Preparing for Progfest: Meniscus
Subscribe
X

Subscribe to Mixdown Magazine

Preparing for Progfest: Meniscus

Who are we chatting to and what do you do in the band? 
I’m Dan. I play guitar, loops, and program the synths/samples … and make weird faces.

 

Who are your biggest influences? 
Fleetwood Mac for their use of melody and hooks, Nirvana for their visceral, yet beautifully simplistic sound, and COG for paving the way for modern rock in Australia. In terms of live influences, I have never seen a more impressive live act than At The Drive-In circa early 2000’s.

 

What do you love about making music? 
For me, music is a vehicle for the expression of emotions. Being able to translate what you’re feeling/thinking about into something tangible, and have that output connect with someone else, regardless of who or where they are, is the most rewarding aspect of making music. 

 

What drew you to progressive music?
The fact that prog is a broad term and that truly anything goes. Musicians in this genre are probably technically some of the best in the world, and continue to push boundaries and inspire each other.

 

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your stuff, who would it be and why?
I’d like to have had the opportunity to meet Dave Gilmour around the time Pink Floyd were making Dark Side Of The Moon. I’d probably be too embarrassed to show him our stuff, but I’d love to have been able to sit down for a cup of tea and pick his brain about a bunch of things, like which leg goes first when he puts his jeans on in the morning, and if they believed that Dark Side would go on to be one the most influential and enigmatic records of our time.

 

What can a punter expect from your live show?
It’s an honest, passionate, and energetic show. We leave it all up there on stage, and people seem to resonate with that. Playing live is about you pouring everything out while simultaneously struggling with your instrument. If something hasn’t broken, or I’m not in pain after the gig, then we haven’t done it right.