Η παρακάτω συνέντευξη του Ryan Roxie που μπορείτε να διαβάσετε αποκλειστικά στο www.alicecooper.gr, δόθηκε το 2009 στον Κώστα Σάββα, διοικητικό μέλος του Greek Nightmare Alice Cooper Fan Club.
Hello roxie how ya doing????first of all personally i would like to tell u how excited and pleased i am with the new album ''Two Sides To Every Story''so far.
Thanks man, I'm excited about putting out this album as well, especially because I'm able to market and promote it in the way I want to. For example, I get to “give” songs away with the use of the “Conscience-FREE Download (C.F.D.)” and I'm able to “Split the Profits (S.T.P.)” of all the sales of the record with charity....it's a good situation for EVERYONE involved and I'm very impressed with the generousity of the Roxie 77 fans...!
So tell us about it...how did u do it this time?their two sides cause u are telling the story in two different ways
i mean two versions of each song?normal and acoustic
I came up with the concept of 'Two Sides' awhile back, because of what I was going through in my personal life, I started to see clearly that there are always at least two sides to every argument, two sides to every situation...doesn't always mean one is good and the other is bad...just means that there are different ways of looking at things...and I thought I might be able to apply that to my songs...different ways of hearing my songs....so hopefully people will have their favorite 'version' of my songs, but appreciate both versions.
Was it a fun adventure to record this album?i mean i saw u used different places to record your guitar parts haha we all saw the kitchen video!!!
I always say, 'If it's going all to hell, you might as well enjoy the ride!', so yeah...the whole process of recording and promoting the album is one great big adventure. I especially love the different types of instuments we've been able to add on this record.. There are horns, violins, mandolins, harmonicas and more instruments featured, and if you listen very closely, our producer (Johan Harrysson) even played a real HARP on the intro to Smell the Coffee...
Did u work with all the guys in happypill?
Yes, basically the name-change 'back' to Roxie 77 for us signified a new beginning here in Sweden (where we are based), plus a return to a familiar name outside of Sweden that people who have followed my career could easily recognize. The rest of the guys besides myself should all be mentioned here, because they make up such a huge part of the sound that we are now refering to as Roxie 77 (version 2.0)!...They are all great Swedish musicians that all deserve to be 'googled' and made friends with on facebook.. ha!..and heeeere they are-
Anton Körberg Drums, B. Vocals
Magnus Wikstöm Bass Guitars, B. Vocals
Eric Rydman Guitars/Piano, B. Vocals
What is your process of writing a song? Does this process come easy to you?
The process always differs slightly...sometimes the guitar riff comes into my head first and I build the lyrics around that...but other times a catchy phrase or vocal melody comes first and then I use the guitar to build around the words...and then sometimes...and these are the times I fear most..... NOTHING comes at all!....but then all of a sudden maybe a few songs come very quickly in a creative spurt....and those are the GOOD times!
At what age did you get your first guitar? And when you learned to play, how did you get involved in the music industry to become who you are today?
Is there any advise you can give to any aspiring musicians who look to follow in your footsteps?
Even though I was playing guitar at the age of five, I didn't start to take it "seriously" until I was around seven years old or so...sounds funny now, because at 7, my heroes were pretty much the Jackson 5 (Michaels 'first' band!) and The Partridge Family (a T.V. show band consisting of good looking actors and poster idols)...but I knew as I kept staring at the posters on my wall..'that's what I want to do'....I kept 'imagining my reality'...which is something I still do to this day...
'Imagine Your Reality'....it's good advice and almost was going to be the title of the latest R77 album if the "Two Sides" concept hadn't stumbled it's way into my brain....
When did u start singing?realized that hey i think i can sing pretty good? cause your voice is just amazing feels like u are always singing straight from your heart
I have always been a singer since my 'first' band when I was 9 years old...'the Stratocasters'....but it was because I always felt that I HAD to sing because we couldn't ever seem to find the perfect 'lead singer' or even someone that just sang and wasn't crazy...so basically I always thought that I was a singer by default UNTIL I moved to Sweden and said to myself, 'no one knows who you are here...you no longer have to be a 'singer by default'...you ARE a singer...and no one is going to be able to sing your own songs that are closest to your heart better then you yourself'....so from that day on, I considered myself a good singer...and someone that should be listened to.
I always tell people that there is a 'lead singer' living inside each and everyone of them....as long as they sing with conviction and true feeling, it doesn't really matter if it's off key here or there...the best singers I know have 'style', not just a pretty voice...
In your new album- Two Sides To Every Story, do the song lyrics come from your personal life experiences, or are they just thoughts you come up with?
Oh...it's personal, I can promise you that!...Some of these songs are more like my therapy....
Is there one particular song from your present or past albums that has sedimental meaning to you? And, why if so?
There is a 2 minute acoustic song that I released on this record called "So I Thought"...and I almost always tear-up when I play it...especially in the 2nd verse....I wrote it right around the time that I was separating from my wife, but we we're still on a vacation together with the kids...and for some reason this song just came into my head...and put everything into perspective...it really is a bit of a mind bender, this thing called life! so simple sometimes....so complicated at others...
It was so cute to see your kids in the studio helping out their dad that was awesome!! do you see them wanting to follow in your footsteps in the future?
do they ever mention this to you? and, what are your feelings about this if they were interested
I never had the opportunity to "hang out" in recording studios, rehearsal rooms, or back stages when I was a kid... but hey, I STILL ended up doing what I dreamed about doing in life. All I hope for is that IF they decide to pursue music as a way of life, that they will feel very comfortable in the surroundings of creative people and a rock n' roll lifestyle.
I never 'push' them to play or sing...I'm just thinking that if they are surrounded by music in a way where they don't feel they HAVE to play, but it's always around them if they want to, it will be natural for them to gravitate towards it, but to be honest...I wouldn't care what career either of them would decide to choose...as long as they pursue and enjoy it with the same passion and joy that I have tried to pursue my job with. I love those two little ones so much, I will support them with most probably anything they decide to go for!
come on by www.Roxie77.com and see what all this talk is about...the site is set up so that it is pretty easy to get to all the 'familiar' sites you are used to viewing such as YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, and Bandcamp. Listen, Watch, Download, and enjoy the noise....!
Hows your life now in sweden is it more family and less rock n roll??do you speak fluently swedish?
It's actually split right down the line these days...I'm like Clark Kent and Superman, or maybe better yet Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde...
On the days I'm with the kids, I am pretty much just "dad" or "papa" as they like to call me...but then when it comes time for the big rock show...there is only one way that I know how to be....all out.
One minute I'm kickin' ass on stage...and the next I'm wiping one of the little one's asses....oh boy, it keeps me human at least!
But as far as my swedish goes...'Jag talar inte sa bra'....which means 'I don't speak so good!'
Are u planning to promote the album by touring and are u gonna release it on cd form also?
I really would love to go on a tour for "Two Sides to Every Story" for a few reasons....
ONE, because I was not able to tour the last Roxie 77 album, "Peace Love & Armageddon", because I was on tour with Alice for most of the time...not that it was a bad thing, infact, the reason why many of the people knew about the Roxie 77 album in the first place was BECAUSE I was on tour with Alice Cooper, god bless him and his fans!
TWO, I wanna tour this album because my band mates haven't been able to tour extensively outside of Sweden until now...so hopefully I can be their 'International' tour guide and show them as many different countries as possible!
The 'real CD' version WILL come out when the album has finished it's release cycle (there will ultimately be 24 tracks on it!)...but even then, we are trying our best to keep the album "green" and eco-friendly....so we might only have the albums available at live shows....think about it, just 'how' much energy, resources, and materials it takes to get the "touchable" CD from my hands into yours....it's more then ya think when ya start to break it down...the production, the packaging, the shipping materials, the postal travel, etc.. etc... Hey, I'm 'ol skool' just like you, and I like to touch my music, but hopefully I've created a place on our website that gives you a sort of "closeness" with the band and the music...
Are we gonna see more roxie77 albums?
I'm thinking that we have found a pretty good 'sound' and relationship within the band and the production team...so yeah, hopefully you'll see some more R77 material surface in the not too distant future....we certainly have enough songs to put another record out right away.
Now an alice cooper related question so how is it to be away from a thing u were doing for 10 years?did u listen to coop's new album?? along came a spider?
There are times that I really miss being out there on the road with AC, but I also realize that I wouldn't have been able to accomplish many of the things (like being a stay home dad which is an amazing challenge in itself) with my personal and musical life if I had been touring these past few years. I wouldn't have been able to make the same type of record as 'Two Sides to Every Story', unless I DID stay home and actually EXPERIENCE both sides!
As far as the new AC album, I must admit that I have not given it the 'proper' listening it deserves. I listened to the tracks that were available on Alice's myspace site and easily realized that Alice had gotten heavier with the sounds then our last two records together (Eyes and Dirty Diamonds), but because he has such a signature voice...an Alice Cooper album will always sound like an Alice Cooper album....why? Because he's friggin' ALICE COOPER!
I will make this deal with Alice though...if HE listens to the Roxie 77 "Two Sides to Every Story" album, I promise I'll listen to his...besides, he might find a reference or two from my album relating to him and all of his influence he has had on me over the years...sounds like a good deal to me!
So how different is europe comparing to the usa?
Europeans clap on the 1-2-3-4 when a song is being played...Americans clap on the 2-4 ......I love this because you always notice who are the American bands that have not toured Europe yet when they come and try and get the large festival crowds to clap a certain way that they are just not used to doing....there is this moment when neither the band nor the crowd knows what to do..it's a classic Spinal Tap moment when this happens I can assure you!
And the toilets are always different in every European country whereas they are pretty much all the 'american standard' in the States...why is this amusing? well...nothing better then to watch a guy from the States who has no idea how to flush a toilet in Belgium!...
Do u like watching movies?name some of your favorite ones
I like comedies mostly..I feel the world needs to laugh just a bit more these days.....a lot of movies directed by Judd Apatow....but how can you resist a great Quentin Tarentino movie from time to time!?!.....Some other 'classics' that I recommend are the ORIGINAL Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (with Gene Wilder...not Johnny Depp although Mr. Depp is cool in his own right) and a Guy Ritchie film called "Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels"...brilliant, I say...brilliant!
When you were a young kid , did you have a "hero" ? And as an adult, any musical mentors that had an influence on you at all?
The posters on my wall were my heroes.....and they included Van Halen, Rod Stewart, Kiss, and Cheap Trick....It's pretty cool that I've been able to meet many of my heroes over the years...and all of them still seemed 'bigger then life' to me as an adult just as they did to me as a kid growing up.
There were rumours some months ago that guns n roses were trying u out for their new guitar player?? what do u have to say about it?
A certain rock star gave me some advice a long time ago- he said that if you don't have anything good to say about a fellow rock n roller...especially if you yourself are not as legendary or known as that person....better to not say anything at all...because it's a lose-lose situation....I'll explain:
if I tell the god's honest truth, then I risk disillusioning the countless number of fans that adore the man OR I simply come across as someone that's just trying to disparage a persons character. On the other hand, if I don't tell the truth or play it off like 'everythings cool', then I'd just be lying to myself and I'll be damned if I'm going to ever try and fool myself at this point in the game...Gotta be honest with oneself, because then that makes 'the truth' somebody else's problem.
I will say that I think Axl has a great band of musicians behind him, and it's too bad that they're not out there touring the world as they can all rock the hell out of those GnR classics....but as for the man himself, and the people that he chooses to keep around him in his 'inner-circle' or whatever you wanna call it, let's just say that it's better to not say anything at all....I have never dissed any musicians that I've been closely associated with or never met in my life...I sure ain't gonna start doing it now...cool?
Do you keep in touch with the guys in the band Chuck, Eric, Damon ?? How about Alice himself?
We do speak from time to time, mostly through emails and stuff like that, but to be honest, when you're "in the band", it's like being on a sports team...and when you step away from one particular team, you usually go on to join another team of guys (or girls) that you speak to on a daily basis...it's not like you harbor any bad feelings for the former guys at all, in fact, you actually miss them more when you haven't been playing with them for awhile..but in the same sense, you have a new "team" that you associate yourself with.
So that's what it is like with the AC camp...I love the guys in the band after spending so many great nights with Alice and his fans, but I also love what I'm doing now as well with Roxie 77....and as long as I never look back for too long and keep my focus on going forward, it can always be 'possible' that the future could hold something to do with AC...if I were to only look back upon it as 'nostalgia', then I'd be closing the door...and I'm never one to close the door on anything....my belief is that "the right things happen for the right reasons, all at the right time".....and if they don't...we'll then we're all screwed! ha!
Tell us some things about Alice how is he as a person?i bet hes the type that respects his musicians 100%
What can I say about Alice and the Alice Cooper “experience” that I haven't stated a thousand times before....he's the world's coolest 'boss'. I am his “karate kid” and he is my “Miyagi”....corny Ralph Macchio reference...Alice has shown me “the ropes” of the music industry...and I will always be thankful to him and his loyal fans that have supported me and my other endevours ever since.
What do you think about keri kelli?i know u guys worked together in dads porno mag and now hes Alice Cooper's guitar player
Keri, like myself, is a survivor...and I totally respect the way he has hung in there, worked instead of talked, and always been able to spin his situation upwards... When someone comes up to me and asks, "how can I 'make it' in the music business"....I always tell 'em the same thing...'follow the 3 P's'...Practice, Persistence, and Patience....Keri is a great example of following these 3, and the results speak volumes about the guy...
I've known Keri now for about 13 years and we've played in at least 4 or 5 of the same bands...funny fact is, the only band that we've played in together at the same time was the Dad's Porno Mag touring line up! It will be quite a day if and when the powers of RR and KK unite..ha!
How was it to open a concert for kiss i mean to have your own band and be on stage?? supporting a big band were u nervous?
Think about one of the best days in your life...then add to it the fact that you will be opening up for Kiss later that evening!.... It was really one of those types of days...everything went 'better' then I thought it would...which in rock n roll, almost never happens. Some examples of this being:
A) I thought that we'd be playing in front of a half empty house because we were the openers...as it turned out, Stockholm Stadion (about 35,000 capacity) was near full when we went on..wow, didn't see that coming!
B) I expected the crowd to 'boo' us off stage, as what they normally do with opening bands, especially opening bands for Kiss....the reality was that people actually clapped after the end of our songs....Clapping? I was expecting bottles....
C) Gene,Paul, Eric, and Tommy actually came into the dressing room to 'meet' the band and my two kids Lennon and Natashia Grace....Paul even played Peek-a-boo with Natashia Grace right before he was going on...and she will always refer to Gene now as 'the nice monster'.....
And of course all the Alice Cooper fans were praying to god for u to return to the band after Jason Hook left... u know u are our favorite guitar player Alice ever had after the original band split up
Words can't describe how much that means to me...I really appreciate all the Alice Cooper fans that have followed me and stayed in contact with me over the years...I'm very happy to have been just 'one' of those guys that played with Alice, but for the fans that say I'm one of their favorites...well, that is just icing on the cake!
But it all goes back to putting your heart into everything you do, and there was never one night that I went up on stage with Alice where I didn't try to give it my all...and now is no different with Roxie 77...every night you will see me giving it my very best...because if you don't, what's the point?
Thank you roxie for your time i know there's a lot of people here in Greece that loves u and can't wait to see u soon is there anything u wanna say to the crazy Greek fans?? :)
I just wanna say...WE WANNA PLAY GREECE FIRST!!....Seriously, I can't think of a better and more passionate country to kick off the tour...but how can we get there first?...well, first of all we NEED to get some good exposure in your country, and that can start today by getting your help in promoting the Roxie 77 album "Two Sides to Every Story"....add us to your facebook, to your myspace, come on to our homepage and download the songs...tell a friend...scream it out the window....do what ever it takes...but let's get Roxie 77 out to Greece now....right fuckin' now!
Cheers!
Roxie
Come on by www.Roxie77.com and see what all this talk is about...the site is set up so that it is pretty easy to get to all the 'familiar' sites you are used to viewing such as YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, and Bandcamp. Listen, Watch, Download, and above all, enjoy the noise....!
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Photo Credits:
Johan Alberg
Stefan Adolfsson
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Kostas would like to thank the following people for their support and help:
Konstantinos Kouzigiannis (Cooperized)
Si Halley
and Of Course Ryan Roxie!!!
