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The Obelisk Questionnaire: Greg Dellaria of Raibard & Oxblood Forge

Posted in Questionnaire on February 22nd, 2022 by JJ Koczan

Greg Dellaria of Raibard & Oxblood Forge

The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.

Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.

Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.

The Obelisk Questionnaire: Greg Dellaria of Raibard & Oxblood Forge

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

I remember back in the late 70’s my parents told me “you don’t like sports, You have to do something.” Being someone who’s main interests in those days was Creature Double feature, Star wars, Kiss and being big music fan for my whole younger life I said why not try guitar. I got one of those Nylon string acoustic guitar and took lessons in Newton Center music for a bit. It was all Mel bay music books and such but I also started to dabble in bass after seeing The Kids Are Allright and Let There Be Rock in the cinema. Seeing John Entwistle and Cliff Williams totally destroying it made me want to play bass. I was a pretty novice guitar player but as a bass player, my playing improved much more than guitar. I was auditioning for a garage band around that time and they asked “You play both guitar and bass”? I said yes. I then tried out on guitar and they were like ehhh, then played bass right after and they said “Guess what? you are the new bass player.” We did a couple of covers like Cheap Trick’s Reach out, Aldo Nova’s Fantasy but that was about it. So begins the big journey that still goes to this day.

Describe your first musical memory.

Back in the early 70’s I would say around 70-75, records use to be played all the time in the house where I lived in and my mother was a big Johnny Mathis fan so there was a lot of that, The Fith Demension, Bread and the first Paul McCartney album being played all the time. My sister was a big Partridge family fan but this was like early 70’cersa 72-73. There was a lot of WRKO radio going on also. I use to fall asleep to that station a low volume so music was always going.

As far as first music I would have to say The Beatles were my go to band. I remember getting the Red And Blue double albums as an Xmas gift and that time. Watching the Monkees on TV was a big one also. Then the late 70’s came about and Led Zeppelin, Ac/dc, Aerosmith were big on my list. Toys In The Attic was a big one for me. But I was young and you know how you are when you are young, that early hunger for musical exploration sets in. Someone brought into music class on the day the teacher would have everyone bring in thier favorite albums. One kid brought in the first Van Halen album, I was completely blown away. Never heard guitar like that before in my life. That and seeing The Ramones on Sneak Previews when they had an episode of cult movies on. The were doing I Just want to have something to do while riding in a car in that clip from Rock And Roll High School. I thought that was the coolest thing ever, plus the music was something I never heard before. So much power!
From there the early 80’s came. I started to want and explore heavier, more wild music. I started to go to Newbury comics back when it was a hole in the wall on Newbury street buying up metal Massacres compilations, Kerrang mags and discovering bands like Warlord, Killer, Tank, Raven, Venom and so on. Heavy metal From Hell was a show on WBCN and I use to go to the Nuggets when they had one in Chestnut Hill and I would go to the promo bin/bargain bin and buy whatever I heard on that show I liked. Nasty habits was another show that had crazy infuence on me around 83 and onward. There were minor hits on WCOZ by bands like Def Leppard with Wasted, The rods- Turn it up, Krokus- Burning Bones, etc. Motorhead had a minor hit on that station with that song The chase Is better Than the catch. You did not hear it a lot but when you heard them, It really got me going because you felt like a bolt of lightning hit you. There was also a show on WLYN before it became FNX called Headbangers. That had crazy influence on me because it was not just Hard rock/early metal. It was a lot of punk and post stuff going on also. You heard Saxon but then they would play the Sex Pistols and Wipers right after. They had a format, they don’t care what it was, as long as it had loud guitars in it, they played it. Such openmindness was very rare in those days.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

Seeing Metallica play the Rat before Kill Em’ all was released when they toured with Raven on the Kill Em’ All For One tour at the Rat was one. I was talking to Cliff Burton before the show and I told him I wanted to start a totally heavy band and that was my dream and he said “Allright Man!” After their set was done I was walking about with my ears ringing in a daze, he hands me a Gin and tonic. I tell him I am not of age to drink and he said “You earned it.” That and seeing Motorhead and the crogmags at the Channel. When Motorhead opened up with Ace of spades, the entire place jumped in cue with the accents at the beginning, I mean the WHOLE place then as soon as the song took off the floor of The channel went ballistic. It was amazing. Another one is when I went to see the Venom, Cromags and Voivod in New York around 1986. Voivod starts up on stage with the song Thrashing rage with full on thermonuclear warrior outfits with the singer with a laser looking smoke machine gun as giant mushroom cloud smoke bombs are going off on stage while the front was a blur of headbanging and behind them people were pitting like crazy. Seeing moments like this is something you can’t put a price tag on.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

Not really because all the people who tried to shake my faith in the things I believed and the things I enjoyed ended up being their own worst enemy. I always was a bit of a moderate with stuff to I was always able to look at both sides. I feel a bit of where I am at is a victory of sorts.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

To enlightenment. It is a never ending path that never stops. You can get stagnant at times but that is part of the progression. Sometimes it’s good to take a small break to regroup yourself. Trying different things helps. Last place I want to be is where I was at in the past despite how amazing and awesome the trip has been so far.

How do you define success?

Being happy with the work you have done. Being happy who you are. And a few bucks in the account does not hurt either. I see people liking the music I play is good enough. Can’t get to greedy or you end up falling on your face.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Too many things. Some people were sending me emails with youtube style clips of horrible stuff and I told them to knock it off. Especially that 2 girls one cup bit. Some people need to fuck off.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

A universe that realizes itself. Or dark matter. whatever comes first. I’m not picky. I am a creature from Scotland.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

Communication. Making people happy. Creativity is boss. Yay art.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

Respect and common sense returning. I can dream and when I do, I dream big. Or not. It’s strange to think about that because everything I have been looking forward to has been musical and mostly every movie I wanted to see made has been made. A third season of One Punch man would be nice. I would say visitng family and seeing friends over the holidays. A true Hallmark moment. Have a great one!

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https://raibard.bandcamp.com/
http://raibard.com/

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Raibard, “Dark Realm of the Daylight” official video

Oxblood Forge, “Forged in Fire”

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Raibard Premiere “To the Dawn”; Dark Realm of the Daylight Out Dec. 3

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on September 22nd, 2021 by JJ Koczan

raibard

Boston progressive heavy rockers Raibard release their second album, Dark Realm of the Daylight, on Dec. 3. The record is as proggy as the day is long and probably then some, and twists itself readily around its contrasts — dark, daylight, etc. — via an overarching organic sensibility as manifest through the vocals of guitarist Daniel Gil, who doubles both as a folk composer/performer and music teacher, drawing on elements from Jewish traditionalism (he’s also a Talmudic scholar) and classical arrangements. His “Peacemaking in Three Movements” — not by Raibard, but available to listen here — is gorgeous.

In RaibardGil is joined by bassist Greg Dellaria (also Oxblood Forge) and drummer Phil MacKay, both veterans of sludge metallers Ichabod, and across seven tracks, the three-piece weave together stretches of ’70s-style progressivism, jazzier fluidity, and indeed, flourishes of folk melodies. The PR wire’s noting of Opeth as an influence is apt given Gil‘s breathy vocal approach and some of the bouncing nuance of guitar, but from “Angel of the Clockwork” on through the seven-track/46-minute offering, Dark Realm of the Daylight sets its purpose across a range of styles and fluidly weaves between them.

At the core of Raibard‘s presentation in this follow-up to 2017’s The Queen of the Night, however, Raibard Dark Realm of the Daylightis the blend of the natural, as-sans-studio-trickery-as-can-be vibe — dry vocals, acoustic guitar, not trying to be huge sounding or anything like that — and the breadth of the material. This is a balance not so much walked as danced upon throughout, as “Angel of the Clockwork” and the catchier title-track give way to the electrified “Eternal Rise,” bringing Michele Morgan in for guest vocals over loosely Eastern scales and a more atmospheric feel, but still remaining consistent with the surroundings — though the sun-baked, near-Blind Melon twang at the outset of the subsequent “Visions of You” feels like a willful, playful contradiction as the centerpiece unfolds.

“Forever After” and “Walkin’ On” both dare more electric guitar, the former heavier, the latter jammier, both underscored by Dellaria and MacKay‘s it’s-cool-we-got-this surety as a rhythm section, right up to the drum-solo-into-wah-funk as “Walkin’ On” meanders through its second half, casual-like, making its way toward a minimal acoustic conclusion that leads into “To the Dawn,” which rounds out.

And the closer — which is premiering below — is a somewhat humbler affair, but brings a flourish of horn (or horn sounds) to its ending that hints at a George Martin arrangement influence as part of its progressive folk rock foundation. Melody carries through unencumbered by weight, but the structure beneath is solid and the chorus memorable just the same, and in that, “To the Dawn” is emblematic of Raibard‘s work here on the whole. They dig into the exploratory aspects of songcraft, but do not lose their footing as part of that, and even when they ‘walk on,’ as it were, they do so in contemplative rather than directionless fashion.

Track stream and comment from the band follows.

Please enjoy:

Raibard on “To the Dawn”:

The world has everything we need, and it has nothing we need. The human experience is full and complete, and it’s empty and meaningless. Between the fullness of life and the inevitability of death we find the most complete thing — a heart which is broken wide open to sing and make art.

Based out of Boston, Massachusetts, the dynamic rock trio, RAIBARD was founded in December 2015 by Daniel Gil and they draw upon musical inspiration from rock and metal bands including LED ZEPPELIN, THE BEATLES, and OPETH. Daniel also brings in his interest as a modern mystic; someone who experiences hidden realities and studies ancient texts on mysticism. The title track on the new album is inspired by author and teacher Tony Buzan who teaches about mind mapping and the genius of every single human being, promoting the advancement of consciousness through inner awareness and compassionate living.

Members:
Daniel Gil – guitar and voice
Phil MacKay – drums and percussion
Greg Dellaria – bass guitar

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Raibard website

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