog side of things rolling. There is always some kind of idea rolling around in my head...
Finally, other than the music, what's your other burning passion?
Finding new and subtle ways to make my wife crazy...
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