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First
of all, I wish to thank you for this interview. I have to
warn you for its length… It has been written by a long
time fan (20 years, in fact) who loves EVERYTHING in your
career, so you will understand that there are tons of questions.
And, remembering that you said that « The secret of
my success is I’m living 25 hours a day », I could
do so. Take your time, no hurry… Though… ( just
kidding!).
Some artists
are collecting splits and showy gatherings with their former
band. You seem contrarily to live in harmony with your past:
a new project with Tommy SHAW, a new NIGHT RANGER album…
This leads me to some questions:
- How do you explain your ability to keep good relationships
with your former stage mates?
Tommy and I are best friends...
although bands are like a marriage, sometimes you need to
get divorced and move on to stop the cycle of abuse... it
just happens.
- After a "quiet"
period in the end of the 90’s, you collect different
projects from your participation in TMG on. Is it easy to
manage a career that enriches, as time goes by, of numerous
different and successful projects?
I like to keep
busy and I also enjoy working with different artists. I feel
that it expands my horizons and makes me a better person/musician.
Life's is a journey, not a destination.
- Can you,
to make rumours shut down, tell us about your priorities?
My family.
- How can you place in between your career with bands a solo
career? What does it bring to you (even though you released
one and only album) ?
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Solo records
give a certain amount of freedom to express oneself in a different
way . When I do a record for a band I am in, I think of how
that band sounds and how I would approach a song in that context.
I can do anything on a solo record. Kind of like a blank easel
for a painter....no pre conceived notions of how it should
sound. It is a very freeing experience but I like playing
in bands the best.
Let’s
talk about your present, if you agree. You just reactivated,
for the great pleasure of the DAMN YANKEES and your first
album “Hallucination” fans, your collaboration with
Tommy SHAW.
- First evident
question, why having chosen to fill an album with covers and
not your own songs as you did for your first album?
We felt that we wanted to do an album of the songs that meant
so much to us when we were young....songs that moved us to
write what we have written...These songs truely "influenced"
us.
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How did you choose the songs?
We just started thinking of
songs that we loved by artists that we enjoyed in our youth.
If you noticed, there are lots of harmonies on these songs....and
Tommy and I have kept that going in the various bands we have
been in ....Night Ranger, Styx, Damn Yankees..etc.
- Are there
covers you recorded that were not released on « Influence
»?
Yes, a couple
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- If yes, when can we expect
to have the pleasure to listen to these? (And of not, it is
a pity…)
We did a version of Badfinger’s
“No Matter What" and I think that is the bonus track
on the Japanese release of Influence. Not sure about the others...
- On
some Tribute albums, you made covers with Tommy of an AEROSMITH
track (« Sweet Emotion »), some BEATLES («
Day Tripper »). If AEROSMITH would not fit on “Influence”,
why didn’t you integrate another cover of a Fab Four
track? Did it seem to you too evident?
Yes. We love the Beatles and
could actually do an entire CD of our fav's by the fab 4 but
we decided that too many people covered so many Beatles songs...
Maybe the next record.
- It is not
easy for us, Frenchies, even with the Web, to get data. Basically,
is a tour planned to promote “Influence”. If this
tour does not come to Europe, do you plan to release a Live
DVD showing Tommy and yourself on stage?
Yes the tour is from March
15 thru April 15 across the US. It is an all acoustic show.
We'll be playing not only songs from the 2 Shaw/Blades CDs
but also acoustic versions of Night Ranger, Styx and Damn
Yankees songs. I think a live DVD is in the works.
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Without searching
for the detail, here is a bulk of questions:
- How did
you perceive your participation in TMG, mainly to the fact
that you were not the lead singer? Did it influence the
way you played bass, your attitude on stage?
I
loved it. I am a big fan of Eric Martin's voice, he is just
so talented. I sang on a couple of songs and sang Backgrounds
on all. I loved just being the bass player... it did free
me up to have lots more fun...
- Rumours
(?), information (?) are waving about a third album of DAMN
YANKEES. Can you tell us about it?
Shhhhhhhhhhhh....not now............I'll
tell you later
- A NIGHT
RANGER album is said to be released. Can you tell us when?
How would you place it in the band’s discography?
It is called "Hole in
the Sun" and it comes out in Japan April 11 and in
Europe April 30. I think it is the hardest rocking album
we have released since Dawn Patrol, our first record.
Let’s
talk about the musician, now.
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-
On stage, you are a great performer who makes the show and
symbolizes Entertainment, with a capital E. This is rather
unusual for a singer / player. Do you consider stage as the
natural place for you to be? Do you have, sometimes, to quiet
down a little not to steal the show to the others you play
with (NIGHT RANGER, TMG)?
I am more at home on the stage
than anywhere else. I guess after so many years it has just
become second nature for me. I love going all over the place
on stage and sometimes it is hard for me just to be still...the
music always moves me so very much.
- Are you a bass player who started to sing or a singer who
took a 4-string instrument?
I am a guitar player that had
to switch to bass when I was 13 years old because we did not
have a bass player. I always sang since I was 8 years old.
So , Singer, bass player would be right.
- In addition
of being a singer / bass player, you are a flourishing composer.
Which instrument do you prefer to work with? Does the choice
of the instrument have an influence on the song?
I write mostly on guitar, although
I have written a few songs on the piano...Night Ranger's '"When
you close your Eyes" comes to mind.
- Your lyrics
quite often underline the positive side of life. Did you follow
the 80’s trend that, in music and movies, was promoting
this attitude? Do you think it is a good theme? Or a good
gimmick for the stage? Or just a natural way to express your
personality ?
That's just who I am. Why be depressed when you can be happy?
- How did you
survive the first half of the 90's where the musical trend
was somewhat different?
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I'm here doing this interview with you in 2007 so I guess
I did survive...ha! I think as long as I create and do it
with integrity and do the best I can, no one can fault it.
- Together
with Tommy, you told us about your « Influences ».
But, yourself Jack, who are the musicians who influenced you
and urged you to play?
The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel,
Beach boys, Sly and the Family Stone, Cream, Led Zep...Deep
Purple.
- Everyone
knows the duets Lennon/Mc Cartney, Jagger/Richards or even
Tyler/Perry. Should you complete the team Blades/??? , who
would you choose? In other words, among the musicians you
shared the writing with, with whom was it the easiest, the
most evident?
Shaw/Blades
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- Finally, even though it is not original, can we hope, before
2050, to see you in Europe (even better, in France!!!)? With
NIGHT RANGER, alone, in duet, with TMG, whichever… your
die-hard fans are eagerly awaiting to seeing you!
I would love that. Let me work
on it.
I want to thank
you once again for the time you spent for this interview, Jack.
I let you the final words for the www.hardrock80.com readers!
…………….
Thanks
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