An interview with Sun Bell

An interview with Laki Ragazas

 

1. Describe the early years of your musical roots and how your talent was nurtured.

My Mom sang to me from the moment she conceived me. We listened to lots of radio shows because I was born just before TV was available to the public. I had mentors right from the start that were incredible, like Elvis,Shirley Temple and Woody Gutherie. My Grandparents on my Dad's side took me to The Moose Lodge where we saw live bands. At 13 I started to sneak out at night to go to Beatnik Clubs with friends to sing and play music. I played in the school bands and orchestras. My talent was nurtured by my family, friends and my own awareness of loving to sing and
listen to and play music.

2. Were there any events, people or catalysts that were musically influential?

Same as I mentioned above. I realized early that music was a way for me to get around in this world. To deal with being different. I found that most artists/creative people are different in some way and often more accepting.

3. Describe the feel of your new CD entitled, “Songs from the Wild” and how you were sparked to write the songs on it.

'Songs From The Wild' is an eclectic mix of genre including Rock, Blues, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Pop, Folk Rock, Country Rock, Tongue-In-Cheek, and Out & Proud musical stories. It's got a 60's feel yet it's fresh and will broaden your prospective. The desire to express myself, fun, love, life experiences, spirituality, spreading messages of peace and unity, my love of song crafting, singing and performing led me to write 'Songs From The Wild'.It's the beginning of my life's work, living my musical mark in this world.

4. How involved were you in the recording and production of your latest CD?

I was the executive producer through the whole process. I wore many hats during the production. Songwriter, musician, percussionist, director, videographer, photographer, manager, computer graphics...

5. What was it like to have Tom Finch (Big Brother & The Holding Co.) play on your CD?

Tom is very professional, talented, gets the groove right away. It was an honor to have him play on the CD as well as all the musicians who gave such a fabulous display of their musicianship.

6. Who else plays on the CD?

Jan Emerson plays keys and sings, Terry Lee Knierim ~ drums, David Sydney Scott ~ sax, Laurie Roth ~ Flute, Barry Bison ~ keys, Pete Hale ~ Rhythm. They all helped round out the music on 'Songs From The Wild' very nicely.

7. How is the CD being received in the US and abroad?

Fantastic feedback. We've won three awards this year. 'Songs From The Wild' is being played internationally on radio, internet and satellite,and now our DVD of our 'Untamed Heart' music video is available on line now too! There are links on our web site to it and to listen to or purchase 'Songs From The Wild'.

8. Coinciding with your CD release you also released the ‘Untamed Heart’ video. Describe the production and theme of the video. What did you like and/or dislike about it?

Production started over a year ago. We shot at a variety of locations in Sonoma County California. The theme of 'Untamed Heart' is all about honoring the untamed heart in us all, remembering who we are, standing up for our beliefs, leaving our mark in ways good for the environment. It's indie, Native American, Alternative Rock influence. The song, 'Untamed Heart' was channeled to me by my dear,departed feline, Ruby. I loved all the learning throughout the production. I worked with so many animals and people. That was fun. I dislike that we still have to work so hard to bring people's attention to all the issues that I sing about in 'Untamed Heart', being caretakers
of our planet and all living on it.

9. Explain how you got involved with Big Cat Rescue?

One day I got an idea to donate downloads of a song of mine to a good cause. I thought of large cats first because of our logo being a White Tiger. BigCatRescue.org was the first place to respond via email, and I liked their mission statement and what I read about them. They also donated the footage of the White Tiger used in the 'Untamed Heart'music video.

10. Who are the members of your band, Bell the Cat?

Jan and I are the base of 'bell the cat'. We often play as a duo.I play solo with my guitar and harmonica too. The band goes through changes as needed including guests musicians. Auditions have started to find bass,drums and lead guitar for 'live and recorded' performances.

11. What venue have you played that you enjoyed the most?

I really enjoy intimate concerts, home concerts are great. There were many where the people were so fabulous and the people who set it up too were so friendly and helpful. Playing live on radio is a ton of fun too. Reaching so many folks through a mic. Really like the feel of small clubs too. We really enjoy spring and summer outdoor festivals and college gigs.

12. Is there a venue that you play regularly at?

Coffe Catz. It was the place that 'bell the cat' debuted.

13. What does your live set up consist of?

Guitars, electric, acoustic, keyboard, variety of percussions, drums (set/digital) ~ mics and monitors, bass, PA and monitors, banner, posters, flyers, email signups, door person(s), CDs/DVDs, tons of cables,
stands, stools, a variety of effects, 2 - 4 mics and stands for vocals/instruments. If I play solo or Jan and I are duo it is a lot simpler.

14. What music organizations are you affiliated with?

Indieguitarist.com, BMI, CDBaby.com, Sonicbids.com, Outmusic.com, Bread & Roses Organization, lots of others listed on my web site http://www.sunbellmusic.com

15. Do you have your own record & publishing company?

I started SunBell Music years ago when I first really got into songwriting while I lived in Marin County, California.I was very involved in 'Family Light Music Camps' back then and starting my own company was one of the lessons I learned.

16. What was it like to hang out in Haight Ashbury during the 60’s?

When I arrived in the late 60's it had started to change from all the 'peace & love' we heard about to being very full of lost souls on drugs. You had to look harder to find the 'real people', but I always felt like I had guardian angels looking over me and I was usually lucky to find the right people. So I made many memories of the good kind. I met folks who were into the world of music there who hadn't just dropped out but were making waves. Winterland was a happening scene then. I saw my first all women band there, 'The Ace of Cups', that was huge for me!

17. Where did you meet Janis Joplin?

I first ran into Janis Joplin at Woodstock when she was lowered by helicopter right above my head, backstage. As she was lowered she looked down at me and yelled 'fuck man'. Soon as she hit the ground she raced to the stage. A while later she was in Austin at the same time I was. She and a couple of her band mates walked into a club where I was hanging out with some friends. They jammed while we sat there covered with joy!

18. How did you meet Bill Graham?

A friend told me it was Bill's birth day. I gathered up my demo tape, a good bottle of wine, a PR gimmick, wrapped it all up real pretty, and drove off on my motorcycle to San Francisco to Graham's office. I walked in wearing my helmut still, and in my leather cycle outfit. I guess they thought I was a delivery person cause when I asked to see Bill, they pointed me right to his office. Not only did I get to hand deliver my demo and the gifts, but he promised to listen to it on his way home. Which he did! Bill called me back within the week to set up an appointment
with one of his scouts.

19. Do you currently have a promoter or manager? If no, are you looking?

I do all this myself still, but yes, I'd love to have a person take it over that is best for me and all my relations.

20. What has been the highs & lows of your career so far?

Songwriting, performing, rehearsing with Jan and other musicians, getting 'Songs from The Wild' played internationally, the fact that people want to buy it and do, people telling me that they are affected by my music in wonderful ways, these are some of the fantastic ways I have experienced the highs. The lows would be dealing with obnoxious people who are full of themselves.

21. What advice would you give touring musicians?

Play and write from your heart. If you believe in yourself never give up, others will too. Go to the people you trust for advice, constructive criticism and to stay grounded. Make good friends and connections everywhere you go. Don't be shy about 'giving' CDs/DVDs to the right people. Follow your feelings about people. Eat well ~ love yourself. Never forget your roots. Create, create, create. Let the music play and the light shine!

Sun Bell is listed in the female blues and rock categories of the database.

For more information on Sun Bell visit:

www.sunbellmusic.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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"Into the street the Piper stept, Smiling first a little smile, As if he knew what magic slept, In his quiet pipe the while".

Robert Browning

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The best music always results from ecstasies of logic".

Berg

 

 

 

 

 

 

"As to what happens when I compose, I really haven't the faintest idea".

Barber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Tonality is a natural force, like gravity".

Paul Hindemith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It is better to make a piece of music than to perform one".

Cage

 

 

 

 

 

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1. Describe the early years of your musical roots and how your talent was nurtured?

I began playing when I was 14, I didn't have a guitar to practice, so I was learning how to play chords at the back of my right wrist. Although I had some early lessons, nobody showed me any songs, so I had to learn them by myself. "Holiday" by the Scorpions, "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals, "Temple of the King" by Rainbow were some of the very first.

2. Were there any events, people or catalysts that were musically influential?

One of the most vivid memories I have was a live performance of Gary Moore's
"Parisienne Walkways" in a TV show (along with Ian Paice, Neil Murray, Don Airey). I was just 13 and I couldn't believe that such divine music was being performed by simple people! Later on I had some decent guitar lessons with Panos Tsakiroglou, probably the best guitar teacher in Greece, and that pointed me to the right direction. After that I just went on my way.

3. What is the name of your latest CD and how did it come into fruition?

It's self titled, (Killer Sixgun), and it originally began as an effort to show the guitar work that was done so far, so I began making some songs. Although it started as an instrumental project I realized that songs with lyrics work better for everybody, not only musicians. I only did two with lyrics, but from this point on the majority of the songs will be like that. After all, this project is always gonna be guitar driven, so I will always have a chance to play!

4. Who are the members of your band Killer Sixgun project?

I myself play all the guitars, rhythm, lead and acoustic as well as some backing vocals when on stage, John Jeff Touch does the lead vocals and Stelios Tzoumerkas plays bass. We 're still looking for a steady drummer.

5. How would you describe the sound of the band?

You could simply say it's melodic hard rock but I think there's more to it than meets the eye. You can tell it's classic rock but it's saturated by a blues feel. It's hard-edged with a heavy touch but you can hear a lot of melodies. It's filled with passion, it's music from the heart and soul, I think that Killer Sixgun is an ideal vehicle for making some great music.

6. How involved are you in the recording of your projects?

When you 're involved in the production of your music you have to find the way it's gonna sound. We discussed every detail with John Jeff Touch of how the vocals should be recorded and we found the best way possible. And when you have such a skilled vocalist like John the result is only success. The mixing took place in a studio in Thessaloniki and the mastering was done in Digisound studios in Larisa, a digitally equipped studio where I had the chance to participate and determine the
final result.

7. What recording equipment have you used and where have you recorded?

I recorded all the guitars at home, using the Tech 21 amp and a SM58 Shure microphone directly to my computer. Working at home gave me the extra time to perfect my recordings. The bass and vocals were recorded in a studio and I created all the drums using drum samples from my PC.

8. Explain what it was like to be the opening act for Nazareth and HTP (Glenn Hughes - Joe Lynn Turner Project).

Nazareth are one of the most significant bands of the 70's hard rock era, especially in Europe. I was so overwhelmed being on stage before them, just watch the video on my website! It was really inspiring watching Glenn Hughes and Joe Lynn Turner checking the sound before the show. JLT had his guitar on and he was checking his mic playing Bad Company's "Rock Steady". That was a rare moment! It feels great to play before a band whose music you grew up with, and it was a great opportunity to play my music in front of a lot of people (nearly 2500 with HTP).

9. Where have you toured extensively?

I have played more than 1000 shows, and they were almost all of them inside my country. Later on this year, now that I'm trying to promote the Killer Sixgun project, I will be looking for some new venues to play.

10. What has been the highs and lows or your career so far?

Definitely the highest peak so far is that people are learning about my music through the Killer Sixgun project. I have received stunning reviews from all around the world and many enthusiastic comments from people, especially in the
MySpace page (www.myspace.com/killersixgun). Probably there are lows but I can't recall any, I always feel so overwhelmed making music and playing live, I never feel like having a hard time.

11. Do you have your own record & publishing company?

No, I don't have my own record company, I 'll make a PayPal account for selling the CD and maybe I 'll try to find some company to publish it.

12. What does your live set up consist of?

For smaller gigs I use a Tech 21 60 watt Trademark amp and for bigger gigs I use a Marshall MKII 100 watt with a 300 watt speaker. The pedals I use are always the same,a Dunlop CryBaby Wah pedal, an Ibanez Tube Screamer overdrive, a Boss Super Chorus and a Digitech DigiDelay. And finally guitars. I have an Antique White Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Honeyburst Les Paul Standard and a Gibson Firebrand model. When I play acoustic I use an Epiphone, which is quite cheap but it sounds good, I use it in recordings as well.

13. Do you play any other instruments?

I can play bass and some keyboards, when I took the Harmony certificate I had to do some Bach and Mozart on the piano, but I don't really play them the way I play guitar. But I am quite aware of how every instrument in a hard rock band should play, and I'm always in a position to guide everybody through a song. This is always good when you have a nice musical idea in your head and you try to pass it on to your bandmates.

14. Which TV shows have featured your music?

I have performed live in various shows over some of the biggest Greek TV channels, getting some good exposure, but the best of all was "Jamming", a TV show from a national channel that also had satellite transmission over Europe. I played dozens of times in that show, had the chance to play live on the air and show my music to the people.

15. You have been awarded a number of scholarships to pursue music. Explain.

A friend of mine showed me a Guitar World magazine that had the Atlanta scholarship contest and encouraged me to send a demo, I sent a recording I had made with a good friend and great guitarist, Sotiris Gogos, and they selected us to the 12 finalists. One year later a Berklee scholarship team came to Thessaloniki and I applied for an audition, I went and played "C Storm", an instrumental song which is included in the Killer Sixgun first album and I won a $5000 scholarship.

16. What is your new teaching approach?

When you play guitar it is essential that you understand what you do. You can spend thousands of hours trying to strengthen your fingers and learning some cool licks
but you have to be able to use them wisely. You have to know what key you play in, the chords you use and what phrases fit on them, keep up with the tempo, etc. For the students all this information has to be very clear. So you have to show the kids that however complicated, it's just a scale, just a chord, just a phrase over it. I'm planning to make a book so I can explain all these things.

17. When your not touring, do you play at a regular venue?

There are some small places here in my hometown, Thessaloniki, where we play usually unplugged, giving us the chance to make music and have some fun, along with friends. It 's not something particularly regular but we play a lot like that.

18. What are some of your favorite venues to play?

I 've played in festivals in front of thousands of people, I 've also played electric or unplugged in small places with small audiences. I love both situations, the big ones because of the high energy from and towards the crowd and the small ones because of the contact you have with the people. One of my favorites is "Hydrogeios", the place I opened for Nazareth, (we got one coming up in the same place on December 2nd, supporting UFO, can't wait!) with a 1000 people capacity and a great sound system.

For more info on Laki Ragazas visit:

www.killersixgun.com