Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 09:52 AM by Nikos Nakos
A week before your triumphant return to Greek soil, I thought we could chat a little bit just to hype things up!! Hope everyone’s doing well! Are you getting ready for your upcoming shows?
We’re doing great; we have arrived in Portugal on Tuesday and are looking forward to our last tour of 2024! Spain and Greece are always great and we’re looking forward!
It’s more than obvious that you have a dear connection with the Greek crowd and it goes without saying that this love is going both ways. From your point of view, on what grounds does this bond stand?
We definitely have a place in our hearts for Greece, we share the love with this country as well as they share the love for Riot, we always look forward to hanging out with friends or we like to call them family! We’ve had a relationship with Greece for many years and always look forward to performing for the great people.
You released “Mean Streets” last May, an album very much anticipated by your long-time fans. Is there any song you single out or hold a special place in your heart and why?
When we started coming up with ideas for Mean Streets we wanted to cover all eras of the band so there are definitely rocker songs along with the power metal. My favorites are probably Feel the Fire, High Noon and Love Beyond the Grave, the whole album is diverse and we feel like we have another great offering in the tradition of Riot
Being around for that long is actually impressive. Where from do you get that fuel that keeps you going and what’s the trick you use to come up with new and fresh songs? What keeps you motivated and inspired as a musician?
Next year will be 50 years! I’ve been in the band since 1984 and got to play with the great Rhett Forrester, Sandy Slavin and Mark and today I continue in their honor. I’ve been playing music all my life and was raised by a musical family and when I joined Riot Mark was one of my mentors. I continue and manage the band the way Mark would have wanted me to, he taught me a lot about the business and songwriting and as long as people still enjoy our music and come out and see us play that’s enough for us to keep going.
Extending the previous question, 50 years can be a whole life. What has changed and what has remained the same comparing the past with today? Covering longevity in a track record of 50 years just shows that people have been enjoying the music.
We have always stuck to our guns in music writing. Once you have a formula that people enjoy you usually stick to it, Mark always said this great quote “the longevity of a band is through good music and if you keep delivering they’ll be there for you”, so we must be doing something right to still be here! We are very appreciative of our fans.
Do you have any regrets? Would you have done something differently now that time has passed and you’re more mature?
As you get older you see how business works. When I first joined Riot in 1984 I was just enamored in the fact that I was playing with one of my favorite bands. As you grow you might have made different business decisions that I have now learned, it might have helped the band grow but these days we’re doing a pretty good job keeping the torch burning. The music has matured as the musicianship is always great in Riot and we are able to write a variety of styling of music.
Riot is a band that tends to connect with its crowd way more intense than most of other bands and form livelong relationships. I’m curious about how does that make you feel, since I’m from the other side of things. Do you get a lot of feedback from fans about how your music has impacted them personally?
We get tons of feedback from fans and personal messages about how the music changed their life and that means a lot to us. We’re not a Metallica where we can live off money we all have regular jobs but do this for our friends and fans. There are many tattoos people that have adorned their bodies with Riot as well as stories about how Riot saved and changed their life and got them through very hard times. We even have a friend that put our lyrics on her husband’s gravestone! These little things mean a lot to us and give us a boost to continue for these amazing people.
How important is fan feedback in shaping your music?
Well like I said earlier as long as you keep putting out quality music you will always have a fan base and we do listen to fans and their input. We have a lot of musician fans as well and read their thoughts on our music. We have a formula and we like to stick to it because it has been pleasing Riot fans for a long time and give us the drive to keep writing the music they’ve known to love.
We’ve talked about your relationship with your fans, however I’d really like to know how do you get along with other. What’s the band dynamic like off-stage? What do you admire most about your fellow band members?
When I continued to move forward with Riot after Mark had passed away and Bobby Jarzombek and Tony Moore could not continue I had the task of putting together a band which includes not only musicianship but their personality as well. The newer guys I hired definitely represent what I wanted to continue and their talent exceeds all expectations and part of the reason why quality music is still recorded with Riot. We have ins and outs and fights like brothers but always seem to make everything happen and continue on, the music business definitely isn’t easy but we are hanging in there as family
How has being part of Riot V impacted you personally and professionally?
When I joined in 1984 it was just Riot and I added the Roman numeral “V” (5) out of respect since that’s my era that we continue on and I am an original member. And 2012 I lost two of my mentors, my father and Mark. I am the earliest member remaining in Riot although I did leave for a while and Mike Flyntz stayed and represented but now we continue on as a team keeping the Riot flag waving.
In the ’80s it impacted me very much as I was a part of one of my favorite bands now I continue for the family and fans as Mark and his father would have wanted us to. Riot is life for me professionally and personally as I manage the band now and try to keep moving forward.
How do you balance life on the road with your personal life?
It’s a little more difficult these days because we are getting older and I am in my 60s and have family now. You have children, grandchildren and a lot of responsibility. You definitely have to balance between business and family and make time for both, sometimes good things sometimes not so good things but life is life and you got to keep the family and the fans smiling and happy! I am grateful to continue on and represent Riot in the right way. We are like family all the present and past members which is an awesome thing
How do you balance preserving Riot’s classic sound with bringing fresh elements into Riot V? Does the band’s legacy make you anxious when planning your next steps?
Before joining Riot I was always a bass player that like to write, actually in my previous band the Texas Slayer I wrote all the music. It’s kind of like the Steve Harris, Phil Lynott vibe, lead bass players who write a majority of the music. Mark taught me how to write songs within a song with great melodies. You always have to have a catchy chorus and a catchy guitar solo along with the fast riffs. I always have him in mind and how we would have written music like we did in the past. I have always had a formula for Riot and write similar types of songs. We try to take the old sound with a new fresher vibe when writing. We do take a while and take pride with what we deliver. We always write at least 20 songs and pick the best 12 for a record. A lot goes in to wriring and picking the best music we feel the fans will enjoy
What’s Riot V’s long-term vision for the future? Do you think the band will explore new musical directions in the coming years?
We definitely would like to continue as long as our bodies will let us! We will continue on to write in the Riot formula people have come to know and love all these years. Todd Michael Hall has a couple solo records as well as Mike Flyntz recording with American Idols James Durbin. I have done the last two Alcatraz records but Riot is first and foremost. I am working on the first DVS solo record which I will have many known guests and will release it one of these days! Stay tuned
What should the Greek crowd be prepared for? Are there any surprises waiting for us?
Well you know with Riot and Greece there’s always surprises! We always pick out certain songs that we know the Greek fans love all these years and of course we throw in a few classic encores. Always a great time in this beautiful country and we always look forward to performing for the great people! We also love the great food! LOL
Thank you dearly for taking the time to answer my questions. Feel free to send any message to your fans in Greece! See you soon in Thessaloniki!
Thank you once again the beautiful people of Greece! We will rock your faces off soon!
Tequila cheers and Shine On!
