Getting to Know… Gnostic Gorilla | Interview

Canadian electronic musician Gnostic Gorilla provides The Musical Hype with a can’t-miss, totally gnarly 27^th interview in our ‘Getting to Know…’ series. 

“Unless you’re pretty as hell or are involved in some sort of controversy or crap on stage and throw it at the crowd […] a new artist is not going to be considered ‘unique.’ I am not unique. I’m just another dude sitting around the cyberspace “koom-bye-ya campfire” sharing some dark hippie tunes.” Wow! Yep, that should tell you that Dean Mason, better known as Gnostic Gorilla, is a pretty colorful, brutally honest individual. Honestly, Interview #27 in The Musical Hype column ‘Getting to Know…’ is among the most intriguing yet, thanks to the Canadian musician’s honesty and his bold opinions. Give this creator of “dark electronic music” credit for his passionate sermon on human rights – it’s epic to the nth degree! Without spoiling anymore, here is the marvelous Getting to Know… Gnostic Gorilla – Interview #27!

Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype (BF): Let’s get this started off right. For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Gnostic Gorilla distinct or unique?

Gnostic Gorilla: Gnostic Gorilla is weird enough. It’s an acquired tasteless. Hahahahaha No but, Gnostic Gorilla is dark electronic music (Gothic/Industrial/Dark Wave) created in the lab of Dean Mason. Distinct? Unique? Sorry man. No such thing anymore. It’s all been done! Everyone ‘new’ will be compared to someone else that is more of a ground breaker, or a pioneer. I hope I don’t come off as overly pessimistic, but I speak the truth. Unless you’re pretty as hell or are involved in some sort of controversy or crap on stage and throw it at the crowd (which probably has been done) a new artist is not going to be considered ‘unique’. I am not unique. I’m just another dude sitting around the cyberspace “koom-bye-ya campfire” sharing some dark hippie tunes. hahahahahhaha

BF: Killer response for sure! Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Gnostic Gorilla begin and what were some of the goals or the visions you had early on?

Gnostic Gorilla: Originally, it all started as simply ‘Dean Mason.’ I had some great musicians go into the studio with me (we were all in high school or barely out of high school) to record a single 45 rpm titled “Dark Hallway/Golgotha”. This was a mish mash of metal/punk/new wave/ and who knows what else. I wrote the lyrics to Dark Hallway during English class, under the influence of Lorazepam…hahahahaha…when I was supposed to be doing a review of Death of a Salesman [Arthur Miller]. I now remember that one of the lines came from that book: “worth more dead than alive”. Such a depressing story, and yet I could relate for some reason.

Anyway, the single was released on ‘Lonely Ghost Productions’ (indie label-o-mine) and that was it. I went on to study and get into trouble and be confused and all that and never returned to doing music until 2012. I began recording purely electronic music as a hobby. I used the project name “The Lonely Ghost Project” which I changed to “Gnostic Gorilla” when I dared to release an actual album myself called St. Basil’s Asylum (featuring Damla Bozkurt on Violins). That album has been rereleased by Cleopatra, October 2018. Gnostic Gorilla has about six albums, some are Gothic some are more industrial or dark wave. As for visions? I honestly just started doing music again to have a creative/artistic outlet, more in the form of a hobby to be honest. Then I was offered a label deal by Cleopatra (two albums…one to be released this summer) and KL Dark Records as well as Nowhere Now Records.

BF: Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

Gnostic Gorilla: I hope to keep promoting Gnostic Gorilla. With about six albums, more or less released in a rather hasty fashion, I need to find ways to keep getting heard. I don’t want to be pompous but there’s some good stuff that has been done. I would like to do some collaborations if possible. Already been involved writing lyrics and recording vocals for an Australian project called CRIX IIIX. Maybe other collaborations, who knows. But I try and keep my so-called goals realistic.

BF: Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

Gnostic Gorilla: Many bands and artists have had some kind of impact on me. I would say that one of the earliest and most important artists for me as a lad was Gary Numan. Numan is a pioneer to be sure and he broke some new ground. There are many many other bands/artists that I admire greatly and have inspired me: Japan (David Sylvian), KISS, Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Type O Negative, Bauhaus, Ministry, Skinny Puppy and the list is endless. I have to mention in a very special way, “Nash the Slash”. He inspires me even more today than when I was a wee lad and met him in Toronto. He inspires me as a Canadian, and as an indie artist. We’re both into the ‘masquerade’ as well. Finally, one other note, The Doors will always be one of the most interesting bands for me. Morrison’s lyrics and poetry are classic.

BF: Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

Gnostic Gorilla: Hmmmm. I don’t know what to say really. Awesome? Cool? I don’t think of myself in those terms. I guess if I had to describe something of what drives me, I’d say that human rights are very important to me. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why in this day and age, in the 21^st Century, people are STILL having to fight for their rights JUST because of who they are! There’s a lot of fucking hatred out there and racism, bigotry, all the LGBTQ-phobias and tribalism. Religious people condemning others for who they are or who they love or even just where they were born! Then you have so called atheists or secularists who hate and mock people of faith who are just trying to live their life in an honest fashion. Yeah—no one side is better than the other man! Why can’t we all just leave each other the fuck alone? Have we truly evolved? Some people don’t believe in God because of all we see. I have a hard time believing in humanity because of all we see.

BF: Epic stuff right there! Closing this thing out, what is Gnostic Gorilla working on, or promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

Gnostic Gorilla: I am very much looking forward to the release of Shaman Rave which I think is an excellent industrial album! It’s in the ‘can’ right now, all finished, and Cleopatra Records will choose a specific date, most likely this summer to release it. I’m very proud of that album!

BF: Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward.

Gnostic Gorilla Socials: Website • Facebook • Twitter