GIANT
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 2nd February 2010.
Giant, one of our all-time favourite bands, are back with an altered line-up and a brand new album - Promise Land. Original singer/guitarist Dan Huff may be (mostly) missing, but there's no doubt this album does the Giant name justice.
Original member, and still the bassist with the band, Mike Brignardello answers questions.
Hi Mike, and thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions. Hope you are well?
Mike: Yes,very well, thank you.
First of all, congratulations on the superb new record!
Mike: Thanks again. We spent a good deal of time and energy on it, so I'm glad you like it.
Back when you started putting Promise Land together, did you have an inkling it would turn out this well?
Mike: I think you try and focus on the task at hand and get the job done. We just tried to make a record we'd like, and hoped other people would like it too. I'm glad you think it turned out well.
Did it feel special as you were writing and recording it?
Mike: I wouldn't say 'special'; more like 'nervous'! No, just kidding. We spent a lot of time writing, arranging, and recording the songs on this record. Our goal was to try and live up to the standard of the first Giant records. We were excited while we were making the 'Promise Land' record, and tried to create something worthy of the Giant name.
How long has the project taken from first discussions to the finished product?
Mike: Almost a year. We began talks with Frontiers at the start of 2009, and turned the last few mixes right at Christmas, 2009. After that we spent a few more weeks finishing the 'Promise Land' video, sorting out CD package details and turning in all the bits and bobs to Frontiers.
The album works very well as a whole even though several different writers were used. Did you do anything special to achieve that flow and continuity between songs?
Mike: We just tried to keep the Giant touchstones front and centre, but also allow our new members Terry Brock and John Roth to contribute their ideas too. We also cut enough songs that we were able to pick a final 13 that hang together as a piece.
It also helped that the song writers were either members of the band, often in combination with Dann Huff, or long-time collaborators like Mark Spiro, or the talented team of Erik Martensson, Miqael Persson and Robert Sail. As a band, it's always fun to play a great song!
Was there any decision made at the start on how close you wanted the sound of this album to match the original Giant releases, or did you let it develop organically?
Mike: We knew we had to have a certain continuity in sound if we were going to call the band Giant. It was, of course, impossible to replace Dann Huff, but we were fortunate to find John Roth and Terry Brock. Both of them understand the kind of music Giant made, and they knew the idea was to make another 'Giant'-sounding record. We tried to hit the right production elements of all the previous Giant records, but taking into account that it's 2010 and not 1993, and allowing Terry and John to add their contribution to the band. The final song selection also helped focus the record.
How do you think the finished product compares with the Giant back catalogue; We can hear plenty of hints of the original Giant sound, but also Seventh Key, Arrival-era Journey and more.
Mike: I think it's the natural next step for the band. As I said, we tried to keep the original sound, but not necessarily re-create the exact style in production. John and Terry got to add their influences to the 'Giant' sound and I think it's been a good mix. David Huff and I produced the record and obviously know the Giant sound, so it was pretty easy to make production choices. And with Dann Huff's contribution to the song-writing, as well as the guitar solos he added, it was pretty easy maintaining the band's sound.
Was Promise Land recorded with all of you in the studio at once, or did you record your parts separately?
Mike: Yes. (ha) We did both. Typically we'd go into the studio and cut the basic tracks as a band. Often times, we'd go back to our home studios and see if we could top the studio performance. A lot of the editing and production experimentation was done in my home studio. Terry's vocals were cut at several different studios, including mine. John did some of his guitars in Nashville, some in Memphis.
How did Dann add his parts? Did you send him part-finished songs which he was then able to add to, or did he actually join you and work with you ‘live’?
Mike: His schedule never allowed him to track with us. We sent him tracks, he would shred some guitar, then send back the 'shredded' tracks to us; and he never failed to amaze us!
How close was he to joining the band fully, or was that never going to happen?
Mike: No, that was not going to happen. Even though he was happy for David and I to go forward with this project, his career commitments keep him too busy to re-join the band. But his influence is still there; in addition to the guitar solos that Dann added to the record, he co-wrote almost half the songs.
This project was started with a base of you and David. How did Terry and John get involved?
Mike: We were aware of John Roth and knew he'd be a good fit for the band, but it took us a long time to find the right singer. Guys like that don't grow on trees! It was our label head, Serafino Perugino, who suggested Terry Brock. I was familiar with Strangeways, but didn't know Terry until Serafino put us in touch. We hit it off immediately. As soon as Terry came up to Nashville and jammed with us, we knew we had the right guy.
You have presumably seen some of the talk on forums regarding the new line-up using the name Giant. Did you expect a certain amount of hostility towards the fact Dann wasn’t as involved as he was in the Giant of old?
Mike: No. Why should there be 'hostility'? We're not the first band or the last band that's had member changes. Even before we split up in 1993, Alan Pasqua had left the band. David Huff and I always wanted to do another Giant record, so when we found the right musicians, and with the encouragement from our record label, Frontiers, and the good will from Dann Huff, it felt like this was the time to do it.
Were any other names for the band on the table at any point, or has this been a ‘Giant’ album from day one?
Mike: No other names were considered. This was a 'Giant' record from day one.
I’m sure you’ve been asked this before, but why ‘Promise Land’ instead of ‘Promised Land’? Is it just to create intrigue and interest, or is there a special reason?
Mike: We think of it as an actual place, a noun; the promise land Maybe it's just our take, but it's more dramatic than as an adjective; promised land.
Is this a one-off album, do you see more recordings happening, or are you waiting to see the response to this one?
Mike: I hope it's not just a one-off. We spent most of 2009 making the record, so we haven't spent a lot of time trying to plot what will happen next. We just tried to stay focused on making a really good record, then we finished a couple of videos, a 'making of the record' video, and a performance video for the song 'Promise Land'. We've just turned all that in, now we'll try and plot our next step.
Do you have any particular favourite parts or tracks on the album?
Mike: I view it a a piece. I think it's about the way songs compliment and contrast each other and the journey the record takes you on. The reason we chose the final 13 songs was the way they hang together, trying to display different facets of the band, song-to-song.
Are there any plans to tour? If so, any chance we’ll see you play the UK?
Mike: We have several offers to tour, now we just need to work out the logistics for all that, and see if we can put together a tour-machine that is worthy of Giant. We spent three months working in the UK making our first record, 'Last of the Runaways', and we have great memories of that time. We hope to get back and tour the UK and Europe, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it all works out.
Do you intend to get a MySpace site or full website up and running as there doesn’t seem to be anything out there apart from fan sites?
Mike: We're just building all that as we speak. I believe there is the start of GiantTheBand website, but we're just beginning to sort all that out. (Edit - since the interview both sites have appeared - check links at the bottom of the page)
Do any of the guys have any other recent or future projects you’d like to mention?
Mike: We all have other careers, it's true, but the only other project I'm focusing on is Giant. I'm hoping this record leads to the next step for the band, whatever that is, and we can continue to make Giant music.
What are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
Mike: Back to my day job, which is being a studio musician in Nashville. I also write songs and produce, so there are always projects to be completed and turned in.
Anything else you would like to mention?
Mike: I'm just glad to be part of another Giant record. We were lucky this past year that we were able to pull the right team together and pull it off, but it's a minor miracle that it happened at all. I feel fortunate to have a partner in Frontiers Records, and I'm really excited about the new line-up we've found for the band. Terry Brock and John Roth, along with super-mixer Ben Fowler have been the missing elements we've needed to make another Giant record, and I'm very happy with the way 'Promise Land' turned out.
Thank you for your time sir!
Mike: Thanks Jon, enjoy! All the best, Mike.
Thanks again to Mike for his time. You can check out the Rock Realms review of Giant latest album Promise Land here.
http://www.myspace.com/gianttheband2010
