Interview with Danny Danzi

[joeydahlia]

Originally Posted by wbeacham

:drunk:Joey's been drinking again. How do you get off say what you said about Danyy. The music biz is hard work. If you love something you should be willing to do damn near anything for it. Just my .02 .

I am sure it is..and thanks to Danny I am happy not to be a part of it..I like hitting golf balls everyday..I will never no what touring is,I just dont want to be a part of that..if you seen how cute my new baby is there is nothing to take me from him..

you of all people should no that, we go back as far as 2 years ago..

I dont recall saying anything bad about Danny,infact I want to see what a working pro player thinks of my music..

OH AND I DONT DRINK..some crack would be nice

lol

love joey

[guitarwizard2003]

If your not worried about being a part of all that, then why are you soo worried about if someone feels your good enough to be a pro or not?

[joeydahlia]

Thats easy wiz..

I would love to get an opinion of a proplayer..
Not someone who does 1 sweep pattern and playz fast on every song..
just cut's me down cause in 3 years I am playing at their level..

Why is the guitar world so plit up,dog eat dog?

you really think it's ego ,But it's really heart..

joey

[bbkane]

if you've only played for 3 years; how come the video (the one that you look like an idiot) looks like it was early 80s? If its not you're really stuck in the 80s and can use a haircut.

(sorry for getting off topic i'll stop)

[Danny Danzi]

Originally Posted by Riff Addict

Wow, you make it sound so appealing..LOL...so maybe I'm better off at the old 9-5? You sure sound like your having a blast from hearing you play...I'd love to be on your playing level bro. Sorry the business hasn't been everything you dreamed it would be but maybe there'll be smoother sailing ahead. I guess we all dream of becoming a rock star someday....having no idea what its really like outside of our little lives in "Normalville". Thanks for the honesty and insight...I feel a little better about my situation... I think.

You have a musical gift that some of us can only dream about and no one can ever take that away from you no matter how crazy it gets. I don't consider myself a particularly "gifted" guitarist but thats ok because I have managed to learn and play the darn thing well enough to perform some of the best covers ever written in front of an audience which as you know is an amazing feeling. Keep plugging away and I know you'll find the peace and inspiration you're looking for.

Riff out

Ah Riff, it can be appealing for sure. But the stuff i talk about is the stuff that people never discuss until they end up on VH-1 "where are they now". LOL!!! My biggest problem is the multiple gifts God has given me. They've been the reason I have so much to do. When I signed my first deal, they basically signed me because I did everything myself. Bass, drums, keys, lead/rhythm guitars, lead/back up vox, producing, engineering, mixing mastering etc. I never wanted to be the boss or turn out to be what the label called "The Gadget". I just got tired of leaving my destiny in the hands of others, ya know?

We all go through the band thing where we are all pumped up, everything is nearly perfect, and then a key member quits the band, gets married or decides to join another band. It totally kills our morale, and after numerous years of this, we get frustrated and the dream fades. I was near my end and playing in a VH tribute band at that time. I had to at least try my own thing and see where I ended up on my own. So that's what I did....I basically put an albums worth of material together, and shopped it. They liked it as it was because it was so raw, and captured me fairly well....considering I really didn't have a clue about recording and engineering. LMAO!! I kinda just winged it until it sounded decent, and they let it fly. It didn't cost them much other than my advance, and the darn thing sold really well eventhough it wasn't the best recorded album or best performance.

As a matter of fact, my first album was VERY 80's and had that arena rock sound. It came out in 1999 and quite a few people in Europe and Japan loved it, so it sold very well. This of course started a buzz and things in my life grew from there. But the down side of that was my abilities to wear many hats. This locked me in with "you're gonna give us another 4 albums of you doing everything right?" It just was too much for me man. So I made up my mind that I'd never do another one all alone. I get too close to the material, and miss the obvious, ya know? I needed other players that were better than me on select instruments. The fans deserved that...not some hack trying to fake his way through not being super proficient at any of the instruments. Hahahahaha! I mean, yeah I pulled it off and am proud of what I did, but compared to my latest album and the dudes in the band backing me, there's no comparisson...especially in the production area.

So this power thing of mine lead to me getting involved with other things. The record label drug its feet with quite a few situations, and I picked up the slack. I got tired of waiting for royalty statements due to them procrastinating, so I contacted all the stores, distribution and publishing myself. This lead to the Danny D Enterprise known as "DanziLand Music" which now controls my entire career...and yes, I do it all alone. LMAO!!!!!!!!!!

So this is where things get frustrating, and I seem to vent a bit about the bad parts. Of course lots of it are fantastic, but the behind the scenes business part is what makes me hate it. So much that goes on that you'd not believe man, it just never ends. And sometimes, I just need a break...but it's not so easy. It would be easier if I hired people to do some of the work for me on the business side, but I don't trust a soul. This is my main concern. Not only that, but no one should know my inside business but me. I'm a stickler about my privacy in certain realms, and in this business, you have to treat it that way or your doomed. The less people know about your personal business, the better off you are. This is why I do it all myself, why I'm so frustrated, and whyt I bitch and moan like a lil girl when I'm at the end of my rope. Hahahahahahahahaha!

So the live playing rocks, the fans are fantastic, the money is wonderful, and finishing an album is like having 11 kids. The rest of the business end completely and utterly sucks ass to the point of "why the hell do I do this?" The answer to that is simple....you can't turn it off and on like a TV, and the fans expect me to deliver the goods. They are the reason I even exist, I'll never let them down.

[DannyBoy]

i fucking love you Dan *hump* all Hail the Danzi now you maggotts Hail him

[joeydahlia]

Originally Posted by bbkane

if you've only played for 3 years; how come the video (the one that you look like an idiot) looks like it was early 80s? If its not you're really stuck in the 80s and can use a haircut.

(sorry for getting off topic i'll stop)

hahaha

you aint kidding,anytime I say something you bring up my old video of me..
it's funny, but scary at the same time..

that's how people looked at that time,I think people call it the *past*...lol

I did get a hair cut,I am having my toe nails done in the morning

[Danny Danzi]

Originally Posted by joeydahlia

wow!

Hi Danny,

My name is JoeyDahlia

I have been playing for just under 4 years,I did send my work to Favored Nations over a year ago ,and did not get a response.

I did cause I was told too,by some of your comments it seems that I am better off without anyone telling me what to do ,where I need to go,how this is too sound and paying someone 50% of my work,my god that's just not worth it to me,I worked so hard on the guitar.

I don't belong in music,and thanks to you I will never have to worry about my future in music,I don't have a desire to be a star,get a deal,worry if my cd sells,I can focus on just 1 thing ,my guitar.

What kind of music do you play?
How long have you been playing?
You have a ton of guitar gear,have you ever tried the xt?
Who's your favorite players?
What bands have you been in?

Anyway look foward to talking to you about inside stuff.
If you want to hear some of my new age guitar music send me an email@
joeydahlia@aol.com

Talk to you soon

Joey Dahlia

Hi Joey, we've actually met before, you just don't remember me. I'm MAJICHANDS on GuitarWar, so that might ring a bell. Well I'm sorry if i trashed your dream to any extent, but please keep in mind I speak on my own experience and situation only. My comments weren't meant to effect anyone's desire to pursue their dream. What I meant by all that is it's not the rockstar world everyone thinks it is. There are things that go on that nobody knows about until you actually live it. For example, let's say you and I are good with tools. We can use a hammer, nails, saws, etc. We wouldn't open up DJ's construction company, because if we did, we'd be in for a rude awakening. LOL! This is where people miss the boat in the music business.

They think because they can play, write, arrange, record, book gigs and gain a following, that they are ready to shop a deal and become a star. The labels prey on people like this and it can be a very rocky road. The object of all of it is it has to be treated like a business from the first day you say to yourself...."I want to get a deal". People say, "oh that's easy, I book gigs, contact a manager or agent, he lands us a deal and the attorney makes sure we get the right options." Agents are a waste and not needed until you are accomplished. Managers, the same as above. Attorneys (especially if they have an "IN" with a record label, will screw you also because they know you don't have a clue what the 300 pages of word jargon in your contract mean.

So what do you do? You learn as much as you can. If you can't understand a record contract, you have no business signing a deal. I'm not saying you need to go to law school and be an entertainment lawyer, but you should know more than the basics of what a deal is, how it can benefit you both short term and long term, and what is in store for you while it is in service and when it is terminated. We get so excited when we get offered a deal, we sign and pray. Kinda like plug and pray in Windows lol! The more you know about the business aspect, the less of a chance you have at getting screwed.

You then sit with a credible attorney and go over it with him questioning things you may not understand. Once he gives you answers, research them and see if he is correct. Just because you're paying him $800 an hour doesn't mean he doesnt have greed and larceny in his heart. The music business is just like the automotive and medical fields. You take your car to a mechanic and don't know shit about cars, he can say your bendix spring altocator was bad and you owe him $1000.....you pay it, you don't know any different. Same with Doctors....how many times do we get second third and forth opinions only to find out the good Dr we knew and loved was dead wrong.

As for you being pro enough to go anywhere etc....that depends on you and what the industry is calling for. If you are an instrumental guitarist thinking you may be the next Vai, you'll have an easier time getting yourself pregnant before you get a reputable deal. Instrumental music is dead unless you made a name for yourself in the 80's when extreme guitar was the in thing. Name one new guy on the scene right now that's touring like a mofo? Yeah, you MIGHT be able to get some sort of endorsement deal and do clinics all over....but that too is a nightmare all in its own.

The key to making anything something of yourself these days is songwriting. I know guys that can play licks that make my jaw drop. If I ask them to use them in a sentence, they look at me sideways like a dog does. LOL! Tech is great, we all need it, theory is also....but if you take it all away and don't leave the listener with a good tune, you've wasted your time. Take away my production, my guitar sound, my solo's and all the "icing on the cake" type stuff I can do.....and I still leave you a song that can be played on an acoustic guitar that people can sing along to.

It all depends on what your dreams are. If you wanna be a tech player, learn all the theory you can and be a teacher or try to get a connection to be a session player. That too is a hard one to achieve. Session players need to be well rounded. And even at that....you have to have name credibility or no one will take a chance on you. Pretty much like getting a record deal. Also, in todays times as you know....especially if you listen to the radio, talent is meaningless. This is why I constantly tell guitar players to "stop wasting away with tech and theory and learn how to friggin write". The best arp or tap lick in the world is not going to get anyone a deal these days. The fastest guitar solo and greatest tone won't make an A&R guy come see you play....but a good song surely will, and that could be left on this earth for a lifetime.

You have to ask yourself, "why do I play and what do I hope to get out of being a guitar player?" I play because I love it. I play because songwriting is my way of expressing my inner self to where I could give a rats ass about who likes it and who doesn't. Yeah we all go through the shred thing, we all wanna be the fastest gun, we all want tone to doe for....but along the way, we must ask ourselves...."will we just lick off and waste away doing tricks and making 50 people go wow you rule dude....or will we attempt to gain a musical identity and appeal to 500,000 people that will make us a household name because we presented songs in a language they could understand and relate to?"

This is what you have to dig deep on. Once you know your answer, it's time to make a blueprint and create a gameplan as to what your next move will be. If you have a wife and a baby, (I read that somewhere I think) what lies ahead of you if you choose to do this the right way, will neglect them horribly. Music is a flash in the pan in 5 years...unless you get huge. Your family can be for the rest of your life God willing. Make the right choice, you sometimes only get one shot at paradise. Good luck!

[joeydahlia]

MAJICHANDS,

hahaha noway...

wtf

Dude thanks alot that's some beefy info..I only sent my cd in to Favored Nations because some of my students said I should ,I did not even know what a deal was.

I did some checking around on the site,and he said if you think your bad ass and original send your cd in, so I did ...But that will be the last time I'll send it out into the business part of music.

I only play guitar for 1 thing my conklin,I still have a hard time understanding music.Other players ,I understand fine, but my own music drives me crazy.
Some of the things you talked about ,I never even thought of..it's very scary.

But I really don't have any desire more than what I am doing,I just want to create music that does not sound like everyone else that's it..

I will just sell my cd's local and stay away from that end of it..

Thanks you save my life..

JOEY

[Danny Danzi]

Originally Posted by joeydahlia

wow!

What kind of music do you play?
How long have you been playing?
You have a ton of guitar gear,have you ever tried the xt?
Who's your favorite players?
What bands have you been in?

Joey Dahlia

I forgot to address these questions for you.

I play what is called "melodic rock". Commercial rock/metal you can sing along to with heavy guitars, but not so extreme that I lose the listeners.

I've been playing for about 25 years I think...one year runs into the next. LOL!

Yeah, the XT ain't for me. Good sounding piece, just not my cup of tea.

Fave players- EVH, Rhoads, Malmsteen, Gary Moore, Eric Gales, David Gilmour, John Sykes, Warren DeMartinni, George Lynch, Dann Huff, Key Marcello.

Bands I've been in....none that you ever heard of. Various cover bands, original projects and a wedding band playing drums. LOL!

[joeydahlia]

cool

I like lynch, bratta malmsteen,johnson,schon..gary moore
hell most early 80's players..

But my music tell's another toon...I play new age,but you can hear shred type playing in the background..

I heard a clip of you before I joined g-war It had a killer groove to it..
so that's why I joined..I met some cool players there and I keep in touch with a few of them..they are the oneS who give me the *joey bashing info*

lol

Man when I hit the internet in 01 I just assumed we were all family.
was i freak'n wrong.I just wish it was different..

I like it but I just wish it was different..

Anyway I am glad I know who you are..

joey

[sheikers]

Mr Danzi, some of the things from your interview are rather interesting...

Could we spend the rest of the thread somehow turning this into something to do with ME? It's just that I don't feel comfortable posting anything in other peoples threads unless all the attention is turned towards me.

here, have a bac track

work with it, do not be afraid

hehehe

sheik

p.s. do you like new age shred?



(See ya in Atlanta ya big pansie! Just promise me the pecker stays under restraints )

[sheikers]

Hey, where's the edit function!!??!!

LOL, I use the term "pansy" as a term of endearment, of course.


Also because it rhymes with Danzi..

[joeydahlia]

He already told me who he was,so you guys no each other..
from guitar war...

joey

[stingx]

How did a thread concerning Danzi Danzi become a discussion of Joey Dahlia?
WTF is going on in this forum lately?
Am I the only one here picking up on this drivel of late?