By Devan Mighton
A young Christian Vegh sat upon a bed watching television at a relative’s house. The year is 2006 and he and his family are on vacation in Florida. He’s watching the movie School of Rock, bopping his head to the guitar licks as Jack Black’s character teaches the kids of his school room the Deep Purple classic Smoke on the Water. His young mind is soaking it in. By the time Black’s character has the kids performing live, Vegh needs to see no more. He is inspired and seems to know just where life is leading him.
“I didn’t even want to finish the movie—at that moment, I just wanted to do what they were doing,” recalls Vegh, almost 17 years later. “I asked for a guitar for Christmas that year and my parents bought me my first guitar—a blue Fender Stratocaster—which I still have.”
He explored the modern rock catalog, discovering Guns ‘n Roses, Linkin Park, and Green Day, then he dove deeper, finding the works of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and legendary blues rocker Joe Bonamassa.
“It was at that point I got very serious with my guitar playing—I began to practice four hours a day with great consistency,” states Vegh, who says his modern music taste is a mix of Stravinsky, Kanye, and Kurt Rosenwinkle.
Vegh is at the forefront of this region’s musical youth movement, and is influential enough to give it shape and texture. His solo works are gaining international acclaim, he tours as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of Grammy-nominated pop star Meresha, and has landed a new gig with Grammy-nominated rock band Slight Return from Detroit.
Vegh says that his love of experimentation fueled his musical desire from a young age.
“I got into making music by experimenting with recording at an early age, and I was completely captivated by the process and equipment used to capture a musical performance, and within a few years, I was able to crystallize my musical explorations effectively with my trusty MacBook Pro,” says Vegh. “There is no greater feeling for me than bringing a song to life in the studio. When you are surrounded by the best musicians and engineers, it is like being at the helm of a starship—the excitement and enjoyment are truly unmatched.”
Vegh’s third album, 2020’s Portraits of Sentiments, was an indie rock success story. The Lakeshore resident’s first single from the album, 90’s Movie, charted for 13 weeks on the Top 50 Global Charts, followed by the single I Think I’m Gonna Die Young, which soared to No. 13 on the charts. A collaboration between himself and Slight Return called Weekend Homewreck also turned heads, reaching No. 10 on the DRT Global Rock Chart.
He is now preparing a fourth album for mass consumption. With a launch day set for Apr. 15 at LSA Church in Lakeshore, he says the album is finished and will be ready for vinyl pressing by March. The first single from the album, Quick Love, features a music video directed by local award-winning short film director Matthew Luppino and his production house Luppo Studios.
“It is difficult to summarize my creative process because it is case-dependent for each song,” muses Vegh. “Usually, there is a heavy focus on lyrics, melody, and chords as these elements are the heart of a contemporary song. Everything else that comes afterward—the production, arrangement, and mix—should ideally serve the underlying song, and bring out the best possible version of that song.
“People often don’t realize that some of the most beloved songs, such as Strawberry Fields, had multiple iterations. The Beatles, as well as present-day artists, go through multiple stages of revision and refinement for the purpose of cutting the gemstone in the best possible way, to produce the best diamond. Oftentimes, I won’t record any of my songs that I don’t think could stand alone as a single, but it is through rewrites, revisions, and refinements that a good song could become an incredible song.”
In 2022, Vegh also became a full-time member of Grammy-nominated Detroit rock band Slight Return.
“I first got in touch with Mark Kassa (singer and guitarist of Slight Return) through the record label Mi5 – Universal Music Group, which we were both signed to,” explains Vegh. “He became an incredible mentor and friend and we have done some collaborations in the past two years and had some success with a single we co-wrote and performed—Weekend Homewreck. Eventually, this led to Mark asking me to be a full-time member of the band last year. I was excited to join this experienced and accomplished band.”
Slight Return was awarded the 2022 UK Prestige Awards US Midwest Band of the Year and has received six Grammy nominations.
“It has always been my dream to make cutting-edge music, and we are in a golden age of music technology,” states Vegh. “The production abilities we now have are unbelievably powerful and it is incredibly exciting to be an artist in this era. The idea of being at the forefront of music is like sailing across the ocean for the first time, and into the unknown, where we may find the greatest music. It is the possibility of being inspired and writing a classic song that truly changes the game and is listened to long after I’m gone that keeps me making music.”
Vegh says that for young people getting into the music industry, whether they want to become a performer, a writer, a mixer, or an artist, they should take time and figure out the route they want to take and focus on setting up a lifestyle that allows them to spend the most amount of time on their musical goals.
“It is also okay to compare yourself to others as long as it is constructive and remember that not every great piece of music was created by just one person,” says Vegh. “It is easy to compare yourself to multi-platinum artists, but remember they aren’t always doing it alone. Build your own team of support with family, friends, and loyal fans.
“It is helpful to learn the rules so you can find creative and fun ways to break them and stay curious about learning how music works—theory, reading, and writing. Drive, persistence, and hard work are as important as talent, never give up your creative passion for music, have fun, and don’t forget to pay it forward by supporting and mentoring other young artists.”
To keep up with Christian Vegh and learn about his upcoming solo album, please visit www.ChristianVegh.com, and to catch a Slight Return show near you, please visit www.SlightReturn.com.
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