Alex Grossi (Hotel Diablo, Quiet Riot)
A CURA DI R&MIMB
08/12/2011
We are very glad to talk to a great and famous musician like Alex Grossi, Quiet Riot's guitarist. He's now starting up his new hard rock band, Hotel Diablo.We are very thankful to him for giving us the opportunity to talk about his own career and musical ideas. We have written down a list of question that we think can be useful to our readers in order to understand Alex Grossi both as an artist and a person. It's a honour for us to spread his thoughts to our fans throughout the web! Now let's start with the first question...
R&MIMB: Alex, can you tell us something about you latest group, Hotel Diablo, and your studio work with Gilby Clarke as producer?
Alex Grossi: Hotel Diablo has been coming along great. It came together really quickly, as I had worked with Mike Duda and Mike Dupke (both of WASP) while recording tracks for Dizzy Reed's (G'N'R keyboardist) solo record and Rick Stitch and I got really tight while writing music for Steven Adler's band. We got together a few times to jam and it just went from there. So far we have almost half the record done, and the rest of it in demo form. Gilby approached us back in the spring when he heard about the project, he had worked with Rick's other band "LadyJack" and I knew him from doing shows with him in various bands. He has done a great job so far with things.
R&MIMB: We heard "Set it Off"...really cool song!!! When can we expect a full-length?
Alex Grossi: Thanks. Hopefully early next year - right now we are tying to figure out the best route to take with the whole thing...
R&MIMB: How did you come up with the name for the band?
Alex Grossi: Mike Duda (bass) had been kicking it around for a few years, we actually had the name before we hand the band!
R&MIMB: How do you manage to divide your time between Quiet Riot and Hotel Diablo?
Alex Grossi: It's pretty easy, since Hotel Diablo is a side project for all of us - Mike and Mike have WASP and Rick has LadyJack and his own stuff...We just kind of do it when our schedules allow.
R&MIMB: What are your touring plans with Hotel Diablo?
Alex Grossi: Right now we are keeping it all in southern California - there have been offers for us to dome some dates that would have to be fly-aways, but right now we are keeping it local. We just announced of show at the Whisky A-Go Go on December 8th and will probably do some dates in Las Vegas and Arizona if the calendar lines up.
R&MIMB: Do you think that playing with your previous bands has in some way enhanced your musicality and can add value to your present band?
Alex Grossi: Absolutely. I think that anyone you play with, even for a short period of time, rubs off on you. In the case of Hotel Diablo, we all come from pretty different backgrounds - Mike Dupke (drums) is from a very "muso" background - he studied with session drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Melloncamp, Bob Seger, Elton John) so he comes from more of technical place with his playing. Duda, having spent so many years in WASP has more of an aggressive feel, while Rick and I are more straight-ahead rock, so it all comes together in a pretty cool way...
R&MIMB: What kind of music will you play in HD? Can you describe it's characteristics?
Alex Grossi: I would leave that up to the listener...
R&MIMB: Which artists and musicians of the past inspired your way of playing guitar and composing songs?
Alex Grossi: I grew up on GN'R, KISS, AEROSMITH, OZZY - all your standard rock... I was always more into "bands" then the Steve Vai shredder type stuff, so I always looked up to guys that were more about the song than showing off their chops.
R&MIMB: What qualities do you look for in your fellow bandmates? Have you got specific "behavior rules" when you play with someone else?
Alex Grossi: Work ethic is important, and you have to be able to get along - being in a band is like being married to 3 or 4 other people! - It's one thing to get along onstage, that is the easy part - Its the long bus rides and flights where you see if you can really work together.
R&MIMB: Which great musicians of the past would you choose to play a jam session for a day?
Alex Grossi: I would love to jam with Randy Rhoads and Dimebag Darrell...!
R&MIMB: Did you learn to play with guitar teachers or are you self-taught?
Alex Grossi: A little bit of both - I studied with some guys from the Hartford Conservatory in CT (where I grew up ), I also attended Berklee College of Music for a bit - But I think I learned the most on my own by trial and error...
R&MIMB: How do your experiences and personal life enter your music?
Alex Grossi: I think the older you get the more learn what "not" to do by seeing others make mistakes - the more balanced your personal life is, the more productive and creative you can be.
R&MIMB: Besides Quiet Riot and Hotel Diablo, do you have other active musical projects or bands?
Alex Grossi: Not at the moment, QR and Diablo are keeping me busy enough!
R&MIMB: Thank you very much Alex, it has been great to talk to you! Would you like to greet all of our (and your) fans?
Alex Grossi: See you soon to everybody! And keep on rockin'... Thank you!
Lucia Rossi and Paolo Valhalla Ribaldini
R&MIMB: Alex, can you tell us something about you latest group, Hotel Diablo, and your studio work with Gilby Clarke as producer?
Alex Grossi: Hotel Diablo has been coming along great. It came together really quickly, as I had worked with Mike Duda and Mike Dupke (both of WASP) while recording tracks for Dizzy Reed's (G'N'R keyboardist) solo record and Rick Stitch and I got really tight while writing music for Steven Adler's band. We got together a few times to jam and it just went from there. So far we have almost half the record done, and the rest of it in demo form. Gilby approached us back in the spring when he heard about the project, he had worked with Rick's other band "LadyJack" and I knew him from doing shows with him in various bands. He has done a great job so far with things.
R&MIMB: We heard "Set it Off"...really cool song!!! When can we expect a full-length?
Alex Grossi: Thanks. Hopefully early next year - right now we are tying to figure out the best route to take with the whole thing...
R&MIMB: How did you come up with the name for the band?
Alex Grossi: Mike Duda (bass) had been kicking it around for a few years, we actually had the name before we hand the band!
R&MIMB: How do you manage to divide your time between Quiet Riot and Hotel Diablo?
Alex Grossi: It's pretty easy, since Hotel Diablo is a side project for all of us - Mike and Mike have WASP and Rick has LadyJack and his own stuff...We just kind of do it when our schedules allow.
R&MIMB: What are your touring plans with Hotel Diablo?
Alex Grossi: Right now we are keeping it all in southern California - there have been offers for us to dome some dates that would have to be fly-aways, but right now we are keeping it local. We just announced of show at the Whisky A-Go Go on December 8th and will probably do some dates in Las Vegas and Arizona if the calendar lines up.
R&MIMB: Do you think that playing with your previous bands has in some way enhanced your musicality and can add value to your present band?
Alex Grossi: Absolutely. I think that anyone you play with, even for a short period of time, rubs off on you. In the case of Hotel Diablo, we all come from pretty different backgrounds - Mike Dupke (drums) is from a very "muso" background - he studied with session drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Melloncamp, Bob Seger, Elton John) so he comes from more of technical place with his playing. Duda, having spent so many years in WASP has more of an aggressive feel, while Rick and I are more straight-ahead rock, so it all comes together in a pretty cool way...
R&MIMB: What kind of music will you play in HD? Can you describe it's characteristics?
Alex Grossi: I would leave that up to the listener...
R&MIMB: Which artists and musicians of the past inspired your way of playing guitar and composing songs?
Alex Grossi: I grew up on GN'R, KISS, AEROSMITH, OZZY - all your standard rock... I was always more into "bands" then the Steve Vai shredder type stuff, so I always looked up to guys that were more about the song than showing off their chops.
R&MIMB: What qualities do you look for in your fellow bandmates? Have you got specific "behavior rules" when you play with someone else?
Alex Grossi: Work ethic is important, and you have to be able to get along - being in a band is like being married to 3 or 4 other people! - It's one thing to get along onstage, that is the easy part - Its the long bus rides and flights where you see if you can really work together.
R&MIMB: Which great musicians of the past would you choose to play a jam session for a day?
Alex Grossi: I would love to jam with Randy Rhoads and Dimebag Darrell...!
R&MIMB: Did you learn to play with guitar teachers or are you self-taught?
Alex Grossi: A little bit of both - I studied with some guys from the Hartford Conservatory in CT (where I grew up ), I also attended Berklee College of Music for a bit - But I think I learned the most on my own by trial and error...
R&MIMB: How do your experiences and personal life enter your music?
Alex Grossi: I think the older you get the more learn what "not" to do by seeing others make mistakes - the more balanced your personal life is, the more productive and creative you can be.
R&MIMB: Besides Quiet Riot and Hotel Diablo, do you have other active musical projects or bands?
Alex Grossi: Not at the moment, QR and Diablo are keeping me busy enough!
R&MIMB: Thank you very much Alex, it has been great to talk to you! Would you like to greet all of our (and your) fans?
Alex Grossi: See you soon to everybody! And keep on rockin'... Thank you!
Lucia Rossi and Paolo Valhalla Ribaldini
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