Meet JD McGibney | Musician, Entertainer, Mental Health Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with JD McGibney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi JD, why did you pursue a creative career?
Music became such an important part of who I was when I was a teenager. From the moment I discovered a genre of music that resonated with me, and picked up the guitar, I started relating everything to music. It influenced my social circles, the way I started to handle my emotions, how I would analyze the world around me, and even began influencing my philosophy on life. I had started out trying to build a “back-up plan” career, but nothing touched my heart the way music did. Eventually I bit the bullet, as they say, and decided to build a full career in entertainment, focused around music.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As I mentioned earlier, music sort of seeped into my entire being when I was younger. For me, music was a way for me to help make sense of the angst I was feeling as an adolescent, and helped me to deal with (what I would later come to identify as) anxiety.

I fell in love with heavy music because I felt like it gave me permission to feel the full intensity of all the emotions I was starting to experience, both bad and good. Playing guitar and writing music became my safe space to let my emotions run free.

I fumbled around in the local Long Island scene right after high school for a few years, until I met my mentor. He was the first person to open my eyes to the fact that being an entertainer was a viable career path, as long as I approached it like a business, and did not rely on “luck” or my art to bring me success.

Eventually, I moved to Los Angeles (with some encouragement from my aunt and uncle) to seriously pursue work in entertainment. Doing so lead to being a goblin for the band Nekrogoblikon, a whole bunch of session musician work, and even some acting along the way (because it’s Los Angeles, and everyone tries it once).

After a few years in LA, I moved to Brooklyn to help my mentor with his company for two years, before moving back to Los Angeles to bring my passion project, Angels on the Battlefield, to the public eye in order to use the power of music to fight the stigma around mental illness.

Along the way I’ve learned that each and every one of us is a beautiful and unique person. Our lives, our experiences, and our stories all have value, and are precious because there is only ever just one of each of us. Life is not easy, but we all have the ability to conquer an obstacles that we may face; especially if we face them together in solidarity.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many wonderful places in Los Angeles! Having to pick a few is hard, sometimes. For me, since music is such an important part of my person, I would show my friend the Sunset strip; specifically the Whisky a Go Go! The venue is part of rock and roll history, being one of the focal points in which iconic bands, and musical movements sprouted from. I’d also show them the Hollywood Bowl! A magnificent natural formation that ent itself to be a perfect location for a live concert venue.

I’d also bring them to La Brea Tar Pits, mainly because it has sentimental value for me. As a child, my family would come out to visit my grandparents, and the tar pits were a regular visit when we would. I absolutely loved getting to see the prehistoric fossils and animatronics!

For food, I would definitely show off the sushi here in LA. Two of my favorite restaurants are Irori Sushi in Marina Del Ray, and Sakura on Centinela Avenue, just north of LAX.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
One of the most influential and supportive people in my life has been my aunt. She is quite possibly one of the most loving, giving, and caring people on the planet. Her and my uncle were the two people that helped me find the courage to pursue a career in entertainment, and they’ve helped me out in so many different ways over the years. I would not have been able to pursue the life I wanted, nor would I be the person today if it were not for the love and guidance of my aunt.

Website: https://onthewingsofdragons.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdmcgibney/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JD_McGibney

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jdmcgibney

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jdmcgibney