Gib The Rocker ‘Alive’
Alive is probably one of the most truthful album you’re going to find in a year where the music not only perfect matches the title but goes so much beyond. Instantly from the EP opener “Alive,” Gib The Rocker’s eclectic energy and vibrating passion and his effortless authentic blend of blues and rock ignites your love for genre. He’s the kind of artist that makes you want to pick up a guitar and sing. While for the long time lovers of rock and blues, “Alive” just feels right by the heart.
The sonic palette in Alive is diverse and vast. The songs always carry a hint of nostalgia and influences that inspired Gib The Rocker, but in the end, it’s his own energy and authenticity that makes you fall madly love with his music. Inspired and inspiring, mood-lifting, introspective and fierce, the things that contradict with one another is in a rare harmony while the London-based artist brings the same stadium-filling volume and rich mood into your ears. Alive certainly tells you that as an artist, Gib The Rocker vibrates on a wide spectrum within the rock genre. “Star” is an introspective ballad that takes your heart to a blossom as the song progresses, while the Elvis and Scotty Moore-tribute “Dance to the Beat” is nostalgic and spirited. “Revolution” is riff-heavy punk rock banger.
Read our interview with the eclectic rocker and learn about his music journey.
Punk Head: We're so in love with your unique style in this EP. Who are your biggest influences?
Gib The Rocker: Oh, I could talk about this all day! First of all, there are some artists that I feel are in my blood, it’s like they right the perfect music for me: Aerosmith, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Vai. Then, I listen to all things rock, from the 50s to nowadays. But I also like many other genres, like blues, funk, jazz, heavy metal, world music and in the last few years, even some psychill and electronic stuff.
When it came to making this album though, I had to choose 4 songs, so I chose the ones that sounded better but they ended being quite diverse in terms of influence: in Alive you can hear some Aerosmith, maybe Black Crowes, and even ZZ Top; ‘Star’ is a ballad that might remind you of Bon Jovi and again Aerosmith; ‘Dance to the Beat’ is a tribute to Elvis and his guitarist Scotty Moore; ‘Revolution,’ people tell me, reminds of Iron Maiden. So basically, my first EP happens to display a lot of my influences within the rock spectrum and most people have appreciated the variety of styles.
PH: How would you describe the ethos of Alive?
Gib The Rocker: Alive rocks! Haha! To be more specific, I didn’t make this as a concept album, as I was telling you, I chose the best songs/ideas among the many I had in my ‘drawer,’ but when you listen to it as a whole, I think there is a common thread: Alive is uplifting, is about expressing your vital energy, your potential, it’s about enjoying life and shining, I think all songs have this positive energy. Isn’t that what rock is about? Energy and life.
PH: What has been one of the most significant moments of your musical journey so far?
Gib The Rocker: I’ve played for many years, but unfortunately, my bandmates have rarely been committed and serious, so I haven’t managed to accomplish much musically. This is why I went solo: I was tired of seeing my dream derailed. For this reason, releasing this EP must be my proudest moment, but I’ll give you 2 more trivial moments: a few years ago, I took part in the longest ever jam session at the Blues Kitchen, me and many other musicians alternated for 7 days, 24/7 for a Guinness World Record performance! And finally, several years ago, when I was playing some covers in a small bar, during ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ by Metallica, I looked up into the audience, and I saw my mom headbanging: I thought, wow, I can never accomplish anything better than this in my life, haha!
PH: How is the music scene in London?
Gib The Rocker: Unfortunately, not very well. If you like the big acts, from Kiss to Beyonce, obviously they always come around when they tour, but the grassroots music circuit has been destroyed by gentrification and rents going up – and the pandemic didn’t help. I can tell you 4-5 great rock venues that have closed in the last 5 years off the top of my head, but there are probably more. Since the city is so big, you can still find good music and nice venues, but the scene is not as good as it used to be.
PH: What do you aim to accomplish in the near future?
Gib The Rocker: I am already writing for the next release! But this time, I would like to make it sound more different and unique, I’m not sure what direction it’s going to take, but I’m setting the creative bar higher for the next one. And I’d love to reach more people, I need to work on my online presence more. Finally, this is not the right moment for a number of reasons, but I hope that later during the year or next year, I can put together a live band and bring this material to the stage. In the meantime, you might catch me at some jam sessions in London!
