August 2011 - Those Alone
One of my favorite aspects of life is finding those little nuggets of surprise in the least expected places. A recent nugget of surprise came in the form of Those Alone after developing a friendship with lead singer, Michael Giammarco. After listening to all available music and liking what I was hearing, I knew Those Alone should be featured on AUM and exposed to a broader audience. Interviewing the guys was quite interesting as you will see, and I'm truly glad I had the chance.
AUM: What's your background? Tell me your story.
Russ: I, much like other young guitarists, picked up my fathers old classical acoustic guitar, restrung it with steel strings and began playing it till my fingers bled. Over the years I played in several bands as a rhythm guitarist until a friend asked me to sit in on bass when their bass player walked out leaving them with six committed dates but no bassist, and I have been playing bass ever since.
Michael: My childhood was ideal. I grew up in your typical middle class New England family. I was, and still am, very close to both my parents and sisters. I was introduced to music at a very young age due to the fact that my Dad was in a band that had released a record and was a really good guitar player, and my Mom just plain loves music so she would listen to the radio all day long while doing her housework. (Hey it was the 80's Mom didn't have a job yet). I wouldn't trade my childhood to age 10 for anything. We were very lucky. As I got older and the veil was lifted, life got increasingly difficult. My parents divorced and it pulled the rug out from under me, even though it really shattered me, it gave me my creativity and gave me the ability to connect with people who are in pain through writing and music. I began to question "truths" I had been told as a child, taught in school that I just assumed were true because that's what your told. It took a little while but I realized that positive things can come out of pain, and after reading Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet" and studying different philosophies, I truly believe "our pain is self chosen" to make us stronger. It's been a long climb, but I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
AUM: Who are each of your musical influences, and how do your own unique perceptions of what you should sound like come together to create Those Alone?
Russ: My earliest influences were The Beatles, Hendrix, Zeppelin and Pink Floyd which rounded out my blues rock foundation then blended with my grunge flavors from Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and STP to the post-grunge sounds of God Smack, Staind and Korn lend to an eclectic merge of hard driving rock with low B,C and D bass tones and some off beat timing to produce that feeling of angst and provoking the emotions of trying to fit in when you know you don’t really fit into any particular group. “Those who are Alone”
Michael: One of my major influences is and was Layne Staley from AIC and Mad Season. He actually used the line I just spoke about from "The Prophet" in his song "River of Deceit" on the Mad Season album Above, great album by the way! I feel a special kinship with Layne through music, his lyrics speak volumes to me. It's inevitable and extremely flattering when someone says we sound like AIC when we play live. We take that as a major complement but it's something I think that is more the "feel" of the music and the emotion than the actual musical composition. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Hollies, The Zombies, Procol Harum, all those great British bands had and still have an influence on my songwriting. I think a song like "Tiger" shows that influence, I like to say were a mix of 90's hard rock and 60 and 70's classic rock. The main musical influence from the time I was very small is someone you probably would never guess, especially from listening to our songs but the man who taught me how to sing and gave me the bug was Elvis Presley. I am an Elvis junkie! I used to sit my little sister down when she was 2 years old and I would dress in my best Elvis garb and sing the entire Elvis Aloha Hawaii Concert and the Madison Square Garden Concert with the tape playing. I didn't shave my head back then so it was more believable! The thing about Elvis is his charisma and his voice. I would sit and watch him sing "American Trilogy" with tears running down his face and I would just think about how much he felt these songs, even though he didn't write them, he felt them, especially when it came to Gospel and serious songs. The man has one of those voices that can make me cry still to this day when I listen to him sing about pain and loneliness. There's a guy, Robbie Williams, who wrote a beautiful song called "Advertising Space" which is about Elvis and the line in the song that hit home to me and gave me chills was "everybody loved your life but you" He never found the peace he was looking for. It's very possible to be surrounded by people and be extremely lonely, and that's kind of why I loved the name "Those Alone" in the first place because of the dichotomy of the "Those" being plural and alone being as by yourself as you can be.
AUM: What was the best gig you ever played, and why would you like more of your shows to go just like it?
Russ: I would have to say that would be the “Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino” they really rolled out the red carpet for us there, everything from full use of their entire backline equipment to pro sound and lighting production comparable to their arena venue not to mention the food platters and service provided to us in the green room, but I think the coolest part was in the green room area there was this hallway connecting the rooms and the tradition was for the performing acts to sign the walls with their band name it was really awe inspiring having our name up there with legends of the industry
Michael: Russ has a better one, I played a lot of dives with my last band, wasn't very memorable! If we get to play at the Comcast Center in Boston at the Uproar Festival that one will go right to the top, a lot of great bands will be there such as Seether, 3 Days Grace and Sevendust. We concentrated so much on recording over our first few months that we are itching to get out and play live together as a band.
AUM: If you suddenly lost all ability to make music, what would you do instead to express your creativity?
Russ: In school I majored in Art and worked several years in the graphic arts field so I would probably return to my artistic roots but not so much on the computer side of it more like painting or charcoal mediums
Michael: Probably cry a lot! No, actually I would have to write poetry and stories. I'm a huge fan of horror movies, maybe create some movies or act, it's tough to say because music is such a huge part of my being. I would need to express myself creatively somehow or I'd fade away.
AUM: Everyone has weaknesses, so what exactly *would* you do for a Klondike Bar?
Michael: Ice cream is my weakness, just don't ask what I'd do for a pint of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia :) That stuff is amazing!
AUM: I know Michael specifically spends a good amount of time promoting independent music. What would be your best argument from a band's point of view to get more people interested in great performers who fall under the independent label?
Russ: The Internet provides access for listeners to artists and performers that might have gone unheard without being backed by a big record company, also with the advent of more sophisticated recording software the independent artist has greater artistic freedom and availability to producing professional product.
Michael: The main reason is there are a lot of great Indie bands out there that you wouldn't hear otherwise I just think people should be able to pick from all music and not just certain bands that the media and marketing tell you to like. That's why sites like Jango are so great because it gives you options you wouldn't get normal. Don't get me wrong, our goal is to sign a record contract, but by getting our songs out there, all over the world, it lets us reach fans who can now listen to us a lot sooner and word of mouth is a powerful tool! The tools out there for musicians nowadays are endless, it's great for people who just dabble or for the band that is trying to build a fan base and get signed, the music business has changed so much over the last 20 years, I can only imagine were it'll be 20 years from now!
AUM: Have you ever come close to just walking away from the music scene? If so, what made you stay?
Russ: Absolutely. The birth of my son was a turning point in my life having to sell every piece of equipment I owned to pay for the hospital bills, but there was something deep inside me, a part of my soul just wouldn’t give up. Something inside of me just knew music was my destiny.
Michael: Michael: My last band had some internal problems, and it was a difficult situation at times. I was going through some personal issues, as well, and music was becoming something I did less and less for fun. Unfortunately, while all this was going on I lost a close musician friend in the Station Night Club fire. I had been asked to go that night but I didn't feel well. This was a huge local story, the band "Great White" set the place up with pyrotechnics that were too big to use indoors at a small club. My friends band had opened for "Great White" , he'd been really excited for the opportunity, a minute into the GW set the place was full of toxic smoke. He was the guy that brought me onstage for the first time to play some of my songs, after that you couldn't get me off. After the fire I just lost the drive and didn't play for a few years. Luckily for me my Mom never stopped believing in my songs and in me. I had gone into security and was thinking of becoming a police officer. My mom always would drop little reminders in there about getting back to music. I did a lot of soul searching and was told by an extremely wise friend that I highly regard when God gives you a talent you are given it for a reason and if you knowingly don't use it, you're basically throwing it back in his face. Many things fell into place after I began to write and play again, and here we are today.
AUM: What's the most "rock-star" thing you've ever done?
Russ: I did this gig. It was a charity event just outside of Pittsburg which included an appearance and autograph session with Paul Sr. from Orange County Choppers. After we did our load in, set up and sound check, we had about an hour before Paul Sr. showed up. So I was walking through the audience when a couple kids came up to me asking for my autograph and before I knew it I had a small crowd gathering around me. I had to excuse myself and get back to the dressing room. When I told the rest of the band what had happened we decided to do an impromptu photo op & autograph session with the band. I must have signed about a hundred autographs that night . It was pretty cool. I felt like a “rock-star”.
Michael:I didn't have one when I first saw the question, but I do now. Our song "Who Needs It All" debuted on CU Radio Germany's Star Club, which is a rock show in Germany . It was 9pm in Germany but only 2pm here so Russ texts me that he was listening but I couldn't until later and I happened to be sitting in the Jacuzzi at my dad's condo. I then caught a glimpse of myself in my phone and said, "Ok so I'm sitting in a hot tub texting while a song I wrote and recorded is on the radio in Germany! This is a rockstar moment if I've ever seen one!"
AUM: You're just about to head into the studio to record your first EP. Do you have a favorite track? Was there a song that was a little more difficult to finish? How long of a road has it been to get to this very moment?
Russ: My favorite track is definitely “Who needs it all”. I believe that song brings out all of the best aspects of our music style. The most difficult to finish for me was probably “The Prophet”. I don’t think I will ever be convinced that it’s complete... (laughing)...every time I listen to it, I always think maybe I should have done this or added that ….. it’s been a long road to this point a lot of struggling and sacrifice all culminating with a moment of clarity. The moment I met Michael, I knew at that moment we were meant to collaborate musically. I knew it was fate.
Michael: At this moment we're in the midst of it and it is, shall we say a long process. I just feel it's time, when I met Russ and we started going over the songs I had written, he just knew that little thing that each one needed to be that much better. I've been waiting quite a while for my musical soul mate to come along, and now the songs are ready! I don't think I can pick a favorite track, but the song I enjoy singing the most is "Get Away". It has palpable energy, and intensity that I can physically feel when we play it; it's an intense song. All of the songs have special meaning because they all come from different stages of my life. "Tiger" is about how most people don't take time to appreciate the little things and see how precious life is until it's too late. "The Prophet" is the first song Russell and I wrote together. As I alluded to earlier, it's my attempt to honor Layne Staley and express how under appreciated he is and was. He helped so many people including me through really rough spots in life and I find it so sad that only 100 people stood out in the rain for his vigil when thousands were there for Kurt Cobain. Layne hasn't even had a documentary or a special made about him. It needs to be done. He was much more than an addict, but that's all people seem to remember. The song was fated to be written because Russ wrote the music a long time ago, and I had written the lyrics I wanted for this song but couldn't come up with the music. He was just fooling around playing that rhythm and I said wait a sec, took out my lyrics and it fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. It was crazy.
AUM: Who had the idea to document the recording? How do you think giving your fans an inside view will effect the overall success of Those Alone?
Russ: Michael did ….. (motions to Mike for an answer)
Michael: I thought it would be fun to record the process because people feel more a part of something when they are there when it's built. I want our fans to look at our music as their music, a voice for them.
AUM: Are there tour dates in your future?
Russ: Presently we are still firming up our tour line up so nothing is scheduled, but we hope to be touring toward the end of summer, early fall. And of course we will absolutely include a stop out your way.
Michael: Absolutely! We're in a "Battle of the Bands" at the moment trying to earn a spot to play at this years Rockstar Uproar Festival in Boston, and even better - win a spot on the tour for next year for 30 shows! It would be so great to play at the Comcast Center, where I've seen so many of my favorite bands! We are preparing now to begin playing a bunch of shows to support our EP and hopefully hook up with a like minded band and head out on the distant road! We'll be listing the upcoming shows very soon!
AUM: Where do you hope to be musically in five years? Ten?
Russ: Well in five years I hope to be touring for our third EP, and in ten years have a Grammy or two under our belt.
Michael: I'll be very happy in five years or ten as long as I'm still making music and earning a good living doing what I love. Of course you always want to be able to grow creatively and musically. I want us to create something that stands the test of time, do something lasting. I think it would be amazing to know that after I'm gone from this world people will still be inspired by what I left behind.
AUM: When people think of Those Alone, what is the image you want them envisioning in their minds?
Russ: I would like people to look at “Those Alone” as the band that started the new genre of rock for the 2010’s.
Michael: A light in the darkness, I hope we can be seen as real and uncompromising. I think the two words that describe us and our sound the best would be power and pain. That's the essence of our music, power and pain.
AUM: How big is your fan base?
Michael: With all the tools available to artists today, it's not too hard to get your songs recorded and played all over the world within a very short time. The response is what you look for and I'll tell you it's been amazing. We put demos for "Tiger" and "Get Away" on Jango Radio back in March and we've gotten fans, comments, and friends from everywhere you can imagine! Thinking about someone on the other side of the world enjoying a song that I wrote is the best feeling in the world, well almost anyway :) We really have done well overseas in Greece, Brazil, and Germany. We can't wait to go play for our friends out there! On July 4th our song "Who Needs It All" debuted on CU Radio Germany's Star Club, and it went over extremely well. We've made some great friend over there including Michael D Stardust who hosts the Star Club. He has gone above and beyond playing us and promoting us, he and his staff at CU Radio have been so great! Same thing in Brazil, a wonderful girl from there named Camila has spread our songs all over down there including playing them in the night clubs! She has done so much for us as well, getting so many people to listen and give us the all important "Facebook likes". If I named everyone I'd be here all day but we wanted to thank them all for all they've done and continue to do, they are inspiring! Just like you LeeAnn, you found us and have been tremendous, thank you so much, we couldn't do it without awesome people like you.
AUM: Every rock star needs to be part of a good public service announcement. So what cause do each of you want to take up?
Russ: I think a suicide prevention campaign would be something we should stand for. I’ve always thought of “Those Alone” as reaching out and saying “ it’s alright. Whatever your belief’s are, it’s all good, we have been there, we understand, don’t let yourself get bullied into thinking your not normal”. This whole bullying issue in our society today has to be addressed. Too many kids today are killing themselves over the perception of others.
Michael: There are many for me, but a Free Tibet would be way up there. And suicide prevention and bullying are extremely important and relevant nowadays. Kids are forced to grow up way too fast, and it's not right. We know kids can be cruel, and it's part of growing up. But with the internet and iPhones and everything else adults are now pretending to be kids and bullying children their kids don't like or get along with. I've heard so many stories about "cyber-bullies" and it's has to stop.
AUM: And because it's important to end with the most important questions, and I'm definitely a fact finding journalist, boxers or briefs?
Russ: (Laughing) …. Well I actually wear those new kind of combo boxer/brief style’s …….. I need that tight fit feeling ….. ((Still laughing)
Michael: A combo, boxer briefs supportive yet flexible...
ॐ An Underground Mainstream ॐ
The current line-up for Those Alone is Giammarco, Midyette, Sawaia and Auburn Lead Guitarist John Rengigas. You can listen to Those Alone's music on Jango Airplay, The Indie, ReverbNation and all the bands social sites. TA is also very proud to be one of the earliest bands to be involved in the groundbreaking IndieFunda Project. They are gaining a lot of momentum and great fans from many different countries on the Indie Music Scene, which is bringing them closer to their ultimate goal of signing with an amazing label and make a serious mark on the music world. The first song off their upcoming debut EP is "Who Needs It All" . The single received a big push from European hard rock fans on July 4th when it aired on CU Radio Germany's Star Club show hosted by Michael Stardust. The EP "Fate Decides" is due out by mid to late July. In addition to "Who Needs" it will feature the remastered album versions of the popular early single demo releases "Tiger" and "Get Away" along with at least two other brand new tracks.
http://www.reverbnation.com/mikegiammarco
http://twitter.com/#!/ThoseAlone
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Those-Alone/207876605909336
http://indiefunda.com/members/thosealone/profile/
http://www.myspace.com/elvisaron73
http://www.youtube.com/user/ThoseAloneMusic?feature=mhee
http://www.theindie.biz/artists/bio/43388
http://www.purevolume.com/THOSEALONE
http://www.theindie.biz/artists/bio/43388
http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=297072
http://www.jango.com/music/Those+Alone?l=0
Interviewer, LeeAnn Hively-Insalaco, is a contributing writer for An Underground Mainstream and a participant and occasional host on The Collective Perspective.