EQUATE Meets Ron Gallo
"I knew I wanted to write and be creative, and music seemed to mix a lot of my interests into one."
Photo Credit: Dylan Reyes
Meet Ron Gallo, a multi-talented creative force in the music industry. Even though his debut album HEAVY META got released in only 2017, the artist has seen huge success ever since – from performing at the world’s most acclaimed festivals, such as Bonnaroo or Coachella to launching his very own platform REALLYNICE.world in which he interviews creatives, shares content and sells his own fashion brand, as well as hosting a digital festival. There really is no stopping him – his constant ideas and ambition go unmatched. Just last week he finally released his highly anticipated album Peacemeal, a beautiful blend of pop, jazz, 90’s hip-hop, lo-fi/hi-fi sounds, and guitar playing. In our chat with Gallo, we spoke about the process behind the album and much more.
Words & Interview by Antonia Kuenzel
EQ: First of all - you’ve been based in Nashville for a while, the city of music! How has the city’s legacy shaped your artistry in any way?
RG: As of three weeks ago, I’m officially back in my homeland of Philadelphia. But! For the 5 years before that, I was in Nashville. I actually feel like the history of Nashville as a music city had almost zero impact on what I do but that was what I liked about it - that I went to a place I didn’t exactly make sense in and did my own thing.
EQ: Was it rather easy or difficult to emerge in the scene over there?
RG: I got really lucky. I went there more for personal reasons, friends, needing to get out of Philly and once I started putting bands together and playing, I was really quickly embraced by Nashville to a life-changing point, which I didn’t expect or plan on. I guess it makes a case for not being concerned with the outcome of things.
EQ: How did you get into music in the first place - was it something you’ve always wanted to do? Or did you originally have another career path in mind?
RG: I kind of just fell into it in high school and just never stopped. Not too much thought put into it. But once I had my very first band I just kind of knew it was what I wanted to do even though I was absolutely not a natural at it at all. I knew I wanted to write and be creative, and music seemed to mix a lot of my interests into one.
EQ: Your debut album HEAVY META gained huge acclaim, which is an incredible achievement! Now that you’ve got PEACEMEAL coming up, how does this album differ from HEAVY META and your other releases, lyrically and sonically?
RG: I’ve reinvented with each album out of necessity. I’m a chameleon and get really into something for a period of time then move onto something else. I’m constantly chasing whatever the current version of myself and my genuine tastes are at a given moment and then creating from it. I feel like “PEACEMEAL” is the most drastic of these reinventions. With “HEAVY META” I was a pretty “frustrated with the world” guy and was taking a lot of influence from late 70’s punk (The Stooges, Richard Hell, Patti Smith, etc.) and had this mission to disrupt and try to change things. But now I feel like a completely different, much lighter, more childlike version of myself and am embracing all of that with “PEACEMEAL” and leaning into my pop, R&B, jazz, hip-hop influences which are equally as important to me as the previous chapters.
“… I’m constantly chasing whatever the current version of myself and my genuine tastes are at a given moment and then creating from it.”
- Ron Gallo
EQ: Is there a particular artist or producer you’d love to collaborate or connect with in the future?
RG: Tyler the Creator
EQ: You’ve also performed on the biggest festivals on this planet - which has been your most memorable performance and why?
RG: Bonnaroo, 2018. This was a redemption set to our 2016 Bonnaroo show that got shut down from a lightning storm and had to evacuate the entire festival. Anyway, 2018 was one of the fondest memories I have playing ever. The crowd was packed and waiting for us before we went on and it was at the end of a really amazing year of touring. I felt really at ease and in the moment and it was really fun, it felt like a hometown celebration.
EQ: Tell me more about your REALLY NICE blog! I love the website’s aesthetic. How did you get the idea for that and how did your own fashion brand develop from that?
RG: Thank you! I started REALLY NICE when I was in Italy fall of 2019. Named after an EP we put out in early 2018. I was feeling pretty alien and entering into this great unknown of taking a year off from tour, beginning to make songs for “PEACEMEAL” and figuring out what the hell I was about all over again from scratch. So, the site became an outlet for me to discover that I guess, and just make whatever, express whatever came to mind. Once the pandemic hit is when I finally cracked down and started the clothes design, which was something I had been wanting to do for years. I’m hoping to keep growing it and have it be ever-changing like the music.
EQ: You’re even hosting a digital festival from there - how do you juggle all that work? Do you have a secret tip on how to stay on top of things?
RG: The digital festival was a result of quarantine period as well. We did a livestream very early on (March 14th, 2020) before live-streaming became the norm over the last year and from the success of that I wanted to keep it going so I ran it for 9 weeks April-June. Comedy, music, conversations, yoga, tutorials. It was cool and helped pass the time, but eventually fizzled out. I wish I had more tips on how to stay on top of things - it was easy then because accepting the pandemic was a surrender that resulted in a lot of creative energy (probably out of denial of reality) but traditionally I get overwhelmed and overthink a lot. It comes in spurts.
EQ: Other than making music and working on your REALLY NICE platform, what else do you enjoy doing?
RG: Attempting to do nothing, eating, breathing, walking, I like to do graphic design, make videos sometimes. I find that sitting in front of the TV with a meal in front of me is one of the best moments of the day lately. Also, just being quiet I enjoy.
EQ: What else have you got planned for this year?
RG: It seems like the clouds are starting to clear so hopefully there will be some semblance of travel, tour, shows, etc. All safely again. The only concrete plan I have is to go back to Italy with Chiara as soon as she has her green card because she hasn’t been home in over a year because she can’t leave the U.S. during this phase of the immigration process.
YouTube/RON GALLO
Stream ‘PEACEMEAL’ HERE
Keep up with Ron Gallo on socials
Website: Ron Gallo Music; reallynice.world
Instagram: @RonGallo
Twitter: @RonGallo
Facebook: Ron Gallo