We recently connected with John Dante and have shared our conversation below.

John , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

Rock and roll as a lifestyle and an art form can be one of the most beautiful and dangerous forms of expression. It is powerful, explosive, often short-lived and largely improvised. Rock and roll is always a gamble and that is why many artists who live this lifestyle don’t last very long and the industry has tended to shy away from rock artists in general. I feel in many ways that rock artists themselves are mischaracterized as dangerous or impulsive because of the lifestyle that comes along with the art form, And we all feel misunderstood, the roaring amps and screaming crowd all come from a place of overwhelming emotional release. I believe rock-and-roll music can be therapy for people working through the human condition.

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 got into music by playing guitar with my Dad. We formed John Dante and the Inferno together in 2008 with the help of friends. John Dante and the Inferno has seen a myriad of line-ups since then and we have had more drummers than Spinal-Tap. The band has seen all sorts of instrumentation, from dueling drum kits, to theremin and touch-controlled synths, to the classic 5-piece line up and even a power-trio. The Inferno has stripped down to its original 2-peice lineup since the release of the EP ‘LIVE 2020′ and the album “LIVE In-Studio Sessions’, using guitar and bass with synthesizers and drum machines. We have been focusing on writing and releasing new singles since our last Nashville inspired country EP ‘Chik’n S#!T” including our latest single ‘Well Run Dry’. We have a new album in the works now we are working on in-between live performances with early release singles being available on Patreon. When I am not writing and performing with my own original band, I am doing session and contract work with various other projects around the East Coast. Most recently, I secured a sponsorship through Steve Clayton Inc. for custom printed guitar picks. I have been using Clayton picks since 2020.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Music is magic. I always felt there was a hidden meaning in music. Ever since I first listened to ‘Back in Black’ by AC/DC, I felt there was an ability to transmit energy through songs. I also believe music has a great healing power and potential, so it has been my mission to perform music for as many people as possible to try and combine the meaning and the energy and the healing potential of music into one great moment that can be experienced live. When I started recording I always felt like I was able to speak across generations of time the way artists of the past have spoken to me. My goal is to create lasting memories and recordings that inspire people with the magic of music.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Sometimes the journey is all about making it to or through your next gig. No one’s career is perfect, there are ups and downs like a roller-coaster. There will also be highlights and failures. And it is not always the money that defines those moments, so take every day for what it is worth and never stop creating or telling your story because you never know who you will inspire. I had to walk away from a 2 month performance contract due to physical exhaustion and the build up of stress leading to a mental breakdown. It was one of the most difficult decisions of my life. 48 hours before the show opened, as I was too physically and mentally exhausted to perform. I ended up spending 4 days in the ICU with an IV drip to re-hydrate my body and 30 days in rehabilitation to clear my mind. Now it feels like I am starting over. But I know the memories and songs I have created are still there.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.johndanteandtheinferno.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_dante_and_the_inferno
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnDanteAndTheInferno
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnDanteRocks
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChQJJikvrpkDI8TVH6eDo-Q
• Other: www.patreon.com/johndanteandtheinferno https://www.tiktok.com/@johndanteandtheinferno

Image Credits
Kim Falgiani Crystal Marie Notaro Raw Ohio Meltdown