| RAZOR BALL: Interview with Greg Hampton Congratulations for your album debut, I think it´s great stuff, but I really hate the album artwork. It doesn´t seems very elaborated so, don´t you think you could have done anything more in agreement to the quality of the album songs? *The cover was picked with the tie in for the name,a lot of people really like it-but I geuss it’s the music that really matters. All of you are well know musicians with a public recognition thanks to your profesional work with people like Gov´t Mule, Travers and Appice, Tommy Bolin, Ozzy, Nine Inch Niles, Slash´s Snakepit, Graham Bonnet, etc in the past. Why did you decide to create RAZOR BALL? *Reeves and I started working together casually in 2002 with bass player Paul ILL,and it just eventually evolved to what you hear know. It seems like there are tons of very classic influences in your music but, which music decade is the best example for the Razor ball music?, Do you think you have any contemporary element on it? *We really didn’t go into this to be intentionally be like or sound anyone In particular, we have a lot of 70’s influeces bur we certainly feel there is a modern flavor thru out the record. Greg, you´re producer/songwriter/guitarrist and multi instrumentalist, which has been the best work you´ve done in each of all this separated subjects In your carreer into the music bussiness? *Right know I am doing a record with Bootsy Collins and a few other guys you might recognize, I am very excited about this one…..when it gets released next year THE WORLD will be as excited as me!! You also are used to write crossing all genres (funk, pop, hard, metal, country…) have you been the full composer of all Razor Ball songs? *Some of these songs I have had the basic ideas since Reeves and I started in 2002, But Basically I would always come in with the main basic riff for each song And a title and most of the lyrics and Stefan would put his spin on it too. Bearing in mind you´re an all purpose composer, how difficult has been for you to create a homogeneous album like this in any way thanks to his personal voice? * not really difficult- I write songs for a living! You just don’t think to much…..it just sorta happens on its own,likemajic!! Who has been the nicest musician you´ve worked with in your carreer? *The guys from Govt Mule probably-Warren Haynes and Matt Abts with Jack Casady Songs like “What´s the Big Secret”, “Dirt Ta Dust” or “Temptation” are very funky, is Rod the responsible of this? * No not really! I write a lot of funk… for lots of different projects ,my roots of being raised in the south(texas)- had a lot to do with it ,but again I am writing a record with Bootsy Collins right now-no one is funkier than him! ….I do like me some good funk!! “Where Your Lucky” and “All Writing 4 U”,could be compared with any Red Hot And chilli Peppers song and “To Busy Livin” is a great song with a good voices treatment. I´ve found on it some Audiostave influences… are this bands a example of the trademark you´ve been looking for this album? *Where your lucky was written in 2002 so I cant remember!! All waiting 4 u –just happened because I was listening to a lot of Big Sugar(the Canadian group) They were one of the coolest bands to come out in the last 15 years, the bands I really like the most- are probably usually the least popular! 2 busy livin started out with me just playing acoustic guitar one day doing the fingerpicking bits, and the song wrote itself. I think to record an album having total control in the production terms turns the recording in a really easy thing to do. Have you produced and mixed this album? Normally I don’t co-produce with anyone on the records I do…….. but I ended up doing this with Stefan. Sometimes doing your own records is a bit harder because you can be more critical on yourself- and if it’s a band there can be lots of disagreements. Do you have your own studio or something like that? Yes I have a studio with a fulltime assistant, and Stefan does also- we did a lot at Stefan’ s. Is Razor Ball the full priority for all of you in this moment? *I have already started on new batch of songs, for a new record- I want this group to always change with personel different players all of the time,sort of like FUNKADELIC, so it can always be interesting for me, other wise no point in doing it, but I am always very busy ,doing usually a few records with other artists at the same time. How is the music market in L.A. in this moment for music like yours? Still exists a reasonable scene for the Hard rock music or every musician are forced in any way to develop their tastes and way to feel the music “Selling their souls” to the industry to keep on paying their bills? I don’t really check out the L.A. scene much….unless I am going out to see an act I may be producing or writing for.I am very lucky that I don’t have to really worry about Selling my soul because I produce and work with a lot of other great artists,my musical taste are never influenced by .that stuff ….. as a songwriter iam aware of all of the constant changes in ‘hit’ music mainly if an act comes to me to produce and write for them, with a certain’current’ style. Any plans of touring with this first album? * I don’t really know, I am very busy with Bootsy now , that is really a big priority. Thanks for your time, congratulations for your new album and good luck. Thanks ! glad you like it! |
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