1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?
I don't think there was ever really a moment where I knew I always wanted to sing, I just always could and so I did. My defining moment came later when I had to make a choice as what role music was going to take in my life, an active "This is what I do" type of role or a passive weekend warrior type of role. I'm not flying airplanes so now it's just a matter of daily affirmations.
2 . When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of
your favorites?
I listen to a lot of NPR in the car. Solid go to music has always been Local H, At the Drive In, Cypress Hill, New Pornographer and Tragically Hip.
3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record
or live?
When my family called me up and told my they had just heard Majesty on TV. They were totally surprised and it just came on it by chance so that was really cool.
4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?
How much can music influence current events?
I think music can awaken people to feelings and thoughts and ideas they may not have had otherwise but it's a two way street. Those thoughts and feelings are not always going to be positive in nature so I think that it becomes a zero sum game in the end. Not everyone loved John Lennon, some people thought he was a punk that didn't understand they way the world worked and hearing him sing "Give peace a chance" and "War is over if you want it" just pissed them off.
5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected
your career as a musician?
Technology as a whole has fractured music. Never before has there been so many genre's and sub genre's and sub sub genre's. One on hand that's great. Ideas can come pouring out quickly and cheaply and it means that music can evolve faster then ever. But I think the ease and relative affordability of making music as well as a vacuum for content created by the internet means that production values have fallen and people expectations have been lowered. Now a days trying to discover new music can become more of a painful experience than a good one.
6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of
shoes would you be?
I would be a pair of Boots. Big and heavy. Uncomfortable at first. Sweaty in the summer, but after that initial breaking in phase, tough to get rid of.
Description: Elliot Szabo has an amazing vocal talent and a energetic live show filled with all original acoustic rock compositions mixed with a wide range of unique and well known covers. From large venues to coffee shops this act can perform well in any settin
Biography: Las Vegas singer, songwriter, and all-out acoustic rocker Elliot Szabo (www.elliotszabo.com) engages his audience with a mixture of relatable lyrics and infectious grooves, delivering an upbeat set of crowd-pleasing tunes and styles similar to those of Eric Hutchinson, Matt Nathanson and Duncan Sheik.
Szabo had performed as a solo artist and in various groups throughout the Midwest before making the move to the Entertainment Capital of the World. Szabo joined up with drummer Kenny Byrne, bassist Gary Coveny and keyboardist / guitarist Andy Vieluf and the foursome have been writing, recording and playing shows throughout the Southwest since 2007. He and his band mates have a true love of performing, which shines through on stage during each show.
Born and raised in Indiana, Szabo cites the rock classics of the 60’s and 70’s such as Cat Stevens and Jethro Tull as his musical influences. Throughout his youth, Szabo’s father played guitar, which inspired Elliot to do the same. He painstakingly studied the songbooks of such iconic performers as Neil Diamond, George Harrison, and Paul Simon, and soon father and son would spend many a day jamming together.
“My music is inspired by a variety of personal experiences and stories throughout my life,” says Szabo. “The song themes explore the complexities of human nature within different situations.”
Elliot Szabo’s EP, “Between Two Points on a Map,” was released on June 26, 2009 and features tracks such as “Crawling,” “Majesty,” and “Window.” Szabo recorded the tracks at Digital Insight, a leading live tracking and mixing studio in Las Vegas. Digital Insight’s clients include B.B. King and Kayne West, among many others. Szabo also worked with engineer Rob Root (The Killers, “Day and Age”). “Between Two Points on a Map” is available for purchase at www.elliotszabo.com.
