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Interview with Mike Pinnella - Symphony X
Do you want to say a few words about the new cd, The Odyssey?
Sure, The Odyssey, let's see... Brand new one from Symphony X, that's a good album, we wanted to go back to our roots a little bit on this one, it's a mix, you know, it has some definite heavy stuff but it kind of encomposes everything we do... we were all brought up on metal and the metal-aspect is definitely there and progressive aspects are there too.
I feel that it is more groove-oriented in a way, especially in the guitars...
Yeah, absolutely, the riffs are awesome. It does have a groove that is excellent.
So, is this more like an evolution in the band?
No, it's not really an evolution, it's kind of going backwards, not in the sense of writing or anhything, just going backwards.
Back to the roots?
Back to the roots!
Is this a direction that the band will continue?
I mean, it's hard to say about directions... we like to write good songs. And it's going to sound like Symphony X in some way but we are not going in any one direction. All I can say is that it's going in a progressive direction, going in a more metal direction. So it's hard to say what the next album is going to be like.
So, were you writing some music and then you found out that "Hey, this sounds groovy"?
Yeah, that's how it was for this cd. After "V" where we did this whole concept thing and I know that we had a lot of parts but for the most parts it was a lot of progressive stuff one that album. So we wanted this one to be a little different. And it happened to come out that way.
Are you never afraid of repeating yourselves? Or does it come naturally that you play new stuff?
It doesn't always come naturally, it's really hard. For a new album, we always try to make it better some way. And different. So it's hard not to repeat the stuff.
In "Awakenings" there is this funny jazz-part...
Which part? The middle section?
Yeah, the middle section.
Yeah, there is a piano in this whole middle section. It is a little jazzy. That is a big influence of mine.
And also your drummer, Jason Rullo, is into jazz?
Yeah.
So do you ever play some jazz in the band?
No, not really. Again, it's just an influence. And it's going to come out in the music some way. I'm heavily influenced by a lot of music. You know, the whole metal stuff, it comes out.
I think I heard somewhere that you were playing in a church?
Yeah, I have been doing that for a long time.
So are there any crazy solos in the middle?
(laughs) No. Nothing crazy.
Are you still doing that now?
Yeah.
Can the whole band live from playing with Symphony X?
We are working towards that. It's been hard up until now. We have been together since '94 and we really didn't start touring intil 5 years after. Our first tour was in 98 in Japan.
An also your albums didn't come out in the states...
Exactly, until "V" which was out first one actually released here. And now ofcourse everything can be released.
Do you think it will come soon that you will be able to live from Symphony X?
I hope so. I really hope so.
Do you have any numbers on the sales of "The Odyssey"?
Not yet. It was released 2 weeks ago. I don't know how they count the numbers, I think they have to wait a certain amount of time before they can get a legitimate number. But I have heard a lot of good things.
That's very nice to hear. I hope it's going to work for you. Do you think we are going to hear some more jazz parts from you? Like a solo from Michael Romeo?
It's possible. Again, everybody has influences and it's always going to come out somewhere.
Yeah, how do you do that? I mean as a band you have so many influences, how do you reach a common goal?
It's hard and I don't really think we found our sound until the third album, "Divine Wings of Tragedy". That's where it kind of came together. Before that, it wasn't quite there yet. But on "Divine Wings" it all just came together.
Do you ever disagree when you write something together? Like somebody who says "No, that's not good"?
Oh yeah, all the time. And that's good because it keeps everyone on their toes. If we are writing something and I play something that the others don't like, we work something else out. And we take it from there until we come out with something that works. And nobody's angry with anybody. So we always try to make it fun and, you know, to do some good work.
On the internet I have seen some comments about a nu-metal sound influence, especially in the guitars.
I wouldn't say it's nu-metal. Not at all. Once again, we are striving to make good songs. You know, whatever the song calls for, that's what we are going to come up with.
How come you put "Masquerade" as a bonus?
Oh yeah, that's because we re-did that with Russel. It is a great song and we decided to do that with Russel singing it. To kind of beef it up a little bit.
Did you ever think about re-recording the whole first cd?
Yeah, we definitely have. I just listened to it yesterday for the first time in, I don't know, three years. We definitely thought about that. I wouldn't mind doing a couple of things off of that.
How come you decided to put out mp3's on the official website?
Actually we didn't do it directly. We just wanted to give the fans a little taste of what it was going to be like. Just to promote it a little bit I guess.
But I thought that generally the band was against the whole mp3-internet thing?
Well, if it's on our website and if we "okay" it then it's cool. But as far as if anybody can go out on the internet and download or upload anything then, you know. We are against bootleg stuff but on our own site this is for promotional purposes.
I have heard that you think it's easier to write the long, epic songs than the short ones?
You know, sometimes the short songs are harder to write. Usually when we write, we have a storyline first. And it's really hard to get a whole idea into three minutes. So for longer songs, even though it's more work, it usually comes off a little easier than the short ones. We have written songs before that are two minutes long and we are never happy with them.
I know that you are touring now. How is it to be on the road over there?
Well, it's different than Europe, that's for sure. But so far it's been pretty good. The fans over here are cool.
How do you get along with Blind Guardian?
Ah, they are really nice guys.
Do you talk a lot with them?
Not really because we are on seperate busses. They played in Atlanta at ProgPower so we didn't meet them until we got to Montreal. But they are nice guys.
Do you like their music? Do you watch their shows?
I watched a little bit of their last one and it was pretty good. I know they have been around for a while but I have never really listened to their music.
How is the writing process in the band? Is it Michael Romeo who writes all the music and then you all put it together?
Yeah. Well, again it's always different. There really is no formula, it's never a set thing.
Did you ever think about releasing a solo cd?
Yes. I'm not saying that I'm in the process but I'm starting to think about it now.
That sounds good. What kind of music would that be?
You know, I don't know. I mean, it would kinda be like a band thing. A little different. It would be good music again.
Do you want any guest musicians or would it be you playing everything?
No, I would play but I don't know who else. I shall think about that for awhile.
Who would you like to play with?
Who I would like to play with?
Yeah.
As a band or myself?
Both things. As a guest musician on a new Symphony X cd or maybe on your own solo cd.
On drums Terry Bozzio. Definitely. I'd like Terry Bozzio on drums. John Patitucci on bass. I don't know. Maybe I'd ask Michael Romeo.
That should be an easy choice.
And no vocals. It's too hard to deal with singers. (At this point I believe that I hear laughter in the background.) Instrumental. All the way. And as far as a band, I'd like... Deep Purple is one of my favorite bands. Deep Purple, Kansas, ELP.
Did you ever think about having guest vocals on a Symphony X cd? Maybe some female vocals?
I actually wouldn't mind that. Certain things, I mean, sometimes we write music that actually calls for that. We've actually written stuff that we thought it would sound good on. But we didn't pursue this. But yeah, I'd be into that actually.
What do you think Russel Allen would think of that. I mean somebody else singing and not only him?
I think he would be ok with that. Yeah, he'd be fine with that.
You were playing as a guest musician on some cds, right?
Just one. I only did one. I did the Rush tribute with Romeo.
The Working Man cd.
Yeah, Working Man.
How was that?
It was great!
How did you do that? Did they send you a tape?
Yes. They sent us the tapes so we had it in our studio.
Do you feel that it is different to put a solo on somebody else's music, to get into that compared to Symphony X?
Yeah. But again it wasn't that hard being that it was a Rush tribute.
What was the last cd you bought?
The las cd I bought? I bought "The Best of Dio". I had them all before you know, I just don't know what happened to them. I bought that two weeks ago.
Do you hear any other new music? I know most of the guys in Symphony X mostly prefer the old stuff.
Yeah.
Any new bands you are into?
Not really. I don't even listen to the radio. I'm hearing nothing brand new that I'm into.
What's the future of Symphony X?
To write good songs, tour, you know... just keep doing what we are doing and try to do it better and better. Get out there and play for the fans. Just keep going forward.
What are the reactions from the fans when you were playing live the last few days?
I was really surprised. We were playing in Canada. It's a little more like Europe there. We'll see what happens in the states, I think it should be cool though.
Did the fans have time to learn the lyrics to sing along?
Oh yeah.
I think you have some die-hard fans.
It's really different over here. Everything is here for a couple of years, then it's gone and something new comes out.
Do you think that one day you are going to get tired of metal and start to play something else, like blues or jazz or...?
No, no, no!
Metal all the way?
Metal all the way!
What if you really had to start to play another style, would it be blues, jazz, classical or...?
Classical!
Classical?
Oh yeah. That's probably... that and the metal are most related. If we couldn't play what we are doing now, we definitely wouldn't do blues or country or something! Or rap or something. All the big rap and hip hop and this stuff, it won't last. It's huge now and the whole Nirvana and all that movement. It's gone. It didn't last any years. That's just the way it is here. So it's really hard to endure. In Europe, bands who have been around for thirty years are still huge over there. And when they go over there, they play in arenas and when they play here, they play in bars.
So it must be a little strange for you when you play in Europe or Japan to be recieved like heroes and then when you play in the states...noting.
Exactly.
But you still have fans in the states, they are just more spread.
Yeah, that's true. Thinking about how bit the country is. How many people there are...
I don't have too many more questions now. Anything else you want to talk about?
Not really. A big thanks to the fans and I hope you enjoy the new album. And we are looking forward to get over there and play!
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Written by Tajs - 2/7/2003 |
This article has been shown 10109 times. Go to the complete list.
RevelationZ Comments
| Comment by Audrey C (Anonymous) - Tuesday, September 2, 2003 | That was a very informative article. I really enjoyed it.
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| Comment by Tajs (Anonymous) - Thursday, October 2, 2003 | Thanx a lot Audrey. Happy you liked it.
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| Comment by Alexander (Anonymous) - Wednesday, February 26, 2003 | How these guys remain in the background of modern music culture is a fucking mystery. Oh I forgot the music industry is a fucked up coruption manchine!
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| Comment by Gunnar (Anonymous) - Sunday, April 20, 2003 | I just wanted to say rock on Mike. I totally agree with basically every answer you gave. It's a shame you guys aren't as big in the U.S., because you would probably tour a lot more over here. But I just wanna say that you DO have some big fans here and we definitely look forward to seeing you when you do play here. Metal forever!
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| Comment by Sephiroth (Anonymous) - Sunday, April 20, 2003 | Symphony X rules !!!!!!!
Oh yeah , it also was a great interview.
SYMPHONY X = GOD !!!
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| Comment by i worship mjr (Anonymous) - Thursday, April 24, 2003 | symphony x rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! one of the greatest bands to walk on this planet, i saw them twice in new york, come back soon with stratovarius!!!!!!
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| Comment by StradivariuS (Anonymous) - Saturday, May 3, 2003 | Is a really wonder band, indefinetily the really sound of the magesty feel of metal.
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| Comment by Arngrim (Anonymous) - Wednesday, May 7, 2003 | symphony x is the master metal band of ever i m sorry that you guys arent so known in states but here in Chile you have a lot of fans
symphony x rules !!!!!!
Viva chile y el metal
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| Comment by marc (Anonymous) - Thursday, May 8, 2003 | symphony x rulz man!!!
thats my best band
i listen ur video micheal and thats was good to, I learn a lot about ur technic
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| Comment by Harm. minor (Anonymous) - Friday, May 16, 2003 | Michael Romeo fuckin rules!!!The best guitarist out there!!!
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| Comment by loonytunzz (Anonymous) - Monday, June 2, 2003 | really love your stuff... got turned ion to it from the dream theater site. followed a cpl of links and BAM !!!! there you were... been a faithfull listener ever since.
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| Comment by Subzero (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 7, 2003 | symphony x are a pathetic copy of Dream Theater. They suck so bad I cry when I hear their music.....
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| Comment by Felipe A.C (Anonymous) - Friday, June 13, 2003 | Symphony X
Lo Mejor!!!!!!!!
Viva Symphony X
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| Comment by Anthony Kohanski (Anonymous) - Friday, June 13, 2003 | As a guitarist Symphony X is my favorite band. I started off with some good heavy stuff, got into soloing. Then I stumbled onto Symphony X which I have never heard before (sorry guys) and the music just blew me away. I mean not enough people get to sit down and listen to music of this caliber with wicked solos. Kirk Hammett used to be my idol behind a guitar. I still like him but MrRomeo really is the best. The solos are IMPOSSIBLE. I've been working on out of the ashes for about a week and a half and still cant get it right. Oh yea, few spelling errors in the interview. Later guys!
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| Comment by The Bard (Anonymous) - Sunday, June 22, 2003 | Thanks to exist you are great!!
Romeo=The best Guitarist in the whole world no one can stand his incredible tapping solos and his musical taste . . .
Pinnella and the other guys are the best composers in metal scene there's no way . . . !!!!UP THE SYMPHONYX!!!!!!
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| Comment by sataky (Anonymous) - Monday, June 23, 2003 | right..mistery..
i am 35, play and listen music since i was 15, and at the moment Sx are my favorite band..i mean is not that i'm easy to impress..but these guys are genuine and talented..it's so weird that they cant live from Sx..by the way wot are your jobs then:O
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| Comment by Dars (Anonymous) - Sunday, October 12, 2003 | when u come to chile again . Symphony x!
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| Comment by hemispheres (Anonymous) - Saturday, October 18, 2003 | I have been a progressive rock fan since I can remember. Got my 1st rush album in 75 & saw them in 76. Not since bands like Rush Yes Elp & queen has there been a band that I just got so high on the music until I heard Symphony X. This band is like taking the best parts of all the great ones and rolling it into one. Unfortunately it seems like here in the states we dont appreciate the great ones. Well I got my tickets for opening night in the states at downtown in LI & closing night at lamours in brooklyn, cant't wait.
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| Comment by nick_washburn@yahoo.com (Anonymous) - Tuesday, February 24, 2004 | You guys are the best band I've heard out of the states. It sucks that the U.S. doesn't appreciate real music. The music you guys produce is what I've wanting to hear from myself. Thanx for pulling it all together for the fans. Keep doing what you guys do. Sorry about that amp blowing out @ Dallas Romeo. You pulled it through awesomley!
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| Comment by Marília BRASIL (Anonymous) - Saturday, July 24, 2004 | HEY, GUYS!!
BRAZIL LOVES YOU!!!!!!
WHY DON´T YOU COME HERE??
WE WOULD LOVE IT!!!!
KISSES!!! =*
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| Comment by juano (Anonymous) - Thursday, December 23, 2004 | que se puede decir de una banda como esta, simplemente genial.que DT, esta es la mejor banda de metal progresivo y se acabo. ¡viva symphony x!. los esperamos en chile una vez mas!!!
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| Comment by Eddy (Anonymous) - Monday, June 27, 2005 | Symphony X rulz !!!!!!!!!!
OMG its a wonderful band , with very cool lyrics , vocals ,impressive drums and a monster GUITAR . Michael Romeo , man , you are so strong ! YOU RULE THE GALAXY !!!!!!!!! ( nice work ==> great interview)
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| Comment by Jake (Anonymous) - Wednesday, October 12, 2005 | Symphony X is Rhapsody with dyslexia & downs syndrome. In short,overrated and poorly executed.
I want my money back.
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| Comment by Matt (Anonymous) - Thursday, October 13, 2005 | Symphony X is nothing like Rhapsody...
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| Comment by Cristobal Peña (Anonymous) - Wednesday, February 1, 2006 | Michael Pinnella Is my favourite Keyboard Player its grate best than Janne Warman
By
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| Comment by Cristobal Peña (Anonymous) - Wednesday, February 1, 2006 | Viva Chile Mierda El Metal y SYMPHONY X las Cagan
They Fuck in CHILE are The Best
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| Comment by Cristobal El Tecladista (Anonymous) - Wednesday, February 1, 2006 | Cuando Vineieron A CHILE
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| Comment by Michael Romeo (Anonymous) - Monday, June 26, 2006 | Subzero - 6/7/2003
symphony x are a pathetic copy of Dream Theater. They suck so bad I cry when I hear their music.....
Subzero... no se como puedes comparar a Symphony x y a Dream Theater... "Subzero are a pathetic copy of human"
James LaBrie is bad, pathetic, etc... Rusell Allen is the best..
men... suck my dick
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