Your Friends & Neighbors

{ YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS } Born Too Late?

At 33, singer-songwriter Rory D’Lasnow jokes that he belongs in a past musical generation. But the critics think he’s got a future.

A Teaneck resident who grew up in Englewood, Rory D’Lasnow, 33, has emerged as one of New Jersey’s brightest singer-songwriters. He has what one British music writer called “a marvelous talent for melding the sublimely simple with the decadently melodic in his music.” Before he hit the road for a show in Toronto in support of his latest EP, Songs From an Empty Room, D’Lasnow chatted with BERGEN.

How old were you when you first picked up a guitar?

I was around 5 or 6, and I saw my dad playing. He was a huge inspiration, as he used to play guitar for me when I was a baby. But I also grew up—like many other folks— obsessed with the Beatles.

Who were your other musical idols?

I used to think I was born in the wrong generation because I really loved music that came before my time: the Beatles, Queen, Billy Joel, the Everly Brothers, Fleetwood Mac.

Did playing come naturally to you, or did you take formal lessons?

It did come naturally, even though I played incorrectly—I held the guitar and played it the wrong way, upside-down. I never took any formal lessons and mostly learned by ear or by looking at books.

Why did you never play right-side up?

I’m not sure! I like to think I picked it up as the mirror image to my father, who played right-handed. There are home videos I recently found with my parents telling me to turn the guitar around, but I didn’t listen.

When did you start playing gigs?

I first played in talent shows at school or on cruise ships (my mother was a travel agent) and I used to busk at Starbucks on Palisade Avenue in Englewood as a small kid. At the Englewood Library I had my own show at around 12.

What advice have you picked up from other musicians?

“Stay open to new experiences, in terms of writing and touring.” Some of my favorite ideas for songs have been outside of my normal approach or style.

Where do you get your inspiration for your music?

Everywhere! Oftentimes my music has been inspired by the people I’ve met, the people I’ve loved, the people I’ve lost. Music can be such a cathartic, uniting factor in our lives, and I try to represent experiences that I feel we all can relate to. I’m more interested in the intention and sincerity of the music than a particular genre or style.

You’ve used your platforms to bring awareness to mental health issues. Why is this important to you?

I’ve worked on and off in the mental health field for many years. I’ve seen the powerful role music can play in coping with mental health issues and communicating complex sentiments that might otherwise be hard to capture. I’ve also been pretty vocal about my own struggle with mental health, much of it related to grieving and loss (I’ve unfortunately lost both of my beautiful parents) and the idea that we’re all in this together.

Any tips for up-andcoming musicians?

Don’t think, just do! I’m a notorious overthinker. Ultimately the best thing I ever did was just throw myself into some open mics at the prompting of some friends.

Any favorite venues?

Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck played a key role in getting me going. Cool Beans’s open mic in Oradell was a special spot to try out new songs and meet fellow musicians, as was Oak Ale House in Maywood. Though both are gone, their memory is never far from my mind. I’ve spent a lot of time playing in Hoboken and Jersey City as well as Asbury Park and the Jersey Shore.

What do you do outside of music?

I love baseball, football and really any sport. I’m a big Mets fan and a Michigan alum (Go Blue!). I’m often working at my mental health job, which really rejuvenates another part of me. My clients are a constant source of inspiration.

Where do you see your career in the near future?

I’ve got a couple of songs and shows lined up that I’m really excited for—I hope I can just continue to meet new folks around the world and share stories with them. That’s what makes this most worthwhile.