The Undiscovered: Dan Mitchell

...release a CD! At least, that was the idea of guitarist Dan Mitchell, as he put out his CD-R release entitled Dimentia - Musical Expressions Of A Troubled Psyche. Striving to ensure that each track on the album had a different flavor, tonality, style and story to tell, Mitchell's music is quite varied throughout. Diversity from the conception through to the execution was a stated goal - and this is quite evident as a listener starts with track 1, "Sorrow", through neo-classical numbers such as "Dolente For Guitar And Strings", finally arriving at the obscure, backwards guitar playing heard on the last track, "Fading Away (The Vacant Mind)". See, you can put a troubled psyche to some good use, if you put your mind to it, so to speak - and you can play guitar, of course.

Dan lives for the guitar - honestly. He's 21 years old, lives in Galgate - a village just outside Lancaster - in the UK, and has been playing guitar for nearly five years now. Dan has been in several bands throughout that time, and is currently playing in the up and coming classic rock band Hooker. There was a time when he was unhealthily obsessed with Steve Vai and his playing. Dan recounts, "If I ever met him I think I would either have a nervous breakdown, or collapse, or both! Another huge influence on my playing is Yngwie Malmsteen. I think he is my next favorite guitar player, and he has inspired me to explore my guitar even further and keep taking it to new levels." He regards Slash as the guy that actually got him to pick up the guitar in the first place.

All Mitchell wants out of life is to make a living out of playing music - in any capacity - whether it is as a solo artist, in a band, or recording movie soundtracks. Worldwide fame is not necessary - just the ability to live comfortably playing music.

Dan Mitchell
United Kingdom

Web site: www.myspace.com/cheesepig