It's always quaint to encounter the children of heavy metal's most esteemed artists strive to make similar careers for themselves as musicians, but far more often than not, such attempts fall well short of expectations.

Dylan Gers, though, might air current up being an exception. The son of Atomic number 26 Maiden guitarist Janick Gers, Dylan is following in the footsteps of such Maiden offspring as Lauren Harris, George Harris (The Raven Age), Austin Dickinson (Ascent to Remain, As Lions), and Griffin Dickinson (SHVPES). However, what sets Gers autonomously from the rest is that his music sidesteps heavy metal and hard rock entirely.

More similar to the likes of Richard Thompson, Nick Drake, and Vini Reilly, Dylan Gers is fatigued more than toward the introspective, confessional side of dark music, and today he releases his debut single "Moon Rise." Equal parts pastoral and brooding, he captures that unmistakable, English vocalizer-songwriter mode impeccably on the new track. We defenseless upward with Dylan to learn more virtually "Moon Ascension" and his upbringing as the son of a metal icon.

What can y'all tell us about your background ?
 Dylan Gers: I was born in London and moved to the Northeast of England (a place called Middlesbrough where the greatest football team in the earth reside) at the historic period of 3 and lived there until I went to university. And so I consider myself a Northerner! I would consider my upbringing quite normal: I went to a state schoolhouse and tried to fit in, and so I shaved my pilus off trying to be like everyone else thinking I was cool. Until I moved to uni, I realized yous tin can be who want, then the leather jacket came out!

What drew y'all to be a singer-songwriter?
Ever since I picked up the guitar I wanted to do music for the rest of my life, initially In a  band, but it's very hard to go a ring together and continue them together and continue that engine  running and after joining many bands I decided the only existent person I can trust to keep the  'engine' running was myself, then I just spontaneously started writing lyrics which I believe  could become songs and that a how moon rise became my first song.

Who are your biggest musical influences, especially regarding your own songwriting?
Nick Drake, The Doors (Jim in detail) The Beatles, Jeff Brook so on. I would consider many of the musicians I've come across throughout my life also very influential seeing how they work and incorporating that in my ain manner. A range of different musical influences I grew up listening to Led Zep and Deep Regal with Gillan's banshee screaming which notwithstanding blows me away. It's difficult to pinpoint simply a few bands but that's an overview.

I like the sparseness of "Moon Rise." What can you lot tell us about the track?
I judge the sparseness was to how I felt as a person during that time in my life, I went through a horrible breakup and everything was flipped upside downwardly, the story of it is trying to get back but realizing that there's no point and the 'copious demand' was also much and it'due south just meliorate to move on.

How much does "Moon Ascension" inform listeners about where your songwriting is going? Is it similarly minimalist?
Moon Rising was my get-go attempt at songwriting, I bask the rail myself and I'one thousand confident in it, but I experience as my songwriting will evolve my songs will change, incorporating different elements but keeping the aforementioned vibe. I guess the reason why it's so minimalist is due to the specific emotions I was feeling at the time which are very much piece of cake to explicate only so difficult to let become of. I believe information technology is also something well-nigh people have gone through in their lives which is why information technology didn't need to exist maximalist. The feelings I felt at the time were so heavy that I felt the song needed to exist minimalistic and lighter bodied.

And here come up the inevitable questions. What was it like having a dad in i of the biggest bands on the planet?
A blessing and a expletive. My entire babyhood I was merely known as the "son of Iron Maiden," so trying to carve out your own identity is difficult and always will exist when your father is in that status of a job. When I was in college I had people come up upwardly to me saying, "Why are you studying? You don't need to exercise that, your dad is in so and and then," but that'south not what life is nigh and it's non what I want my life to be about either.

How daunting is it to effort to create your own art that stands autonomously from your father's?
Very much then, I promise anybody doesn't only pass me off as someone who's trying to make an 'Fe Maiden 2' and realize that I accept a style which gravitates away from the gain of guitars. Every bit much equally I practise love a Strat going through a Marshall stack, that's not what I'g about as of at present.

How supportive has Janick been of your own journeying into music?
He is very wise, and has always given me the best advice, telling me nigh the beauty of being a musician also as the difficulties.

Simply for kicks, what's your favorite Fe Maiden vocal, and why?
"Foreign World", it just takes you abroad to a unlike identify, a happier place. Something which is completely different from any other Maiden song they ever did. Closely followed by "The Prophecy" for that beautiful outro. Thanks, Dave Murray!

Is there an EP or a total-length album on the horizon? What can nosotros expect from you in the immediate future?
Hopefully I will exist releasing an EP in the future. I have been writing many songs, then am hoping to become them out. I cannot give an respond to whether or not this future is near, but I tin can guarantee that meanwhile I volition proceed working on my songwriting and create as much equally I can.

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