Redneck Rolemodels band Interview

Welcome to L.A.'s Coolest Rock Newspaper

Discovering L.A.'s Best Bands Since 1983

Interviews '04 - Interviews - Editorial - Main - Home

I N T E R V I E W
June 2004
Redneck Rolemodels

Band email redneckrolemodels@yahoo.com
Band email svolponi1@aol.com
Band contact number: 818-470-3525

RCN: Hello, we are here with_ Redneck Rolemodels_________ a local band from _Los Angeles________ , and they're _releasing a new CD______ , so we're going to find out a little more about what makes them tick. . .

1. RCN: What type of band are you?

Rock & Roll, Roots-Rock

2. RCN: Tell us the brief history of your band.

The band reformed with drummer Steve Volponi after Mark Perez, the guitar players brother moved back east. Ince then the band hasn't missed a beat. We had great high profile shows (Styx –House Of Blues Sunset, .38 Special – Galaxy Theatre, Etc.) We just released our new CD "State Of Grace" this month.

3. RCN: Who are your musical and non-musical influences?

Musically we all come from different areas, everything from Black Sabbath to Smokey Robinson. We are influenced by Steve Earle, Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty.

4. RCN: What are your dreams and goals?

We like anyone else, want to continue to make music that we can have fun playing, and that people can have fun listening to. Stuff that you'd wanna hear if you were throwing a BBQ/pool party in the summer. We want out music to be blasted through those surround indoor/outdoor speaker systems . . .. You know who you are.

5. RCN: Who writes the songs, what are they about?

We all write songs. Dick Logan, John Perez are the main songwriters. E do manage to work together on arrangements and how to present the tune. Steve has a song on the new CD called Change The World. Dick & John wrote a new bridge for the song, and BAM it's now a band collaboration!

6. RCN: What's your opinion of George Bush?

He's a fuckin' clown. He's ruining the country just as his father did many years ago. Bill Clinton was so close to fixing the giant mess that George Sr. left, and they stick another Bush in there to do the same thing. Make daddy's friends rich!

7. RCN: How do you promote your band and shows?

We run ads for our shows on 95.5 KLOS

8. RCN: Describe your show, visual and musically

Were a good old rock & roll band. No tricks up our sleeves. We come out and lay the tunes on ya. The music speaks for itself. The other thing we have going for us is we enjoy what were doing, and the audience can really pick up on that vibe.

9. RCN: What do you think about downloading music online?

Well . . . you came to the right place for that question. When Mp3.com was still up and running, we had over 62,000 genuine downloads, Ten #1 Hits on Mp3.com charts, and one song to hit #17 on the entire Pop & Rock Chart, two spots above Linkin Park, Three spots above Christina Aguilara, and five spots above Madonna. I think it's great that all those people got a chance to hear our music, and that they actually bought CD's, but I also think we had a lot of people just burn copies, which sucks. In the future I would not upload full songs. Only samples.

10. RCN: What's your outlook on the record industry today?

It's a mess. There's no balls to it anymore. It doesn't matter that you have talent. I think the record industry is basically a bunch of "yes men". They do what they're told, they push what they're told. This is where online music services like CDBABY.com, CdStreet.com, Mp3.com come in handy for Indie bands.

11. RCN: What's your claim to fame? (What's unique about your band

We have the best singer in town. He has that kind of voice that is not mistaken for anyone else. Very strong, very unique. We also play different music. There's a lot of really heavy rock out there. E have that Black Crowes, .38 Special thing going. Not many bands in town doing that, and certainly not as well as we are.

12. RCN: Tell us a story about a day in your life.

We're constantly trying to promote this band. Local, Licks, Radio Ads, and locking in hi profile shows in CA, and parts of the East Coast.

13. RCN: What inspires you to do what you do?

We are diehards. What else we gonna do? We really good at what at what we do, we enjoy it, and we ain't stopping. The train is rolling, and nobody is walking off.

14. RCN: What advice would you give to fellow bands?

STOP PLAYING COVERS! How can you actually think you're accomplishing something. I don't know. I made a promise to myself when I left Philadelphia for LA when I was 18 to never ever play a cover song again, let alone be in a "tribute" band.

15. RCN: What are some of your pet peeves?

"Tribute Bands" I thought this was LA, not Vegas.

16. RCN: How does music affect you and the world around you?
I was wondering how the world was affected by us and our music around us!

17. RCN: What's new in the recording of your music?

Well, we no longer record on Reel to Reel, Pro Tools is king.

18. RCN: What are the biggest obstacles for bands?

Pay to play promoters getting rich off naļve bands that want to "make it". If you're calling us to play at the Roxy on a Tues night at 11 PM and you want me to promise that 100 people will be there or I'll be charged $250.00 after the gig . . .. You can suck my hairy nutsack, and wash it down with my spooge.

19. RCN: What's the best and worst thing about playing clubs?

Selling CD's. Live shows really help that.

20. RCN: Tell us about your next shows and why we should be there.

We will be playing at the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana. Come to the show, and you'll know why you're there.

RCN: Thank you for your insight and time. We'll look forward to hearing your music and seeing your next live show . . . Later gator.

Rock City News / Records / Entertainment