1. PGH is all about helping artists highlight their most recent projects, so let us all know what your new project is – and tell us about how it come into the world. What has the initial feedback on it been like?
MY REVENGE came about because I have a cache of songs just sitting around ,and I felt it was time to do something w/ them. I’ve always been writing songs, on and off. I don’t like to force a song to be created, I like for the song to flow out of my head , usually when I’m just messing around w/ the guitar , or piano, just ‘doodling’ you might say. I’m very critical of my creativity. Too much I think ,but us songwiters have to be our own worst critics, otherwise ,just because I wrote it ,doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good, you know?
People who have heard the songs, like them quite a bit. After all, isn’t the goal ?
2. The Recording Process – there are so many interesting ways that music projects coming into being these days compared with what artists encountered years ago. Take us on the creative arc of how this project came into being and any wisdom that you learned along the way. Also, what were some of the obstacles or struggles that you encountered when you were working on the project?
First of all ,to keep myself busy ,I have a Beatles’ cover band called THE BAJABUGS, we play a LOT ,birthdays, weddings, etc.
But I felt that I needed a creative outlet as well, so I asked my bandmates in the BAJABUGS if they would be interested in doing an original band , MY REVENGE, and they said yes !
We’re two bands in one. It works nicely.
I usually record the song myself on a 16 track Boss BR 1600.
I play everything,drums, bass ,guitar, lead, keys, backing vocals, percussion ,whatever.
Then I show my bandmates the recorded song. They’re awesome musicians, not only in their playing ,but also in their attitude. NO EGOS !
It’s amazing how great it is to have the recording tools in your own home. I love that ! You can take your time and not feel pressured by the clock in a recording studio where you pay up to 40 dollars or more sometimes.
In regards to struggles, I’d say getting the right tone on the instrument at hand. But usually , I can get what I’m looking for.
3. Are there any particular songs on this project that are special to you or communicate a message that you’d like to share here?
Well, every song tends to be a bit personal . Written from a personal experience of sorts.
“The Elephants Agree” is one of my favorites. I wrote that song in ten minutes ! The muse was on that day !
The story of a girlfriend cheating on the boy friend ( me ) . Like I said ,I wrote that from the situation my then girlfriend and I were going thru, so it was easy to turn the events into a song.
“Every One Loses” I wrote about an old band mate who shall remain nameless ,and couldn’t control his ego. he got what I call ‘ DELUSIONAL ROCKSTAR SYNDROME ‘ . I’m pretty sure a lot of other bands out there have gone thru this experience.
4. As we all know, the music industry has been devastated for many reasons over the past 10 years, what are you thoughts on these changes and are you finding some of them helpful to you with getting more people to hear your music?
I feel that the power of the record labels has diminished by almost 100% . Who’s out there ? Sony ,Unviversal ,etc. Where’s Capitol Records. A & M ,Arista ,Epic ? All gone. It levels the playing field ,which is nice. The internet has done what the Punk Rock movement of the 70’s in England ,and the U.S. were trying to do back then.
get rid of the pomposity of the Rock Industry , No more Elton John and lavish dresswear, No Rod Stewart, or Kiss.
get rid of the pomposity of the Rock Industry , No more Elton John and lavish dresswear, No Rod Stewart, or Kiss.
Thru the internet ,you can discover a lot of great bands, and music, but at the same time there is a lot of horrible bands and music. It’s a weeding process ,go thru the bad to find the good. But not having the middle man ( record labels ) is an advantage for sure. Just find your favorite band and click on the player, how awesome is that ?
5. Along the lines of this discussion, it would be really interesting to get your thoughts on what you think the future of ‘music enjoyment’ might look like? How do you personally enjoy and ‘consume’ music? Any trends you’ve noticed with your own habits?
The future of enjoying music is w/ visuals .The internet is a visual place. People like to see images, be stimulated visually as well as aurally. You can have a digital camera and make a video to your music. It’s easy. I still have a lot of vinyl , and I play it . It seems that records are as strong as ever . Younger people who are from the digital generation tend to discover vinyl and they realize how much fun and also how much more gratyfing it is to place the LP on the turntable, to look at the LP cover and what not.
6. So many artists are wrestling with different ways to approach the recording process now – I would love to hear what your plans on with your next project – Are you going to a full CD, an EP or just release songs as you finish them. Release them digital only or combine physical with the digital or what?
I like to record them as they come. No big plans. I would like to press some vinyl .Especially for Europe. Spain in particular. As well as the digital download and everything else that comes w/ that .
7. What are you finding that is working well for your music right now that others may find interesting to hear about?
Have patience … listen to your tracks ,be very critical of not only the performance, but also the feeling on the tracks. Keep the songs fairly short. I believe in the 3 minute rule. Nowadays , people’s attention span is very short. Blame it on the internet.
8. Okay – time for some light humor: Spinal Tap Moment – dig deep. Locate. Relive. Share that special ‘trauma’ with all of us! 😀
I’ve had many a Spinal tap moments ! Here’s one, The Zeros are touring Europe, going thru Germany. We arrive in Solingen, a town famous for it’s cutlery. When we get to the building which is a community entertainment center of sorts, where the concert will be held, We find a place that holds 2000 people ! Big stage lighting rig, and a crew setting up chairs on the main floor. We’re thinking ” Cool ! I look for someone to tell us where to unload the equipment, and they tell us ,that “oh no you will NOT be playing on the big stage, follow me…” So it turns out we’re playing in the bar/restaurant section of the buliding w/a really small stage and a room that holds about 300 ! I shook my head and had a good laugh !
9. Let’s go back in time – You are a long-time veteran and a lot of power pop fans are not only familiar with your past solo work but your work with Flying Color, a band whose sole album was listed in the Top 200 Power Pop albums of all time in the Shake Some Action book a few year back. Tell us a bit about your time with Flying Color….and some of your solo work that appeared in the years following its demise.
Flying Color was created by Richard Chase and me , back in early ’82. He was collecting unemployment, and so was I ! We had met thru some mutal friends, and we hit it off right away. Richard is an incredible guitarist and songwriter.
We decided to get together and write songs for shits and giggles, really. No plans to make a band at all .
We ended up w/ a lot of songs, and good ones at that. So we decide to get a drummer and a rhythm guitarist and rent a rehearsal space to see how the songs would sound w/ a full band. well… that led to turning into a band..Flying Color. FC had some great shows, we opened up for Timothy Leary, Smokey Robinson, 10,000Maniacs, Camper Van Beethoven, Alex Chilton, The Ventures .All influences of ours. We did a 6 week tour in the fall of ’87 to promote the FC LP on Frontier Records. Good times. We never got around to recording the second FC LP . We broke up in the middle of the planning of the second LP. Disagreements about song choices and what not. Richard had already left the band prior to the touring of the first LP, so we got Chris Von Sneidern to join us.
I recorded my solo LP ‘HECTOR ” at the same time as the FC LP was being recorded. Two different studios. Cryptovision records out of N.Y. had aproached FC w/ releasing a 7 inch. After that they offered us an LP deal at the same time as Frontier, So FC went to Frontier, and Cryptovision gave me the solo LP.10. Advance apologies: the ‘classic’ questions. What other artists and bands have influenced your music and any particular reason why? Also, push come to shove: “Your Top 5 Albums Of All Time”? (Pop Geeks really are interested in this, trust me!)
The Beatles were my influence , like so many other musicians out there. Then The Ventures, NY Dolls, Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, Wire’s first LP ” PINK FLAG ” and a lot of other stuff.
Beatles for the attention to detail in the recordings, songwriting, singing all of it. the Dolls for the loose rock n roll feel , the Ventures for the technial playing and the cool guitar sounds et al.
Berlin -Lou Reed
Plastic Ono Band – John Lennon
Ride This Train – Johnny Cash
Play Don’t Worry – Mick Ronson
The Ages of Rock – Cy Coleman
Any LP by Antonio Carlos Jobim
Anything by J.S.Bach
11. We’re always trying to find new music discover here at PGH – what are some of your favorite music releases of 2011?
I like Quasi , Maren Pausel ‘s Artificial Gardens , .
12. Yes, it would be great if most indie musicians could work on music full-time but the reality rarely the case for most of them. I always am asked by music fans, what are the careers or full-time jobs that the musicians of the music they are listening to do…so ‘what’s yr main gig?!’ ;-P
I work for Taylor Guitars . Been there 12 years now ! I make guitar parts on a CNC machine.
13. We’re taking an informal PGH poll of all musicians: Do you own a Kindle or Nook? Any thoughts on what reading books looks like to you?
I don’t own a kindle or nook ,no.But I do have many books. Gunter Grass is one of my favorite authors as well as Gabriel Garcia Marquez. IPAD IPAD IPAD Seems to be the rage.
14. Okay, last question: Where can we learn more about your music and any other releases you have?
Check me out on FB www.facebook.com/hectorpenalosa
