Lorenzo Gabanizza- We Get To Know This Cool Musician and Talk About His Colab On New Track With Jeff Christie
Interviewed by Duzzy Clayton
Intro
Lorenzo Gabanizza is a longlife singer-songwriter, he is currently working on his next single, with British legend JEFF CHRISTIE, which will be released May 2023 and which is part of an album to release after.
The line-up involved is composed by mainstream artists or artists who worked for mainstream artists:
Jeff Christie, (on lead vocals with me) multi platinum artist and author of the smashing hit YELLOW RIVER. Paul Fenton (drums) who, besides being drummer for the band CHRISTIE, toured with Jethro Tull and was and is drummer for Marc Bolan’s T-Rex. Kev Moore (Bass) who was bass player for Christie, BC Sweet and Saxon. Hale White (Piano) a Nashville talented guy who worked among the others with Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, Collin Raye. Patrick Lyons (Dobro) who works for Colter Wall. Richard Curran (strings) who worked for the great Bert Jansch. John Heinrich (Whistle) who worked with Barry Gibb, Waylon Jennings etc. Mike Casteel (trumpets) who worked for Percy Sledge and Connie Francis. Catherine Ashcroft (Uillean pipes) member of duo “Mochara” with multi instrumentalist Maurice Dickson, Tanner Bayles (Tin whistle).
The Mastering will be handled by 63 times Grammy awarded Greg Calbi, the one who worked with Bowie, Lennon, Dylan and got his Grammy in 2022 for his work with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett.
We catch up with Lorenzo and get to know this unique musician and talk about the new single
Enjoy the read
Questions
Hi Lorenzo, Welcome to Fanbase Music Magazine, can you tell us your background, where did you grow up and what got you into music?
Well, I was born in Italy. I come from a poor and common family. In this I feel ideally close to many southerners artists — obviously, I’m not going to compare myself to their greatness … I think of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Glen Campbell, and many others. Actually, the Gabanizzas didn’t have a farm and didn’t pick up cotton, but we lived for 5 in a small two-room apartment, with an outside toilet without hot water — some reminiscences of that period are described in my song “Joshua’s wooden cabin”. My first steps in music began when I was 3 years old. At that age, I started singing the hits of the time: Candida, Yellow River, Eloise, San Bernadino… My father tried to reinvent himself year after year and this led him to move a lot, with his family. I can’t recall how many houses we went into. For me, it was not easy, because every time I had to start all over again, school, friendships … loves … The worst part is also that many of my “possessions” were left behind, first toys and then when I grew up, vinyl and books…That’s how I grew up. It would be too long to tell you all the story. We never had much money, so, the only thing I really possessed was my guitar and my poetry, which followed me everywhere like the shell of a turtle. I got tired of all that moving, I wanted to start a life on my own with more stability therefore when I met a Belgian guy who promised Heaven and Earth, I found myself in the same situation described byJeff in his beautiful song, Alabama:
“I had ten cents in my pocket when I left my father’s house
With a tombstone in my memory, I headed my wagon south
My possessions numbered but a few, when I started my journey
Just a shotgun and a bowie knife, and a banjo on my knee”
Well, I had no banjo and no shotgun. I just had a bag on my shoulder with a few clothes, many books and my guitar… Eventually, I discovered that the Belgian guy had no idea of what he was talking about, but I was young and naïve, easy prey for sharks and braggarts… So, what got me into music? How can I answer since I was music from the start and music surrounded me even in my mother’s womb? But if I had to choose a specific moment in which I formalized my craft I guess it should be in 1973. I had in my hands the cover of the 45rpm “Man of many faces” by Christie and looking at Jeff, standing tall on the left side with a light blue leather jacket, I thought: “I want to be like this”, which eventually became: “I want to be a musician.” But I was just giving a name to something that was there from the start.
How would you describe your sound?
This is a hard question for me to answer, because I just follow inspiration. And if you look at my production you will see that I touch on the whole music spectrum, from orchestral to hard rock. One of my strongest beliefs is that Art is freedom and an artist should use all of his baggage as much as he likes. Well, I can take as an exemple my new song. You can find in it many influences and it represents me completely, it represents my artistic experience. That’s the most important thing, artistic honesty, to express your true self.
Who are some of your musical influences?
You would need to dedicate to my answer a special number of your magazine. I can say that, aside from Jeff and his band Christie, I was influenced by classical composers, especially scandinavians and russians and 70’s rock, british invasion, Elvis Presley, folkish guys as Donovan or Baez and geniuses like Dylan; great singers like Edith Piaf, Neil Diamond, Chester Bennington and Freddie Mercury. Everything I listen to and like, in a way or another, influences me.
Do you play any instruments?
Of course I do. I learned to play keyboards at 6, drums at 9, guitar just a bit later.
Ok let’s talk about the new single ‘I don’t want to live without you’, can you tell us what the song is about?
It’s a ghost story, or it’s a love story. You can choose by yourself what it is. It’s a song focused on feelings such as pain, love, symbiosis. Something like “Wuthering Heights”.
The track features Jeff Christie, can you tell us how it was working with him and what he has brought to the song?
I’ve always loved his music, since my youth and even before. I started singing with his famous song, San Bernadino. Since then, many years ago, I’ve never removed him from the top of the list. Back in 2016, I contacted him to see if he was glad that I was releasing 2 of his songs on my album Roses In The Sky. He was so kind to help me with smart, professional suggestions, in order to improve the tracks. Then came 2020, and I lost my mother, who was a fan of Jeff’s music too. I wrote a song for her and I thought the best tribute I could do to her should have Jeff singing with me on that personal message-song. The rest is history. From an artistic perspective, it is the most thrilling and satisfying experience of my life. But from a human perspective too, because Jeff he’s one of the most sensitive, caring, kind guys on this earth and I really enjoy his friendship. I feel enriched by it. So you ask what he brought to the song…Well, it’s useless to say that his contribution was just like what mastering is for the mix…He took it seriously, and has put all of himself on the performance. You can hear it.
Who else worked on the track?
A terrific bunch of awarded pros… Paul Fenton (drums) who, besides being drummer for the band CHRISTIE, toured with Jethro Tull and was and is drummer for Marc Bolan’s T-Rex. Kev Moore (Bass) who was bass player for Christie, BC Sweet and Saxon. Hale White (Piano) a Nashville talented guy who worked among the others with Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, Collin Raye. Patrick Lyons (Dobro) who works for Colter Wall. Richard Curran (strings) who worked for the great Bert Jansch. John Heinrich (Whistle) who worked with Barry Gibb, Waylon Jennings etc. Mike Casteel (trumpets) who worked for Percy Sledge and Connie Francis. Catherine Ashcroft (Uillean pipes) member of duo “Mochara” with multi instrumentalist Maurice Dickson, Tanner Bayles (Tin whistle). On the background vocals, an amazing Gospel trio: Fortunate.
The Mastering has been handled by Grammy awarded Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone. Greg is the one who worked with Bowie, Lennon, Dylan and Steve got his Grammy in 2022 for his work with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett.
There are some well known top musicians who have worked on the track, how does it feel to be able to play with such names in the industry?
It feels great but, hey, this is my world. I mean, this is what it was all about from the start. The best thing about working with such an amazing crew is that they know exactly what to do and how to do it. We never did lack communication – and this is something, instead, that proliferates through semi-professional bands. Don’t get me wrong, everyone has his own ego, I have one too, but when it’s about these kinds of giant musicians, well they put aside ego to reach the best result. Everyone steps in his own place and, metaphorically, works (in) his own garden. Success, or the great song, is a question of balance.
Where was the track recorded?
Multiple studios. Basically, Italy, England, USA.
How was the recording process?
A mess. Joking here. The recording process was long and hard, because I wanted the song to sound as it sounded in my head, because I felt that any slight diversion from it would have negatively impacted the final result. So I was really tyrannical this time. I even wrote parts to the drummer, so that he may play it exactly as I needed. Nothing is left to chance in this song.
When will the track be released?
End of May, beginning of June. This depends on how much the videoclip needs to be ready. If all the things roll as they should, we’ve set 20th May as the release date.
When you write music do the lyrics or music come first?
No rules on this. I do not follow a true working methodology. And this also concerns my parallel activity as a poet, novelist, and essayist. Let’s say that my mind is a minefield and the randomness of the day can trigger and light the fuse. A bit like the involuntary memory described by Marcel Proust. Because in any case, I believe that the creative process must be free from the conditioning of any kind. And just as Proust’s involuntary memory is the true memory, because it brings back the object that we are recalling from the dark place within ourselves right where we left it, untouched, with its colors and flavors, so it is concerning writing that comes, for me at least, from a casual stimulus. Of course, as a professional, I can write and I do write songs that develop a voluntary message, but they are not the best ones – at least not the ones I prefer. Generally, when inspiration strikes, I grab my guitar and excerpts of text fall on my head. Sometimes the urge becomes so compelling that I have to get up at night to throw down some musical notes. Have you seen “Jazz singer” with Neil Diamond? The scene where he gets up at night and composes “love on the rocks”? Well, that’s me! To quote one of his most famous successes:
“Well except for the names
And a few other changes
If you talk about me
The story is the same one“
Will you be releasing an album or is it only singles now?
I am strongly wishing to release an album. I have a lot of stuff to work on, enough not for one but two albums indeed. But unfortunately, time is not on my side as it was for Jagger (Lol) and things proceed slowly. But an album will be released, slowly but surely.
Can you give us your social media links?
Thank you for doing this interview, do you have any last messages for your fans and our readers?
I love you guys. Just keep listening to my music and follow me on my channels.
Social Media
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