INTERVIEW WITH
RICHIE RANNO
(Starz)
RICHIE RANNO
(Starz)
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«Peter Scance was an exceptional player in the Billy Sheehan style and it shows on the first Hellcats album. George (DiAna, ndr) is great – we have been playing together for over 15 years. It’s always a pleasure to get on stage with him.... » |
Starz are a legendary band not just for hard rock enthusiasts. They’re one of those essential bands, an absolute cornerstone of the american rock and a source of inspiration for a huge number of following groups from those ones belonging to the hard power pow to those ones which have been more linked to traditional hard rock. The guitarist Richie Ranno is the commander of this authentic institution which is still revered as the primary influence and landmark for the whole scene.
As you know we of Bass, My Fever sometimes choose to break the rule related to bass focusing so as to explore the music and history of worthy and precious artists just as in the case of Richie Ranno who has given us this interview. Clearly we are keen to underline the beauty and strength of the bass on each album of the band, really interesting and very accurate. Starz are a great group whose music we can still enjoy at their amazing live concerts, as soon as this bad moment due to covid-19 will be just a sad memory.
As you know we of Bass, My Fever sometimes choose to break the rule related to bass focusing so as to explore the music and history of worthy and precious artists just as in the case of Richie Ranno who has given us this interview. Clearly we are keen to underline the beauty and strength of the bass on each album of the band, really interesting and very accurate. Starz are a great group whose music we can still enjoy at their amazing live concerts, as soon as this bad moment due to covid-19 will be just a sad memory.
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BMF: Starz are a seminal band in the history of rock, universally recognized as the perfect performers of an hard rock tinged with glam and power pop. At the same time one has the impression that you have never fallen victim to the charts syndrome and you have also maintained a consistent approach. What do you think about that? How was this achieved in your opinion?
Richie Ranno: If anything, we were victims of terrible management and an awful record company.
BMF: Who have been the most influential guitarists and artists for you, both at the beginning and in the course of your career?
RR: Quite a few – The Ventures, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Randy California (Spirit), Albert Lee, Danny Gatton and certainly many other great guitarists.
BMF: Have you ever played electric bass? Do you like it?
RR: Yes, I play it on my recordings. It serves it’s purpose LOL
Richie Ranno: If anything, we were victims of terrible management and an awful record company.
BMF: Who have been the most influential guitarists and artists for you, both at the beginning and in the course of your career?
RR: Quite a few – The Ventures, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Randy California (Spirit), Albert Lee, Danny Gatton and certainly many other great guitarists.
BMF: Have you ever played electric bass? Do you like it?
RR: Yes, I play it on my recordings. It serves it’s purpose LOL
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BMF: In your long path shared with Starz and Hellcats you have played together with great bassists like Peter Sweval, Orville Davis, Peter Scance, George DiAna… Would you like to tell us anything about each of them and their mutual differences as well as similarities?
RR: All great bassists – Peter was very tasteful and also a great songwriter. Orville was very solid, not only as a player but as a person. Peter Scance was an exceptional player in the Billy Sheehan style and it shows on the first Hellcats album. George is great – we have been playing together for over 15 years. It’s always a pleasure to get on stage with him. He has a way of making everyone in the band and the audience feel comfortable and happy !
RR: All great bassists – Peter was very tasteful and also a great songwriter. Orville was very solid, not only as a player but as a person. Peter Scance was an exceptional player in the Billy Sheehan style and it shows on the first Hellcats album. George is great – we have been playing together for over 15 years. It’s always a pleasure to get on stage with him. He has a way of making everyone in the band and the audience feel comfortable and happy !
Peter Sweval
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Orville Davis
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BMF: As a leader, you have recorded a legendary minialbum as Richie Ranno in 1984, and an amazing and precious work under the name of Richie Ranno Group; later they came “Tribute”, “Sub Dude”, “Songs For The Decade Of Greed&Corruption”. Do you think that the first two albums could be finally reissued sooner or later? Are you planning any new releases under your name?
RR: Thank you – all my albums are still available. And, yes, I have recorded lots of new songs but the state of the music industry is so bad that I just haven’t gotten around to figuring out what to do with them.
RR: Thank you – all my albums are still available. And, yes, I have recorded lots of new songs but the state of the music industry is so bad that I just haven’t gotten around to figuring out what to do with them.
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BMF: What about any current project or in the near future? RR: I recently wrote and recorded a full album’s worth of songs with the great Jimmy Kunes, vocalist of Cactus. We should be doing something with that shortly. BMF: Could you talk about your current gear and all the instruments you preferred in the past? RR: That would take up a whole book’s worth of space. But, mainly I used Marshall 100W amplifiers from the 70s. I still use a Marshall 100W amp but it’s a combo with 2 - 12” speakers – Triple Lead Amp. I have countless guitars but I prefer Fender Strats and Musicman Albert Lee guitars. |
Richie Ranno with Jimmy Kunes
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BMF: Now let’s talk about the discography of Starz. Some of your albums have been reissued by the english label BGO and recently there has been a partial japanese reissue in the new format SHM-CD. Have you any other reissue in the pipeline, maybe live records? And what about anything in vinyl? RR: Nothing right now. BMF: Starz are surely an unique group, which was characterized by a strong originality. Is there any band you feel closer to as regards style and approach? And who can be considered as your “natural heirs”? RR: I suppose Aerosmith was similar. There were some mid to late 80s bands (Poison, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Warrant) who told me that they were strongly influenced by us but I really couldn’t say that they actually sound like us. |
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BMF: Just like Starz who have made history in the american hard rock, you are rightly recognized as one of the best guitarists ever. Do you give any lessons? Do you think that it would be possible a further evolution of the instrument in the rock scene? RR: Thank you again. I do give lessons. I have 8 guitar students right now. Guitar has taken a back seat over the past number of years. It’s more of a niche now where there are fans of guitar rock but it is not mainstream anymore. BMF: Getting back to the album as Richie Ranno Group, personally I consider it as a great work of hard rock tinged with blues, which is perfectly played and singed by Neil Sundet. What do you remember about that recording? RR: Yes, I’m very fond of that album. Neil was excellent as well as Peter Scance. I just remember that it was a struggle to get all of us physically together and took 2 to 3 years to finish because we were scattered all over the place. It was a huge disappointment that nothing happened with it and I wound up totally quitting music for 4 years after the album bombed. |
RIchie Ranno Group: (L-R) Peter Scance, Richie Ranno, Neil Sundet and Henk Schipdam.
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BMF: Just out of curiosity. “Live In Canada” has been released only in vinyl, and has subsequently been reissued with the title “Live At El Mocambo”. This is, according to most enthusiasts, one of the most flaming and relevant live record ever. Can we expect to see it reissued sooner or later? Is it availaible in any format?
RR: It’s available on CD through our website, www.starzcentral.com
RR: It’s available on CD through our website, www.starzcentral.com
BMF: On your official website, Starz Central, it is possible to buy such interesting stuff, including some unreleased live tracks. What about your approach to internet sales, how does your experience on digital music selling go?
RR: We made some of our live albums available on the download sites through CDBaby but it really doesn’t sell very well.
BMF: In Italy Starz are surely a cult band among the enthusiasts of rock and hard rock. Have you ever played in Italy? If so, what are your memories about that experience?
RR: No, we haven’t. We signed a recording contract with Frontiers and were looking forward to coming to Italy to play once the album was released but, sadly the band could not complete the album.
RR: We made some of our live albums available on the download sites through CDBaby but it really doesn’t sell very well.
BMF: In Italy Starz are surely a cult band among the enthusiasts of rock and hard rock. Have you ever played in Italy? If so, what are your memories about that experience?
RR: No, we haven’t. We signed a recording contract with Frontiers and were looking forward to coming to Italy to play once the album was released but, sadly the band could not complete the album.
BMF: We’d like you to draw up a list of “desert island records”, without any limits as regards genres and number…
RR: Oh, that’s a tough one – I know I’m going to be leaving some out.
Okay, here we go:
RR: Oh, that’s a tough one – I know I’m going to be leaving some out.
Okay, here we go:
- David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust
- Love/Forever Changes
- Spirit/Dr Sardonicus
- Beatles/White Album
- Stones/every album until Black & Blue
- Led Zeppelin/First three
- Cream/Disraeli Gears
- Hendrix/First four
- Sweet/Desolation Blvd
- Supertramp/Quietest Moments
- Aerosmith/Get Your Wings
- Kiss/First album
- Steve Miller Band/Children of the Future – Sailor – Brave New World
- Yardbirds/Over Under Sideways Down
- The Who/Who’s Next
- Eagles/Hotel California
- Crosby, Stills & Nash/First album
- Derek & The Dominoes
- Cheap Trick/ First three
- Bad Company/First album
- Alice Cooper Band/First four albums.
Luca De Pasquale-Manuela Avino2020
