A few words with guitarist Hrant Bedoyan. His new album is called “Unleashed”.
Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself.
Hrant: I'm an Armenian-Canadian guitarist. I reside in Toronto, I always loved all sorts of music, and I mean all, there is some quality in each type.
LB: How did you start out making music?
Hrant: I started playing keyboard and bass when I was around, maybe, 10-years old. I was influenced by new-age music and the likes of Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis. But a little later in my teen years, the sounds of hard rock and heavy metal got my attention. While still being a huge fan of all other types of pop, folk and classical music, I couldn’t escape the gravity and the soulfulness the electric guitar, and everything ever since is history in the making. It became the instrument of choice for me. I spent years and countless hours practicing and playing to master my skill.
LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now?
Hrant: I Started admiring music at a very early age. I remember listening to music when I was 6 years old. I've always composed and played music ever since, and I grew up listening to lots of different flavors of music. The inspiration started at home with my grandfather on violin and my father on violin and oud. At age six I was deeply moved when I heard a record from Spain of Werner Muller (gypsy tango) and Astor Piazzolla. The truth is I never took it seriously until recently and always kept it casual. I played in some cover bands, but I enjoyed writing my own thing a lot more. Now I have so much material and I think it should be shared and heard.
LB: Tell us about your latest release.
Hrant: I've been writing and playing music for a long time, but I like to do it right and not rush it. I like to present them as a fine work of art, where each song is meant to be a musical masterpiece that tells a story so transparent to listeners. I have a lot of ideas for different records down the road, I want to have a strings based orchestrated album with heavy guitars one day, also an urban R&B record… they're all in the works.
I finally decided to release my first instrumental rock album in 2010 called "Unleashed" pretty much on my own, except for Mr. Derek Sherinian who was kind enough to play the keyboard parts. I couldn't be happier with the results.
LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy?
Hrant: It’s the most gratifying feeling when a simple melody that I hear in my head after I wake up, or driving, or taking a shower, etc. becomes a masterpiece!
LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music?
Hrant: My website, CD Baby, Reverbnation, iTunes, etc. Links below:
www.hrantbedoyan.com
www.cdbaby.com/cd/hrantbedoyan
www.reverbnation.com/hrantbedoyan
www.facebook.com/pages/Hrant-Bedoyan
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/unleashed/id398474901
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