Citizens welcome back to another Fan Appreciation post!
In today’s Fan Appreciation post we will be talking to Gary Single @garyrsingleton a very talented Musician, Photographer and Videographer from Instagram!
We first became aware of Gary during the early days of In The Name of the Father as he was sharing his covers of PRESIDENT – some of which were the first covers to hit the internet (he is one committed Citizen!).
Who is Gary Singleton?
Gary has been involved in the music industry for nearly 20 years, whether that was as a musician, a producer, artist relations and marketing, etc. After retiring from an active duty military career, he focuses primarily on his photo/videography business along with raising his son.
So without further ado let’s ask Gary some questions about PRESIDENT, Content Creation and everything in between!
What first drew you to PRESIDENT’s music?
Was there a particular song or moment that made you say, “This band is something special”?
“Honestly, it took a few listens to “In the name of the father” to really hit. But what drew me in was the vocal prowess and how smooth president/the artist could add that distortion to his harsh vocals. Another thing to note is, a buddy of mine is friends with people that work alongside the band. After a few decades in the music industry you just know people. Its a small world.”
I have been a musician my whole life, whether it was vocals, percussion, touring and studio drumming, guitar, bass etc. I have taken almost a decade break from really pursuing anything musical, but once the Sleep Token song “Caramel” came out, that song really inspired me to get back into it.
When you decided to cover a PRESIDENT song, how do you choose which track to tackle next?
“Obviously, I started with their first track, and like everyone else we were all waiting for more, and then Download Festival came… I listened to those videos on youtube over and over at night. Breaking down and analyzing each part of the songs and the message behind each one. I decided to do more after joined a facebook group dedicated to the band. I started with destroy me I believe, and then I was like…I might as well do all of them haha. Rage is still my favorite by far.”
Walk us through your creative process—how do you take a song that’s already beloved and make it uniquely yours while still staying true to PRESIDENT’s spirit?
“I have been a musician my whole life, whether it was vocals, percussion, touring and studio drumming, guitar, bass etc. I have taken almost a decade break from really pursuing anything musical, but once the Sleep Token song “Caramel” came out, that song really inspired me to get back into it. President shortly came after and I was extremely ready to go at that moment. As far as the process, it was more of just figure out the lyrics as best I could at the time, because once I learned more about the artist and who he was with other projects, I realized that I needed to just be true to myself and explore that to truly do them justice.”
PRESIDENT’s music often carries powerful emotion and atmosphere. How do you capture that energy when performing your covers?
“Man…imma tell ya…the last couple years of my life have been tough, and im not a religious person at all. Never have been, but I do like the idea that something or someone is out there. I do not pray, but I feel like the lyrics in these songs strike a chord for anyone regardless of your beliefs. It’s a basic human chord that the songs pluck within you and it’s hard to ignore. Honestly, I think my cover of the track “Rage” encompasses just how emotional the songs made me in the moment. Were the covers perfect? Absolutely not. Many people hate them, but you cannot deny that if you hear me perform “Rage”, that it is not me screaming from the bottom of my soul.”
What’s the most rewarding part of reinterpreting someone else’s work—and what’s the most challenging?
“Like I said, I’ve been a musician and around the industry for several decades now but I took a long hiatus. The most rewarding part was kinda having that fire again, ya know? The desire to perform. The most challenging part was coming at it from a vocal perspective. I have not done vocal work in a very long time, I have never recorded my screams and growls until this year even. So going down that road in general has been a very rewarding and eye opening experience.”
Which of the covers you have done in which there are many are you most proud of?
“Rage…Rage is beyond my favorite. Its not perfect and I’m really belting out that falsetto. Is it a bit harsh on the ears? Yeah, but it was just raw emotion covering that one. I think it really comes across. I would not mind doing them now with the full production tracks out but the music spark has kinda subsided for the moment. Maybe it will come back when I see President at the first USA show in NYC this December.”
Are there any hidden details or techniques in your covers that listeners might not notice at first but you’re particularly proud of?
“As I stated previously, I did not do vocal work for…at least 15 years or so, and never really did harsh stuff outside of the car driving to work, haha. So being able to come from nothing to doing covers of this with more general harsh fry screams to some whitechapel stuff people liked… that was really awesome to see people support me and want more.”
If you could collaborate with any member of PRESIDENT—even just for one song—who would it be and why?
“The President or The Artist, I mean…it is the President. I know for a fact he is always writing music. The guy works nonstop on any band or project he is in. He writes in his own studio constantly. Would be cool to sit and vibe out, and just see what flows out.”
What advice would you give to other musicians or fans thinking about creating their own covers of PRESIDENT songs?
“Just do it. Create art in general. Some will like it, and some will hate it, but that’s the age we live in. You have to be ready for that negative, as well as the positive because of social media. I have done music my whole life, I have done photography, cinematography, and I’m a faa certified drone pilot. Not everyone will like your product, but try your best to do it for the right reasons.”
And finally—the big one: if you could ask PRESIDENT one question that only your ears could hear the answer to, what would you ask?
“That’s a hard one. I don’t think I would ask a question. I think I would like to just hang with him or the band in general because I just know from others who have worked closely with them that they are just super cool people, and if anything, It would be nice to let him/them know the impact they have had on me as a person and how that has helped me through this year so far.”
Wrapping Up with Gary!
As our conversation with Gary draws to a close, one thing becomes clear — his devotion to the sound and vision of PRESIDENT runs deeper than mere admiration. Like a true Citizen, Gary doesn’t just perform the music; he channels the Transmission, translating its energy into something both personal and powerful. In his covers, the echoes of PRESIDENT’s message find new life — a reflection of The Citizens who continue to amplify the signal.
Our goal here at PRESIDENTBANDCAMPAIGN is to grow the PRESIDENT community and that can only happen if we bring the community together through various means and methods. So let’s show Toni some Citizen Support!
If you would like to see more from Gary then you can find him on Instagram @garyrsingleton and via the social link below.
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