Innovative, mind-expanding, remarkably gifted. Cosmetic words for musicians like Garry Oppert, a unique drummer that always tries to express himself through the magical language of music, are never enough. Along with bassist Steve Sexton and with the valuable help from Brandon Vaughn, they formed the project OSV that’s gaining success and reputation as time goes bye! Garry answers the questions and cannot hide his enthusiasm about the forthcoming 3rd CD. Please pay attention to the words of a man that serves the musical spectrum for more than 20 years…
How was the band formed? Why you chose to follow the path of instrumental music?
Steve (Sexton) and I got together and formed the project in 2006. The story began 20+ years ago as together we @ 17 years of age formed the the original band "Knight" that later became the well known underground success "Oblivion Knight". Back in those days we parted ways due to musical differences and as Steve developed Oblivion Knight, I formed the band Virtual Reality and recorded two demo's and had some underground metal success...Steve and I had not seen each other or played together in 20+ years. In 2006 we reconciled our differences and agreed that together along with VR keyboardist Brandon Vaughn we could form an all instrumental project, incorporating some of the latest top end guitarist and that might actually work as a successful project...well the Mission began and OSV's first CD "Mission One" was born....we got more positive feedback than we ever imagined, so we ventured ahead with the new CD "Second Thoughts" and with its well received success thru CDBaby and Itunes we are now starting the bass and drum tracks for the 3rd CD tentatively entitled "Chapter Three."
Which are your main influences and how would you categorize your music?
Well this is a very diverse question...me personally I am a prog metal old school rock/funk guy..Band wise I would say....Dream Theater's early work, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning w/ Mark Zonder on drums..and newer bands like Pagans Mind, Dreamscape, Dali's Dilemma..Lemur Voice...I guess some of these are not so new but still had a major influence on my style...Drummers that impacted me are Neil Peart, Mike Portnoy, Virgil Donati, Thomas Lang...etc etc... the list goes on and I personally try to get better at my drumming on a weekly basis...I am always blown away by how good some of these guys are and how far they can take the instrument.....
How difficult was to combined guitarists from all over the world and inspire them to adopt the band’s style?
With today's technology and being somewhat of a computer "guy" it was very easy...we used sites like yousendit.com to send and receive large wave files and basically work as if we were all here....its an amazing technology that I am sure will be very common place in the near future...and probably already being done in mass....
The language of music is widely accepted. How difficult is to express your feelings with the absence of words?
This to me is easy...as long as the listener is in tune with an instrumental project....I guess some people have to have a vocalist to get the full effect...but I personally have always loved the instrumental side of things..for example if Dream Theater was all instrumental I think they would have had even more success in the prog world over the last 15 years...at some point forcing vocals over prog sections becomes an annoyance to me...but that's only my opinion..there are a few really top end singers that I love to hear out there...Nils from Pagans Mind and Roland who used to sing with Dreamscape come to mind right away...there just are not any Ronnie James Dio's or Bruce Dickinson's out there anymore like the old days...
Are you satisfied with the response you received from the sale figures of your debut?
To be honest it blew me away...I really did not expect us to sell very many....but honestly its been more successful than I ever imagined...
Do you plan any live concerts or it’s difficult to make it true due to lack of present band members?
Unfortunately, I don't see this ever happening...just due to our life style as well as getting everyone involved together...it would be an awesome thing but most unlikely...
I know that you also rehearsed and recorded some tracks featuring Matthew Mills on guitars. Do you plan to invite him again and release some tracks from your collaboration?
This could happen in the future - Matt Mills is a great guitarist...On this project Steve and I did not want to be quite so "neoclassical" in our delivery....we felt that Matt's style would be more of that direction than we had initially planed, so we opted for some other guys who were a little more versatile in their own playing...again Matt is a great player and a great guy.
Tell me about the astral covers you choose for your CD’s. Do you want to connect your music with our galaxy?
This was more my mind set in the beginning and I think Steve has adopted to his as well! (laughing)..... yes we are dreamers and thought-provoking individuals....this is how we see things in our mind’s eye...if the listener see's it that way then we feel you will fall right in to this concept...
Is there any chance of including vocals in your songs, regarding your future releases?
Steve and I are always kicking this around...he is long time friends with John Arch of Early Fates Warning and I have approached Nils from PM about the possibility...but who knows what the future may hold...
Which other guitarists do you plan to invite in OSV?
This my friend is a great question...since "Chapter Three" is now looming we will be on the search....we have two or three in mind right now that we would really like to work with...yet to be determined...
Do you also participate in other projects as well?
My original band Virtual reality has some material that I think would do well with the prog fans....I am trying now to sort thru the older material and some of the newer material to see where we are as for as a new CD release... Hopefully this will come to fruition..
Add anything you may want.
Dimitris, thanks for your time and support..I have been listening to and playing music for a very long time it seems...and in this day and time it is hard to find anyone who will take the time to do interviews or even show interest to the underground bands...you seem to be one of those people....Thank you and God bless..
Steve (Sexton) and I got together and formed the project in 2006. The story began 20+ years ago as together we @ 17 years of age formed the the original band "Knight" that later became the well known underground success "Oblivion Knight". Back in those days we parted ways due to musical differences and as Steve developed Oblivion Knight, I formed the band Virtual Reality and recorded two demo's and had some underground metal success...Steve and I had not seen each other or played together in 20+ years. In 2006 we reconciled our differences and agreed that together along with VR keyboardist Brandon Vaughn we could form an all instrumental project, incorporating some of the latest top end guitarist and that might actually work as a successful project...well the Mission began and OSV's first CD "Mission One" was born....we got more positive feedback than we ever imagined, so we ventured ahead with the new CD "Second Thoughts" and with its well received success thru CDBaby and Itunes we are now starting the bass and drum tracks for the 3rd CD tentatively entitled "Chapter Three."Which are your main influences and how would you categorize your music?
Well this is a very diverse question...me personally I am a prog metal old school rock/funk guy..Band wise I would say....Dream Theater's early work, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning w/ Mark Zonder on drums..and newer bands like Pagans Mind, Dreamscape, Dali's Dilemma..Lemur Voice...I guess some of these are not so new but still had a major influence on my style...Drummers that impacted me are Neil Peart, Mike Portnoy, Virgil Donati, Thomas Lang...etc etc... the list goes on and I personally try to get better at my drumming on a weekly basis...I am always blown away by how good some of these guys are and how far they can take the instrument.....
How difficult was to combined guitarists from all over the world and inspire them to adopt the band’s style?
With today's technology and being somewhat of a computer "guy" it was very easy...we used sites like yousendit.com to send and receive large wave files and basically work as if we were all here....its an amazing technology that I am sure will be very common place in the near future...and probably already being done in mass....
The language of music is widely accepted. How difficult is to express your feelings with the absence of words?
This to me is easy...as long as the listener is in tune with an instrumental project....I guess some people have to have a vocalist to get the full effect...but I personally have always loved the instrumental side of things..for example if Dream Theater was all instrumental I think they would have had even more success in the prog world over the last 15 years...at some point forcing vocals over prog sections becomes an annoyance to me...but that's only my opinion..there are a few really top end singers that I love to hear out there...Nils from Pagans Mind and Roland who used to sing with Dreamscape come to mind right away...there just are not any Ronnie James Dio's or Bruce Dickinson's out there anymore like the old days...Are you satisfied with the response you received from the sale figures of your debut?
To be honest it blew me away...I really did not expect us to sell very many....but honestly its been more successful than I ever imagined...
Do you plan any live concerts or it’s difficult to make it true due to lack of present band members?
Unfortunately, I don't see this ever happening...just due to our life style as well as getting everyone involved together...it would be an awesome thing but most unlikely...
I know that you also rehearsed and recorded some tracks featuring Matthew Mills on guitars. Do you plan to invite him again and release some tracks from your collaboration?
This could happen in the future - Matt Mills is a great guitarist...On this project Steve and I did not want to be quite so "neoclassical" in our delivery....we felt that Matt's style would be more of that direction than we had initially planed, so we opted for some other guys who were a little more versatile in their own playing...again Matt is a great player and a great guy.
Tell me about the astral covers you choose for your CD’s. Do you want to connect your music with our galaxy?
This was more my mind set in the beginning and I think Steve has adopted to his as well! (laughing)..... yes we are dreamers and thought-provoking individuals....this is how we see things in our mind’s eye...if the listener see's it that way then we feel you will fall right in to this concept...Is there any chance of including vocals in your songs, regarding your future releases?
Steve and I are always kicking this around...he is long time friends with John Arch of Early Fates Warning and I have approached Nils from PM about the possibility...but who knows what the future may hold...
Which other guitarists do you plan to invite in OSV?
This my friend is a great question...since "Chapter Three" is now looming we will be on the search....we have two or three in mind right now that we would really like to work with...yet to be determined...
Do you also participate in other projects as well?
My original band Virtual reality has some material that I think would do well with the prog fans....I am trying now to sort thru the older material and some of the newer material to see where we are as for as a new CD release... Hopefully this will come to fruition..
Add anything you may want.
Dimitris, thanks for your time and support..I have been listening to and playing music for a very long time it seems...and in this day and time it is hard to find anyone who will take the time to do interviews or even show interest to the underground bands...you seem to be one of those people....Thank you and God bless..
Dimitris Starakis
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