El Templo del Rey, Web española de Ronnie James Dio

Tracy Grijalva Interview by El Templo del Rey. October 2007


MH: How are you doing, Tracy?

TG: Hi Mario, thanx for the interview. I am doing good...

MH: Tracy G Group, Driven, Epic, Goaded, collaborations here and there. You have been very busy lately...

TG: I try to keep as busy as I can. I do music pretty much 24-7.

MH: Let's talk about your new album "Latin Heart". The whole concept and idea is completely different than your usual works, isn't it?

TG: Ya, I'm mostly do Hard Rock or Metal...

MH: What moved you to compose this kind of music?

TG: My friend Ruben (Marron) liked my other cd I put out a few years ago called "Katt Gutt". He talked me into doing another one. My dad loves latin music and I am half latin, my last name is Grijalva so I thought I would call it that. I love acoustic spainish guitar, so I wrote and recorded this cd for a whole other market of listeners.

MH: Also, I have heard you are putting the finishing touches to the new Goaded album. I've listening "As You Bleed" at Myspace and it's just amazing! What can you tell us about it?

TG: Ya, I was working on these songs and the songs for Grijalva at the same time, but they are both way differrent. But like I said, I love a lot of styles of music. Goaded is my idea of Heavy. I think I found a singer - Jason Witte - that can give my music what it needs. I think it somewhere like Metalica-Pantera-Godsmack, but Goaded sounds like Goaded.

MH: Will you be touring in support of this new release?

TG: I sure hope soon.

MH: Goaded also featuring Jason Witte (vocals), Ray Luzier (Drums) and Larry 'Bones' Dennison (Bass). Larry was a Dio member too, from then until now you have been working hand to hand. Did you know Larry before he joined the band?

TG: I did not meet Larry untill he came in to Dio. We have worked together since then, we just get along cool and share the same love for music. Larry is a great bass player, he can play anything on the bass. A lot of different styles too. Larry and Ray are both amazing players and Jasons vocals seem to just fit right in. He's like 4 singers in one guy I'm feel very blessed to work with them all.

MH: Six years, three albums, some world tours. I'd like to ask you a little more about your days in Dio. How did you feel working beside Ronnie?

TG: Great. It was amazing to write, record and tour with a singer like Dio. True pro and an amazing rock singer.

MH: "Strange Highways" is one of my favourites albums ever. How was the composition process of the songs?

TG: Vinny (Appice), Jeff (Pilson) and myself would just jam and when Ronnie heard something he liked, we would start working on it. Real old school, and natural.

MH: Do you think "Angry Machines" was underrated?

TG: It's not as good as "Strange Highways" but it has some cool stuff in there. It was just too forced, but a lot of people hate it. But I dont think it's that bad. A lot of people hate the way I play, but I kinda like that. I don't want everyone to like what I do, that means to me I'm not taking enuff chances, there already to many safe players, what fucking fun is that, you gotta piss people off sometime. Makes life a bit more fun for me.

MH: Some fans didn't like the way you played the older stuff live. What was the reason why you played them in your own way?

TG: Because I am my own person, I am not anyone else. I can't and don't wanna play just like anyone. And my boss told me to do my thing, so thats what I did. And when he wanted me to be like someone else, that's when I was done with Dio.

MH: Do you still play any of your old Dio songs live?

TG: No.

MH: Do you remember any anecdote which have left you nice memories?

TG: Playing in South America with Dio was amazing. It was a big stadium... 20,000 people... really cool.

MH: In the hypothetical case, would you rejoin Dio again?

TG: Sure.

MH: Back in 1990 you recorded an exceptional album with WWIII. Why you didn't continue working?

TG: Got in a big fight with the singer and it was not fun anymore.

MH: Looking at your customized guitars I was about to report you to the "Guitar Protection Institute"! ...it's just a joke. Can you tell us something about your guitars and gear?

TG: Theres enuff nice looking guitars out there. I think there needs to be more fucked up looking guitars, so maybe people will pay attention to the sound of them. That's what is important to me, not so much what they look like. All my gear is vintage... old. I don't have anything new, my gear is fine, it's about practicing and getting the guitar to speak for you.

MH: You have a very distinctive guitar playing. What's your secret?

TG: Thanx. No secret, just be yourself and don't worrie about what people say or think. Play from your soul. If they like it... good. If they don't... good.

MH: You have your own studio called "G-Factory Studios". What kind of equipment do you use there?

TG: I have a Roland 2480, it works cool for me. I can record my own stuff and a lot of other local bands.

MH: What are the plans for the future?

TG: Just getting my new cd out "Grijalva", and now the Goaded cd it's almost done. I'm doing a lot of live shows.

MH: Thank you very much for spend your time with me, Tracy. I wish you a great career and much happiness.

TG: Thanx Mario, your question were cool.

www.tracyg.com

- Special Thanks to Ruben Marron for his kindness -

Mario Herrero

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