A Dirty Dozen with JIMMY GNECCO of OURS – January 2019

According to a recent press release: “Gnecco is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from New Jersey, frontman for the rock band OURS, as well as a solo artist, who is known for his multi-octave vocal range and singing style, often described as “dramatic and emotional.” Gnecco has likened OURS to Nine Inch Nails in the sense that he works with other musicians and presents OURS’ music in a band format, but he’s been the band’s creative voice from the beginning. Gnecco has also cited Nine Inch Nails as a musical influence, as well as Radiohead, U2 and vocalists like Frank Sinatra and k.d. lang. During OURS’ formative days, Gnecco struck up a friendship with Jeff Buckley, and the vocalist would become a major influence and mentor to him.” We get Jimmy 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?

The latest release, New Age Heroine II, brings me back to the emotional and spiritual space I was in before Distorted Lullabies, my first record. I think that the music business made me a bit reactionary and the work reflected those struggles. So much so that I lost my way a bit. There are certain lyrical references that I put throughout and certain sonic similarities as well.

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

I think that I always knew I wanted to be a singer. I grew up singing and dancing a lot. Always at the roller rinks, and really danced a lot. Breakdancing mostly.

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

For me, it was Elvis, Sinatra, Bowie, Jim Morrison, Queen, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Prince, and U2 who really guided my taste. There were some hard-rock bands in there who also moved me, but not so much to where I wanted careers like theirs. I loved early rap. I loved Run DMC. I also loved New Wave and so many of the English bands such as Depeche Mode, The Cure, Suede, and Morrissey just to name a few. I am basically a huge music lover, and I still am a fan first. There were bands like INXS that just blew me away. I loved the power that they got with their approach. Duran Duran as well. I can go on forever. 

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Oops, I may have just answered that, and then some.

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

Ooh, another tough one to narrow down. I would have loved to work with Bowie. I love Flood, and Pharrell Williams. Nile Rogers too. I would love to do a track with John Densmore and Robbie Krieger from the Doors.

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 would describe it as emotionally connected and intense, passionate. The narrow minded and short-sighted Buckley comparison was always anything but inaccurate in my opinion. Yes, maybe cut from the same cloth as many are, but just lazy journalism to me.

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

For me, it has always been about getting lost in the sound. When we’re tapped in, and the sound is really happening, it’s then that I feel whole.

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?

Well, Static enjoys cooking, though we don’t eat much. These days, I would be the first to break out drinks, and I usually always have my guitar in my hands.

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

When I met Bono a couple of years ago, I was kind of speechless. So much so that I wanted to say, but it wasn’t the time. So, I just gave him a hug.

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

Stuntman/Actor.

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?

Oh wow, where would I even begin with that one? Probably too many to mention, but I am still here to learn from them, and I am still growing from it all, so we have to just move forward. I think I should have made many lefts instead of rights, or maybe no move and just stood still. Sometimes stagnation felt worse than making the wrong move, but what can we do? We can only do our best and keep learning. It’s all about the entire journey for me and looking at all of it. I feel good about it more than I don’t, so it’s alright.

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?

I think it would be Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. I would love that. I can’t really put it into words what that record does to me, but it feels like one of the most genuine moments that I can think of. It would be great to just witness it as it was pouring out of Marvin.

JIMMY GNECCO LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

OURS LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Category: Interviews