Interview with Masqued Guitarist Drew Creel

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello Drew! Welcome to the Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it is greatly appreciated.

CV: What drives you to continue to create?

Drew Creel: For me, it’s the reward of sitting back and listening to a song you just wrote after all the pieces have been put together, and then performing that song for other people.  It’s a lot of work and can be frustrating at times to work through it and get everything to sound right, but the payoff when the song does come together the way you intended is so worth it.

CV: Was music your first love? 

DC: I got into music when I was in grade school, playing trumpet in the school band, but it wasn’t until later in high school when I started playing guitar and learned how to write songs.  At that point I was hooked!

CV: Would you say music has made you the person you are today?
DC: Absolutely!  Can’t imagine what my life would be like without it!

CV: Could you see yourself doing something completely different other than music? If so, what would that be?

DC: No not really!  If not music, I would have to have some other sort of creative outlet, but I am a lousy painter/actor/writer/etc. so not sure what that would be!

CV: Which artist has inspired you the most?
DC: Eddie Van Halen was the one that really inspired me to not only play guitar but to learn and try to master it.  Hearing Eruption on the radio as a kid was the moment that made me say “I gotta try that!”

CV: Non artist…who has been your biggest influence?

DC: Probably my bandmates that I’ve had over the years (but I guess they are technically artists…).  I learn a lot from playing music with other people and when you’re in a band with someone for a long period of time, their style and opinions tend to rub off on you!

CV: Was/Is your family supportive with your musical pursuits?

DC: Absolutely – my dad bought me my first guitar when I was a teenager, and my wife is very supportive of my musical endeavors!

CV: What do you find inspires your music the most as a songwriter?

DC: For me it’s almost always some kind of life experience.  Whether it’s travel, or something that happened in my personal life, or just a feeling I had while going for a run, I try to translate that into music, and the music ends up being a reminder of how I felt at that time.

CV: What's your go to album for motivation? Why that album?
DC: Oh that varies month to month, but probably my number one album is Queensryche’s Operation Mindcrime.  In my opinion that is a nearly perfect album all the way through – the songs are so well crafted and interesting, the storyline is complex and engaging… very inspiring!

CV: Some of your favorite artists... past and present, who are they?

DC: Past:  Rush, Iron Maiden, Pantera, Fates Warning, Pink Floyd (and way too many others to list)

Some of my favorites from the past year or two:  Allegaeon, Ayreon, Evergrey, Scar Symmetry, Myrath

CV: The one album you feel every Metalhead should own and why? 

DC: True metalheads should own lots of albums but I’d say Metallica’s Master of Puppets!

CV: What do you consider is a defining moment in Heavy Metal history and why is it significant… how did it impact the genre?

DC: Black Sabbath’s introduction in 1970 was pretty significant – every metal band since has been influenced in one way or another by that band.

CV: Who would you like to work with if given the opportunity?

DC: I’d love to record an album with Terry Brown – he produced my favorite Rush and Fates Warning albums, and I just love his sound that he is able to get with the bands he works with.

CV: What do you feel are the top three things it takes to make it in the music business as an artist?

DC: First, you have to have a good product that people want to see and hear – I think this one is obvious.  Second, you have to make good decisions – it helps to have some basic understanding of how the business works for this.  How many excellent bands have disappeared because they ran out of money or their record label didn’t release their album?  And third, you have to have a passion for music.  It’s a brutal business and only those who have the passion and are willing to go through all of the trials and tribulations of getting a band off the ground will make it.

CV: There has been a lot of remarks among established rockers these days regarding young, up and coming bands, that they don't stand a chance at making a career with music into today's industry... what do you think?  

DC: Well, they have a point.  It’s a different industry these days and you really don’t stand a chance making it the way current established bands did it 20 and 30 years ago.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a career in music, it just means that you have to do it differently.  Some current up-and-coming bands have been very successful using social media to build their fanbase, for example.

CV: As an artist, what do you feel are your strengths?

DC: I think Masqued’s biggest strength is being able to write songs that are memorable and have some kind of “hook” without being cheesy.  I think we strike a good balance between the dense and technical stuff that only appeals to musicians and the bland, poppy stuff that some bands put out to try and get radio airplay.

CV: What do you think separates bands of today from bands of the past?

DC: The music business is a lot different now, and I think that has a big impact on the bands.  Touring is much more important now as that’s where most of a band’s money is made these days, so you don’t see too many “studio bands” that are wildly successful.  Also, because there is so much new music coming out each week, the market tends to have a shorter attention span, so bands have to bring their A game every album or risk being pushed aside by another new band.

CV: With so many iconic women eligible for induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of fame, such as Cher, Stevie Nicks and Carly Simon many among others, why do you think they are being overlooked?

DC: I have no idea – I would hope there is not some sort of gender bias going on.  The Rock n Roll hall of fame’s selection process is very strange and often infuriating to me – why did it take so long for Rush to be inducted, and why on earth is Motorhead not in it already?

CV: We hear so much negative commentary regarding today's overall music industry. What's your take on it? Is Rock really dead?
DC: Nah.  There’s plenty of excellent new music out there, you just have to look for it!  And there always will be, Rock will never die!

CV: What’s next for you?

DC: We just release our first album, “The Light in the Dark”, and are working on getting some tour dates together!  Hope to see you and your readers soon!

CV: Thank you again Drew for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. I wish you all the best and continued success with all your projects.

Check out Drew and Masqued at:
https://www.facebook.com/masquedmetal/

http://www.masqued.net/