Today we’d like to introduce you to Gentle Temper.
Gentle, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Ryan and I (Marion) met while attending college in Boston. We lived on the same floor our first semester but didn’t really connect until our final semesters when we were in the same ensemble. It’s kind of a running joke that we owe it all to Joe Walsh, because the first time we really spent time together was at a Joe Walsh clinic at our school, which we may or may not have snuck into…
We were in other bands when we began playing together – Ry was in a four-piece rock band, and I was in a six-piece ambient rock band. Those bands kind of dissolved as Ryan and I started playing and writing together more and more. We started playing local open mics and then shows, opening for local and touring acts. It took some careful consideration before we decided to really go for it and call ourselves a band, but we did it and we’ve been playing together ever since.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Put simply, we make music. We usually write and arrange together, with either one of us bringing a spark of an idea to the other and both developing it further. I often write poetry, and, on more than one occasion, have brought a poem to Ryan. He’s great at hearing music where there isn’t any yet – that’s how our first single off our upcoming album came into being. Other times Ryan will write a song almost in its entirety and we’ll put the finishing touches on it together. Even other times we’ll sit for hours thinking of lines, melodies, harmonies, until something sticks.
I think it’s safe to say that, for both of us, making music is something of a necessity. There’s nothing else either of us would rather be doing.
Something I’ve always found to be kind of magical about music is that someone can write a song and feel one thing about it, and someone else can listen to that same song and relate to it in a completely different way. Whatever someone feels when they listen to music, or look at a piece of artwork, is completely valid. It’s all subjective in the best way.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
I think the characteristics I’d define as most essential to success would be joy and drive. No job is easy, but I think you can find success if you find joy in whatever it is you’re doing, and if you’re driven to keep doing it. I find that combination whenever Ryan and I play together.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The best way to keep in touch with all things GT_ is by signing up for our email list, either on our website or at one of our shows! –> www.gentletemper.com/contact
Our live EP, “Sleep It Off”, is up on most music streaming sites, including Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, etc., and we’re on all the typical social media sites. –> @gentletemper_
For the month of July, at least, we’re running a Kickstarter campaign in support of our debut album, which is due out this September! We’ve got a pretty cool list of rewards, and no contribution is too small to get at least a little something in return. Right now, the best way to support what we do would be to contribute to our Kickstarter! The link to that can be found on any of our social media sites, as well as on our website.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gentletemper.com
- Email: gentletemperbooking@gmail.com
- Instagram: @gentletemper_
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/gentletemper
- Twitter: @gentletemper_
Image Credit:
Photo of GT_ on stage from behind by Carter Howe.
Photo of GT_ on rooftop by Becca Peters.
Photo of GT_ on stage from crowd by Andrew Kopanski.
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
