LVMA19 AWARDS CEREMONY
By Sheri Bayne | Photos by Sheri Bayne
On March 4th, 2018, The Lehigh Valley Music Awards held it’s 19th ceremony at the Musikfest Cafe at the ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem PA
For the fourth year in a row Scott Marshall took home the most awards. Male Artist, Male Vocalist, Singer-Songwriter in both the fans and industry categories, and Best Album for “Who We Are and What We Do” by his group Scott Marshall's Band of Survivors. All together a total of five.
Another top winner was Mike Roi , who fronts the Easton-area band Roi and the Secret People. He took home Best All Around Performer in his first Lehigh Valley Awards win after 16 nominations in various categories in the past three years. He also took home the new Music Educator award. His band also won Best Rock Band.
Singer Stacy Gabel claimed the night’s top Fans Choice prize in her first awards nomination ever. She also tied for Best Female Artist with Julia Sommer, Stacy Gabel, took home awards as this year’s Discovered Artist, and Best Song for “Two Hearts One Soul” with John Carelli.
Julie Sommer also won for Youth/Band Not Associated with a School, Youth/Teen Performer, and Best Video for “At All Times” with her father Werner Sommer.
Stacy Gabel and Julie Sommer each won four awards for the night — tying for the second most. James Supra was presented with the Legacy Award,Outstanding Blues Band/Soloist and Outstanding Harmonicist And Tommy Zito won three awards, Outstanding keyboarist, Outstanding pianist andOutstanding All Around Performer (Fans)also taking home honors for keyboardist and pianist.
The full list of winners is below:
Outstanding All Around Performer (Fans): Tommy Zito
Outstanding All-Around Performer (Industry): Mike Roi
Fan's Choice: Stacy Gabel
Outstanding Male Artist: Scott Marshall
Outstanding Female Artist: Stacy Gabel, Julia Sommer
Outstanding Album: “Who We Are and What We Do," Scott Marshall's Band of Survivors
Outstanding Song: "Two Hearts One Soul," John Carelli & Stacy Gabel
Outstanding Band/Duo: The Large Flowerheads
Outstanding Singer/Songwriter (Fans): Scott Marshall
Outstanding Singer/Songwriter (Industry): Scott Marshall
Outstanding Female Vocalist: Sarah Ayers
Outstanding Male Vocalist: Scott Marshall
Outstanding Music Video: "At All Times," Julia & Werner Sommer
Outstanding College/Community Radio Personality: Dave Fry
Outstanding Youth Band/Soloist Not Associated with a School Julia Sommer
Outstanding Child Audience Music Performer: Dave Fry
Outstanding Youth Band Associated with a School: Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts Jazz Band
Outstanding Youth/Teenage Performer: Julia Sommer
Outstanding Discovered Artist Stacy Gabel
Outstanding Music Store: Dave Phillips Music Store
Outstanding Music Supporter (Individual):Gerard Longo
Outstanding Music Supporter (Organization): Lehigh Valley Underground
Outstanding Music Reviewer: Dustin Shoof
Outstanding Music Photographer: Brian Limage
Outstanding Video Producer: Lisa Koza
Outstanding Children's Band/Soloist: Bryant Sedlock
Outstanding New Band/Soloist: Cubbage
Outstanding World Music Band/Soloist: Trouble City All-Stars
Outstanding Latin/Spanish Music Band/Soloist: Hector Rosado
Outstanding Folk Band/Soloist: Dave Fry
Outstanding Jazz Band/Soloist: Fusion Jazz Trio
Outstanding Blues Band/Soloist: James Supra Blues Band
Outstanding Country Band/Soloist: Brian Dean Moore
Outstanding Bluegrass Band/Soloist: Big Valley Bluegrass
Outstanding Fusion Bluegrass Band/Soloist: Whiskeyhickon Boys
Outstanding Americana Band/Soloist: Acoustic Kitty Project
Outstanding Polka Band/Soloist: Alex Meixner
Outstanding Urban/Hip-Hop Band/Soloist: DeXperience
Outstanding Rhythm & Blues Band/Soloist: Charlie Brown's Notorious Groove
Outstanding Spoken Word Group/Soloist: Linda Vega
Outstanding Jam Band/Soloist: Dana Gaynor Band
Outstanding Punk Band/Soloist: Damn Dirty Apes
Outstanding Rock Band/Soloist: Roi and The Secret People
Outstanding Loud Rock Band/Soloist: Cherry Bombs
Outstanding Metal Band/Soloist: Full Metal Racket
Outstanding Contemporary Christian Band/Soloist: Holmes Family
Outstanding Gospel Group/Soloist: The Holmes Family
Outstanding Spiritual Urban Band/Soloist: The Holmes Family
Outstanding Classical/Opera Soloist: Lane Conklin
Outstanding Choral/Classical Group/Ensemble: Allentown Symphony Orchestra
Outstanding Acoustic Guitarist: Craig Thatcher
Outstanding Electric Guitarist: John Cannavo
Outstanding Bass Guitarist: Shawn Cavanaugh
Outstanding Drummer/Percussionist: Kevin Soffera
Outstanding Keyboardist: Tommy Zito
Outstanding Pianist: Tommy Zito
Outstanding Harmonicist: James Supra
Outstanding Wind/Brass Instrumentalist: Pete Fluck
Outstanding String Instrumentalist: Nyke Van Wyk
Outstanding Recording Studio: Midnight Studios
Music Educator: Mike Roi
Outstanding Music Producer: Kevin Soffera
Outstanding Sound Technician: Phil Forcelli
Outstanding Music Website: lehighvalleyunderground.com
Outstanding Mobile/Club DJ: DJ Freddie Fredricks, Jr
Outstanding Open Format/Urban DJ: DJ Jamal Knight
Outstanding Volunteer: Ashley Romanishan and Nancy Jennings
Outstanding College/Community Radio Station: 91.3 WLVR
Outstanding Commercial Radio Station: 99.9 The Hawk
Outstanding Commercial Radio Personality: Bearman and Keith, 95.1 WZZO
Outstanding Internet/Cable Broadcast: Rocking the Valley
Outstanding Internet/Cable Broadcast Personality: Ned Richards and Kristen Morganstern, WALN
Outstanding High School Marching Band: Liberty High School
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Outstanding Child Performer: Sadie Sedlock
Outstanding Karaoke Venue: Steel Pub
Outstanding Performance Venue: Godfrey Daniels
Outstanding Open Mic Venue/Host: Godfrey Daniels
Outstanding Open Jam Venue/Host: The Wooden Match
20-Year Veteran Awards: Robin and Jim Duo , Greg Geist, Bill Lance, Monty Leach, Keith “Moon” Reichard and Liz Younger
·Board of Directors Awards: John Millington, Adlib (Adam Viola), Todd Wolfe.
·Community Youth Recipient: Jonah Lawrence, in support of Autism Speaks Lehigh Valley.
Legacy Award: James Supra
Lifetime Achievement Awards: Frank DiBussolo and Sal Ritz.
Special Recognition: Jamie Balliet of State Theatre
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Model of the month Feature Lexi Prodes
PHOTOS BY BRIAN LIMAGE
I looked away for a minute And the blossom had poked through With the promise of Spring And the untainted dreams of new beginnings
What started as a seed has grown Through my pruning and thinning Through the times
When sunshine tried- but just couldn't break through And the days it would rain, and rain, and rain
Never discouraged, we weathered together Grasping for serenity And finding ourselves
As grew older you grew stronger Polishing your internal shine
Alexis Skye Prodes resides in Coplay, Pa, and is an 18 year old high school senior. Spending most of her school years as a cheerleader at Parkland High school, she is a creative Pisces who can’t wait to get out into the world.
“Lexi” aspires to be a model and is currently working as an actress/hostess at a team-building reality venue called "Capture" where she facilitates experiences for groups of people trying to solve puzzles to escape a room. She felt her experience with this photo shoot was informative and thanks Brian Limage for his time and professional advice.
Her outgoing personality led her to create and execute her first high school petition her freshman year and that same determination goes into all she does. Her dream is to travel to Greece and model on the shores where her heritage hails.
Then it happened I looked away for just a moment And you blossomedInto a beautiful light
That I proudly share with the world
Both understanding the journey we took together Created the strength that will survive your beauty
Fostered the soul that will never fail you-
So take your turn, and take your time Shine my beautiful blossom
And always keep close the knowledge
That I chose Skye - for I knew you would be gazed upon And the stars would always come to rest in your essence.
Be engaged, be aware, be humble, and true For one day
You may look away for just a moment...
Sharing my Skye - Alexis Skye Prodes
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Jerry Saravia (April 2018)
TIMELESS: SEASON 1 RECAP
ENJOYABLE TIME AFTER TIME JOURNEY (SPOILERS APLENTY)
BY JERRY SARAVIA
Time-travel is such an ingenious concept on film, television or literature. It is ingenious because anything can happen in time-twisting narratives as long as the logic of its story stays true. You will always run into paradoxes, which is why alternate timelines exist. As the late film critic Roger Ebert once said about “Back to the Future Part II” (one of the trippiest sci-fi time travel movies ever made), how do the characters know they will return to the right alternate timeline? And what if they merge, which is a real possibility. “Timeless,” a sci-fi action thriller with timetravel as its main attribute doesn’t get quite that deep, at least not yet, but questions pervade the narrative and logic can intrude.
“Timeless” begins with a bang in its pilot episode (Season 1) and never lets up. At Mason Industries, a former NSA operative, Garcia Flynn (Goran Visnjic, formerly of “E.R” fame) has escaped in a time-machine that resembles a giant orb with revolving rings that accelerate when making its jump into history. It is not clear what Flynn is up to but he certainly wants to make changes in our past. Enter a pretty, astute historian who knows more about LBJ’s appendage than most, Lucy Preston (Abigail Spencer), who is reluctantly accepting a mission to join a Delta Force sergeant, Wyatt (Matt Lanter), and a technician named Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett) at Mason Industries who will pilot the machine, to chase Flynn. Somehow Mason Industries can
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TV
review
track where the time machines are at any point in history (not sure I can understand how, but it is only a show). Flynn had his Mothership machine, the trio has the Lifeboat, a prototype that is a bit clunky. The trio always land in the woods in the first few episodes. The pilot episode has them in 1937 where the Hindenburg is about to go up in flames. Only Flynn has intercepted that plan, perhaps with the thought that he wants it to blow up when John D. Rockefeller boards.
That is “Timeless” in a nutshell with the trio in constant pursuit of Flynn throughout history while revelations about the villain and the heroes slowly emerge. After meddling with history in 1937, Lucy comes back to the present and finds her initially sick mother is healthy (Susanna Thompson) yet her own sister has vanished and is nonexistent (and to add further wrinkles in time, Lucy discovers she is engaged). Wyatt’s wife died in an accident and he hasn’t quite forgiven himself, going so far as to warn her via Western Union telegram in a Las Vegas 1960’s episode (the character makes it clear that this worked in “Back to the Future Part II”). Meanwhile, Rufus Carlin (a name that is no doubt an homage to Carlin’s Rufus character in “Bill and Red’s Excellent Adventure”) is secretly recording their adventures through time. In terms of time travel, our heroes and the main villain travel to 1865 when Lincoln was assassinated; the 1960’s Atomic Bomb era; Watergate; the Alamo Mission; The French and Indian War and that is just for starters.
Despite all the intricate paradoxes and the shameless homages (there are more than a few to “Back to the Future Part II”), the human element is never lost. Wyatt and Lucy’s partnership makes it clear that a future romance may blossom, quite possibly in Season 2 (though, as of this writing, the first episode of the new season has an interrupted attempt at a kiss). Rufus even has a developing romance with Jiya (Claudia Doumit), expert programmer who helps locate the time travelers, who towards the end of the season begins having convulsions where she has visions of the Golden Gate Bridge opening after traveling thru time in the Season 1 finale. There is also speculation about the secret organization called Rittenhouse, which as of this writing may have agents throughout different periods of history according to Season 2’s premiere episode. To add further complication, Lucy shockingly discovers that her father is Benjamin Cahill (John Getz), who is an agent at Rittenhouse. Ouch! There are so many characters that are probably entrenched in Rittenhouse that it is a task to figure out who is on whose side. No matter – we are so engaged by the heroes and their commitment to help each other thru one crisis after another that the show never loses steam. Logic, perhaps, but the humanity is all aboard.
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Venice 18.03.2018
What Is Your First Impression?
Do you know what a halo is? Halos are optical phenomena that appear around a light source. The light source is in fact localized, but thanks to the halo , we see it extend beyond itself, giv ing us the impression that the light illuminates a greater area than it actually does
their personality traits or characteristics than they would for less attractive people
In psychology , halos operate the same way. For example, think of a person you don’t know much about or don’t know at all. If you consider him or her aesthetically beautiful, you also most likely consider him or her smart, brilliant, sympathetic, honest, etc. The halo effect, also known as the physical attractiveness stereotype, is a cognitive bias in which people tend to rate attractive individuals more favorably for
“Halo effect” is also used in a more general sense to describe the global impact of a likable personality or some specific desirable trait in creating biased judgments of the target person on any dimension. Thus, feelings generally overcome cognitions when we appraise others.
The halo effect is a widespread and persistent error in evaluation that affects many areas of real life.
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Even if we believe that our judgments are objective, perhaps they are not entirely so because the halo effect is a very subtle psychological mechanism that we adopt without realizing it and that we tend to reject and deny in spite of the evidence.
Even if we now know how strong is the halo effect we cannot remove this bias from our brain. However, if we are aware of our tendency to overestimate a beautiful smile and underestimate a serious person, we can try to learn better about someone or something before to make a decision.
www.veroconceptsmusic.com
For example, the halo effect is usually used in marketing when a famous actor gives a testimonial about an item with which he or she has no particular experience but whose association with the actor guarantees a greater volume of sales. The fact that you buy, for example, an object or a fashion item because it is signed by a great designer or stylist is another result of this effect because the characteristics attributed to that designer or stylist extend to the object itself. The halo effect does not stop at the first impression; it enhances the first impression and can potentially influence all of our following decisions so much it obscures, almost completely, the information that we will collect later.
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“Ricky Is A Young, Very Talented Musician Who Will Be Around For A Very Long Time”- Optimistic Bliss by Ricky Persaud Jr. Bongo Boy Records
Hej America!
My friends at Bongo Boy have asked me to review an album they are about to release by Ricky Persaud Jr. I first heard Ricky on the Bongo Boy compilation album Raw and Reckless, I remember liking his stuff so it is with some excitement that I cue up this newest album Optimistic Bliss.
The first thing I noticed is the album cover which is simply wickedly cool. The second thing, which is apparent from the cover, is that this album is, if not full on Reggae, at least has its roots in Reggae. Tell me now, who does not dig Reggae??
Take Toots and the Maytals for example, when they sing
Country roads take me home
To the place I belong
West Jamaica, my ol' momma
Take me home country road
They totally blow away the original song by John Denver, which I thought was a pretty lame song. So after listening to a little Toots and getting primed for some Jamaican Soul I hit the play button on my music app on my computer.
1. Let Me See - Right from the start you can hear that Ricky is a monster player. His musicianship is really very good. Ricky has the ability to melodically jam - I mean this song simply smokes without even using feedback. I like Ricky’s voice, but in all honesty, it almost sounds like the chorus is “Let me see how you roll tide.” Who knew that the University of Alabama was filled with Reggae aficionados? (Just joking man, this song is killer.)
2. Sound of A Hit - I really like the percussion in this song. I remember once when my band was opening for a bigger Reggae act. I was talking with their drummer and he said something that must be true, that is, as a drummer once you go Reggae you never go back. Just listen to this
song and the way the percussion is hitting the various instruments in its arsenal and I think you will agree even if you aren’t a drummer. The best way to summarize this song is with the ending “That was good.”
3. Ooh Baby - This song starts with some hypnotic guitar then the drums come in for the attack before the track goes into full Reggae mode. This is really a Reggae love song that, in its own way, is quite tender and sweet. Don’t worry though this isn’t some lame Journey song from the 80s, this love song grooves.
4, Reggae BluesThis song starts with a blast! Good God I love raunchy blues with just the right amount of feedback. The shuffle groove on the high-hat goes so well with the absolutely cranking guitar. Jimi must be looking down smiling. This song is called Reggae Blues for a good reason. There is enough lightning to please the blues folks while the Reggae vibe is strong enough for the Dread Heads to let those locks fly. Well done Ricky! This is perhaps my favorite track on the album.
5. Jah I Need Your Love - I dig the almost surf like intro which morphs into a Reggae vibe which is enhanced by some truly nice leads and a soul filled horn section. The pounding drums between verses seem put there just to let the listener know than an explosion can occur anytime the Ricky chooses. As good as the music is, what really stands out are the vocals. Ricky has a very good voice.
6. Girl Has The Essence - Very nice funk guitar with a wah-wah effect starts off the song and then Ricky breaks into a simply melodic, beautiful song. Again, the vocals are hypnotic, so hypnotic that I almost missed the cool little fills the percussi on was throwing in - almost. Basically, Ricky is a one man tornado that is a tremendous party band on par with the old J. Geils Band. Now, the style of music is totally different, but the groove is the same. You knew if
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Geils was playing then a massive party would be happening. I have the feeling that anywhere Ricky plays is one massive joyous event!
7. It’s Alright - Man, I dig those little rolls Ricky puts down at the beginning of the song. He goes into a very mellow, laid back groove and actually croons. The thing is that it sounds very good. All of a sudden, I am aware of the bass and the drums hitting the pocket for a subtle jam, then the mellow crooning is back, but backed by some funky guitar and Ricky on the drums who seems to enjoy throwing in high-hat fills. The guitar then steps up for a very melodic and soulful jam before the chorus comes back. This time however, the crooning is replaced by some very intense vocals. Overall, Ricky has a fantastic range and is able to switch moods in an instant.
8. People Of The World - The listener is hit with a massive blast of Reggae Funk right from the start. The bass and drums are spot on while the guitar provides a chopping chord background that makes the listener want to move. There is still room for a blistering guitar jam towards the end of the song that includes a wicked walk down run. Ricky is a young and very talented musician. This song is filled with the idealistic innocence of youth which is, at least for this old Punk, both endearing and admirable. The Dead Kennedys this isn’t.
9. Goodbye 16 - Man, I like the intro to this song. It is a hurricane of sound that blasts into the listener’s head. Then the Reggae vibe kicks in and Ricky tells us the story of losing his innocence. I really like this track. His vocals are intense, at times bordering on screaming, before returning to a melodic tone. Actually, the blasts of energy and, the at times, raunchiness of the vocals make me think this track should be classified as RegPunk. All in all, an excellent jam!
10. Feel The Love - This beginning of this song reminds me of Queen. The vocals are fantastic. Really, listen to this song and tell me this is not on par with Freddie Mercury. This song really does have the feel of Queen doing Reggae. That is a complement. In case you have been living under a rock or are simply too young to remember Queen, they were technically one of the best bands - ever. This track has the same feel, it is melodic, bordering on classical and then BOOM, just like Queen’s Brian May, the guitar opens up with a breathtaking jam that leaves the listener stunned. I am very impressed.
11. Optimistic Bliss - The title track of the album opens with some sound effects of what sounds like waves crashing or a storm brewing while the guitar plays a chord progression. This evolves into a song with the rest of the instruments joining in for a few bars, building up for the change to the slight Reggae vibe. Soon after the initial Reggae blast the band goes into a more traditional Rock and Roll chorus. All in all, the duality works well. The Reggae feel provides a perfect backdrop for the optimistic lyrics, while the chorus lets the listener know that Ricky did, in fact, grow up in New Jersey. I really like the guitar jam at the end and only wish it had gone on longer. I’m sure Ricky extends the jam when he is playing live.
12. Alive - Oh yeah I dig that bass at the start of the track. Between verses Ricky plays a funk filled refrain that just makes me smile. I find myself nodding my head and keeping time with the percussion as the guitar wails and Ricky spouts his excellent voice. I enjoy his vocal ability so much that, in all honesty, I am not listening to the words, just the notes. The Doo-wop section in the middle of the song is a surprise, but it works. I have to wonder is this an homage to Jersey Boys?
So folks what is the bottom line? Simple: Ricky is a young, very talented musician who will be around for a very long time. His music is excellent on so many levels that you really need to listen to it for yourself. - The Grouch | Sweden Now in The Rockies.
Very excited and honored that “Meet Me” by Ricky Persaud, Jr. received a Global Music Award. The song was written by Gar Francis and composed, produced and performed by Ricky. Congrats to Ricky and his label Bongo Boy Records.
Artist Page: https://bongoboyrecords.com/rickypersaudjr/
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Bongo Boy Records Releases Australian Award -Winning Duo’s Singles
A Solid Prelude of What Is Coming by Studeo Summer ‘18 Worldwide
Hej America!
Today my friends at Bongo Boy asked me to give a listen to and share my thoughts about two singles by the Australian Contemporary/Modern Country band Studio. Studeo is a duo made up of Christine Stork and Jeremy Stork. Firstly, I have heard Studio’s music before and I liked it. Secondly, I like to see a Country band come out of somewhere besides Nashville. Nothing against Nashville, my brother lived there for years, but when one genre of music is dominated by big labels that happen to be concentrated in one place, there is a tendency, not an absolute, but a tendency for the music to begin to sound the same. Just as some of the best Bluegrass pickers I have ever heard were in central Sweden I am excited to listen to some Country from the land of Oz. Fresh blood and a new perspective based on different live experiences is exactly what take the music to a new place.
Track 1 – THESE ARE OUR DAYS – 4:22 –
The first thing that the listener notices is that Christine has a beautiful voice. The piano is melancholy and will bring out the sensitive side in the most hard-core biker. How can one not enjoy beautifully played music while Christine sings her own very melodic take on the old “I’ve got to ramble theme” The main difference, of course is she seems perfectly happy to ramble with Jeremy. There is not the bittersweet despair of Bobby McGee in this track. I should mention that towards the end of the track at the 3:07 mark the rest of the band comes in and really fills out the song. Overall, this is a beautiful, moving ballad.
Track 2 – TOMORROW IS A BRAND NEW DAY – 3:59 – Personally, this track is a little more to my taste. I like the rhythm their drummer is laying down and the guitar sounds good. There is no doubt that Christine has a strong voice and the spot light is on her, However, it is the drummer I am really listening to. Man, you really put in some very nice crisp fills! I salute you. This song has an abundance of energy and could easily be a cross-over hit on the Pop charts.
If these two songs are any indication of the quality of music on Studeo’s upcoming album, we, the listeners are in for a treat.-The Grouch | in the Rockies
UPC 680193999369 | ISRC: USPXQ1840301-02 | Cat#BBR-680193999369
Artist Page: Bongoboyrecords.com/studeo/
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Luca Cerardi
Interviews BLAZE BAYLEY
This month I like to release an interview with Blaze Bayley. I saw him live for the first time on “Virtual XI” tour with Iron Maiden in 1998 and I always liked his voice and energy. I had the pleasure almost 20 years later to work with him on “Back to Square One” song with my Not Over Yet. I knew him as a man and musicians and I thought it was great to spread some of his wise words looking on his huge experience in this music world. I hope you can enjoy this interview and his view on life, music, Iron Maiden, Blaze, his fans and so on…
When was the first time you realized you wanted to be a singer?
It was when I saw Ronnie James Dio in Birmingham performing on the “Holy Diver tour”. Particularly it was when he sang “Children of the sea” of Black Sabbath. His voice inspired me to be a singer.
Tell us more about your first show.
It was when I was 20 years old and we played at this venue during a weekend where many bands
can play their own songs. We packed the club and with that money we could do our first demo.
Did you or did you not get support from your family to pursue your musical career?
My mother always helped and supported me. She believed I could accomplish that dream. My father was much more reluctant but then they both ended up supporting me in this insane dream. There was no real history in my family of singers or musicians but my father loved to act. I wanted to perform too. At some point in my life I was working in a hotel and I loved listening to music on cassettes to understand how to sing. I started dreaming to be a singer. I wasn’t naturally talented in the field so I needed to learn how to sing, apprehend new techniques and keep improving.
What went through your mind when you were chosen by Iron Maiden? What was your reaction to the news?
I didn’t think I could be selected because my voice was so different from Bruce’s. However, I think they were looking for something different given that the new album was going to be much more progressive and darker. A new era was coming for the band. But yeah, I was very surprised about the final choice. Being selected among all of those great singers was fantastic. The dream became true. We had five years of huge festivals with tento-eighty thousands people. Steve Harris was kind of a mentor and taught me many things, in the studio and on tour. I had a wonderful time and learnt a great deal in music.
Can you give me one (or more) great memory during your time with Iron Maiden?
I like to cherish two. They were both shows in small venues, one in Malta and one in Phoenix, Arizona. I like those ones because the actual space (for us and the audience) was limited and we could see the people directly in the face. I felt the energy of the Iron Maiden music just by looking at our fans.
Of course, I can remember the big shows at Monster of Rock and the big shows in San Paolo or Argentina headlining with Slayer in front of almost 100.000 people, but the ones I really like to share are those two small shows.
Are you still in touch with them?
Occasionally, mainly with Bruce. He has always supported me, before and after Iron Maiden. You went through a darker period of your life after the Iron Maiden experience. I personally find it very inspiring how you always came back, with strength and conviction, and how you transformed that into great music. How did you go through all of your life challenges?
I have just been lucky. I had good people around me that helped me face darkness, depression. I needed to take medications, it was not easy. But music helped me so much. There would be times where I missed making music, the song writing process, the people that a musician usually gets to meet. So I guess, to summarize, I was lucky to have great people around me, plus music was my anchor. So many people dream to become professional musicians and I was able to do it. I feel privileged now to have a few thousands very loyal fans that make it possible for me to continue and make albums. It is their loyalty that makes me go on.
Do you have a particular person you want to mention and thank?
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Everyone that stood by my side of these fans.
How was your life as a musician in the past 15 years? What are your goals nowadays?
I want to keep living my dream, singing original music, continuing with my trilogy and touring around the world. As of today I’m my own record label and I have the rights to everything I do. I own my music, I make my own records and I tour where I want to tour. It doesn’t matter if the venues are big or small, I want to provide quality in the experience I offer to the fans. Places like Vercelli (Italy)are places where everyone’s passion for music is so visible, almost overwhelming. That’s why I like the way my musical life is structured now.
Do you prefer live shows or the studio experience?
I love the entire process. Creating the album and seeing it come alive on stage. I see it as a journey that starts by having an album concept, developing it and then showing it to the fans. Somehow I am also trying to give that “live” feeling to the people who only get to listen to the album, without seeing me on stage.
You have visited the entire world. How do you manage your body and your entire lifestyle to keep up your touring routine?
I don’t do rock’n’roll, I do heavy metal. In rock’n’roll they want to kill themselves. I’m a heavy metal singer, I’m a machine and my body is my instrument. My voice needs to be healthy. No alcohol before I perform, I don’t talk much after the show, I don’t party, I take vitamins and medications, I am certainly not into punishing the body. The most important thing to me is singing and performing well, not to be destroyed by drugs. Sometimes yes, I can have a drink on days off, but generally speaking I am very focused. It’s all about my performance to the fans.
Business and music. Is it that music drives business or is it the opposite?
When it comes to business I’m a complete failure, I’m just good with music. There’s music and there’s music business. You have to choose what you want. Many artists want to have a label, and if they get it, it does not mean they are the best ones. Quincy Jones always said “the great jazz players are always without food”. I honestly like my small and independent approach to music. I really appreciate my loyal fans and the fact that I am in control of my releases (new one is out now released on March 2nd, 2018 “The Redemption of William Black (infinite Entanglement Part III). I think musicians should have control of their music and evaluate carefully if they really want to be signed. If you get signed by a label, it’s like selling your soul to the devil, as in you lose control of your own music. My freedom is my treasure. Musicians should remember that music is a competition and that you have to work really hard for people to listen to you. The big question is “Why people shall listen to you?”. Keep writing and keep believing, dream and hard work. There is no greatness to greatness, most times “heroes” come from obscurity. It’s a challenge and you have to be prepared.
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