I did this amazing interview with a rock instrumental band, LoNero. I mostly spoke to the founder of the band, Bill Lonero, but all of the members did have something to say at some point or another. Though they are from Northern California, they have performed from Melrose to Anaheim, and most resent at the HOB-Hollywood opening for Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp. Soon they hope to corner the music scene with their amazing rock instrumentals that take you back to times when rock instrumentals where hot and in demand. Following in the footsteps of greats like Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson. When I first heard their music I could also picture flashes of Eddie Van Halen when Van Halen was at the height of their career, compare Bill and the rest to other great bands like Santana, and Eric Clapton, minus the vocals. I believe that any person who is truly a rock fan, will dig not only the vocals but appreciates the instrumentals that backs them up, will truly get the vibe of this band, and want more for them. They are all well rounded and accomplished musicians and not to be passed up, in fact I think a vocalist may just get in the way of the great vibe this band already has going. Not only that but their MySpace page www.myspace.com/lonero is eye candy as well as a symphony for the ears, but they have another place to go to get to know the music and the band, www.lonero.net. Their CD ‘Relentless’ can be purchased at ITunes, and of course their websites, be sure to check it out!
AAM: I noticed that you guys where from Northern California. Which is different in some ways than being raised in Southern California? When you where kids and teenagers what did you do for fun? That people like me, raised in Southern California may not have been able to do (we do have different weather, some different activities, etc)?
Bill: For me I just spent a lot of time playing guitar. I know when I was a kid I used to think if I could play L.A. then that would be the ultimate. Now that I’ve done that there is a lot more to do!
AAM: There are four of you, and when I take a look into your eyes in the pictures, I see a little spark, so I want a little description from another band member on each other’s personality. I personally see serious musicians, but I can see that all of you have a little bit of a daredevil, or a kid who may be a major skater boy, etc. So for Bill Lonero: What’s the scoop on his everyday personality?
William Baglivo: He seems to be kind of man/child, what does he do when he’s not performing?
Mike McKaigg: Looks like he’s very serious and quiet, but from the old saying and experience, “It’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for.” Is he a total Party animal, behind those quiet looking eyes and face? Steve Spicer: There are notoriously, bad boys in most bands. Is he the biggest party animal out of all of you, or not? I must say, he has that raw sexy beast glint in his eyes, lol?
Bill: Hmm… let’s see. Mike is definitely the calm one of the band. He’s very stoic, has a good personality and sense of humor. He’s a very solid musician and even tempered good to be around. William is more of a joker; it’s hard to get a straight answer out of him, he is always joking around. Steve is more of the “Dude let’s do it, we’re gonna rock this place” type of person. As for me, I just play guitar in a band
Mike: Well let's see, Bill he's an even split of serious and fun. He’s very much about the business of the band. And at the same time, Bill keeps everything fun. William certainly does have that childlike spirit and he's got an insane sense of humor! Steve has that dry wit that comes from growing up in a British family. I think that's one thing he and I have most in common, though with Steve, to a much higher degree. When behind the drums, that's when the animal comes out!!
Steve: Bill is a determined musician and dedicated to the one band, LoNero.
Bill wants nothing other than to make it happen for the band, so he spends endless hours working on it. As for his personality, he's definitely a lot of fun to hang out with; we share similar humor, and can get pretty goofy sometimes. He hates to lose, so I let him win most of the time.
Mike is most definitely the most well trained musician, not many people know theory like Mike. I don't think Mike is or ever has been a “Party Animal", but he definitely is an exciting guy to be around. Sometimes he can seem quiet, but don't let that fool you, because Mike is super witty, and cracks me up all the time.
William's a great guy, very down to earth and intelligent. When things heat up, or if situations arise, William immediately helps others see the bright side, usually with sarcastic remarks, but he keeps things on track, he’s a funny guy.
William-Bill: He's complex, but in a good way. Sometimes he's happy-go-lucky like a kid in a candy store, and other times he'd have you think he was as tormented as a monk in a brothel. He's brilliant both musically and intellectually, but sometimes he makes you wonder how he managed to get his socks on in the morning, its humbling playing guitar next to him.
Mike: Mike owns a trombone and nunchuks and he knows how to use them. He has an amazing calmness about him but I wouldn't want to get on his bad side (I know what he can do with that trombone). He's an amazing musician with an awesome sense of rhythm and style.
Steve: What you see is what you get with Steve. He's true to his style and his attitude, but there is a lot more underneath the surface. He has a great sense of humor and is a ton of fun to be around. Life would be a bit blander without Steve around. He's fairly competent on the skins too (I kid!)
AAM: As I looked, I noticed LoNero has a lot of sponsors, Peavey, Seymour Duncan, Dunlop, Monster Guitar Picks, and Rebels Strap Company. Where did you meet your sponsors, and how did you get them to sponsors you?
Bill: As with most companies if you want an endorsement you have to show them that you are actively promoting and it has to be something they want their name attached to. We sent them press kits and showed them that we are a very active band that promotes and plays live. It’s one thing to just sit in your room or garage but a whole other thing to get out there and play live.
AAM: Bill I know you’re a damn good guitarist, where did you learn how to play like that? I read the reviews and they where amazing, how does it feel to be put up there with some of the greatest guitarist who have ever played guitar in rock music? What kind of training-schooling have you had? I added a link for the web site to (www.lonero.net), your tour dates, and all the other great stuff. (I also signed your petition).
Bill: Thank you! I really appreciate that. It’s an honor to be even mentioned in the same article as some of those names. Angus Young is my favorite guitarist of all time. To me he is the ultimate guitar hero. As for training-schooling I have none. I’m completely self-taught and I prefer it that way. It might have taken longer to learn some things but I learned them my way. And at least I can say everything I know I taught myself.
Steve: I really think this is one of the strong points of LoNero.The ability to write and play many styles. There is also Latin, funk, punk, and classical all in the mix too.
AAM: Where did the rest of the band meet up, and when I listen to the music, vocals or no vocals, you guys rock. You have to be one of the best bands I have ever heard. Your music is clean, pure, original and just perfectly on pitch and in sync. So my question is, how much do you practice together? And do you all have a part in composing those amazing rock instrumentals?
Bill: Mike McKaigg been in the band for 3 years and he knew Steve Spicer from previous bands they had been in. Mike is a rock in the band. Very even tempered and a solid musician… When we kicked out our previous drummer Steve jumped in and brought a whole new dynamic to the band. William Baglivo answered an ad we put out, he came in and learned the stuff and did a show a couple of weeks later. He’s a great player. We rehearse 2 times a week. Our new CD “Relentless” was mostly written by me, all but a few songs.
AAM: Knowing all the great things your band is accomplishing and doing, I do have a question, why are you not signed to a major label? Do you think having a vocalist would help take you to that final goal?
Bill: It probably would help the mindless A&R people at the record companies to sign us but then we would just be another band with a singer. We pride ourselves on the fact that we play the music we play because that’s who we are. Not because we think it will get us laid, or get us rich. We love playing instrumental guitar core. It’s what we do. We have no interest in being a flash in the pan or being something we’re not. We’re not some MTV wannabes that dress in girl pants and comb our hair to the side lol this band is about pure music, plain and simple
Mike: We ask ourselves that question all the time (why aren't we signed to a major?). At this point, I don't think a vocalist would help at all. If we did bring a vocalist on board, I think it would turn what we do into a quick "flash in the pan" then to be forgotten. At some gigs, we've had a vocalist come up for one song just to have some fun. Sometimes I'll sing "Voodoo Chile" for an encore with the band. Really, “All music is instrumental; “the voice, is an instrument that we choose not to use.”
Steve: The million dollar question!!!!! Playing instrumental rock is awesome. I love being able to stretch out. However, I definitely am aware that it is 100 times harder to market instrumental rock; some may even say that it's not marketable at all, and maybe they are right. I play with LoNero because I love the music, and enjoy it. If we had a vocalist would our fan base grow and CD sales rise? I think that if our song writing was as good with vocals in the mix, then yes, only because the majority of people are looking for a band with vocals. That doesn't mean they don't like instrumental music, they may really like it. But buy it? Maybe they will, maybe they won't.
AAM: Listening to your music my husband and I thought you sounded and had the skills of Joe Satriani or Eric Johnson. Have you ever been compared to them before, and how does it feel to be compared to such great rock guitarist? My husband rarely says anything, he really loves your music, even said he would buy your music… He is a total rock/heavy metal guy, and knows his guitar players.
Bill: I have been. I get the Satriani comparison a lot. Which is fine; but the only comparison is we’re both bald and play instrumental. Our music is much heavier and less solo oriented then Satriani. But come on, you can’t go wrong being compared to Satriani if you’re a guitar player.
AAM: It was amazing; we had a concert of your music in our living room, so thanks it was really cool. My husband and I loved all your songs, but I really fell in love with ‘Whatever.’ When we were listening to it we felt like we were listening to Eddie Van Halen, when they were in their hay day. When composing and making your songs, do you even realize that your immense talent as a band transcends all eras and even genres? Because some of the songs sound Heavy Metal, some Rock, and some are soothing rock?
Bill: Thank you! Honestly that is intentional. I put out an album called ‘Slather’ that has rock, Latin, classical, blues, and acoustic on it. I never want to put out a CD that doesn’t show as many musical influences as I can. Why put out an album with just one flavor? That’s not any fun. No one watches just one style of movie or buys just one kind of food. Music should be the same way. When you buy an album you should be treated to multiple flavors. Right now most of the music that is out is just one flavor… crap!
AAM: Do you all do the composing? When you compose, is it on paper first, and if so, does it change as you transfer from paper to actually playing it?
Bill: For the new CD we’re working on we’re all writing. We mostly just come up with riff and record them and then send them to each other or show them at rehearsal. Sometimes we have some really cool stuff other times we come up with bricks.
AAM: Song writing, and composing is very personal, I was wondering where do you draw your inspiration from. Do you use personal feelings from everyday life; I was just wondering how you came up with yours?
Bill: For me it can be anything. For instance the song “Lahaina Nights” was inspired from my trip to Maui. I listened to so much Slack Key guitar music when I was over there that by the time I came back that song just came out. It was effortless. Other songs just happen. The song titles are the same way. Sometimes they are very thought out other times they are random but they always seem to fit the song. A song like “Automanic” used to be called “Milkshake” but we changed the name after recording it because it had more of a crazy manic feel to it.
William - Aside from being bags of mostly water, we're not much more than a collection of our own experiences. I take my inspiration from other bags of mostly water, science fiction, and fantasy. Music is art, and as art, it is responsible for having an emotional impact on the listener. When I write I try to stick to very loose topics or feelings and try to convey what I am feeling to the listener. Usually I fail miserably, but only because to date I've only written songs that tell others that I am the emperor of the universe, instrumentally of course. We do have a method of naming our songs, but it's a secret.
AAM: Together you’re a great band. You can have great individual artist, but without other great artist with you, it means nothing. So in Final, When not practicing or recording, do you guys hang out together stirring up trouble in that nice town of San Jose?
Bill: Sometimes. We don’t stir up trouble though. There is enough of that out there without us lending a hand. We do hang out. We do enjoy each other’s company. I always hear so many stories of bands that don’t get along and only tolerate each other so they can play together. We’re not like that. This is probably the most well-balanced band I have ever been a part of and definitely the proudest I have ever been of any band I have been in. I couldn’t ask for anyone better then these guys.
