Today we’d like to introduce you to Dusty Mahan.
Hi Dusty, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hello! My name is Dusty. My musical journey started at a young age the first time I found Garth Brooks. I remember getting a CD player and Garths “Greatest Hits” for Christmas and I was hooked. 90’s country and southern rock pretty much ruled my world until 6th grade. That’s where a class mate let me borrow a KISS cd. I was instantly hooked. Then KISS was a gateway to Metallica, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Slayer etc. KISS pushed me to pick up the drums and eventually my true musical love, guitar. I started out by learning KISS tunes and songs from Metallicas “Kill ’em All”. In an early, more thrash band, I played guitar and sang, but I was a terrible vocalist. Through the years I played in many heavy/rock/prog bands as a lead guitarist. Eventually I started a pop punk band called My Friend the Ghost. In that band I honed in more on the craft of singing while playing guitar. After a few years of regional success we hung it up and I joined the Army. Toward the end of my army career, I was doing 24 hour staff duty and really started to dive into serial killer documentaries (serial killer docs and chill) and the world of horror, a long favorite movie genre of mine. This inspired me to start writing Heavy Metal songs that eventually because FUZZRIPPER in October 2017. Of all my musical journeys, FUZZRIPPER is definitely my pride and joy. The genre is very 80’s Heavy Metal driven but with obvious pop influences. I love a good hook and a melody that gives you goose bumps. I have released two albums with FUZZRIPPER(Nightstalker and Poltergeist) and we are currently writing for an album that we hope to release in the fall of 2026.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road did not start out smooth for me. I was born with severe hearing difficulties and struggled with ear infections for most of my childhood. Once the issues resolved, I had to attend speech therapy frequently, because I had basically learned to speech with a limited hearing range. I think that is why I love music so much. Finally being able to hear the full spectrum and falling for melody and the guitar. There was a time a doctor wanted to basically gut my whole ear and install some crazy new age system. Thankfully my parents got several other opinions and through other procedures my hearing finally found a way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I think at heart I will always be a metal guitarist, but I have a huge passion for songwriting as well. I’m also an audio engineer that really helps our process as a band and working with mix/master engineers. I think vocally I’m a strange dude. Because I learned to sing to bands like Underoath, Something Corporate, We the Kings, Blink 182 and other similar bands. But I like to write heavy metal riffs.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I have some of the most outrageous burps on planet Earth. I’m a jokester through and through and love to have a good laugh and make people crack up. I’ve been told I come off as a super serious guy. I’m also married to my best friend and we have four amazing children. Yes, four.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fuzzripper.com
