RR: What inspired your dream to create music?

GP: When I was a kid I would go over to my Grandmothers house and play around on an electric piano she had called a"Fun Machine." This is when I discovered that i liked to experiment with different chords and notes. I had no clue to what I was doing, I just liked the sound of it. When I was around 10 my Grandfather got me an electric guitar for Christmas and so I switched from piano to guitar. Even then, the guitar was more of a prop for me to pretend like I was in Bon Jovi or Aerosmith. I though those guys were the coolest people ever. 

RR:What are some of your musical influences?

GP: Early on when I first started writing songs it was Tom Petty. I liked how he could turn simple chords and melodies into something great. Then I discovered Radiohead and they really influenced me to push the limits of my song structures. 

RR:When you write a song, what gives you the inspiration?

GP: Songs move me and encourage me in ways that never happen through direct conversation. I love the idea of creating a song that would have some kind of impact on people wether it just makes their day better or inspires them to do something or perhaps it just allows them to relate to something they don't typically think about in their day to day life.

RR: Have you always wanted to be an musician/songwriter?

GP: Not always, I really wanted to be a Zoologist when I was a kid. Then later on in highschool I thought it would be a good idea to be a Petroleum Engineer even though I didn't know exactly what that was. It wasn't until college that I rediscovered my love for songcraft and when I look back through my past I suppose there always was a part of me that wanted to be a musician

RR: How has it been chasing your dream?

GP: It has been frustrating and difficult for me. I never have had the opportunity to put %100 of my time and resources into my music. It has always been on the back burner so to speak, after paying bills and putting food in my belly. Getting bands together for rehearsals and shows is a challenge and the recording process with limited time and funding presents a challenge as well. I have been very blessed by the people I have worked with on my projects to get the recordings I have with very little time and essentially no budget. Working in the studio and playing live shows have been some of the best times of my life and I am very thankful for those opportunities. I'm always looking forward to more of that! 

RR: What has been your most favorable moment you have have while chasing your dream?

GP: There are too many to narrow it down to one but a good example would be playing a live show at Stubbs Barbecue in Austin. It's a legendary venue and a lot of my family were there for the show. 

RR: What has been the hardest thing you have faced trying to make your dream happen?

GP: The hardest thing has always been not having enough time. To get a song written, rehearsed, recorded, and then released to an audience is a very long process. It takes a great deal of determination to get it done if you have to work a day job. 

RR: What keeps you going while chasing your dream?

GP: There is always at least one person who seems to encourage me to keep going at the right moment. Just when i am getting ready to move on from music someone always calls up or writes me a message that says they really liked a song or a record I have made. Or they say they really like my voice and that is all the motivation I need to keep going.

RR: when some comes and sees a Greg Pherigo show, what do you want them to experience?

GP: At first I want them to experience a break from reality by being entertained but ultimately I hope they are encouraged in some way. I've noticed that the great times in life usually don't last for very long but its those moments of greatness that get you going to whatever is next. 

RR: what is new/next for the musician Greg Pherigo?

GP: Hopefully I am going to begin a new collaboration with a friend of mine who I worked with before but only for a short time. We are thinking about re-working some of the songs that didn't get the justice they deserved the first time we recorded them. This could mean a possible relocation to Los Angeles which is scary and exciting at the same time.

RR: Do you want to be a signed national act or do you like the indie scene.

GP: I would love to be a national act because I think that would mean more time and resources to keep the dream alive. However, I think the nature of my music and performance style are geared more towards the indie scene. Thus, if i ever had the chance to be a national act it would mean that I retain the creative process of the songwriting and the record labels would simply act as management and distribution. 

RR: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to chase their dream in the music industry?

GP:I would say to get as much determination as you can and create music that you are proud of. 

Some fun questions now.

RR: If I were to hit play on your ipod/ipad/or iphone what is the song that I would hear? 

GP: Probably something off of the new "Band of Horses" album called "Infinite Arms." I tend to listen to one record at a time until it's worn out.

RR: What famous person would you like to have dinner with (dead or alive)

GP: Adam Sandler, he seems like he would be a fun down to earth celebrity to be around

RR: Favorite type of potato chip?

GP: Salt and Vinegar Pringles

RR: Favorite place you like to go and just chill?

GP: I love hanging around at Bookstores, if I lived near a beach then that would quickly become my hang around place.

There you go. That was an unamped look of local Dallas artist, Greg Pherigo.

http://www.myspace.com/pherigo

http://www.facebook.com/GregoryPherigo?ref=fs