George Bellas Interview
Melodic Rock
by European Magazine
THIS IS YOUR 5TH SOLO ALBUM. TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BRAND NEW WORK…
I have actually worked on about 12 or 13 records in the past few years, but this is my up close and personal solo instrumental album. Venomous Fingers is a combination of Neoclassical and Progressive styles. There are an enormous amount of progressive elements (e.g., odd-time signatures, syncopated rhythms, modern progressions, exotic modes, huge orchestrations, etc. ) and there is probably an equal amount of music utilizing common practice period techniques (e.g., counterpoint, chord progressions, motive structures, etc. ). The guitar performances on this album have a deep emotional quality, more so than on my previous releases ( due to unfortunate circumstances that life/death brings to us all ). I am very happy with the final result of this album.
YOU DEVELOPED A LOT OF GUITAR SOFTWARES AND YOU ALSO OPENED A SCHOOL OF GUITAR TECHNIC. WHO GAVE SO MUCH LOVE FOR MUSIC?
I am not sure where the love of music comes from, but wow, I am very grateful for it! I love teaching music and guitar so very much. I think it is so cool to be able to help other people achieve their own dreams and goals. When it comes to teaching, it's all about my students, not me. I also love writing code, to me it's very similar to writing music. It's composition - creativeness, style, structure and pure fun! I prefer coding in Objective-C for Mac OSX, though I am comfortable with C, Realbasic, HTML, CSS and Applescript.
ON THIS ALBUM YOU PLAY GUITARS, BASS AND KEYBOARDS; IT’S A CHOISE YOU MADE FOR MATTERS OF TIME OR A WAY TO MAKE YOUR MUSIC MORE “PERSONAL”?
A more personal approach. I wanted complete control on this record, which having, allowed me to stay true to my original vision. I love composing so much, and really wanted to focus on each and every instruments finest details. It's one thing getting a musician to play the parts, but to get them to play exactly what you had intended can be quite difficult at times.
WHICH INSTRUMENT DOYOU FELL MORE CONFIDENT WITH?
All of them. I love writing for violin as much as I do for guitar. But the guitar is my main instrument.
ON “VENOMUOS FINGERS” WE CAN HEAR A LOT OF NEOCLASSICAL INFLUENCES; OTHER SOURCES OF INSPIRATION?
Emotional, scientific and spiritual inspiration were the biggest factors in the source of my inspiration. Musically speaking, I haven't heard any other neoclassical albums that have modern odd-meters and counterpoint to the extent of which I have on "Venomous Fingers" or "Turn Of The Millennium" for that matter. I love modern elements as much as I do old classical elements. Having said that, I tend to lean towards tonal music, though.
THE ACTUAL INSTRUMENTAL SCENE IS FULL OF AXEMEN OF GREAT TALENT; IS THERE ANYONE THAT YOU LISTEN TO FREQUENTLY?
No. I mostly enjoy listening to classical music.
YOU COLLABORATED WITH A LOT OF GREAT MUSICIANS; WHICH IS THE ONE YOU LOVED TO WORK WITH THE MOST?
Vitalij Kuprij - we are a great team. Whenever V.K. and I record, it always seems to turn out exceptionally good.
OTHER COLLABORATIONS FOR THE FUTURE?
I recently recorded some tracks for Mistheria's upcoming album "Messenger Of The Gods" available soon on Lion Music. I also recently did some tracks for another one of my keyboard friends. I can't reveal any information regarding the project at this time, so please check my website (www.georgebellas.com) for further details.
WHICH ROLE FITS YOU THE MOST, WRITER, PLAYER OR PRODUCER?
- COMPOSER - Accomplished all in my mind.
- PLAYER - A combination of mind, body and soul.
- PRODUCER - A way to bring my music to you.
So, my answer is all of the above. I fill each and every one of those roles to the fullest degree. I like being a team player but on the other hand I am a composer and an extreme perfectionist. Sometimes I don't want anybody else's input at all. When you bring another player/writer into the picture, you inevitably bring along with them - their ideas, fills, interpretation and other unique qualities each player has. That's a great thing when working with highly talented individuals, but that is not what I wanted with this album. What you hear is 100 percent from George Bellas' mind, body and soul.
DO YOU WANT TO TELL SOMETHING TO YOU FANS AND “MELODIC ROCK” READERS?
I will be doing another solo instrumental album in the very near future. A huge thanks to all of my fans that have listened to my music and or supported this niche instrumental market. Music is such a beautiful universal language, and I am glad to contribute some that others can enjoy.
