Conversations with Roland Priesing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Roland Priesing.

Hi Roland, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in East Los Angeles and raised in the San Fernando Valley. Growing up I was always the creative type and quiet type, was bullied both at school and at home. I had a lot of emotions that I didn’t really know how to handle. I had a step father that would mentally and physically abuse both my mother and I, when we got finally got away from him, I was left with pent up anger, regret and fear. When a good friend named Angel introduced me to Slipknot’s self-titled album, I connected with the anger and chaos in the music. It made me feel like I could turn some of those emotions into strength. Later, hearing System of a Down’s Toxicity made me want to learn their songs, and that’s when I picked up a guitar.
A couple of years into learning guitar. Then I heard the bass line in Tool’s “Schism,” in the radio and it opened my mind to how sophisticated and creative rock music could be. It inspired me to eventually start creating music of my own.
I’ve since gone on to play bass in rock bands and perform live. My first show was a completely different version of me—I was so anxious that I was physically shaking, but I kept performing, and over time I became comfortable and confident onstage. There’s an adrenaline that comes with performing, but I also love being seen for what I’m capable of.
Today, I’m still creating music, writing and producing when I can, and trying to grow creatively. I still struggle with taking some of my ideas all the way to finished songs, but I’m learning. I’m also interested in exploring acting and film because I want to keep expanding how I tell stories and express myself. Ultimately, I want to build a stable life where I can have a good career while having my own studio and continuing to make music.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been constant challenges i had to over come over the years, I remember doing my first presentation in speech class in college, my voice would crackle and hands would tremble, my anxiety would sky rocket. So my first live performance was nerve racking. Creatively i struggle finishing projects or songs i start, ill have ideas going at once getting stuck in the process but Im still learning. Finding a way to build a career while continuing to develop as a musician and explore other creative interests has been an ongoing challenge. I’m still figuring that part out. Living paycheck to paycheck has been a journey of survival for me, ive come across people that has giving up on their dreams and thinking that it is just that… dreams, so self doubt has its own hurdles but i have a rebellious nature that i refuse to give up on mine. The road ahead is not a smooth one, these bumps called , anxiety, finances, self doubt, fear, i hope to over come and achieve the person i can be proud of and evolve to be.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a bassist, guitarist, songwriter, occasional poet when inspiration hits, and someone who enjoys experimenting with recording and producing my own ideas. Im currently known as the bassist of a rock band called Develephant. @develephant_la
I make my own music apart from the band, Though I haven’t always had the easiest circumstances or the resources to pursue it the way I’d like. Im most proud of the performer that i am today in comparison of who i was a few years ago, overcoming the fear of being in front of people and gaining more confidence in my self. What sets me apart is probably my approach to challenges. I’ve had to adapt throughout my life, and I’ve carried that into the way I create. If something isn’t working, I’m usually the person who wants to try a different approach and figure it out rather than simply give up. I think that persistence and willingness to experiment are a big part of who I am creatively.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was pretty shy, quiet, and introverted. My mother raised me on her own, and I didn’t know my biological father until I was 18. My father and I are still strangers to each other but im okay with that. My mother has always been a major part of my life. My mother was one of the greatest singers ive ever known and im not just saying that, she was a karaoke host and every time she sang you can hear all the pain, emotion and passion being carried through her voice, I believe that is how i got inspired of how i approach singing a song whether it is karaoke, singing my own songs or just doing back up vocals. She raised me by herself through a lot of difficult circumstances, and today she’s bedridden after suffering a stroke. Robbed of her greatest passions of life and being a prisoner of her own body is heart breaking, so i carry that with me at all times. Seeing her in that situation has been difficult, but shes on her own journey of recovery and one day i hope to hear singing again. We moved around a lot and sometimes lived with other families, so I learned to adapt to different environments pretty early in life. I spent a lot of time using my imagination. I would make toys out of whatever I could find and find ways to entertain myself, we were always so close in living in the streets. I think that creativity has stayed with me throughout my life. I was also bullied in different schools, and because I was quiet and usually smaller than the other kids, I was an easy target. I kept a lot of things to myself and didn’t always know how to express what I was feeling. Looking back, I think that’s part of why music eventually became so important to me. It gave me a way to express things I couldn’t always put into words.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @rolandpr0918, @develephant_la
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@develephant4721
• Other: rolandpriesing@gmail.com

Image Credits
@eddyspaghetiiii
@supernnnova
@queenskittlesphotography