RANDY RAATZ BAND
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 16th November 2010.
The Randy Raatz Band - Greg Anthony on vocals, Randy Raatz on guitar, Brian Kim on keys, Mario Contreras on bass, Michael Todd on drums, and special guest Woody Johnson on backing vocals - have a couple of new songs out under the "Preying For Time" moniker (check out their website links lower down this page) and a full-length album on the way.
We caught up with Greg and Randy to find out more...
How did you originally get into playing/performing music? Do you come from a musical family?
Greg: Well for me it was a later in life kind of thing. High school as a matter of fact. And pretty much an accident. I was walking in the halls and got disciplined for whistling in the hall. Kind of rebelling I started to sing instead and walked past the person who was casting for the school musical of Cinderella at the time. After some convincing I agreed to go out for it and landed the part. Got up and sang in front of the rest of the cast for the first time and their reaction hooked me. Did some talent shows, some other musicals, and down the road started getting into karaoke contests and running karaoke shows. I have had the bug to sing in front of crowds ever since.
As for a musical family, not really. Music was on in the house all the time. My mom did some singing back in grammar school and actually sang with Frankie Valli back when she was a kid. She has a great voice herself, but never really thought of doing anything like that. Now my kids...Brianna and Xander, they will be the next entertainers. They put on shows for me constantly.
Randy: I started on the guitar around 7 years old or so on a tiny little Sears acoustic guitar, started learning from old Les Paul & Mary Ford albums that my adopted father had. My brother & I were adopted out into separate families soon after I was born. My adopted family had some musician’s running around but all Church related. I found my birth family in 1990 and took back my given birth name of “Raatz”, missed meeting my birth Mother Charlotte Raatz as she passed in 1988. Not too many serious musicians in the immediate family. However I’ve run across quite a few Raatz musicians in other countries, Germany, Poland & Paraguay.
Who have been your inspirations, both musical and otherwise?
Greg: Growing up I was a huge fan of groups like Kiss and The Eagles, but I spent most of my time back then listening to the music of Elvis Presley. He was amazing. I've tried to be that kind of a singer. Putting my heart and soul into every song I sing. Outside of music, my mother and my Uncle Joe had the biggest influences on my life. My mother for her work ethic and my uncle for teaching me not to take life too seriously. To control what you can control, and deal with the other stuff as it came along.
Randy: Les Paul, Robbie Blunt, Al Green, Tony Carey, The Boomtown Rats, The Tubes & Nik Kershaw to name a few.
The Randy Raatz band was originally called Afflicted Brigade... how did the band form?
Greg: The Randy Raatz Band came together because of necessity actually. Obligations needed to be fulfilled and Randy and I had already been talking about doing some original music. It’s been a natural fit thus far. Randy has a lot of great ideas musically and he and I seem like a natural fit as co-writers.
Randy: AB originally came together just by meeting players in the Chicago circuit. I had some harder edged material and I felt that with Dominick Palmisano at Linder Avenue Recording (Producer / Engineer Michael Riser Band) on the controls the sound would be very “gritty kitty”. I felt we should work up a few songs and see what happens. Mike Meadows unfortunately could not continue on due to work and family obligations. So Greg put on his cape and swooped in to save the day and finish up the two orphan songs that had not made the AB release.
Did you know what sort of music the band was going to play from the start, or has the sound developed organically since your inception?
Greg: The cool thing about this sound is that it’s constantly shifting and evolving. Just from the two songs you have heard here there is a lot of deep rooted soul with layers of southern rock, rock, and country. Just recently I had some people tell me that our music reminded them of Hootie and the Blowfish. I take that as a major compliment. But neither of us is looking to get pigeon holed into any one descriptive form. Our music is different to each listener. It appeals to different tastes. It keeps things exciting.
Randy: I plan on throwing Greg a ton of various ideas in many styles and we’ll see what sticks. Right now we have about 8 or so more songs that are fermenting. Recording begins again soon. This time we are setting up camp at “Sonic Palace” recording.
How would you actually describe your sound to someone who hadn't heard you before?
Greg: I would have to say Rock with some Countrified Soul! How's that for different?
Randy: I concur with Greg on this one, plus a dash of pop & punk for good measure.
You've had a recent line-up change. Can you tell us about that?
Greg: Hey it worked out for me in the end.
Randy: Mike Meadows had to bow out due to family & work obligations; perhaps someday we will go at it again. Perhaps on his solo album? Also Brian Kim jumped in on keyboards & as a contributing writer. Brian is a veteran of the Chicago music trenches and plays in several bands (Sacred Dawn / Rockweilers) & bounces around as a studio cat.
Why the change of band name?
Greg: Randy has an ego problem. I personally liked The Greg Anthony Project, but he's the elder statesmen, so I digress.
Randy: Lego my ego! All the Raatz family members think it’s a great name!
You've produced a couple of cool new songs - "I'm Not Supposed To Be Here" and "I Believe In Love". Can you tell us a bit about the tracks?
Greg: I'll let Randy talk about I Believe in Love. That’s his baby. But as for "I'm Not Supposed To Be Here". Randy had the music for this ready and was trying to figure out a lyrical thing for it. He sent it to me and the music just kind of grabbed me. The lyrics kind of tell a story that many people out there can relate to. When you love someone or care for someone so deeply and can't imaging life without then around, you feel completely out of place, like you don't belong. I love telling stories with the music. I love it when a song can take you someplace in the theater of your mind. When it can make you say...I know what he means, I've been there. That’s what our tunes seem to be able to do.
Randy: I wrote “I Believe In Love” about 20 years ago. I don’t remember the circumstances around writing it. I had attempted to play it in various projects but it never felt right. My wife Susan has been lobbying for the song to be recorded for eons so finally she won by attrition. I planned on recording it for her but did not plan on releasing it. However Greg’s vocal interpretation finally matched the song I heard in my head. As For “I’m Not Supposed To Be Here” musically it’s one of those songs that pretty much was written in 10 minutes.
How do you typically create a song? What sort of processes do you go through?
Greg: Like I mentioned earlier, Randy has a lot of music inside of him trying to escape. He has some really amazing licks and hooks. He lays down a basic track and sends the MP3s to me. I lock myself in my studio at home and listen over and over until I can hear the track in my head. Then I just let the feeling it gives me take over. Most of the time it just kind of flows. Other times, I do some tweaking here or there to make it work with something I was working on. Either way, it’s something that I really think works well.
Randy: I start out with a rough riff and build up from there. Some are well behaved and come together quickly. Once Greg has a direction then we adapt accordingly. The riffs that are troublesome get put in the shed til they learn to behave.
Do you do anything special or unusual in the studio to get your sound?
Greg: Red bull, water, and a lot of coffee. Nothing really unusual, it’s just a lot of fun and it’s easy to get up for it when you are seriously having a blast doing it. Randy and I have a really solid relationship and we try to see who can crack the other up the most. But when the red light comes on and we are ready to work, its all business and we basically leave egos at the door.
Randy: Just let it go and see what it sounds like is about it for me. I prefer to leave mistakes & human noises in the song. Perfection is not as important as spirit. I also just prefer to let people do what they do rather than give to much direction.
Are there any pieces of kit you couldn't live without?
Randy: My Les Paul guitars, that’s really about it.
I also understand you are working towards a full LP now? How is preparation going for that? Any songs created for it yet?
Greg: Yes we are. We have a few songs that are being finished up and made studio ready as we speak.
Randy: We have a good pile of ideas that are forming now. We will be laying down the basic tracks starting in a couple weeks. As for a completion date estimate, hopefully 6 months or so if all goes as planned.
Do you enjoy the whole studio/creative experience, or do you prefer getting up on the live stage?
Greg: I think I speak for both of us when I say it’s kind of a 50/50 thing. We love being in the studio, giving life to our own unique sound. But at the same time, there is nothing quite like the energy that a crowd who is getting into everything you are doing, rocking with you, feeling the songs like you are that just makes the live performance aspect that much more gratifying.
What is one of your live shows like? What should fans expect from one of your performances?
Greg: If you make your way out to a Randy Raatz Band show, we can promise you that you will have a great time. We have so much fun working together, and in doing what we do that it almost becomes infectious.
Randy: A bunch of silly musicians making faces!
What are you up to once you've finished answering these questions?
Greg: I'm looking forward to just getting back to work. Writing more songs and getting this project up and in full gear mode.
Randy: As we are recording the rest of the album we will also be shooting a video for one or both of the current songs.
Anything else you would like to mention?
Randy: Well how about that awesome “Randy Raatz Band” rhythm section! Mario Contreras on bass & Michael Todd on drums. They both brought their A game to the studio and are a big part of the overall “sound” of the “Randy Raatz Band”. Also how about that great CD cover graphics by Dwight Raatz! And one last mention for Woody Johnson who pitched in on the backing vocals, he Rocked!
Thanks again to Greg and Randy for their time.
http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/randyraatzband
http://www.facebook.com/randyraatzband
http://www.youtube.com/randyraatz
