We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mitchell Vinokur a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mitchell, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In 2018, I knew nothing about the process of making music and becoming a band. I was just a guy who liked to play around on his guitar like the millions of other people out there who do the same. One day I went to see one of my favorite bands live. I remember watching the band that was opening for them and thinking, “I feel like I could do this.” I don’t know why I thought that, because I had never recorded anything to that point and didn’t even know many like-minded musicians, but something about it told me that if I just constantly pushed forward and took the risk head on, I could do it. That night I went home and started writing, “Abyssal Gigantism,” the debut LP for a band I would later call “Two-Man Giant Squid.” Every step of TMGS’s journey from there until this point has just been stepping into the unknown and thinking, “ok I can do this,” and then there will be another step that I’ve never encountered, and then using the same mindset to push through it. The mantra has always been- forward. Don’t think about how hard or impossible something might be, just go forward and ask questions later.

Mitchell, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am the front-man for a psych-punk band, “Two-Man Giant Squid.” This project started out with just a few unreleased demos of mine from pre-covid. It has now grown into a label signing and an upcoming tour. In 2021, I had finished recording some rough demos of the music I had been making using my guitar and a computer software. After sending it around to friends, they urged me to try and play it live. I enlisted a band, including my best friend Robbie and girlfriend Sam, and soon we were playing cool rooftop parties and underground clubs. Just last week, we played our biggest show yet to 166 people at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn. We just got signed to a label and released our debut album. I am extremely proud of how far this project has come and what I am looking forward to most is to try and slow my world down and enjoy this crazy ride while I’m on it.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

When I started the band, I only wrote down 2 goals. I am trying my hardest to adhere to only these every year because I think if you chase statistics, you’ll always be on the chase. My goals are simple:

1. Make music you are proud of
2. Play fun shows

As a musian, if you can achieve those 2 things, the “statistic” type goals like how many followers you have or money you make, will follow.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part is seeing how much of an affect it’s been on other members of the band. For example our guitarist Robbie has always been a great guitar player, however he was always a bit shy on taking his talent to the stage. Now, I can see how happy playing shows and being out there is making him. I feel like that has had a real positive effect on his musical life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/twomangiantsquid
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twomangiantsquid/

Image Credits
Maddie Barkocy Tori Spadaro Annalie Bouchard