"All About The Album - 15 Questions" - a brand new section at the RockUnited site where a recording artist with an recently released CD is confronted with 'album'  questions (15 of them, duh!). If you'd like to have your material up here, email: urban "at" rockunited.com (simply replace "at" with your standard @ )

RICKY FERRANTI & The Rusty Miles: "Rusty Miles"

RICKY FERRANTI & The Rusty Miles and their album, "Rusty Miles". It's a 'back to basic' blues/rock album from the land of pizza and pasta? Indeed, it's Italo disco, ehh, blues, inspired by the all-time greats aka the classic roadhouse artists. Find out more about the band and their album, here's RICKY FERRANTI...

How has the reaction to your latest CD been?

I must say that the first reaction has been very good! I had noticed that many people liked the songs preview and after the showcase we did ,many people told me that there were many good songs easy to remember with very good music . This is a good thing , it's not easy to play a song for the first time and to make it pleasant.

How long did this CD take to make from start to finish, recording-wise?

We made many recording sessions in different periods and in different sudios. We recorded drums in one studio and bass in another one and guitars and voices in another ones , I think that from start to finish ,it took many months.

What kind of 'sound', production wise, did you have in the back of your mind, prior to entering the studio?

After I wrote the songs I made a pre production of all the songs using a “sound” clear in my mind. Some guitar tracks I used in pre production I decided to use as final tracks, because they sounded perfect. I decided to use a very natural sound for all instruments.

What kind of input did the producer have during the process?

I produced the CD and during all the recording process I had clear in my mind how every intruments must “sounds”

And are you pleased with the final outcome? (sound - production wise)

Yes, I am pleased. Sound – production wise is exactly what I had in my mind.

Did the producer (you) use any (weird) experimental miking and/or recording techniques?

For the bass, we used 're-amp technique', we record bass track in one studio using Universal Audio D.I. and then in another studio we played that tracks in a bass amp miked with two microphones (dynamic and condenser). So we mixed together 3 different bass sounds for every song.

How did you go on about capturing your 'live sound' in the studio, or perhaps you didn't

No, we didn’t. In this cd there are many instruments that usually we don’t use live, like piano or Hammond or violins and cellos. I wanted a strong rhythm section for most of all the tracks but with differents added instruments and voices.

Please inform us about your favourite songs and lyrical highlights and why?

If I had to choose , I would say “Let me know” because I sing it together with a great female singer and her voice is awesome, or “My eyes on you” inspired by my son's birth. But I must say, I like all 12 tracks!!!

Any overall theme of mood that you're trying to capture while writing songs?

I write songs in a very instinctive way, I play guitar or piano and sing something and sometimes comes out a song, I feel that there is the right moment to write, I feel it inside and so I take guitar and something comes out. I don't feel sad or happy or in some other mood, I feel inspired and so I write.

Does your vision for coming up with music get affected at all by time?

Time changes everything and music changes a lot in this period . I must say that for me has changed the way to manipulate music , using computer recording or other tech stuffs but my vision of the music is the same that I had 20 years ago . In my opinion music is when there is someone that can play an instrument, if the music is played by a computer , for me is another thing.

Did the record company interfere with anything on your "sound" and songs?

No,The record company agreed with me about the CD “sound” and songs.

Are there any 'crazy' behind the scenes anecdotes from these sessions that you can share with us?

Nothing particular, musicians are “normally crazy” I think and nothing can save us. One thing I remember is a vocal technique I used to record voices background in the lower range . This technique consists in going to bad late at night after having drunk many beers and wake up early in the morning and make the voice recording session . Naturally, only low-range voices !!!

How would you describe the sound of your new CD to any potential new fan? 

It’s the sound of a truck that is running on the Highway, sometimes roars and sometimes brakes becoming your Angel that follows you through Rusty Miles until you reach your goal.

Who are your influences and heroes? (music-wise)

I've got many influences like Hendrix, Clapton, Eric Johnson, Albert Lee, Ben Harper, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and many many others. I think the list would be too long!!!!!

If there's anything you'd like to add, say, please do:

I would like to thank everyone had believed in this project and remember that to be a musician is a bless. We give good vibration to people and this is beautiful !!!
Rick/ RICKY FERRANTI & The Rusty Miles

Interview by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom,
Photos from the band's websites   http://www.riccardoferranti.com/
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