Sketchy alleyways lead into intimate basement level clubs as you follow the faint sound of music through Santa Rosa. With hood up and shoulders hunched against the chill night air, your friend leads the way through a maze of unfamiliar landmarks to a strange brick building that seems in danger of disappearing with the night. You can feel the pounding of the sound system in your chest before the door opens.

But this is the place, and as the glowing crack in the darkness opens, a wall of sound almost forces you back into the street. As you enter and pass ghostly faces in the half-light, the shock of the sound passes, replaced by interest, followed by awe as you don’t just listen to the music, but hear it: New. Bizarre. Amazing. On the stage is your new favorite band, at least until next week.

For a place as musically rich and diverse as Santa Rosa, the music of Guy Henry Mueller sounds like it was broadcast from the farthest reaches of the Twilight Zone. Under the moniker Low Five, Mueller has made music that has the ability to leave audiences awestruck and begging to hear more since 2007, creating a mythical persona in his performances.

Recently Mueller has expanded Low Five into a full-blown four-piece band, adding much more depth and electricity to his music. In July, he released an LP titled “November,” a mixture of solo works and Low Five recordings, creating a mesmerizing debut album.

Getting past the “dazed and confused” aspects of his music, I sat down with Mueller to discuss what inspires him as a musician to create such emotional and captivating works.

Q: What instruments do you play?

A: I play guitar, drums and keyboard; vocals. I try to play bass every now and then, but it never really works out. (Laughs)

Q: How many bands are you playing in?

A: The Iditarod, Low Five, Starskate and my solo project, if you count that as a band. So, four I guess, three… three-and-a-half.

Q: When did you begin to play music?

A: I consider myself starting to become a musician in the beginning of 2007. That’s when I stopped doing theater and started playing music full time. I’ve played before in high school, but that was just jamming, nothing serious. That’s when Low Five started, Low Five just being me.

Q: How long were you in theater?

A: I did dance for 11 years, theater for five and then music ever since then.

Q: Was there a specific “who” or “what” that got you into playing music?

A: Definitely Nik Proctor. He’s a really large influence. He introduced me to all these bands I’d never heard of. I was listening to hip-hop and radio rock and all this mainstream stuff, so he introduced me to more underground stuff like Hella and Radiohead, which was more underground then. I’ve always been around lots of music my whole life. It’s always been something I’ve really wanted to do. When I was two I really wanted to play guitar, but they didn’t have guitar lessons for 2-year-olds, so I took violin.

Q: Do you remember any of it?

A: Noooooo… (Laughs)

Q: What other artist, either mainstream or not, has inspired you?

A: I’ve always been inspired by performers, like old movie performers. Gene Kelly has always been a big inspiration to me, because I find I have a connection to him like a passion, as finding passion through watching him perform. I used to watch his movies so much as a kid. He was a big inspiration to me to start dance, which brought me into the theater world, which brought me to the music world. People like that in general have taken me by surprise, even people that would be considered cliché, like James Dean, people who have this presence about them that makes you halt and give all you have to them, being submissive to this performer, this performance. There are lots of people like that. Judah Nagler from the Velvet Teen. I was completely taken back by him in high school and even now we share a studio together, and I’m still nervous. He’s awesome, and I’ve gotten to know him, but there’s still that affection that was established before anything else and it’s still present.

Q: What is your approach to writing music?

A: It’s weird. I don’t know how I write music, it just kind of happens. I’ll make up some guitar part and play it over and over till I’m sick to myself. Then when I’m comfortable with it, I’ll be able to free up the voice in it. It’s a long process. As much as there is a definite sound to the music I make, I still try to branch out or go a different direction. It’s a science experiment.   

 Q: What does performing your music mean to you? Why do you do it?

A: I’ve always had something to present, and I’ve performed my whole life. It’s something that’s ingrained in me. The stage has always been comforting to me, and I don’t know why. It sounds weird to say out loud, but it’s what I love to do. It’s what I’m most passionate about, jumping into that zone. The whole concept of being in a show, every little thing adding up to the thrill that comes with. It’s what I’ve been doing my whole life; it’s one of the only things I know how to do.

Q: Do you have any others things you do besides music? Hobbies?

A: I collage. All the time, when I make an art project it’s a collage. I’m also obsessed with old things, from either before my time or during my time.

Q: How do you feel about Santa Rosa’s music scene?

A: There’re a lot of good bands in the area, a lot of very talented people in this town, not just musically, all across the board. It’s weird to know that, but to not have people put their energy into it collectively. It goes in and out of waves. People get sick of not having anything, so they get it happening, then something happens. People get tired of it. For example, the Film and Arts Collective (aka the Arlene Francis Theater). People start to take you for granted, then when it’s gone they start to miss. It’s a weird place for music, to put the spotlight on it. It’s not a community that fully accepts that counter culture in my opinion. We have the resources, but why aren’t we taking advantage of them, me included?  We need to have people to organize, to do shit. I feel we want to, we really want to, but it’s also this weird retirement community we live in. Play past 10 [p.m.] and they call the cops on you.

Q: Do you have any advice for upcoming musicians?

A: Have fun. Choose what you want to do with your music. If it’s what you love, what you want to do, this is your time. These next years are the most crucial. There are times when you choose to move forward. I need to be doing something active. I need to be taking my music somewhere. I’ve taken it to Santa Rosa, to Sonoma County, and it’s time to expand. If you think of people who are dead, long gone, people you respected. Look at their ages; they were all young when they produced their music. This is the time. Buster Posey! Catcher for the Giants, in the World Series. 23. My age. That’s F***ing crazy. To watch someone on television doing this thing, that’s insane. So do it, if you want it do it. Make it happen and have fun.