| It was the summer of 2003 and MP3.com's active message board community was heating up as well -- with flame wars.
Along came Chaz Fanaro, looking to cut through the negative noise. He began to interview many of the musical artists who pitched a tent on the popular indie music forum. Others pitched in with questions of their own. July of 2003 could have turned ugly, but thanks to the interviews blanketing the forum, it became a home for insight and mutual respect.
The forums were wiped clean by Vivendi in December, 2003. The interviews live on.
Trickshot
Music Style
Adult contemporary, folk rock, Americana, classic rock and roll
Musical Influences
Everything from traditional folk music to southern rock and roll.
Similar Artists
CSNY, Lynard Skynard, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Byrds, Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers
Albums
CALL IT WATCHA WANT
Location
Ridgewood, New York - USA
Chaz the Spaz
What equipment/instruments do you use?
Chaz the Spaz
What is your goal and what are you planning for your music?
Chaz the Spaz
Practice makes perfect, do you practice?
Chaz the Spaz
How did you first become interested in music?
Chaz the Spaz
Out of all your songs, "Song From God", impressed me the most, what was your inspiration for that song?
Larree*
It's Saturday Night. Are YOU partying?!?
Victor Paul
Hi Chaz! Just waking up. Had a late night in the studio working on the third CD, ''Time Traveler''. I see you didn't mention the second CD, ''Heaven Should've Waited''. That's partly my fault for not giving it equal billing on the Trickshot site.
Victor Paul
Before I get to your questions I'd like to amend the the opening bio a little. Under the music style I'd add pop-rock because so many of my songs come out that way. Influences would include classical and jazz. Similar artists? That's a good one. I write in different styles but enjoy writing with guitar solos in mind so I'd add the Outlaws and 38 Special to the list.
Victor Paul
What equipment/instruments do you use?
I have a small collection of guitars. A Guild accoustic 6 string, a Godin Multiac classical, an Espana classical, a Yamaha 12 string that I now use as a 6 string because it's warped beyond repair, a Fender Strat and a 1969 Fender Tele that's for sale. Also an assortment of harmonicas. I use a Roland VG-8 and a Roland GR-1. And a Fender Power Chorus Amp. My recording system is a pair of Roland VS-880s.
Victor Paul
What is your goal and what are you planning for your music?
My main goal is to archive my music on CDs. I started writing and recording back in the '60s and have a bunch of new songs yet to be recorded. Most of my life's work are recordings on reel to reel 1/4" tapes. (I'm in need of a 1/4" tape deck to fulfill my goal. My old Sony tape deck died on me). The new CD, ''Time Traveler'' is an album that spans many years of my musical history. It includes a lot of rare recordings, both studio and home recordings as well as some brand new songs. There'll be no extra charge for the mic pops, tape hiss and assortment of mistakes (grin) but these are rare recordings of some special performances that were captured on tape that could never be duplicated for a number of reasons. I'm very excited about this album! ''Heaven Should've Waited'' is made up of old and new recordings too. Aside from that I'm working on a solo live act and continue to pitch songs through my music publishing.
Victor Paul
Practice makes perfect, do you practice?
Yes I do practice. Especially now for this solo gig. Auditions are like job interviews. You only get one chance at a first impression.
Victor Paul
How did you first become interested in music?
When I was a child I sang all the time. My mom and I used to sing stuff like Moonlight Bay. I'd sing harmony to her lead. I loved it and we would sing it over and over. Then in high school I took acordian lessons and eventually played out. All through high school I listened to the radio and started collecting records. All kinds of music. Pop, jazz, Broadway shows and then folk and rock. I listened to Alan Freed every night and went to one of his live rock'n'roll shows. That was my first concert. I saw Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Richie Valens, the Big Bopper and a dozzen or so more acts all in one great concert! In my last years in high school I got interested in folk music. The Kingston Trio got me interested in the guitar and I eventually switched over to the guitar. Later Bob Dylan's harmonica playing while playing guitar at the same time was something that I had to try. My first gigs in Greenwich Village got me into writing. I was the only act doing covers in a world of singer/songwriters.
Victor Paul
Out of all your songs, "Song From God", impressed me the most, what was your inspiration for that
song?
I fingerpick and like to play in open tunings. So one day I woke up and picked up my guitar and started to play. It seemed I was not in any conventional open tuning and finaly realized that the night before I had been playing in an open tuning and had started to tune the guitar to another open tuning but I, for whatever reason, stopped half way through and went to sleep. So I started to noodle in this tuning, kinda checking it out. The more I played in this strange tuning, more and more ideas evolved until this new piece was born. Open tunings inspire me. I find it a great writing tool. My drummer heard me play it and loved it saying it sounds like a song from God. And that's what I named the tune.
Victor Paul
It's Saturday Night. Are YOU partying?!?
No, I was working on the new album. Another late nite session.
Before this fades away into mp3.com oblivion, I want to say thank you Chaz. This interview was great fun!
Chaz the Spaz
You're welcome Victor. It was fun and a lot of work, but it was worth it. I may have never got to listen to some great music, including Trickshot!
Victor Paul
MORE INTERVIEWS WITH CHAZ
-- Rick Munarriz
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