I N T E R V I E W
Sure! I started playing guitar when I was 8-9 years old. Living in a musical family helped me a lot to develop a particular ear for what concern the sound of the instruments even if my parents play a different genre with different instruments. But anyway, after a couple of years of classical studies I stopped playing guitar and got in love with drums. Got my first one when I was 12 and played it for just a couple of years. I wasn't that bad too, haha. Then, due to a bad acoustic isolated room and most important "neighbourhood patience I was forced to stop and since I couldn't live without playing I decided to go back to the guitar and never looked back since. Never had a serious training tho, I'm mostly self-taught.
I met Matt Guillory at first. My friend Alex Argento had his chat contact and was kind enough to share it with me. We eventually become friends and when it was to the point to search for a guitar player for the Labrie record Matt got my name to James. I was auditioned and got the gig !
No you're right. I had the pleasure to be invited several times at their shows so I got in touch with Petrucci, Portnoy and Jordan Rudess. Getting a call from Jordan to play on his record was odd. I didn't expected even if we know each other. I was very flattered that he thought of me!
It's an album I worked on for a couple of years, I mean the whole writing session began earlier but were just spare songs here and there without a real clue. To tell the truth it wasn't in my plans to get a solo album out. Then, soon after the Elements of Persuasion tour I got so many emails about people who wanted to hear something from me as a solo artist that I decided to give it a try. I never considered myself as a solo guy or a shredder or whatever and if I had to make this "step everything must have sounded perfect to my ears and not just flashy and technical. I looked back at my roots and came up with 11 songs that goes from straight rock to blues to fusion and country but always with a pop attitude melody wise. I hope people will enjoy it as I do!
It's mostly about the world situation we're living right now. I had a picture in my bedroom a few years ago, a beautiful sight over a seascape at sunset with the lighthouse and rocks and everything. The picture was titled "There's Hope and that words stuck in my mind from the first moment. Also the "everyday news about the world convinced me to use such a title and the artwork idea. It was so odd compared to that bedroom picture you know.
Definitely from the music I absorbed during my early years. I'm not one of those guys who says "I'm going to write a song and make it, it doesn't work for me. Sometimes I have a melody line in my head, sometimes a riff or a drums pattern. I can't tell you exactly how does it works but the inspiration comes from many different things which are not always music related.
I listened to so many bands and guitarists that I couldn't list everyone! But I would say Joe Satriani, Kee Marcello and Van Halen in my early days, then I got through John Petrucci and Dream Theater in general and just lately I discovered guys like Andy Timmons, Steve Lukather, Reb Beach and Michael Lee Firkins to name a few.
Absolutely. I was totally into Dream Theater when I was 15-16. Listening to that music helped me a lot to develop a certain writing skill more than just how to play flashy solos over odd times. Definitely one of my favourite bands of all the times!
Granted that I don't consider myself as a pure shredder (I don't feel I have the technical skills to be a shredder), I would say Ron Thal has some great chops and an unique voice on the guitar. Andy James also, I love his style and playing. And then Guthrie Govan of course, he's unbelievable (even tho I'm pretty sure he doesn't consider himself as a shredder as well).
I would say the exact opposite! Nowadays I'm all into modern bands like Nickelback, Linkin' Park, Disturbed and also modern pop singers like Daughtry for example. But I love so many styles that there's always something new to listen out there.
I'm planning to do some clinics and a few shows. The more I play live the more I feel better and motivated you know.
Aside my work with James Labrie (the new album is coming out pretty damn good) I hope to get my band together and play as much as we can. With a singer? Maybe, I'm not sure but would be great!
Hahaha oh well, I will be flattered and honoured for such a call...but I don't think I would be the right guy for that gig. You need someone REALLY good to do the G3. Said that I would accept in less than a second, hahahaha!
I hope so, I played the Elysée Montmartre in Paris with Labrie and was an incredible gig. People were so loud and cool that I can't wait to come back once again!
Thanks to you !
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