We were lucky to catch up with Bernard Galane recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bernard, appreciate you joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

My parents allowed me and my brother to take music classes at a very young age, around 4 or 5 years old. My brother started on drums right away, and I joined him a couple years of recorder and piano studies. We got very lucky and ended up in a successful Latin Pop Rock band called the “Kids on the Drums and the Session Brothers” which was basically a group of young drummers supported by a professional adult rhythm section. After winning the famous Europe wide “Pop O Drom” band contest the band took and landed a record deal with BMG Ariola. We started playing all over Europe, even opened big stadium shows for major artists like Brian Adams, Chesney Hawks and Extreme. We also appeared on major TV Hit Parade Shows and landed a hit in the Central European charts. So we were basically born into music and were pretty much seasoned professionals at only 12 years old. I remember how proud I was after getting paid fpr the shows and collectiong royalties for out Radio Airplay. It was a magical time and I knew exactly that I wanted to be a professional drummer.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I grew up in a suburb town named Tulln close to Vienna in Austria. My parents sent me and my brother to music school at the young age of 4. I started out on Piano and recorder flute and later switched to the drums which became an obsession and my true calling. My brother and me ended up in a successful band called “New Kids On The Drums and the Session Brothers” which also landed a hit song in the European charts. I also had the opportunity to tour Europe, appear on Hit Parade TV shows and play big stadium gigs as opening acts for major artists like Brian Adams, Chesney Hawks and Extreme when I was only 12 years old. So naturally music became my life. During my teens I got accepted at the University for Music in Vienna and started practicing up to 12 hours per day. I have an extremely strong work ethic, which also comes from my father, who was very strict and in some ways very distant. I wanted to proof myself, and show that I eventually could go to America and stay there. When I first came to LA I needed letters of recommendation for immigration and such amazing people like Phil Collins and Peter Wolf helped me out Looking back I’m extremely grateful for having had a strict dad. It prepared me for the world, gave me perseverance and always having a clear vision in my head. Later on I started to apply the same discipline and principles I developed for my musical drum set to other fields such as the stock market and fine oil painting. It’s just so important to follow a hero figure, know what is possible, and follow that mentor. My first mentor in drumming was Buddy Rich, my mentor in finance became Warren Buffett, in fine art Leonardo DaVinci and in overall life principles Arnold Schwarzenegger. I met Arnold when I first came to Los Angeles. He is also Austrian and also had a very strict father who he rebelled against, just like myself. I have so many similarities with Arnold regarding our upbringing and work ethic. I’ve been in LA for 23 years now, worked with many of the greatest musicians in the world, acted in many indie films, exhibited my art at international shows, did modeling jobs for major international fashion brands, run my own drum company and teach drums as a professor at the famous Musicians Institute in Hollywood, which I love. I want to inspire young musicians and artists all over the world and simply try to be a positive force in this crazy world. Being a dedicated artist is a lifelong, fullfilling journey. We never really arrive as artists, we can always push further.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

That’s a fantastic question! When you are realy, really, and I mean REALLY dedicated in mastering an instrument, or any other discipline, you basically hold a mirror up to yourslf every single day. It’s actually a brutal process, because deep inside you know exactly if you work hard enough or if you could do better. If you want to see results, you simoly have to put in thousands and thousands of hours of practice time. I practiced up to 12 hours per day when I was a teenager. It was pretty much an obsession! It’s a tough, sometimes loneley process, but if you want it bad enough you gladly pay that price because you get so good! I started to see results and that gave me such drive and passion for more and more. I apply the same principle to other fields of life. It’s so important to hang in there, be resilient and keep grinding every. For me, self discipline is the key to a happy and succesful life!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Making people happy, inspiring young musicians and making sure the tradition of music lives on. As far as my art goes, I want people to see their own story in my paintings and eventually even find answers to their problems, When you get a little older you realize that life is actually mostly about giving back and reaching out to other people. When you have a special talent and get attention for it at a young age, you often think the journey is about yourself, the ego gets in the way,, but it’s actually always about what you give to others. The more talent you have, the more you are obligated to inspire others, produce beautiful things and make the world a better place!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.Galane.net
• Instagram: @Galane_Official
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/GalaneTV