EMQ’s With IMPELLITTERI
EMQ’s With IMPELLITTERI
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Heavy Metal band, Impellitteri. Huge thanks to their guitarist and founder member, Chris Impellitteri, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Chris Impellitteri : Guitar.
Impellitteri was formed in the mid 1980’s by Chris Impellitteri and Rob Rock, along with drummer Loni Silva and bassist Ted Days… Impellitteri’s first release was a 4 song EP titled the “Impellitteri Black EP” which was well received globally by Metal fans, Rock fans, and die hard musicians… the music was highly energetic Heavy Metal mixed with Classical Baroque influenced guitar solos and screaming melodic vocals reminiscent to the vocal styles of Deep Purple and Queen. Sony music immediately signed the band and the career of Impellitteri was born! Since its inception Impellitteri, has sold millions of records globally and perform to audiences as large as 30,000 people at a single show…!
How did you come up with your band name?
The last name was suggested by our inner circle of people as they knew we were Van Halen fans….
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal/ Rock scene like there?
United States: Heavy Metal has always had an audience in virtually every country… however, at this time in the United States Heavy metal is alive and well but in the underground scene….
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Impellitteri are releasing a three album Anthology titled “Wake The Beast”. The music is compiled from fan favourite Impellitteri albums of which were not available in many countries until now. Each song has been carefully chosen based on what the majority of Impellitteri fans believe are the bands best music….
Who have been your greatest influences?
As a guitar player my influences are many… however as a guitarist I was heavily influenced by early Eddie Van Halen , John McGlaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco Delucia, Randy Rhoads, Vivaldi, Mozart….
What first got you into music?
My Grandmother encouraged me to learn to play an instrument… in fact she paid for my guitar lessons for the first 5 years of my music education… as soon as I started playing guitar I found my purpose in life, which is to create and perform music and be the greatest guitarist I can be!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Impellitteri…! I do not want to play in any other band, as I love what we do musically in Impellitteri
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Download festival… Impellitteri have played major festivals on the headlining stages such as Sweden Rock Festival, Rockfest Barcelona, Bang Your Head Festival Germany and so on… However the band has not yet played Download..!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Dolls! But they are beautiful, and each gift means a lot to us as they come from our fans!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Let’s Rock!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Eddie Van Halen.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love creating music, playing a great guitar solo, and performing in front of very large audience… I do not like the business part of the music industry….
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I would destroy the network of management companies and remaining labels who have considerable influence and power as to who gets played on radio, promoted, and which artists get booked on the large festivals and tours…the latter should be the peoples choice! Unfortunately, the public usually get fed music that the large institutions believe will make the most money! It’s not about who is great, talented, or even influential… it’s about money…..
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Van Halen #1
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
CDs
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Headlining South Koreas Busan Rock Festival… 30,000 people came to see Impellitteri in concert…it was a great show! There are many shows we have played that are special!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I do not know… I am a guitarist and always will be!
Which 5 people would you invite to a dinner party?
Paul McCartney, Vivaldi, John McGlaughlin, Freddy Mercury, Eddie Van Halen….
What’s next for the band?
We are currently working on a new album that is scheduled to be released mid 2023 followed by a world tour!
What social media links do you use to your music out to the people:
https://www.instagram.com/chrisimpellitteriofficial/
https://impellitteri.net/
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
A Cob.
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