2023-10-04 08:12:00
After several successful singles in recent years, the Viennese indie pop artist GREGOR WESSELY, aka GREYSHADOW, has finally released his long-awaited debut album “Unfulfilled Desires” (Greyshadow Records). What the previously released numbers suggested is now definitively confirmed in this album: here is a musician at work who really knows how to write strong pop songs with a catchy quality and depth at the same time. His songs are able to entertain and emotionally touch at the same time. Although they sound melancholic, they still always exude hope. In an interview with Michael Ternai, GREGOR WESSELY talks about his search for his own sound, the musical influences that shaped him and how the album represents the fulfillment of his long-held dream.
You’ve released a number of singles in recent years that have been widely received. Your debut “Unfulfilled Desires” is now out. What significance do you attach to your first work?
Gregor Wessely: For me, a big childhood dream is coming true. I think this is also a good parallel to the album title, because right now my “desire” is coming true. As a child, listening to CDs and owning vinyl was always something special for me. Putting this on, browsing the booklet and listening to the album to fully immerse myself in the music. That’s why it’s always been my dream to create an album myself. Until now, it just never seemed like the right time for it. When we last spoke two years ago, I had neither found my own style nor written the songs that can now work as an overall concept. But at a certain point, towards the end of 2021, everything started to make sense to me. That was a turning point that confirmed for me the impression that I was on the right path and that I had to continue pursuing it. So the album means a lot to me. It took a lot of time and effort. Now I hope it ignites somewhere.
It’s a very personal album, which you can see very well in the booklet, which documents both your place of origin, Vienna, in pictures, as well as Liverpool, your musical dream place that you always wanted to get to. I have the feeling that these two places also form the musical link of the album.
Gregor Wessely: I don’t think that can be denied. In terms of content, the album is about processing and overcoming problems, about the challenges that I experienced as a child and teenager here in Vienna. Most of the songs are very introspective. They represent a reflection of my emotional world, which is characterized by a certain thoughtfulness. That’s why the songs also have a melancholic note. But it’s also about coping and clearly about hope.
At the same time, it is also a tribute to the influences that have shaped me over the last 29 years. And they mainly come from the British corner. I have a lot in common with Liverpool. I’ve been there four times now. I somehow connect the city with my musical origins. So it made sense to me that this aspect also stands out on the debut album.
You mentioned before that you’ve now found his sound. And you also mentioned the formative influences from the British corner. Nevertheless, if you listen through the album, you’ll notice that musically it’s a bit broader. Could that be because you actually started off more in the songwriter field?
Gregor Wessely: In any case. In fact, I write all the songs on guitar. Although I tried to start songwriting on other instruments for a while, I ultimately realized that this album is a singer/songwriter project. I realized that writing songs on guitar works best for me. This is also how my style emerged. I just tried to be as honest as possible and not experiment. My goal was to get to the heart of things as I really am. And that’s just me with an acoustic guitar. Only after this foundation has been laid do I think about how the song should be produced or arranged. I believe that it is precisely this mixture of all my thoughts and ideas on the one hand and all my influences on the other that is my nature as a singer /songwriter.
I remember we talked a lot about perfectionism in our last interview. To what extent is that still a determining factor in your work?
Gregor Wessely: I have to admit that my tendency towards perfectionism hasn’t changed much. Perfectionism, like my honesty, is simply part of me. When producing this album we definitely revised a lot of things and worked intensively on them. After we let the songs sit for two weeks and I listened to them again, I realized that we still needed to make some changes. My thought really was that everything should be perfect when I release a debut album. After all, you want to draw attention to yourself, and I think the main way to achieve that these days is through appropriate production.
But I am aware that art only ever represents a snapshot of something. If I were to record a song from my debut album again in a few years, it would probably have a completely different meaning and therefore sound completely different. I also realized towards the end of the album process that at some point you have to come to a conclusion. But of course you want to do everything right on your debut.
A phenomenon of your songs is that they are played on both mainstream radio and alternative stations. That doesn’t happen too often. How do you explain that?
Gregor Wessely: I think the reason for this is because I make pop music that is compatible with the masses. That’s why some of my songs fit into the program of one medium as well as another. Sometimes it can happen that a song of mine doesn’t fit into either format. Basically, however, I aim for my music to be played on radio stations because it has this claim and potential. However, I don’t consciously force my music towards a specific radio station. I pursue my own artistic vision, while keeping in mind that the songs should be produced in a radio-friendly way. For example, as a singer/songwriter, I always emphasize the chorus because I consider this to be the most important element of a successful, radio-friendly song. Nevertheless, art always comes first and I create a song the way I personally think it is good.
“In the end, music is always an exchange and it’s always about collaboration.”
Are you someone who actually prefers to work alone? The band structure is not your thing, if I remember correctly from our first interview. However, what does it look like now, years later? How much are others allowed to interfere with you?
Gregor Wessely: I have a band live. And the way it works is that the distribution of roles is clearly defined. It’s clear that I write the songs. Therefore there are no problems whatsoever.
Ultimately, music is always about exchange and it’s always about collaboration. You can’t prevent that at all. There are always other people, like producers, with whom you collaborate. And I can already remember a situation in which I got into a fight with my producer because of different ideas. But compromises have to be found. But I don’t have the kind of compromise that is necessary in a band. And I’m happy about that.
You have a very determined mind. This is the impression you get when talking to you. When you first started, was it possible for you to imagine that your plans would actually work? Was there a time when you knew it was going to happen?
Gregor Wessely: So there was no specific point in time. It’s more like it’s only now that everything makes sense to me. I have found my style and the songs resonate. You could say that only now do I really know who I am and where my place is. On the other hand, I will only now see whether it was worth it and whether it will be a success. It is a constant process, a continuous development work, a step-by-step approach. Every release is always something new and a development. I can’t say that there was a time when everything suddenly became easier and everything worked.
The album is out now. What’s next?
Gregor Wessely: This year we are playing on November 22nd AREA in Vienna. Next spring there will be an extensive tour through Austria and Germany. We will promote the album on a larger scale. We also hope to play festivals. Until then we will release one or two singles and videos.
Thank you very much for the interview!
Michael Ternai
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