And just like that… the world shut down. Emerging from the rubble of an unprecedented pandemic met by a rise in social tension (and tensions of all kinds, for that matter), rock artist GABRIEL reminds us how human we all are, made up of skin and bones despite our differences. “What A Shame,” released on October 16, 2020, challenges each of us to take an extrospective look at the world by stopping long enough to listen to each other.
“The video is a powerful message to try to learn from and appreciate our differences,” Joe Kaltenbach explains. “After all, ‘What good are skin and bones if you’ve got no soul?’”
Written shortly after COVID-19 hit, Gabriel and Joe Kaltenbach sat down with a guitar riff and an earnest observation about the world. Recorded at Red Amp Audio, “What A Shame” was produced by Joe and engineered by Jody Boyd and Andrew Uvarov, brought to life by lead guitarist and songwriter Gabriel Metzger alongside musicians Phil Walker (Lead Vocals), Keith Horne (Bass) and Jody Boyd (Drums).
Named Top 10 Under 20 at the 2018 Dallas International Guitar Festival, Gabriel fuses his blues- inspired roots with heavy rock influences for a sound that is dynamic, hard-hitting and lyrically solid. To date, Gabriel has opened for Tony Jackson and Jackson Ward, Danny Kensey’s Cedar Creek and Big Gun; played the guitar at a packed Kingston Mines alongside Linsey Alexander and has played shows best described by the phrase “standing room only.”
As Gabriel breaks through boundaries with a modern spin on traditional rock music, “What A Shame” breaks down the walls that keep us from truly connecting. In Gabriel’s words, “I hope people will hear this song and realize that at the end of the day we are all the same. We all want to be heard, we all want to be accepted and we all want to be loved.”
Don’t miss Gabriel’s debut single, “What A Shame,” or its underlying message; by listening to the song, one could be inspired to listen more, in general.