Dylan Gleit is a guitarist and first-year Pratt student with a budding music career. He has a successful EP and a music deal with CBS, and he’s part of a band that recently signed to Small Town Records. His band Mobius opened for Delta Rae at Reynolds Theater on March 22. Despite his growing success, he retained a humble yet eager demeanor as he and Recess writer Katie Fernelius discussed his music.
Recess: What got you into music?
Dylan Gleit: Well, my dad has been a serious drummer for over 40 years, so growing up I was constantly surrounded by his music and drum sets laying around the house. He recognized that I had an established degree of musical talent when I was at an early age, so he made a continuous effort to expose me to the musical world. I definitely owe my interest in music to him.
R: Why did you choose the guitar, specifically, above other instruments?
DG: To be completely honest, I started playing the guitar for the same reason every other teenage boy does—to get girls! That’s no lie. Also, there was just something about the image of a guy on stage with a guitar in his hands that seemed so intriguing to me. I first started playing the trumpet in fourth grade, and as I got older and my musical taste started shifting, I began going to concerts. I specifically remember being at a show and not being able to focus my eyes anywhere but on the guitarist. I would leave afterwards thinking, “Man, I really want that to be me rocking out up there on stage with a guitar. That would be so cool.” I then decided to pick up a guitar, and the rest is history.
R: What kind of opportunities have you gotten through your music?
DG: In 2009, I was accepted to the School of Rock Allstars, where I got to go on multiple tours a year, sometimes with guest artists like Jon Anderson of Yes and Brendon Small of Dethklok. I’ve also had the opportunity to perform at Hangout Fest and Gathering of the Vibes for two years in a row, where I got to share the stage with many artists, such as Jane’s Addiction, The Flaming Lips, Primus, Dave Matthews Band, Jack White, Zappa Plays Zappa, Skrillex and others. Back in New York, I was in a band called Studio Nine, which released a five-track EP entitled Watch Me Burn. CBS found our EP and asked to use the instrumental tracks for music behind their sports reels and we’re in the final part of that process. Recently, my four-piece funk rock band here at Duke, Mobius, got signed to Small Town Records and we’re currently recording our debut EP. Honestly, I just feel so fortunate to be able to do what I love and have such amazing opportunities follow.
R: What role do you see music playing in your life post-college? Do you see it as a career or as a hobby?
DG: I definitely see music as a career for me. However, music is such an extremely difficult field to succeed in. Yes, you have to be talented enough to be discovered. But aside from that and working hard to promote yourself, your success lies in the connections you have and the loyalty of your fans. It really all boils down to luck. You have to be in the right place at the right time in order to get discovered and ultimately be successful. Since there is no guaranteed path to success as a musician, I have decided to get a Mechanical Engineering degree here at Duke as a backup plan. After I graduate, I want to live in New York City—or as close to it as possible—and try to make a living as a musician for as long as I can. If after many years I’m still not living the life I want to live, I will have my degree to fall back on and music will take on the role of my primary hobby in life.
R: What inspires your music?
DG: I, like most individuals, write to express myself. Some people keep journals, have blogs or paint and draw, but I write songs. I write about the things in my life that cause me stress or challenges that I’m struggling to tackle. Lately, I’ve been writing many songs about a particular girl of interest who I don’t believe feels the same way about me. It’s clearly a frustrating situation, so I write music about it because it helps me cope by expressing my feelings in a way that utilizes my passion. What I’m trying to say is, the difficulties in my life serve as my inspiration for writing new music.
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