Gino Di Leva

I was around 12 when one of my younger cousins approached me about her school fundraiser. She was selling record albums through a music catalogue and wanted to know if I was interested in buying one. I perused the list several times and finally came across an album I knew I wanted. It was Night Ranger’s Dawn Patrol. (Yes, I said Night Ranger!) My eyes lit up as I had been familiar with their first release “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.” It was a nice hard-rocking song for a lad my age, complete with dueling guitar solos (lots of whammy), pounding drums and a great melody that pulled me right into the rock arena. I used to hear the song like clockwork on FM 99.9 KOLA. This radio station was like the JACK FM of its day. No DJs, just a guy (almost robotic in voice) announcing a song here and there.

About two months had rolled by (although it felt like a year) before my album finally arrived. This was my very first album, mind you, bought with some money I had saved up over time. I tore open the package and frantically ran upstairs to my room where my brother had his turntable and speakers set up. (We shared a room for years and he initially got me into music by introducing me to many great rock bands). I opened the turn table case, flipped the record on, placed the needle down and followed along with the lyrics until both sides of the album were completely finished.

I was officially hooked…on music, on lyrics, on rock n’ roll and the power that it possessed. I spent the next several years begging my parents for a drum set and writing my own little Night Ranger-esque lyrical songs on my mom’s typewriter. (Yes, I said typewriter! LOL!)

Fast-forward a bunch o’ bands and a bunch o’ years later and here I am…rock you like a hurricane! (Didn’t someone coin that phrase already?) These days I spend my time trying to find time to constantly refine my drumming and lyric writing. (Say that 10 times fast.) I have music on the brain constantly. It consumes me. And, sometimes I wonder how I’m able to get through my work days or nights away from my instrument without going insane.

I’ve been blessed to have a project such as Dr.Iven in my life. It’s extremely fulfilling for me lyrically, musically and personally. In addition, I get to write and jam with great musicians who happen to totally motivate me to become better in every musical capacity. I get an enormous amount of enjoyment from this band. It’s like opening up and hearing that brand new record all over again.