Post by Gilby Admirer on Dec 6, 2012 18:47:40 GMT -5
wp.livereviewer.com/2012/12/01/interview-alex-grossi/
HOTEL DIABLO Guitarist Alex Grossi - "Gilby Clarke Is Really Like The Fifth Member Of The Band"
Alex Grossi is one of the most hardworking guitar players in the Hollywood scene. He is working with artists like : Dizzy Reed , Steven Adler , Rick Stitch and of course is most known for his work with Quiet Riot. Now he is back with the new band Hotel Diablo and just released ¡° Return to Psycho, California¡±. It¡¯s time to ask Alex some questions
Hi Alex, how are things going at the moment?
Hi. Things are going really well. I am right now in the process of approving shoot locations for the ¡°Psycho,California¡± video which is going to start shooting in a couple of weeks. We have a great director lined up, Fabio Jafet (Pitbull, Children Of Bodom, Enreque Iglesias).
The album Return to Psycho, California is released in September this year. How is the album received so far?
It has been doing very well. We were fortunate enough to get ¡°Pick Of The Week¡± on VH1¡äs ¡°That Metal Show¡± the week the record came out, so that really kicked the momentum off.
Hotel Diablo is the youngest project/band in which you are a member. Can you tell us how the band is started and who is playing in it?
Hotel Diablo is a band that was formed from the ground up, rather than joined up as a sideman. It really started while Rick Stitch (Vocals) and I were playing together in Adler¡¯s Appetite, that project seemed to be on it¡¯s last leg and we were doing a lot of writing together so we ended up leaving and focusing on this music full-time. We ended up doing a one-off show here in LA with Mike Duda (bass) and Mike Dupke (drums) and it just clicked from there.
The album is produced by Gilby Clarke, how was it to work with Gilby ?
Gilby has been great. He is really like the fifth member of the band, his old-school rock instincts are a refreshing change from the world of making everything ¡°perfect¡± in pro-tools. I like that he was really able to capture what we actually sound like in the studio. He also has probably the best guitar collection I have ever seen, which was a lot of fun in the studio.
Rick Stitch is on vocals with Hotel Diablo. It ain¡¯t the first time you guys where in a band together. You both also played in Adler¡¯s Appetite, how was it to work with Steven all these years?
Working with Steven was a lot of fun, that band had it¡¯s moments and Chip Z¡¯Nuff is also a very underrated bass player. The only downside was that since it was essentially a glorified tribute band, so there was really no room to be creative, even the ¡°originals¡± that we put out ended up sounding like ¡°Appetite¡± b-sides. It worked in the context of the set, but ultimately wasn¡¯t very gratifying for any of us, including Steven. I am very happy for his success with ¡°Adler¡±, it seems he has finally gotten the right people around him, their record sounds great.
The band signed with Scarlet Records, how did you guys end up with that label?
They came to us last spring and said that they wanted to do a deal for the CD. We knew how well they had done for Tesla on their acoustic release, and ended up working with them. I had actually met Enzo (Scarlet Records A&R) back in 2010 while doing an article for Metal Hammer, he is great guy and a true fan of music. We are very happy with them thus far.
With the debut album of Hotel Diablo out worldwide, will this mean we can expect a European tour in the near future.
There has been some talk of it, but it would to have make logistical sense, I think we will be doing more touring in 2013 though.
You make music for movies, TV and series. How is it to work in that part of the industry?
There is a lot of money and opportunity in placing music in TV and movies. I have been lucky enough to have songs that I have co-written used movies and TV from Walt Disney, FX Network, VH1 and many others.
Besides playing with Quiet Riot, Adler¡¯s Appetite and Hotel Diablo , you also have played with Jani Lane, Beautiful Creatures, Dizzy Reed and many more. Is there still someone out there you would like to share the stage with one day?
I have been very fortunate to have been able to play with a lot of the people I grew up listening too. I can¡¯t really think of anyone else that I really want to play with¡ whatever happens, happens!
With being in all those bands and been around for al these years there must be many highlights. Which one stands out for you and why?
One big highligt was doing the 2007 Sweden Rock festival with QUIET RIOT. It was on the day that ¡°Heaven and Hell headlined and Aerosmith had played the night before. It was great show and Kevin DuBrow was in top form, He was such a great frontman and to perform with him in front of 40,000 people was an honor.
What is the next milestone you would like to achieve as a musician?
I am looking forward to the next Hotel Diablo record, and I am really excited to be building the Hotel Diablo brand into more than just a rock band. We recently have partnered up with Forgotten Saints here in LA for a line of custom ¡°Psycho,California¡± merch ¨C they have designed for everyone from Motley Crue and Guns N¡¯ Roses to Rihanna, Buckcherry, Black Eyed Peas, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. All of their items are 100% hand crafted and made inUSA. The online store ships worldwide from their world renownedMelrose Avenue boutique here in Hollywood,California. - Its great stuff, here is link to the store¡
forgottensaintsla.com/fs/hotel-diablo/
What made you decide to pick up the guitar?
It was way easier to carry on the school bus than the French Horn, which is what I stared on.
What is the gear you use on stage and is it different from what you use in studio?
I use PRS guitars, Diamond amps, Seymour Duncan Pickups along with Line 6 and MXR effect pedals ¨C both live and in the studio.
Thanks for your time Alex, is there anything I forgot to ask you and you wish to share ?
Thank you! ¨C keep in touch at :
www.thehoteldiablo.com
www.officialquietriot.com
www.alexgrossimusic.com
HOTEL DIABLO Guitarist Alex Grossi - "Gilby Clarke Is Really Like The Fifth Member Of The Band"
Alex Grossi is one of the most hardworking guitar players in the Hollywood scene. He is working with artists like : Dizzy Reed , Steven Adler , Rick Stitch and of course is most known for his work with Quiet Riot. Now he is back with the new band Hotel Diablo and just released ¡° Return to Psycho, California¡±. It¡¯s time to ask Alex some questions
Hi Alex, how are things going at the moment?
Hi. Things are going really well. I am right now in the process of approving shoot locations for the ¡°Psycho,California¡± video which is going to start shooting in a couple of weeks. We have a great director lined up, Fabio Jafet (Pitbull, Children Of Bodom, Enreque Iglesias).
The album Return to Psycho, California is released in September this year. How is the album received so far?
It has been doing very well. We were fortunate enough to get ¡°Pick Of The Week¡± on VH1¡äs ¡°That Metal Show¡± the week the record came out, so that really kicked the momentum off.
Hotel Diablo is the youngest project/band in which you are a member. Can you tell us how the band is started and who is playing in it?
Hotel Diablo is a band that was formed from the ground up, rather than joined up as a sideman. It really started while Rick Stitch (Vocals) and I were playing together in Adler¡¯s Appetite, that project seemed to be on it¡¯s last leg and we were doing a lot of writing together so we ended up leaving and focusing on this music full-time. We ended up doing a one-off show here in LA with Mike Duda (bass) and Mike Dupke (drums) and it just clicked from there.
The album is produced by Gilby Clarke, how was it to work with Gilby ?
Gilby has been great. He is really like the fifth member of the band, his old-school rock instincts are a refreshing change from the world of making everything ¡°perfect¡± in pro-tools. I like that he was really able to capture what we actually sound like in the studio. He also has probably the best guitar collection I have ever seen, which was a lot of fun in the studio.
Rick Stitch is on vocals with Hotel Diablo. It ain¡¯t the first time you guys where in a band together. You both also played in Adler¡¯s Appetite, how was it to work with Steven all these years?
Working with Steven was a lot of fun, that band had it¡¯s moments and Chip Z¡¯Nuff is also a very underrated bass player. The only downside was that since it was essentially a glorified tribute band, so there was really no room to be creative, even the ¡°originals¡± that we put out ended up sounding like ¡°Appetite¡± b-sides. It worked in the context of the set, but ultimately wasn¡¯t very gratifying for any of us, including Steven. I am very happy for his success with ¡°Adler¡±, it seems he has finally gotten the right people around him, their record sounds great.
The band signed with Scarlet Records, how did you guys end up with that label?
They came to us last spring and said that they wanted to do a deal for the CD. We knew how well they had done for Tesla on their acoustic release, and ended up working with them. I had actually met Enzo (Scarlet Records A&R) back in 2010 while doing an article for Metal Hammer, he is great guy and a true fan of music. We are very happy with them thus far.
With the debut album of Hotel Diablo out worldwide, will this mean we can expect a European tour in the near future.
There has been some talk of it, but it would to have make logistical sense, I think we will be doing more touring in 2013 though.
You make music for movies, TV and series. How is it to work in that part of the industry?
There is a lot of money and opportunity in placing music in TV and movies. I have been lucky enough to have songs that I have co-written used movies and TV from Walt Disney, FX Network, VH1 and many others.
Besides playing with Quiet Riot, Adler¡¯s Appetite and Hotel Diablo , you also have played with Jani Lane, Beautiful Creatures, Dizzy Reed and many more. Is there still someone out there you would like to share the stage with one day?
I have been very fortunate to have been able to play with a lot of the people I grew up listening too. I can¡¯t really think of anyone else that I really want to play with¡ whatever happens, happens!
With being in all those bands and been around for al these years there must be many highlights. Which one stands out for you and why?
One big highligt was doing the 2007 Sweden Rock festival with QUIET RIOT. It was on the day that ¡°Heaven and Hell headlined and Aerosmith had played the night before. It was great show and Kevin DuBrow was in top form, He was such a great frontman and to perform with him in front of 40,000 people was an honor.
What is the next milestone you would like to achieve as a musician?
I am looking forward to the next Hotel Diablo record, and I am really excited to be building the Hotel Diablo brand into more than just a rock band. We recently have partnered up with Forgotten Saints here in LA for a line of custom ¡°Psycho,California¡± merch ¨C they have designed for everyone from Motley Crue and Guns N¡¯ Roses to Rihanna, Buckcherry, Black Eyed Peas, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. All of their items are 100% hand crafted and made inUSA. The online store ships worldwide from their world renownedMelrose Avenue boutique here in Hollywood,California. - Its great stuff, here is link to the store¡
forgottensaintsla.com/fs/hotel-diablo/
What made you decide to pick up the guitar?
It was way easier to carry on the school bus than the French Horn, which is what I stared on.
What is the gear you use on stage and is it different from what you use in studio?
I use PRS guitars, Diamond amps, Seymour Duncan Pickups along with Line 6 and MXR effect pedals ¨C both live and in the studio.
Thanks for your time Alex, is there anything I forgot to ask you and you wish to share ?
Thank you! ¨C keep in touch at :
www.thehoteldiablo.com
www.officialquietriot.com
www.alexgrossimusic.com
