Song Premiere : “Mellow Drama” – Gary Dranow and the Manic Emotions

Gary Dranow and the Manic Emotions are the blues rock band making music for the square pegs of the world. Inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaugn, the band gives great tunes with even better guitar licks.

Their new single, “Mellow Drama,” is a blues meets classic rock sound reminiscent of the 1980’s. It definitely bleeds of bands like The Grateful Dead with the playful folk blues undertone in the keyboard and Stevie Ray Vaugn or Eric Clapton in the way the guitar interacts with the melody. Overall, the song is musically groovy and the lyrics are powerfully personal.

“Mellow Drama” is written and sung in the 3rd person from the point of view of Gary’s friends and partners. He reflects what it must have been like for them to be in a relationship with him before he was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 with mania. It’s by far his most vulnerable song yet.

“When I was in my late 40’s I had just been diagnosed as a Bi-polar 1 with Mania and for the first time I had reference for why I acted out as I did from early childhood until I started to be managed Pharmacologically,” he says. “I blew up three marriages and many relationships due to my over the top personality. It wasn’t until I moved to Park City and a Ski Racing buddy of mine referred me to his psychiatrist, Dr. Kalm (really his name. no joke), that I was put on the right cocktail of meds and I mellowed out tremendously. Before I was medicated, or just took lithium, I was hyper aggressive and often people would be put off by my demeanor. That all changed under the care of Dr. Kalm. Now I’m as calm as a lake without wind, very stable and now a genuinely nice, caring person.”