One very cool interview with Hans Oellerich: A must read. 1. How was SHOT LIKE A ROCKET created ? When Tony inked the deal with Pavement Entertainment, we all agreed that releasing a compilation of our most popular songs combined with a few new ones would be the best thing to do for our first release distributed through Megaforce and Sony RED. The reason being that the older songs were already tested and proven. The idea is if our current fans already like them then the people that Big Engine will be exposed to through the reach of Pavement, Megaforce, and Sony RED will probably like them too. After that, we put it in the hands of the fans and asked them to tell us what their favorite songs were and to be honest; we wouldn’t have guessed they would’ve chosen a few of them. Some of the songs weren’t ever really apart of our live show so it was cool to find out that they liked a few those tunes so much. While the fans were telling us what Big Engine songs that they loved the most; we were in Atlanta recording at Jesse James Dupree’s (Jackyl & Full Throttle Saloon TV show’s) recording studio laying down tracks for a few new songs called “Call Me For a Good Time, “Nice Sass”, and “Shot Like A Rocket”. The later would become the title track to the album. We also decided to do newly recorded versions of “Shake That Thing” and “That Girl’s A Freak” since those were seen as possible radio singles. The final next step was mixing and mastering. The older songs that weren’t re-recorded were all remixed and remastered right along with the songs cut in Atlanta and that is how SHOT LIKE A ROCKET was created. 2. Is there one song that is a personal favorite ? No. I love playing every one of them! However, I get chills and little choked up when the crowd sings along to “Sister Mary”. Also, it feels awesome when the crowd sings along to “Party Like A Rock Star” and “Shake That Thing”. Lastly, I get a kick out of all the members of the “Big Engine Freak Patrol” participating in the “The Freak Identification Program” with all their finger pointing at their friends when we play “That Girl’s A Freak”. 3. What would you tell a you musician starting out ? Funny you ask because I have been helping a kid that is just getting started with playing the guitar and I had really forgotten just how challenging that it can be to get the basic mechanics of playing internalized. There’s a lot going on with coordinating where your fingers go on the fretboard and strumming or picking with your other hand. It can be a bit frustrating when you are trying to get the hang of whatever it is that you are working on. To answer your question; I would say to always remember that being a musician is supposed to fun! Playing music is supposed to be a release from whatever junk might be going on in your life so try not let it get you all worked up. There will always be something that we as musicians are working to get the hang of and if gets under your skin then play something else for a bit or put your instrument down for 10 minutes and come back to it. Odds are that it will come easier that way. 4. If all your albums/CDs were destroyed what would you replace first ? No hesitation: AC/DC’s BACK IN BLACK! If there is such a thing as a perfect rock record than this would be it for me. The attitude is right. The songs drive and move you. The lyrics and the music are full of great, simple hooks and Mutt Lange produced it so it doesn’t get any better than that!…Anybody see the resemblance between SHOT LIKE A ROCKET’s cover and Back In Black’s cover? One word: Tribute ;-) 5. Your favorite musician wants you to sing with them, who is the musician and what is the song? Oh man! I imagine it would feel amazing to be on stage ripping through “Freebird” along side Allen Collins and Lynyrd Skynyrd. I am told by my parents that he held me when I was a baby so I suppose that will have to do. R.I.P. Allen. 6. Who is your inspiration ? Lots of people and things inspire me and shape my music as well as the course of my life. - “Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone Ive ever known.” That’s a quote I found on the net that I felt was pretty cool and universally true. Apparently, it comes from a book called “Invisible Monsters” written by Chuck Palahniuk. He’s the man who gave us “Fight Club”. My buddy Dan is someone who in his own way, has inspired me. Dan is young man who has spent his life in a wheel chair and on the day he graduated high school he surprised everyone (myself included) when it was his time to head across that stage at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena and be handed his diploma. Dan had been working his whole senior year at reaching a goal and on that day, he rolled up to the stage where a very large, special walker materialized. Dan got up with the help of an assistant and grabbed the handles on that big, special walker and he walked the line where he was handed his diploma like the other graduates. That is a site that made this grown man cry. I had to go into the studio directly after the ceremony that day and when I told Tony and our producer Jeff about it they were tearing up too. Dan proved to me that I can do anything I set my mind to as long as I have the discipline and drive to make it happen. 7. If you were not a professional musician, what do you think you would choose for a career? There was a period of time during my childhood when I couldn’t make up my mind whether or not I wanted to be ‘Maverick’ from “Top Gun” or Eddie Van Halen. I didn’t grow up with the discipline and good grades that it would take to be a fighter pilot so I decided to see if I could make the guitar player thing stick. If that didn’t work out then I would probably be asking you if you would like to upsize that combo for $0.79. Thank God I met Tony Mikus! 8. OK last question. What question would you like to be asked ? “How would you like your steak cooked?” FAN QUESTIONS: * Troy Foster asks: What kind of music does Big Engine listen to in the van on the road? We have satellite radio in the van and the go to channels are 70s on 7, Classic Rewind, 80s on 8, and Ozzy’s Boneyard but it varies. For instance, when Charlie drives and our breakdancing crew guy Michael is his co-pilot, they enjoy programming on the Love Channel. lol * D James Hodges asks: Who was the biggest influence on you to become a musician? There have been many influences but the biggest influences throughout the whole time that I have been playing the guitar are Angus Young (AC/DC) & Slash. Their playing has always resonated with me. I absolutely love Slash’s current band - Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators. * Marsha Hoone asks: Where do you get the Unicorn Tears that you use to wash your hair? lol Many people ask me what product that I use to wash my hair and I always tell them that the hair product isn’t as important as the fact that I use unicorn tears to wash my hair rather than water. I have a secret farm where the tears are harvested. We have many methods to make them cry such as forcing them to watch marathons of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” & “Real Housewives of blah blah blah” which makes them cry for future of mankind
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 05:46:14 +0000
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