A Dirty Dozen with KEVIN GIORDANO – December 2018

According to a recent press release: “For decades, one of the most universally successful, influential, and beloved rock bands has been Queen. And as the band’s popularity is soaring once again due to the box office success of the blockbuster film Bohemian Rhapsody, singer/songwriter Kevin Michael Giordano has picked the perfect time to unveil his must-hear tribute to Queen’s late/legendary frontman, Freddie Mercury, with his new original song, “God Save the Queen.” The song is being released via Subcat Records.” We get Kevin to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

I dreamt the idea for the song and heard most of it in my head almost immediately. It took me about 6 weeks to get all the ideas into a recording. I wanted to sound as close as I could get to the sound of Queen. Great care was taken in attempting to recreate their trademark sound, including the guitar tracks which were recorded very dry with many overdubs (this included performing it all with a coin instead of guitar pick – as Brian plays with a sixpence coin). As many as 35 vocal tracks were utilized, as the vocals (all sung by Giordano) were recorded similarly to the approach Queen took in the studio whereby the tracks were sung in groups of 3 voices doubled two or three times. The harmonies have added ninths and dissonants along with emphasis on the highest harmonies emulating the style of drummer Roger Taylor. The vocals and guitars on the song were performed by me, piano by Andy Rudy, bass by Joe Arcuri, and drums by Gary Iachovelli, with recording engineering done by Ron Keck.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I can almost say for sure that I can pin point my first real connection with music and in turn probably the moment I started down this lifelong path.  I was extremely young prob around 5 or 6 yrs old and riding in the front seat next to my mother listing to the radio. The Beatles came on with “Can’t Buy Me Love” and my mother (who was a Beatles fan) said “Listen to that Kevin – isn’t that great?” and I remember feeling something amazing when I heard McCartney scream before the George’s solo.  The sound for me was so fantastic.  I was hooked…

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

When I was in third grade I had the opportunity to begin studying the violin and possibly the three biggest reasons was because I was a huge Beatles fan by then, overwhelmed with Kiss, and violinist Itzhak Perlman.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

The Beatles, Kiss, Wes Montgomery, Mahler, Steely Dan, and Sinatra

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

My brother. I would do anything to have him back again as my musical partner, my business partner, my best friend…

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I’ve been told my music is some of the happiest sad songs ever heard. A tough moment is when a group of girls first heard of my songs and they started dancing around singing a Brady Bunch song over it instead claiming I sounded like Peter Brady.

7. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

Just like any art, I have a medium through which I’m able to express my feelings, thoughts, position, memories, interests, opinions.

8. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Me…and I’m usually alone.

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

I saw Lindsey Webster, Larry Carlton, and the Eagles all in the span of a few weeks last summer. Some amazing music – very inspiring. Some of the most inspiring shows I’ve ever seen would either be the Yellow Jackets in 1988 at the height of Jazz fusion, Kiss reunion tour at Madison Square in ’96 or Steely Dan in any of the shows during the beginning of their touring back in ’93.

10. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

I’m a very serious, dedicated No Limit Hold’em Poker player.  I love playing and teaching the game.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I’m sure I have many but I can’t think of any strong enough to mention at the moment.  Actually my biggest problem is that I’m too calculated.  So maybe that’s my biggest regret.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

It would have to be either Sgt Pepper or Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly– two of some the greatest records ever made in my opinion.

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Category: Interviews