I am an old melodic hard rock fan at heart...Boston, Journey, Reo Speedwagon, Nightranger, Rush, Queensryche etc. Get the picture? Zane Petersen who has been involved in that scene in the past, is now the mastermind behind the Solna project, fronted by Pamela Moore. The new ep and full cd have been reviewed elsewhere on this site. An interview with Zane is here - read on...
Hi Zane...not trying to be sexist here, but you will be the first guy I have interviewed for my exclusively female music website :) I am truly thankful for your time.
For the unitiated amongst us, can you tell us more about yourself and your Solna project featuring Pamela Moore (who has already recently been interviewed elsewhere on this site)?
Well, Um, I would be honored to be your first guy guest. I think if you seen me Dave, you’d think I was kinda pretty too! Ha Ha! No, let’s get right down to Solna as to not waste your time; and thank you so much for featuring our latest project. Solna is a project I put together starting in 2005. I had been playing drums since 1979 (30 years now) and played out and toured pretty solid from 1989 – 2000. I did many great shows including openers for Sammy Hagar in 2000, Queensryche at Minneapolis’ “Target Center” (home of our Timberwolves Basketball team), an arena show with 12,000 in attendance, and every weekend we opened for just about every national band you could think of from Great White to Firehouse. In the 90’s, everything was pretty solid here, despite that Seattle grunge thing, which you may not have felt in England, but which wrecked much of the 90’s hardrock “everything hairspray and girlz, girlz, girlz” vibe. At the end of 1999, things in metal were pretty much stagnant in the U.S. I stopped playing music until late 2005 to start a largely financially based Import Music Company called Cd Inzane LLC (www.cdinzane.com on the web). It took many years to get together all the contacts I had at labels, the “niche” market, doing advertising, hiring staff and figuring how the world of importing worked against a very HUNGRY demand for metal, which all went over to your side of the sea late 90’s. The U.S. labels quit promoting metal and rock bands and went on to promoting Britney and Christina. I tell everyone a few words which sums the music scene up for the U.S. from the late 90’s until now, “The fans of metal and rock have always been here, the labels just went away.” Thus now we have this giant explosion of metal, many of which are U.S. band-mates of past 80’s and 90’s acts. All the great labels from AFM, SPV and Frontiers are all on your side of the world. So are the great bands, so it was time to contribute and put a band that would sell well on this side of the planet once again! Of course Dave, we will share Solna with you too, Ha! I started the CD Inzane business and we are one of the only out there (I feel) with a stable market of funds in a world of uncertain economy or job layoffs. Everybody just buys music and loves it! So the music store we built known as www.cdinzane.com the world over took up much of my time, until now. I started licensing band’s for worldwide distro in 2005. After working with 3 of them, selling and promoting them, I started to scratch my head a bit and came up with a plan. Not playing for 5 years (2005 then), I was friends of everyone from Mark Torien (Bulletboys) to Kelly Keagy (Nightranger), but was not involved in anything. I thought, “Geez, why not license music and then pull a cameo with a group I would create to do so.” Sales were no problem anyway for this style of music, that in which Solna was created. Hardrock has always existed and sold even thru hard times. Female fronted bands like Lita Ford (may be on the next Solna disk ;) etc, always drawn the numbers too. What an F’N brilliant idea. In 2005 Jan Akesson from Stonelake and I hooked up. Jan lives in South Sweden, Furulund to be exact. I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We were promoting some of their music and I approached Jan and his friend Peter Grundstrom to write some songs Cd Inzane LLC could use to build a unique project. In April of 2007, Pamela Moore was called in to do 2 songs, both of which were ballads. On April 15th, she flew in and stayed with us for 3 days. During this time a song off the Solna-Eurameric disc called “Sent From Heaven” was also recorded. Shortly after, the songs fell apart. Thus due to the glitches in technology between the platforms of software (protools vs. cakewalk vs. q-base). Another big problem is that you really need to record the drums from the bottom. Only a drummer can hit the click track right on the head. We had the vocals and guitars recorded to a drum machine. My error!!! It took another full year to redo the drums from the bottom up and build everything around it. I mean, I had worked on recording for years but beings this was a “universal” project, “everyone recording his/her own tracks remote”, we had to do some things a little different!”, and it really sucked the first time. There are still a few songs on the “Eurameric” release that feel more “loose” such as “Sent From Heaven”. This is the reason why but it also creates a different “wetness” in these songs. I call it “Rock noise”. It did not hurt I guess. I can no longer listen to “Sent From Heaven”, the key track created to spur of the EP you reviewed a few week’s back Dave. However, most that review, love that song but mostly they love the killer track done by Primal Fear’s Ralf Scheepers called “Celebrate”. Agreed, the best song on the release…
How many members are currently involved in the project?
Currently active? Everyone on the Solna CD is very active with their own slice of the world. They are all touring, working in the studios etc. You take Alex De Rosso, know for best for his work with Don Dokken in 2002, when John Norum (Europe) left to pursue other things. Alex lives in Italy and is always working on new releases, touring or doing guitar clinics. There is one he is doing on Feb. 8th in Italy. He does all kinds of stuff from Namm appearances, to Dokken/Toto tributes to other performances at art institutes. I guess that is why he is so great. I spoke with Ralf on Friday. He and Mat Sinner are getting ready to release the new Primal Fear “16.6” in May under Frontiers Records Italy. They have been solid in the studio and a very solid selling band for Cd Inzane for the past 8 years since our induction. Fabrizio V.Zee Grossi is working on new projects such as “Los Angeles II” for Frontiers right now. He just finished up “From The Inside” with Danny Vaughn of Tyketto but his talents go much deeper. He has worked with ABC, CBS, The Olsen Twins and even EMI Records Italy. He is from Italy. He owns a great production company called “Sound Of Pisces” in L.A. He is always involved. He has a real drive many don’t. I have this same drive to “just do it” that Fab has and these are generally the people I hire or work with. He is a great friend to me in business and when we both have time to sit and have a pizza at Oggie’s ( a great place where George Lynch and many other rockers in Northern L.A. visit). We get along great. Eric Ragno is always running. He’s been all over the world this last year with Graham Bonnet, he’s working with David Readman (PC 69) again, and every other month, he’s a new release out. We were both in China Blue together and it’s selling well for Frontiers also. It features “Tony Mills” from TNT. Everyone is active, but as for Solna, it was a project put together where everyone was “hired” by me to do a specific job. The release was given a specific direction, I was the project manager directive of the outcome, tailored and designed.
And why Pamela Moore?
Everyone has their “ultimate” male and female vocalist favorite. I love Dale Bozzio (Missing Persons) and also Gwen Stefani (No Doubt). Originally, Jan and I had collaborated a song I pushed everyone to do called “Feel Alive”. It was an idea that I did not think would work until about November 2008. That “Ozzy and Lita Ford” song that was huge in the 80’s “Close My Eyes Forever” was what I kinda heard. Pam was asked to be the “Lita” of that song. At that time in 2005, she was the one I seen as a great sound that no one really heard much of other than behind Queensryche. She’d been doing that since 1991. Yes, she’s done other releases for herself such as “Radar” and here solo projects, but she’s not done anything really “metal”. Pamela is the best at what she does. I only stepped in to get the “metal” out of her. She’s not really fond of singing that style and is falling more into industrial dance style (Pamela has just told me that the sound is more heavier ROCK with
Industrial overtones :) ), thus her “Stories From A Blue Room” she’s been promoting while touring with Queensryche. She did well. Do you like Pamela’s voice on the Solna release Dave?
Zane, Pamela's voice is totally awesome mate! Is this your first project involving a female singer
No, I actually was in a high-profile band in the U.S. called “1,000 Pleasures” who had 2 female vocalists, 3 guy musicians. The release is long out of print, released in 1993, but still out there in pockets, but mostly the collector’s of 80’s rock have it tucked away. Big hair, big drums and girlz singing metal make the world spin brother, Ha!
The Solna EP 'SENT FROM HEAVEN' is, the way I see it a melodic hard rocker's sexy dream, and given a good review on this very website. I understand that the full cd, entitled 'EURAMERIC' will be released soon. Can you tell me more about that?
Yes, for sure. The full length is being released in North and South America on April 23rd. It is currently available for preorder at www.cdinzane.com right now. Cd Baby will have it as well as some of the larger one-stops such as www.centurymedia.com and Super D for all other retail stores to purchase. There is a European release scheduled for June 15th, but I cannot disclose any other info at this time do to finalizing of the contract. A Japan release is slated for end of summer on August 24th, 2009 and it will include a bonus song.
And can you tell me more about the names SOLNA and EURAMERIC?
I came up with Solna because in the early 2005 time frame, everyone I worked with during the start of this release, was from Sweden. Many from Stockholm including the artist, Andre’ Beckston. Jan and Pete live southeast of this great city, it just seamed fitting. Solna is a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, their metal capital I believe! It also is a name where you say it and it does not tell you if the band is metal, rock, country or other. Very neutral! Eurameric is explained inside the booklet of the full length “Eurameric” release. It will make sense when you read it so I’ll leave it to the listeners to read about when they pick it up.
Where did you record the CD and how was your experience with Pamela, who I must admit I have been a fan of since her Queensryche days?
The disc was recorded all over. Scratch tracks done in Sweden, Drums and arrangements recorded in Minneapolis, Guitars in Italy and pretty much everything else was done in Los Angeles. Pamela’s first vocals were recorded in Minneapolis and later, the finals were done in Seattle by Geoff Tate’s Bassist (the one he uses on his solo tours), a fellow by the name of Benjamin Anderson. So the disc really was from everywhere and a bit to pull off. Pamela works hard and when matched to “auto-tune”, she is dead on. Pamela and I get along in the business sense the most. She worked hard to complete “Eurameric” so that she could also use it as a bridge until her next solo release comes out later this year. Like I said in the previous questions, Pamela does not really sing metal, she was just asked by me to do so. But, she is a work-horse and was not afraid to redo to make her voice more rock. We added a slight male vocal underneath her pretty voice to add those frequencies needed to make it all cohesive. I think if you listen to the Queensryche stuff, you also find vast quires and so on. I tell you, I really like Pamela’s little quirks she does with her voice! You know, those little endings. She’s a very original voice, very in control, she’s trained for years and she’s grown in a family of other musicians so it’s no wonder she’s been in Queensryche for so long. Her cousin is Berlin’s Terry Nunn. I know, it is brought up in every interview you ready but you get the genetics! Terry was also talented and original…
Are there any songs on the forthcoming 'Eurameric' cd that you particularly like?
The response the band has been getting is the track called “Celebrate”. Ralf Scheepers of Primal Fear really polished that one off. It is a party song, very well recorded with punch drums and killer EVERYTHING! The other that many comment on is “Dreams”, a smooth, super-polished ballad that sounds like something that came out of “Capital Records”. The lyrics are right, the music is smooth, it perfectly ends the release. I am very proud of the arrangement we put together. I did the final cross fades and mastering in Minneapolis with Greg Reierson (Powermad/The Cure) whom has a great studio in the back of Copy Cats, a place where Prince’s drum Bobby Z also works. So there is a lot of magic on all the tracks. Which songs do you like most Dave?
To be honest Zane...I like the lot. Sounds a bit of a cop out I know, but the whole cd is awesome - hence my 10/10 review. It blew my head away and I had to go to Denmark to retrieve it! :) Anyway, with the female scene seemingly bubbling under quite nicely at the moment, are there any future projects planned featuring Pamela Moore or any other female singers?
I would love to work on something METAL and collaborate with Gwen Stefani on something, but that may take years to do as she’s so busy with No Doubt and on her own stuff. My friend Michael T. Ross is currently working with Lita Ford ;) There are many Dave, but there are many out there I would really like to work with that maybe don’t have a HUGE name with the face. One I like in particular is Amanda Harris from a local band called Ginger Jake (www.gingerjake.com and for mp3’s www.myspace.com/gingerjake) so maybe we can incorporate her on the next. There is another friend I worked with in the 90’s called Teresa Blaze. She was in a band called “Zelph Trippe”. She would have finished “Eurameric” had Pamela not been available, but she sings extremely wild and the entire release would have been more “Ralf Scheepers-like”! It would have been a very METAL battle. Yeah, I would like to have Pamela work on some other songs possibly in the future too. I think we should have done a real sexy cover of “Santa Baby” for Christmas time. It would have done well for radio play etc. To tell you the truth, I don’t know if Pamela would really want to do more metal. She seems pretty locked into her busy career and focused on the industrial/dance area. We’ll see…
If possible, would you hit the road with the Solna project? as I have a feeling that Europe would love the music on offer here, and it would go down well live.
Yeah, I actually pushed to do Sweden Rocks Festival and some other 4-6 week tours with China Blue. It is something that would be well received. It however, would be very hard because everyone is international and it would deem 3-4 weeks of playing together to make it a proper valid statement. The thing that is nice is EVERYONE in the band can really play; not “kinda play”, really, really play.
The female fronted rock and metal scene here in the UK could be stronger. It is ok nonetheless and is growing. What are your expectations of the femme rock and metal scene as a whole in Europe and across the USA?
It has always existed. In the 80’s you had Phantom Blue, Lita and Doro. Today you have many new voices but some that still bleed over from 20 years ago. I think the “girl” voice of rock is awesome. It adds a different side to the very heavy METAL part, a side of “innocence” and clarity. It does something cool and funny to your ears and people seem to remember the songs better if there is a female singing.
Musically and spiritually Zane who or what are your personal inspirations?
Number 1: GOD. He created this passion in me that you can get from no where else and he gave me the gift to play. You run into musicians all the time who CANNOT play but that try. I really spend a lot of time looking towards my creator and give thanks to what he’s done for me! On the earthly side, I am a fan of Neil Peart (Rush) and have not missed a tour since 1986! Everything this drummer does has created a part of the way I play. I gave a treat to myself last year and purchased some tickets that were almost $2000 to be front and center at a Rush show. They have it all and do it well. Gwen Stefani is also a massive inspiration! I like these “signature flairs” in artists, something they can do with their voice or their guitar, superior to others doing the same thing. I also am very big on a band from Norway called Pagan’s Mind. They are a systematic progress-metal band where Nils, (their vocalist) also shines in vocal ability and where the band can just “do no wrong”! www.pagansmind.com
When you are not making music, what music do you listen to in your leisure time, and what bands would you class as your favourites?
Lately to calm down my mind that will not stop, I have in the player “Sade”. Smooth. I also love Ricky Petersen, a killer local Jazz/fusion musician who is known worldwide! I work 17+ hours a day, 7 days a week and with Cd Inzane LLC, I am on the phone always as a music buyer, so we are always getting in promo music from Europe in the Powermetal, Progressive Metal and Rock genre’s. I hear it all, but when I’m not listening to music for possible sales interests, I (lately) have been tuning out. I am also stuck on german metal such as Jaded Heart, Gotthard and Shakra. They are my favorites.
And what is the first song that comes to mind that inspired you to be a musician?
Actually two, “Tom Sawyer” and “The Spirit Of Radio”, of course from this Rush freak, Ha Ha…
One more thing:- If 'Eurameric' did well, would you consider a second release under the Solna name?
Yes, but at first I said no. My buddy Tim, whom played some killer bass on the “Eurameric” release suggested to keep it going. Everyone has been so loving of this up-n-coming CD that it would be a shame not to keep going. Dave, did you know we’ve 7 songs being recorded now for the 2010 Solna disc?
A second disc Zane...I shouldn't wish time away but I cannot wait! In wrapping things up, all I can say is good luck with all your future endeavours. We at Ravenheart wish you all the very best for the future. Is there anything that you would like to say to anybody across the world via this website?
Yeah, thank you so much to you all. I get phone calls everyday from the most passionate customers and critics. I love to get the perspective of others whom listen to our music. I think the line-up was really chosen correctly. I know the next Solna is already picked in line-up so you may also be very surprised at a killer follow-up. I also want to thank you Dave, in taking the time to sit down and work with me on something you also believe in. If there is anything else you would like to know from me offline, don’t hesitate to call. …and to all the fans, if you have any questions at all about Solna, please call 763-391-9344 or email me at zane@cdinzane.com and I would be happy to anwer or assist anything you wish to know. CD’s are also available via those contacts or at www.cdinzane.com direct. We ship worldwide you know! Thank you to you all. God bless! Z
Dave Smith (Feb 12, 2009)