Singer, Song-writer Dartanyan Kane is a man on a mission. He’s been pursuing his dream of music stardom from an early age. His tenacity and drive for his creative goal is one to be admired. With the release of his new EP, Harsh Mello, we sat down with Dartanyan to get a look inside where he gets his ambition and hunger for success.
HI Dartanyan, I’m Aimee, one of the Editors at Fresh Music Freaks. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I love your sound, it has a grungy feel to it. Having grown up in the 90s it brings me back to my younger years. Who are some of your biggest influences when writing your music?
My biggest influences are easily Soundgarden, Citizen Cope, The Beatles, Nirvana, and NeverShoutNever. Strange mix, but it allows me a dynamic change throughout my styles whenever I write. I’m influenced extremely easily by non musical forces as well, old fashioned movies, experiences I encounter, and poetry I read all drive me to write about the beauty or horrifying truths of life.
At what age did you first pick up a guitar and think this is something you really were into and wanted to do?
I was about 10 when I first grabbed a guitar, my mom would bring me out to music festivals in Indiana and there would always be these crazy guitarists who would sweep me up in their skill. I got enamored, but 12 is when I REALLY started playing. I was handed a guitar by my mom and my mentor Chocolate George, they gave me little tidbits to start with. I spent so many years practicing and playing, I honestly gave up my youth for this dream. Never took a class to learn, being completely self taught was something I committed too because of my hard head. It wasn’t until years in I started even tinkering with theory.
I’m also a fellow Texan, from Houston but living in Austin. You recently moved from Texas to Phoenix. What kind of music scene does Phoenix offer? Does it differ from where you lived in Texas? In what way?
Well Yeehaw haha. The Phoenix music scene offers a lot, there’s so many great and talented musicians out here, it’s truly spectacular to go to a show and just absorb everyones art. In Phoenix people are a little bit more open to strange and off the wall sound, but Texas has an AMAZING music scene that should be experienced by everyone at least once in their lifetime. The differences aren’t that stark, I’d say I feel at home and would be lucky to thrive in either one.
Tell me about one show where you performed that really stood out? Why was it so special?
I threw a show for my friend Jakob Plummer who passed away a few years ago, it was a charity benefit for him and his family, and a remembrance of his life for his friends and myself. That was the night I truly unlocked my vocal potential, I played on stage for a little over an hour, and I belted out all my original songs with a wail I didn’t know I had in me. He always said I could do better, and be better, so I truly believe he gave me this one last gift before parting. Ever since then, I’ve been able to hit these growls and sing with so much emotion. I credit him for that, and have a tattoo on my arm to remind me of who he was and what he did for me.
If you could collaborate with one musician living or dead, who would it be? Why?
This is a hard one! There’s a few who I want to make music with, LP (Singer of the song “Lost On You”), John Lennon, Christofer Drew, Chris Cornell. Whoever it would be, they’d have to be dynamic enough musically to jump genre’s with ease, and these greats I listed are only a fraction of the potential artists I have on my vision board.
Your new EP, Harsh Mello was released last month. I really like “Eggs of a Basket”, what is the story behind that song?
Thank you so much for sharing the love, and my music loves YOU. Eggs Of A Basket is a song I wrote on my way back from LA, I had went out there on a whim with my father – no money, no plan, just action. This happened because the end of a relationship with someone I truly and honestly loved hit me like a train. I would run back to their arms months later, but it would be a failing venture that crashed and burned. I was in Las Vegas at a friends house, pit stopped until I made it back to Phoenix, when I sat down thinking of what I’m willing to do to make this work. Realizing that I’ve given up everything from age 12 to pursue music, I had no other options. All my eggs are in this basket. Being all in is something you can’t stop once you started, and the entire basis of the song is about giving up everything, and ANYTHING, needed in order to get to where you want in your goals. Sometimes that means doing things you find horrifying, or getting rid of people who don’t benefit your future. Other times it’s bringing so many people up that you yourself drown, and I couldn’t die happier than knowing my music was in the ears of people who truly and genuinely needed it. I’ll sell my soul and rip the wings from my back in order to give the world my message.
Where can we catch any of your upcoming shows?
In August and October I’m going to be performing out in the Desert of Arizona! There hasn’t been a live performance at one of those shows in over 3 years, and I intend on bringing out a totally new sound out there. Follow my page on Facebook to stay updated on the show, the spot is tba the day of. Renegade shows or bust!
Dartanyan is on fire and making sure to make the most of his talent. Check out his new release, “Harsh Mello”, and be amazed for yourself. You can also catch him touring at a city near you.
Dartanyan Kane: Facebook | Twitter
*Featured Image | via Ali D Photography*
