Pigeon Opinion Interview

https://www.pigeonopinion.com/post/2025-singles

(•)> Are you still into rock n' roll dispite mainstream rock being almost dead?

Are we still into rock and roll in 2024, almost 2025? That's an easy question to answer. Our heads are in 1974, although some of the band members go back as far as 1968 with their MC5, Blue Cheer, Vanilla Fudge, and The Small Faces fixation. We're mostly a 70s-inspired retro rock band, but we are all original. So in our minds, we're not competing with anyone contemporary.. We are competing with the greats of yesteryear, such as Rory Gallagher, Uriah Heep, Nazareth, Deep Purple, Spooky Tooth, Grand Funk, Iron Butterfly, and Mountain. So there's your answer. We are still into classic rock because classic rock is alive and well as long as we are around. I know it is a bold statement, but it's also a system of belief.

(•)> A little bird told me your music journey started with a bunch of mistakes in the Baltic. Do you remember those mixtapes? If yes, what music was inside of them when you hit play?

Now, about the Baltic adventure, I would hardly call it a mistake, more like a series of happy accidents. Yes, it's true, my dad bought me a mono tape recorder back in 1980 when we were vacationing in the Baltics. Estonia, to be more precise. And yes, it did come with two wonderful, stupendous, fabulous mixtapes filled to the brim with hits of the day by the likes of David Bowie, Amanda Lear, Dschinghis Khan, Baccara, ABBA, Boney M, and ELO. Those were probably my earliest influences, musically speaking, and still my brightest memories of rock and pop of the era.

(•)> What awesome CDs did you acquire lately? Do you have a CD tower in prder to expose those beauties to the world? If not, where do you keep your CD collection?

As far as my latest procurement, it's actually a Kevin Ayers 8 CD box set. It's called All This Crazy Gift of Time, a chock full of treasures, not just his period albums starting with A Joy of a Toy, but also rarities, BBC recordings, and so forth. A true delight. I do have countless CDs, it's true. Lavish, comprehensive box sets are the way to go. Individual CDs are still stacked on my wall racks. And box sets are aptly stored in boxes. There are some truly mammoth ones that are worth mentioning. By Camel, Caravan, Family, Streetwalkers, Ian Hunter, Steve Hillage, Uriah Heep, Judas Priest, Wishbone Ash, and Nazareth. There's also the new one by John Mayall. Documenting everything he did with the Blues Breakers and solo, from the very beginning in 1964 up through 1974. It's called The First Generation. And the second volume is coming. This is quite an expensive hobby, but for a collector like myself, it's so totally worth it.

(•)> What are your favorite records from the 70s and what's the 70s magnum opus?

My all-time top favorites from the 70s include Sutherland Brothers - Beat of the Street, Smokie- Midnight Cafe, The Sweet - Desolation Boulevard, Status Quo - Blue for You, Uriah Heep - Look at Yourself, Montrose - Jump on It, Queen - A Night At The Opera, Rory Gallagher - Blueprint, Nazareth - Malice in Wonderland, Wishbone Ash - Pilgrimage, Gilbert O'Sullivan - Stranger in My Own Backyard, Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation, Golden Earring - Switch, UFO - Phenomenon... And so on and so forth. If I had to think long and hard, and I really didn't, the Definitive Magnum Opus from the 1970s - The Electric Light Orchestra's Out of the Blue - a Double Album.

(•)> What was the best horror flick you' ve seen lately and why?

And finally... Horror Flicks. I don't really watch them because the news these days are full of horror. I do have a favorite from 1976, called Blue Sunshine.

An Interview with Mad Painter
Lelahel Metal

https://www.lelahelmetal.net/2024/12/interview-mad-painter.html

Mad Painter seamlessly blends classic 70s rock nostalgia with a unique modern twist. With their upcoming single Debt Collector and their third album Island Poetry, the band continues to captivate fans of vintage heavy rock.

1. Your upcoming single, Debt Collector, captures a distinct 1970s vibe. What inspired you to embrace this nostalgic sound, and how do you infuse it with a modern edge?

The single’s already out on all streaming platforms, and on YouTube you can also find the “live in the studio” version, as part of the “Music Alive North Shore” TV show. I don’t really know what a ”modern edge” is these days. I had a pretty good idea, say, between 1990 and 2010, before the music industry changed beyond all recognition. And I tried my best to avoid it by all means possible. But Mad Painter have been around since late 2015, and our look, sound and the stage show have always been “retro”. It’s all original melodic heavy rock, classic rock style. When you mentally compete with the greats of yesteryear, you wind up with the sound similar to ours. Our bass player likes to say “My head’s in 1974”, but he goes back as far as 1967 on his influences. The band’s comprised of six unique individuals with own personal tastes in music, but I think where we all overlap is Deep Purple and Uriah Heep, which explains the patented Mad Painter sound. I am proud to say, we do have our own sound that’s impossible to mistake for anyone else, past or present.

2. Mad Painter has been active since 2015. How has the band evolved musically since its formation, and what milestones have shaped your journey so far?

When I first started the project, it was a trio (keyboards, bass, drums), and over the years the line-up has changed a few times. I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way, growing it from scratch, without a label, a manager or any other system of support. For instance, our live debut was in October 2016 at MIT, and it was just awful, even after months of guitarist auditions and regular practices. I simply didn’t know what I was in for, and the lack of experience having my own band definitely showed. There were a few times when I had to scrap the whole thing and rebuild it from scratch, with a brand new team.

In 2016, we released our first album, self-titled, and it had great songs but very rudimentary, almost garage-like, production. It was a digital-only release, not on physical media. It wasn’t until seven years later that we released Splashed, a long-player of 17 tracks and a mixture of heavy rock and pop, all melodic, well arranged and expertly produced. This one came out on CD, twice, in fact. First on CD Baby and then on the Italian label Epictronic. Along with it we had two singles and promo videos, which you can also find easily on YouTube, “Rock and Roll Samurai” and “Illusion”.  The line-up’s been stable since early 2021, and that is when I felt things started to really get off the ground. There’s great camaraderie within the band, as well as musical chemistry. We are six unique individuals with our own preferences, but if we didn’t have music or ethos in common it wouldn’t have worked.

Over the years we’ve played at various summer festivals, which is always fun, starting with the Winter Tangle in the Poconos in January 2017, then Echo and another Winter Tangle in Kingston in 2022. We do have a small “cult” following in Boston, more like an extended family or circle of friends who dig each other’s music, but when we play these open air fests, the atmosphere is totally different. In Kingston, for instance, we got a rip-roaring reception, our bass player instantly called it “Paintermania”.

3. The lyrics for Debt Collector were written by poet Dmitry M. Epstein. How did this collaboration come about, and what does Dmitry bring to the table as a lyricist?

Dmitry writes unusual and abstract lyrics, which I’ve not actually seen anyone else out there capable of writing. His art is unique. When I read some of his poems, I feel an instant connection and the melody in my mind is born instantly.

I believe it all started with “I’ve Been A Fool” and “Illusion” (both on the Splashed album). On these two, I came up with the melody first, as well as the general “motif”.

Next came “Samurai”, which was intended for someone else; it’s about a road-weary rock veteran, a “warrior of yesteryear”, pondering his life’s path and current posture. I just snagged it and wrote the music instantly.

And now six more pieces of his have been put to music and you’ll hear them on our upcoming album, Island Poetry.

4. The Hammond organ straight through a Marshall amp is an unconventional choice. Can you tell us about the decision to use this setup and the impact it has on the song's character?

I once heard that this is what Deep Purple’s Jon Lord did for the early albums like In Rock and Fireball, and I decided to give it a go.  A Hammond B3 can of course sound distorted and menacing through a Leslie, but the Marshall amp gives it that extra growling edge. It’s like Leslie’s evil twin. For an organist it’s also a mental shift, albeit a temporary one. With Leslie you’re always tempted to try switching from no spin to low speed and then to high speed rotation, which gives your sound that classic “whirl” and shimmer. With the Marshall, it’s just straight up grit and anger. I mean, listen to the solo on “Fireball”, it sounds extremely pissed off!

Yet, Debt Collector is not that kind of track (perhaps in the “anger” stakes, Stand Your Ground wins hands down, just wait for the new album to hear it!)  It’s more bluesy and laid back, as I modeled it after another Purple classic, “Place In The Line”. But with more “showbiz” pizzazz, courtesy of Julie and Sharon’s artistic backing vocals. And as the lyrics are clearly tongue in cheek, it’s always reminded me of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. So it’s a mixture, which in a way makes it unique.

5. You recorded Debt Collector at Tom Hamilton's studio in Peabody. What is it about this studio and your relationship with Tom that keeps you coming back?

For one thing, we’re both virgos, having been born on the same day in September, only 12 years apart. Which means we’re both perfectionists obsessed with minute details. Ever since Kenne, our bassist, introduced us back in late 2020, we just clicked and have been working together ever since. He knows exactly what needs to be done when it comes to Painter, and I wouldn’t ever trust our songs to anyone else. His production style, in our case at least (I can’t speak for other bands he’s working with) is a throwback and a time capsule. He knows exactly how to keep that “modern edge” off our records and give them an authentic vintage sound. “Debt Collector”, for instance, really does sound like Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper) and Martin Birch (Deep Purple).

6. Your influences include bands like Deep Purple, Nazareth, and Alice Cooper. What elements of their music resonate most with Mad Painter, and how do you incorporate them into your own sound?

In the case of Deep Purple and Uriah Heep (and we’ve done quite a few Heep covers over the years) it’s the pivotal interplay between the guitar and the Hammond organ. There’s always that “competition” in the mix. It’s right there, up front. With bands like Nazareth, Slade, Sweet and Status Quo, it’s the dynamics, the atmosphere, and the “zeitgeist”, of “you had to be there” variety. If you think back to the albums they released between 1973 and 1975, to me that’s like the “Mount Rushmore” of classic rock. And the singles, too. I mean “Ballroom Blitz” I first heard at the age of 11, and I still think it’s the best rock’n’roll song ever written or recorded.

7. The single has a tongue-in-cheek lyrical approach, reminiscent of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. How important is humor or satire in your songwriting?

Very. To date, we’ve only written one political song, “Never Mind”, and it sounds almost transatlantic, with the US and UK references peppered throughout in equal measure. But the even more challenging aspect is to try and write lyrics which would apply and be relevant and relatable 50 years ago. I believe we’ve achieved that. On “Never Mind” I was just making fun of the type that goes with the flow and believes all the usual mainstream media sources. And winds up being fooled. “You may read the Guardian or Daily Mail, but either way all facts are for sale, etc.” No, I don’t like self-quoting.

Something like Debt Collector you can’t possibly take seriously. It’s like a deliberate parody of a pimple faced teenager who wants to “try your heart on my door opening technique”. I mean, the awkwardness is so to the fore, it’s comical.

8. Your performances often feature a dynamic lineup, including vocals, keyboards, backing vocals, and flute. How do these elements enhance the live experience for your audience?

We have quite a few what I’d call “jam tunes”. That’s when we all spread our wings and stretch our musical muscles. On “Nektarized”, “Two Horsemen” and “I Am The King” (all part of the upcoming album) there’s plenty of room for everyone to play solos, guitar, Hammond, synths, piano, and yes, flute.  Sharon’s our flute player.

9. Your third album, Island Poetry, is set for release under the Italian label Epictronic. How does signing with this label change the game for Mad Painter, and what should fans expect from the album?

We used to use digital distribution outlets and release our music “on the cheap”. What this does is it buries our product beneath the endless wall of “white noise”. No matter how unique we may think we are, there’s everyone else and their grandma literally working on portable home studios and releasing “albums” on Spotify straight from their bedrooms.

Epictronic has been a game changer simply because there’s the extra promotional push involved (Wormholedeath, its parent label, is reputable worldwide) and the much needed distribution in markets like the EU and Japan. And it’s a CD release, so we actually go through the process of conceptualizing and designing the front and back covers as well as inserts, the old fashioned way.

10. Your music primarily appeals to fans of classic blues-rock. How do you plan to reach and engage a wider audience while staying true to your roots?

We really straddle several directions, so classic blues rock is only one of our facets, there’s a few more. Psychedelic rock, vintage prog, etc.  I’ve not really thought about attracting a wider audience, it may be a futile pursuit if someone’s into Sleaford Mods and never heard of Status Quo or T.Rex, right? We’re universes apart. But I’ve noticed a strange, yet inevitable phenomenon in the last decade or two – people flocking to see tribute bands playing the music of Queen, Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, AC/DC, you name it. And I’d love for us to get noticed by that crowd, cause I know that’s our ideal audience. We’re 99% original (1% covers), but that’s what gives us that edge over straight up tributers and copyists. We are influenced by a lot of different classic bands, but we’re not trying to copy anyone in particular.

11. With Debt Collector serving as the second single from Island Poetry, what themes or stories connect the tracks on the upcoming album?

Our previous single and video, “Empty Bottles”, is about hopelessness and isolation, yet it has a message of optimism, sort of pointing at that light at the end of the tunnel. It’s there, but only if you care to notice. “Nektarized” is a quasi-nonsensical stream of consciousness on the surface, but the lyrics are stitched together from various song and album titles by the German-British prog legends Nektar. The aforementioned “Stand Your Ground” is a leftover from the band’s early years, 2017, when I tried my best to write a metal song in the vein of the late Lemmy Kilmister, only imagining what he would sound like if he were really mad. Treading carefully on that edge between tongue in cheek humour and wrath! “I Am The King” is an existential and almost biblical tale, influenced by the Italian troubadour Angelo Branduardi. It’s that dichotomy of “I am eternal” vs. “I am nothing”. Sort of like the creator and His creation rolled into one being. “Spin Your Ventilator” is one of Dmitry’s poems, which just came together as a seemingly mindless AC/DC type headbanger. I won’t cover the full album, want to leave some surprises intact for next year, which is when it’s coming out.

12. Finally, what do you hope listeners take away from Debt Collector and Mad Painter's music as a whole? Are there particular emotions or experiences you aim to evoke?

Yes, we’re looking for our audiences to enjoy themselves and have a good time, whether they’re listening in their living room or live at a club. Unlike any other original band out there, safe for a few exceptions like The Lemon Twigs or Magic Potion, we’re sort of sending a message into the universe, saying, hey, if you’re head’s still in 1974, it’s OK, relax, we’ve got you covered. It wasn’t OK back in the 80s or 90s, when the music industry had very stringent rules and you HAD TO conform. But now it’s OK to be yourself again. If you want to go back in time, grow your hair really long and don a pair of bell bottoms, who’s stopping you? If you crave original rock in that same spirit – you’ve come to the right place.

Mad Painter interview - Empty Bottles

What can you say about this new release?

-          The new release is our first single from the new upcoming album, Island Poetry. The single is called Empty Bottles. It’s a riveting rock’n’roll with a penchant for nostalgia for the golden days of rock’n’roll, i.e. the 1970s. Echoes of British glam – Mott the Hoople, Sweet, married to an uplifting organ swirl and a new wave style synth line in the intro and the outro. So it is a bit of a mix of genres, but if there’s one thing Empty Bottles isn’t it’s “modern”.  It’s just not meant to be. Lyrically it takes you back to the sorrowful and sordid times of the pandemic lockdowns, when there was ostensibly nothing else to do but sit at home and drink. The song does, however, have a message of optimism, if you persevere, you will overcome your current obstacles, no matter how insurmountable they may seem or feel, and will triumph in the end.  Life is still worth living and is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest.  After all, that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?

How was the recording process of the single?

-          It was very similar to any other number on our prior or our next album. Al Hendry, the drummer, usually goes in, patiently waits for the producer to set up all the necessary and critical bells and whistles. Then nails it with one take.  We sit back and listen, and he says, no, I’d like another take. Although the one he just did was perfect! And then he knocks another brilliant one out. Two or three takes, and the drums are done. No fuss. Then the bass. Kenne Highland is an emotive and spontaneous player and is usually a guitarist, but in our band he plays bass. It usually takes a bit longer to do the bass tracks, but with some “Pro Tools surgery”, it’s still possible to complete them within a reasonable period of time. At the same time, we record my “scratch” vocals and keyboards. Once I get the rough mix of a song, I take it home, in order to add the real keyboards in my studio. The producer, Tom Hamilton, and I work using Dropbox and One Drive for uploading and downloading work-in-progress  files. Following this, I return to do the real lead vocals and sometimes I invite Sharon and Julie to add their backups. It may happen in the same session or a different one. Once that’s completed and there’s a new mix, we invite Al Naha to record the guitar tracks. He usually prepares in advance and comes in knowing what to do, just like Al. And, following all that, the mixing begins. Tom’s usually on his own coming up with the mix, shares it and asks for our opinion. We usually weigh in, asking to change this or that – for instance, increase echo and reverb on the vocals, change the guitar/keyboard ratio or something along those lines. Tom knows our sound and what we want, so it’s a very efficient mode of operation. After about a third attempt, the mix is finally ready and if it’s a single we can’t wait to release, the final stage is mastering. It’s become a comfortable routine and one we’re now quite familiar with and fond of.

Can you shortly describe the track for us?

-          I am not a guitarist, but I wanted an intro resembling Status Quo’s “Caroline”, so I did it on a synth. The chorus is a singalong that is quite catchy, “You can do anything that you want if you really want to…” It originally came to me as a “country rock” song in the vein of Smokie. But the way it’s turned out it’s anything but mellow or laid back. Especially the high octane rhythm guitar throughout! The drum break in the chorus is from “Saturday Night”, Bay City Rollers, although the Ramones may have had something very similar.

Who or what inspires you to write songs?

-          Each songwriter, whether they will admit it or not, is a total sum of the music they hear, enjoy and consume.  Sometimes a song just comes to your head when you least expect it. Just like that, out of thin air. And it’s hummable, so you reach for a pen and a piece of paper and get it down before it escapes. Other times, it’s the composers, players or performers you enjoy.  To be inspired is not the same as to be motivated. I often feel inspired by the people I look up to, whether still among the living or not. So one day it could be Ritchie Blackmore or Ken Hensley or Rory Gallagher, the next – Brian Connolly of the Sweet. Also, there’s a difference between inspiration and influence. You may be influenced by certain bands, draw a certain amount of inspiration from another set of bands, and feel motivated by the career span and trajectory of yet another set of bands.

Which bands inspires the sound of Mad Painter?

-          That is a loaded question. We are an amalgamation of influences, each player has a unique taste palette, but somewhere in the middle we all intersect.  We overlap on the heavy, bluesy epic rock of the 1960s and 70s. Vanilla Fudge, the MC5s, Blue Cheer, Mountain, Iron Butterfly, Grand Funk Railroad, Steppenwolf, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Nazareth, Quo, Sweet, Slade, Procol Harum, Spooky Tooth. But we have a unique and patented Painter sound, which is now hard to confuse with anyone else.

Whom would you like to feature with? Like your dream collaboration?

-          Never thought about inviting a “name” muso to make a cameo on one of our songs, that would be fantastic of course. But have to think more about it. But as far as sharing a bill, open for a legendary band, thinking about the bands that have played in our neck of the woods in the last decade, then either Michael Schenker Group or Wishbone Ash. These guys play at venues like the Narrows Centre for the Arts and the Bull Run, and it would be lovely to get a gig, opening for them.

How is the independent and underground scene in your country?

-          To tell you the truth, we’ve not really kept tabs on our competition.  It makes very little sense, as we’re not really competing with what’s out there now, today, we’re competing with the acts we all look up to, who were big and happening 50 years ago. Someone like Argent, for instance. If we were around back in 1974, we could be sharing a bill with Argent, and that would’ve been a dream come true. Just to provide one example. The competition today is very stiff, gigs aren’t too easy to come by at all. Especially in the Boston area. I keep hearing band names treading the same circuit as us, people like Muck & The Mires, but we’ve not really checked anybody out. Everyone’s doing their own thing, but a lot of today’s local bands sound very much alike.  We’re mining our own seam and have our own unique and dedicated fans. And it’s cool like that.

What are your plans for the future?

-          Hopefully branch out into other territories beyond just the greater Boston area, play festivals, record more albums, singles, videos, cause we know somewhere out there people are wondering, what are Mad Painter up to next?

Mad Painter - Jan 2024 
Interviewed by: Laura Williams, Vinyl Lollipops 

https://vinyllollipops.com

Al Nahabedian (Al Naha) – Guitars
Kenne Highland – Bass
Alan Hendry – Drums
Alex Gitlin – Vocals, Keyboards
Sharon Crumrine – Vocals, Tambourine, Flute
Julie Gee - Vocals

Laura: What genre of music do you consider Mad Painter to be?

MP: Is there such a genre as 70s rock?  That would be ideal. But then, if you say that, you get tagged as a tribute band. We're not copying anyone in particular, just absorbing the vibes of the best era in the history of rock. A lot of people call us "psychedelic". There's a strong 60s and 70s garage/punk influence on one end of the spectrum (Nazz/Stooges/MC5/Blue Cheer/Ramones/The New York Dolls) and classic melodic/heroic/dramatic rock on the other.  The influences really run a wild gamut from Grand Funk, Spooky Tooth, Mountain, Small Faces, Mott the Hoople, Cactus and Iron Butterfly to Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Argent, Wishbone Ash and Rainbow. So you can draw your own conclusion – it is a mix. But we do have our own unique sound, although I wouldn't be so bold as to state that we've created our own genre!  No. It's screaming, distorted guitars and epic Hammond organ and harmony vocals to match. Our live set is always rambunctious, we like to shake things up and try our best to whip our audiences into a euphoric frenzy. 

Laura: What’s the ultimate direction for your band?

MP: Musically, as well as stage show-wise, if we can fool the audience into thinking they've been transported 50 years back in a time machine, we've done our job. As for the future, who knows.  The "Splashed" album is a hybrid, half-hard rock (and some even say progressive), and half – orchestrated ballads, blues, pop.  This latter half was a detour. Last year we released two singles, "Illusion" and "Rock and Roll Samurai", as well as promotional / staged videos.  That kind of set the direction for the forseeable future.

Laura: How would you describe your music-making process? 

MP: Sometimes the lyrics come to mind first, not the entire thing, but just snippets, like a catchy chorus idea.  Then more lyrics follow, once I've had a chance to sit down and analyze where the message is going. More often than not, the melody appears before everything else, and then I try to come up with suitable lyrics.  We're in the middle of recording a follow up to our Splashed album, and our lyricist-in-chief, Dmitry Epstein, has been kind enough to provide the lyrics for a lot of our new numbers, including the ones we're already road-testing live.

Laura: Why call the band “Mad Painter?”

MP: It's just what we do.  Sonic painting.  Throwing notes, harmonies, choruses, solos and other aural bits onto the canvas that is either our live audience or the studio mixing board. And it takes a madman to create something really special – look at van Gogh! Was he a "normal, average guy"? Not at all. It takes a mindset of a "madman" to create our type of music.

Laura: What should fans expect to experience at a show?

MP: A healthy dose of authentic, old-fashioned rock'n'roll, for one thing. If you like it loud, you've come to the right place.  We're not a bone-crunching, skull-crushing, eardrum-splitting metal band. But once upon a time The Who and Deep Purple were known as the loudest bands on the live circuit.  I think the same context applies to us.  Dynamics is another thing. Rock music is a game of contrasts, light and shade, slow and fast, lull them into a sense of "false security", then boom! A sonic attack. This is what the likes of Black Sabbath and Hawkwind have excelled at. Finally, variety. We don't stick to any one genre, strictly speaking, that would be boring.  There are elements of jazz, blues, glam rock, pub rock, pop, space rock, everything and a kitchen sink. What we DO NOT have are modern influences.  We are a "70s band", so if you're looking for a more modern sound, you won't be getting it from us. We are a period piece.

Laura: Typical question here.  Who has influenced you the most via music?

MP: As a songwriter/composer, I think I can cite Uriah Heep and Deep Purple. As a teen, I was into ABBA and Chris De Burgh, who released a plethora of brilliant albums in the 70s, prior to The Lady In Red. Slade, Sweet, Status Quo, Suzi Quatro, Mud and Wizzard are all in there.  As for the rest of the band, the influences are very diverse, but we do intersect somewhere and have fun during rehearsals. Which makes for great chemistry live and in the studio.  We do overlap on our musical tastes and all come from the same era, both musically and aesthetically.

Laura: How can fans and future fans locate, listen to and buy your music? 

MP: Our first two albums, "Mad Painter" (2016), and "Splashed" (2023) are available on all streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music. "Splashed" is out on the Italian label Epictronic, and the CD is coming out shortly. On the internet you can find us at 

https://madpainter.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/madpainter1/
https://www.instagram.com/madpainterband/
https://twitter.com/painter_mad

Laura: Is there anything else you would like your fans to know?

MP: If you're in the Boston area, please keep an eye on our website and socials above. The Jungle in Somerville has become our "stomping ground", and we're starting to pick up more dates at the Square Root in Roslindale. If you see a show on the calendar, do stop by and say hello!  In 2024 we are looking to break beyond the Boston market, possibly into Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. 

Laura: What is coming up next for Mad painter?

MP: We've made our New York City debut last year at the Parkside Lounge, and are very much looking forward to coming back there. The reception was beyond wonderful. Also, there are possibly Long Island gigs and summer festival dates on the books. Stay tuned. Most importantly, the follow up album to "Splashed" is progressing nicely in the studio. It'll take a while with the mixing and mastering, not to mention finishing the tracks (9 or 10 out of 13 already in the can!), well, that's something to look forward to in the next year!

© Vinyl Lollipops 

All Rights Reserved

Breathing The Core interview - September 2023

http://www.breathingthecore.com/2023/09/interviews-mad-painter.html

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that? 

I had this crazy idea of putting together a band circa 1990 and calling it Mad Painter. Why? Because as a musician, singer and songwriter I’ve always viewed myself as a “sonic” painter. I paint with notes. Now that I have a solid band, WE paint with aural palettes and colours, which are rhythms, notes, solos, chords, etc. Nothing came out of it at the time and I put the idea on hold for a very long time. It was just a wacky fantasy of mine. But then, many decades later, I got together with two friends for an impromptu jam after Christmas 2015; things just started to gel and we took it to the next level. 

2. Why did you want to play this genre? 

There was no choice, really. It's who I am. And I think it goes for all current Mad Painter members. We're not classical or jazz players. We're into rock. We all grew up on the 60s British beat and psychedelia, from the Small Faces to The Move and Procol Harum, the American "raw power" in the early 70s, Grand Funk, Dust, Frijid Pink, MC5, Mountain, and mainly the glam, hard and prog rock from the first half of the 70s, from Bowie, Sweet, Mott, Faces and Suzi Q to Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Rainbow, Nazareth. We do wear our influences on our sleeves and they're pretty diverse. For me in the early-mid 90s, as a 20-something it was a very easy route to take, 1970s escapism. Because everything that was happening in music at the time was so repulsive. That was a time of great discovery for me. But my bandmates, who were mostly born in the 1950s, actually LIVED it in the first place. So musically they're the only kind of musicians I feel I could connect with. There were many false starts and misfires prior to this lineup coming together. If I got together with people my age, I'd be hearing all the wrong sounds borrowed from Metallica, Dream Theatre, Malmsteen, whatever, and it bothered me. Those aren't my styles and they're not part of the Painter universe. With this lineup I feel it's important to be friends and musical soul mates, it makes all the difference in the world. 

3.  Did you know each other before the band was formed? 

Sort of. The Boston scene is interconnected. One way or another you're bound to run into someone who knows someone else. I met Kenne, veteran of the Boston and Mid Western rock scene, in early 2017 at a Painter gig in Cambridge, at the Out of the Blue gallery. We were a guitar-less trio – just me on vocals and keys, and a rhythm section. And he approached me after the show and compared our sound to Aphrodite's Child, a huge compliment. So one thing led to another and he joined us, first on guitar and then bass, when the previous bassist quit. After the Covid malaise of 2020, we switched drummers too, and it was another friend and bandmate of Kenne's, Alan Hendry. And finally, he brought along another friend and bandmate, guitarist Al Naha, and the "corporate takeover" of Painter was complete. Kenne's got his own Kenne Highland Airforce, and the lineup is very similar, although the sound's totally different. 

4.  Each band member's favourite band? 

Alex Gitlin, vocals and keyboards: Status Quo, Uriah Heep 
Alan Hendry, drums: King Crimson, Genesis, Jethro Tull 
Kenne Highland, bass: Stooges, MC5, New York Dolls, Velvet Underground 
Julie Gee, backing vocals: Elton John, Queen 
Al Naha, guitar: Laibach, The Fall 

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs? 

It's a sonic vision. It's like a muse, it can visit you at any time, anywhere, even in your sleep. I grew up on classic Uriah Heep (Lawton, Byron on vocals) and Mk II and III of Deep Purple (Gillan, Coverdale). And I've always been fascinated by the sound of Hammond organ. Whether distorted or jazzy, with or without percussion and vibrato, different drawbar settings, etc. My late friend Eddie Hardin (Hardin York, Butterfly Ball, Wizards Convention, etc.) was my mentor. And the late Ken Hensley created such sublime dreamy soundscapes, he's really the main melodic influence on me. Our two singles off the forthcoming album, "Illusion" and "Rock and Roll Samurai" speak for themselves. 

6. Where was your last gig? 

The Jungle in Somerville. We come back there once in a while and the reception is always overwhelming! 

7. Where would you like to act? 

I'm not an actor and have always had trouble impersonating someone else on stage in a theatrical setting. I've got to be me, to paraphrase Sammy Davis Jr. and the Golden Rainbow musical. This is really why I never fit in with various tribute bands I'd try out for as a keyboardist. 

8. Whom would you like to feature with? 

If you mean who we'd like to open for, I have to be realistic, not many great or worthwhile musicians and bands are left on this Earth, from our favourite era. It would be great if we landed an opening spot for Andy Powell's Wishbone Ash or the modern version of Michael Schenker Group. 

9. Whom not? 

Anyone current, it would be a mismatch and everyone, including ourselves, would be disappointed. We don’t fit in with the current scene any more than we would 20 or 30 years ago. Nor our ethos. 

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that? 

I have, and it's normal. Our debut show back in Oct. 2016 was a total disaster. As a performer you grow and over the years acquire more experience, and your self-confidence will keep building up. I used to have terrible anxiety before each show, and I've analyzed it and come to the conclusion that it had several contributing factors. First, if you're not sure in your bandmates' capabilities and desire to do their best on stage, especially if they're not your friends and have their own agenda. They'll let you down. Secondly, the voice. As a vocalist, I know it takes a few years to shape it. Sometimes you're not sure if you can reach that high note, and that feeling can give you serious chills. These days though there's no anxiety, because with this lineup I know my songs are in the best hands possible, and we feel each other's support on and off stage. It's a comfy feeling. No more stagefright when all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. 

11. What bands have inspired you the most? 

The aforementioned three, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and Status Quo. But more than any band, I'm inspired by the whole culture of the 1970s UK pre-punk scene. It was nothing short of magical. One night you could go out and see Rory Gallagher, the next T.Rex or Queen, as their star was just rising, then The Sweet and Nazareth. The list goes on. It was a phenomenon the likes of which are not going to repeat in our lifetime, that is for sure. 

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for? 

One very nice lady in a club once asked me for an autographed CD of our new album, Splashed. She said, it's for a friend of hers who is deaf. Then she added, hopefully there are lyrics printed inside? So this person wouldn't be able to hear our music but will spend time reading my lyrics. I wasn't sure how to react, but of course I accommodated her. 

13. What do you think of your fans? 

They're a rowdy, boisterous bunch. Par for the course, cause that's how we are, too. We now see regulars at our shows, those that come to every Painter show in the area. Which is terrific. But then, everyone knows each other and it's hard to draw the line between "other bands" within the Painter circle and just followers, that line is blurred. We're a bit like Hawkwind, there are satellite bands in our orbit, some of them share members with Painter, and vice versa, Painter is in some other bands' orbits. 

14. What do you think of our site? 

I've just spent a few minutes on your Genres and Subgenres page, and I am fascinated by how many there are out there. It's juts mind blowing. Mathcore? Jazz Metal? Nintendocore? Egyptian Metal? Post shoegaze! Wow. I wonder which subcategory we fit into. 

15. Something to add? 

Sure. We're about to make our debut in New York City this Saturday, at the Parkside Lounge in lower Manhattan. It's next to Katz's Delicatessen, you know, the place where they filmed Meg Ryan's orgasm in When Harry Met Sally. That was probably some kind of a pre-core. And our album, Splashed, is being released now on a label that has just signed us, Epictronic. The future is bright for Painter, come see us if you're in the area, keep an eye on our website and connect with us on social media.

From The Depths Entertainment interviews Mad Painter

https://www.ftdmusic.com/2023/07/interview-mad-painter-72023.html

1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name "Mad Painter" and is there any meaning behind it? 

I quit classical piano at the tender age of 8, so I’d be inclined to think that I’m self-taught, although I’m sure all those gammas and music theory from those early years did pay off. My earliest musical influences would have to be the Finnish band Hurriganes (their hit, “Get On”, was literally my first rock’n’roll) and The Sweet. When I was 11, I got bitten by the “Ballroom Blitz” bug! Also, at 11, I heard Uriah Heep for the first time, the album was “Look At Yourself”. As a teen, I got into Nazareth, Queen, Paul McCartney and Wings, and Rod Stewart. As a Hammond player of course my strongest influences are Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep) and Jon Lord (Deep Purple) – both unfortunately no longer with us. I like the more classically trained and influenced players like Rick Van Der Linden (Ekseption), Keith Emerson (ELP) and Jurgen Fritz (Triumvirat). On the jazz side, my biggest Hammond influences are the “three kings”: Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Brother Jack McDuff. 

I had the dream of putting together my own band when I was 20 and call it Mad Painter. Even at the time I thought it’d be rooted in the British rock and blues tradition of the 1970s, as I was especially influenced by the likes of Uriah Heep, Status Quo, Rory Gallagher and Deep Purple. It didn’t materialize at the time, but I’ve learned to play the organ proficiently by attending the regular weekly Blues Jam at the Middle East. Throughout the 90s, I’ve spent time in various bands from glam rock (Silver Star) and funk (Uprise) to heavy metal (Mantis) and blues (Shaky Deal). After a long break, I resumed and tried fitting in into two tribute bands, Stormbringer (Deep Purple) and Lights Out (UFO) but it didn’t feel right. I wanted to perform and record my own original compositions. Finally the day came when the first lineup of Mad Painter got together for a jam in late 2015. By then, I’d already written most of the songs that became part of our first album (you can find it on YouTube), such as Gone Gone Gone, Barely Alive and Smile. The lineup kept changing with endless auditions and practices, and even occasional gigs, until one day all pieces of the puzzle fell into place and this current lineup got solidified. Everyone in the band is a pleasure to work with, we have a lot of influences in common, which makes for fun jams and rehearsals, as we all tend to think alike, musically. 

Mad Painter is an audio-visual concept, really. We do what artists do, only instead of colors we use sonic palettes, we paint aurally with rhythms, notes, hooks, licks, melodies, etc. It can get conceptual, abstract, and just plain weird sometimes, but other times it’s pretty straightforward – portraits and landscapes, a little bit of everything for every mood. There’s a certain drama associated with certain paintings. Seeing certain ones can cause serious heartache. Others can make you blue. Or happy. It’s the same with music. 

2. What do you want people to take away from your music? 

Sheer joy and exhilaration. This euphoric feeling of being happy to be alive, a sort of utopia and a temporary escape (or solace) for the soul in today's grim world. Our music's pretty diverse, so fans of different genres will find something to like no matter what they're into, as long as they're prepared for the 70s (and, truth be told, late 60s) nostalgia. It's not psychedelia or hard rock in their purest forms, it's a mixture. With some catchy pop hooks and melodies thrown in for good measure. If it isn't melodic, it's not worth bothering with, in my view. Some people may listen to a certain MP number and go, "hmm, this sounds like Vanilla Fudge… or the Small Faces". Fine. We do that a lot during our rehearsals. But it's actually whatever comes to our minds, in terms of songwriting and arrangements. We know we have our own patented Painter sound, our unique brand. It's now unmistakable. 

3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener? 

It is an authentic trip back to the era when music mattered. When it was genuine and a way of life, whether we're referring to a musician, a fan or a devoted follower and collector. It's almost like a ritual, a religious experience. Those authentic values of musicianship are definitely lost in today's world, and we're here to revive them. I suppose we're also here to bridge this gap – fans of the newer genres from this millennium may not understand us (but we're still hoping to sway some of them with our brand of rock'n'roll!), and older fans who remember all the good bands and times may be stuck on the perpetual tribute circuit. We're unique in that we're bringing them something fresh, new and original, yet it sounds like it was done 50 years ago. 

4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with? 

Touring is not on the cards at the moment due to various members' personal circumstances. But, looking at the rosters of bands that visit these locales once in a while, we'd love to open for Andy Powell's Wishbone Ash, Michael Schenker Group or the Zombies. Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent are heroes of ours. 

5. How has Covid affected what you do? 

We didn't do much from the start of the lockdown (following a stormer of a show at the Jungle, March 8, 2020) for the next six months. Then coyly got together for an impromptu jam just to see if the old chemistry was still there. Albeit, with a new drummer. And we clicked instantly. We kept working on our numbers, old and new, and eventually wound up in the studio in Peabody in December 2020. This was a time when you had to be very careful not to gather in a group of more than three in a closed space. For the next year, we were working with our new producer, Tom Hamilton, on what eventually became our Splashed album. So most of 2021 was spent in his studio, again, a couple of folks at a time. First, pandemic precautions, and secondly, he didn't need all of us in the room at the same time. But June 2021 marked our return to the live stage, at the Union Tavern in Somerville. Everyone was wearing masks. And there were lots of people in attendance, and the reception was hot. You could tell there were a lot of folks hungry for live music that night, after a long break. 

6. What’s your take on the current state of Rock? 

I honestly don't know, as I don't follow it. Neither do my bandmates. It's a choice. What's happening now doesn't matter. Who's still alive that I would like to follow? Let's face it. Maybe Uriah Heep. Jethro Tull. Alice Cooper, Hawkwind. Not even Deep Purple, since Ritchie Blackmore's departure in 1993. I was keeping tabs on Motorhead and Dio, but Lemmy and Ronnie James are no longer with us. 

I hear bits and pieces about certain musicians complaining about the lack of revenues due to the proliferation of streaming services. I'm not too bothered by all that, personally. I know there's not a lot of money in CD sales. A CD has become a promotional tool for your live concerts. And you get a fraction of a penny from every Spotify stream. All that is noise. What matters is not what's happening now, but what's happening in the Mad Painter camp. In our minds, we're "competing" with the greats back in 1968-75. Which is why the rehearsals are so much fun. There's Mountain, MC5, Grand Funk, Bloodrock, Uriah Heep, Procol Harum, Deep Purple and Spooky Tooth in our sound. It's like soup. If you use the right ingredients and seasonings and in the right proportions, it's tasty. 

7. What's the current music scene like there in New York? 

We've just lost a friend, Justine Covault, head of the local Red on Red Records, and leader of her own band, Justine & The Unclean. This is a sad loss. Through various indie charts we hear of our "competition", Muck & The Mires, Key Of Caustic, Girl with a Hawk, Chelsea Curve. These are all Boston area bands. Some we're in contact with and reach out to once in a while to potentially share a bill with. Which we've done with the Tsunami of Sound, The Stigmatics and The Thigh Scrapers. But beyond that, I'm not too knowledgeable. I vaguely know there's a lot of post-punk pop and just plain post-punk on the scene now. It's like time has stood still since the late 80s in Boston. Which is actually advantageous for us, cause we stick out like a store thumb! Nobody looks or sounds like us now. Which wouldn't have been the case 5 decades ago. 

8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists? 

It doesn't matter. It's not even an icing on the cake. You're in it for fun these days, and if you can financially back your own venture with the advent of a full-time job, all the better, you'll stay afloat that much longer. Before the deal with Epictronic, we've released our "Splashed" album on CD via CD Baby. It's also streaming on all major platforms. OK, so CD Baby is showing they owe us $17 at the moment. Wow. That's a fortune, isn't it. Their "cut off" amount for payment is $25. We've not reached it yet. It's infinitely more important to bring joy to your audiences live and on record and to draw inspiration from the energy you get from them while on stage than to sweat the small stuff. 

9. What's next for Mad Painter? 

The recording sessions have already begun for the follow-up to "Splashed". Lots of new songs, courtesy of my songwriting partner and friend Dmitry Epstein. As before, he writes the lyrics and I put them to music. Then we get together as a band and start arranging everything – solos, intros, middle parts, etc. This is what we are working on at the moment. Then we're venturing out to New York for a gig in East Village, Sept. 2nd. And hopefully more gigs on the horizon, but with the rehearsals and upcoming recording sessions, the schedule is heating up. Not to forget, Kenne, Al and Alan are in other bands, too. Kenne Highland's Airforce is touring Upstate NY and Pennsylvania in October. 

10. Any shoutouts? 

A big shout out to Tom Hamilton, our producer, a trooper, an ardent Painter ally, and the ONLY person we trust our music with.

The soundtrack of my life. 

Alex Gitlin, Mad Painter’s songwriter, keyboardist, and lead vocalist, on the recordings, artists and gigs that are of lasting significance to him. 

June 2023 

The first music I remember hearing. - It would have to be either “El Bimbo”, the Paul Mauriat Orchestra version, or Mireille Mathieu’s “Pourquoi le monde est sans amour”. For sure the latter is the song I’ve learned phonetically at the age of six. I didn’t know French and didn’t understand the words, but the title stands for “Why is the world without love”. 

The first song I performed live. - That would be circa 1991, with my first band, Junky Donkey, later renamed Silver Star. It was a cover of Supermax “World Of Today”. I knew it from my teens, as this was one of my most favorite bands growing up, but the rest of the guys in the band did not. The singer learned it from the cassette I loaned him. It’s catchy, starting with: 

Mama's in the kitchen 
Making funky bread 
Papa's in the living room 
The newspaper already read 

Does not sound like anything special, but it was very special to me. 

The greatest album of all time. - All my life it’s been a tossup between Chris de Burgh “Eastern Wind” and Mike Batt’s “Tarot Suite”. The former came out in 1980, the latter 1979. The songs on both are incredible, they penetrate your mind and touch you deeply if you give them a chance. “Tarot” is also special for the inclusion of many artists I’ve looked up to and revered since I was 20 (it was my twentieth birthday present!), Colin Blunstone, Rory Gallagher and Roger Chapman. 

The guitar hero. - No secret or surprise here. Ritchie Blackmore, bar none. An influence on my entire life and way of thinking. 

The singer. - Freddie Mercury. He possessed a monstrous, otherworldly talent. I remember mourning his passing over thirty years ago. Couldn’t eat, sleep or function normally for quite a few days. It affected me deeply, profoundly, fundamentally. 

The songwriter. - Not just a larger-than life presence, not only a master of bass, but also one of the best poets rock’n’roll has ever known. Phil Lynott. No one could touch his songs, his lyrics, his writing, and composition prowess, he was one of a kind. 

The best record I made. - Since I’ve done only two with Mad Painter, of course I’ll go with the latest LP, Splashed, released in March this year. It’s uneven stylistically, mixing heavy melodic rock, pop, blues, balladry and more, but it’s like that on purpose. 17 songs, a few covers, but mostly originals. I pretty much emptied the vaults, combining fresh new recordings of my original pop demos from 1997 with fresher material, written between 2011 and 2021. I think there’s something for everyone on this record. Also, the production is something I’m very pleased with. It’s professional, yet nuanced, subtle, warm, and organic. It takes you back in time, just like the music. 

The worst record I made. - Ahem… Our first album, simply titled, Mad Painter, was recorded in 2016 in two days in a dungeon! A low-fi affair and done on a shoestring budget. Yet there are some good songs on it, which are still present in our live set. Kenne, our bass player, calls it “Garage Prog”. You can find it on YouTube. 

My guilty pleasure. - If I enjoy something, I don’t feel guilty about it if I remember enjoying it as a kid and realize that I still do today. But perhaps Baltimora comes to mind, not just the big hit, Tarzan Boy, but the entire Living In The Background album. The video, which I got to see decades later, is quite dodgy, but it’s the music I remember with great fondness. 

The most underrated band ever. - This has got to be a band I love, which no one else (outside of certain anorak circles!) has heard of. And such a band does exist, it is Satin Whale, from Germany. 

The best live album. - This one’s easy for me. Of course, there’s Deep Purple “Made in Japan”, Uriah Heep “Live” and UFO “Strangers in the Night”, but for me the absolute pinnacle is Thin Lizzy “Live And Dangerous”. It belongs on the top of Olympus. 

The cult hero. - Hands down, it’s Alex Harvey, of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band fame. He was so unique and so incredible, watching vintage footage of the band is mesmerizing, while listening to the records is a palpable experience. On records like “Framed” and “Next” you could cut the tension and the suspense with a knife. 

My “in the mood for love” song. - Of course, this sort of thing is driven by memories. My most vivid one is from 1990, and the song is “Now You’re Gone” by Jeff Lynne – freshly off his Armchair Theatre album. 

The song that makes me cry. - Beggars Opera “Smiling In A Summer Dress”, from the Sagittary album. Once you hear the lyrics and realize it’s about THAT, you will cry too. No, I’m not going to spell it out. 

My Saturday Night Party Song. - Rod Stewart “Sweet Little Rock'n'Roller”, it opens his Smiler album. Puts you in a dancing mood instantly. I was at a party sometime in 1994, and most of the music played on the stereo was boring, then this tune came on and everybody started jumping about. It has that kind of effect. 

The song I want played at my funeral. - You know, I hope they don’t play any songs at my funeral, whenever that may be. Just share some memories, exchange funny stories and anecdotes. There is, however, one track I feel proudest of above all else. It’s “Kindness”, I recorded it with Silver Star in 1994 or 95.

Outsider Rock Presents:

https://outsiderrock.ca/2023/04/26/mad-painter-an-interview-with-alex-gitlin

MAD PAINTER – AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEX GITLIN 
APRIL 26, 2023 

by Kevin Julie 

MAD PAINTER have released their 2nd album Splashed. The album (reviewed elsewhere here) features 17 tracks, including the singles/videos “Illusion” and “Rock and Roll Samurai”, as well as a few covers, a diverse mix of classic rock, pop, and ballads. The band’s singer, keyboard player, and songwriter is Alex Gitlin, who I’ve known for many years. Alex is extremely knowledgeable about his ’70s classic rock, glam, and pop acts, And fashions! In this interview, Alex discusses the band’s history, the songs from Splashed, the band’s live show, and future. Enjoy the read. *Check out Splashed, as well as the links below. 

Can you tell me a bit about the band (players), just how you connected and mutual influences? 

The band’s been around since early 2016, but it was a totally different, and ever changing, line-up. We recorded our first album, which came out only digitally (YouTube, Spotify). For it, I gathered all the songs I’d written most recently and rehearsed with “embryonic” Painter in 2014-15, before Mad Painter Mk I even materialized. There were some ferocious rockers on it like Beware of the Dream, the title track, etc., which are still very much part of our live show. The aforementioned album was done in one weekend, then our producer took the tapes, drove back home and added his own guitar and production and mixing. We had no control over it at all. The result came out charmingly primitive, the sort of low-fi sound that our bassist Kenne Highland affectionately calls Garage Prog. 

We went from strength to strength for a couple of years, playing shows as a trio, without a guitar, or hiring a guitar player for one gig. Those weren’t the happiest of times. Sometime before the lockdown of 2020, we got together with Kenne, Alan Hendry on drums and Al Naha on guitar, and jammed, getting a totally different and fresh vibe from it. We all felt enthused and encouraged and decided to continue as a unit. Alan and Al also play in Kenne Highland’s Airforce, an altogether different band, which Painter occasionally shares a bill with. It just felt right, and that’s how the patented Painter sound was born.  

Kenne’s a big fan of late ’60s rock and blues, the fuzzier the better. He loves Vanilla Fudge, The Move and Small Faces. Psychedelic stuff. We all have our own influences and musical favorites, but we do converge somewhere in the middle, sort of overlapping on Mountain, Grand Funk, Spooky Tooth, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Procol Harum and Iron Butterfly. In a practice, you’ll often hear him say, “let’s do the Vanilla Fudge version”, that just means long, drawn-out, fuzz-drenched and with screaming organ and guitar. 

The guys in my band are ’60s and ’70s punk fans, so anything from The Fugs, Blue Cheer and MC5 to Iggy Pop, you get the picture. Personally, I’m not big on punk, but Kenne started out his musical career in 1976 with the Gizmos in the MidWest. And he’s been rolling ever since. You can look him up on Discogs under Johnny & The Jumper Cables, The Gizmos, Afrika Corps, Hopelessly Obscure, etc. 

Where did the songs from the new album come from — ie; time period, circumstances, etc? 

The lyrics to our two singles, “Illusion” and “Rock And Roll Samurai”, were written by my friend Dmitry M. Epstein, circa 2017. I rehearsed them with the first lineup but they didn’t make the cut for the album, as we just weren’t ready at the time it was recorded. We did have a second recording session a year later, but it was aborted. Luckily, it produced good quality demos, which this current lineup took as templates. Same can be said for The Moon and San Michel, completely different in style, but same time frame and trajectory.  Whereas the two aforementioned singles are heavy rock in the Uriah Heep vein, San Michel is nostalgic ’70s pop with French flavor and The Moon is simply a Queen-lite pastiche. I’m not much of a singer, I have a limited vocal range, but I was thinking of Freddie, Brian, John and Roger when I wrote that number. It’s silly, whimsical and English, much like “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon”. Julie Gee has provided the kind of background vocals that would emulate that style. Another couple of numbers, soft ballads, “I’ve Been A Fool” and “I Live For Love”, are once again leftovers from the prior lineup that were not captured on the first album. “Fool” was written after I watched “Jersey Boys”, a biopic about Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, while “I Live For Love” was me trying to pay homage to my heroes Paul McCartney and Jeff Lynne (ELO). Both heavily orchestrated; since I didn’t have the luxury of an actual string orchestra, I had to do it all on my Juno synthesizer. I hated for so many songs, however disparate stylistically, to be languishing in the vaults and gathering dust. So we’ve revived them. Talk about reviving! Three more numbers had been waiting their turn for nigh on 25 years! Back in 1997, while I was in between bands, I recorded demos of “I Don’t Know”, “Lie To Me” and “A Friend In France”. And it wasn’t until the year 2021 that the right opportunity presented itself and we’ve collectively brought them back to life. It was a dream come true. While the original demo of “I Don’t Know” sounded a bit like Gilbert O’Sullivan, who I’ve always liked, the album version has that mid-70s disco feel a-la “I’m On Fire” by 5000 Volts. I’m really proud of this number, it’s the kind of a song I grew up listening to, and the string arrangement really gives it the most authentic of auras. 

Both “Lie To Me” and another ballad, “Let Him Go”, despite being almost 25 years apart, are autobiographical. A lot of my lyrics are, actually. On “Let Him Go”, while recording vocals, I was thinking of Freddie Mercury, I could never match his greatness, EVER, but he inspired this number in a huge way. But also Frank Sinatra, especially “That’s Life”. The jazzy organ solo is very much of that “ilk”, although I’ve listened to Jimmy Smith and other Hammond greats before daring to record it. 

The album has 17 tracks, so it’s very much a “kitchen sink” project. It’s quite diverse, and some people find the variety to be a good thing – a little bit of something for every taste. Others think it’s incredibly inconsistent (or schizo, as I would call it!) It’s like that by design. It’s a bit of a milestone, a roundup of everything I’d had to hold back prior to the recording sessions, which started in early 2021. There was this period of forced inactivity between the very last gig we played at the Jungle on March 8, 2020 and when we cautiously got back together again for a jam in Sept. 2020, right after my birthday. After sitting home for six months with absolutely nowhere to go, it felt so good to be jamming again, therapeutic even. And towards the end of that year, we landed in Peabody, at producer Tom Hamilton’s home studio, to lay down tracks for the Airforce. That was my introduction to Tom. He’s an ace and knows exactly what feels and sounds right for Painter. He’s the only producer I’d ever trust my music to. So during a break, I got on a zoom call with a few friends including John Lawton, who’s no longer with us. I remember that evening so well. John didn’t look or sound very cheerful, but then this was in the middle of the pandemic, a lot of people were affected emotionally. And on top of it, Ken Hensley had just recently passed. Little did I know this would be the last time I’d speak to John. His widow Iris says he’d have loved our CD. And when I’d quit music and felt uninspired, back in 2009, he encouraged me to get back into it, saying, “You don’t have to be rich to play.” He was so right. But with that said, when you’re doing it all yourself, promotions, recording, working with a producer, paying for the studio time, then mixing and mastering, it certainly adds up. I mean, when no management or record company would have your back. On the other hand, you live and die by your product, and there’s no one in the “biz” to screw you over.  

Why the 2 covers? Stealin (IMO) gets done a lot, but the Randy Pie cover (Highway Driver) was an interesting choice. 

Stealin’ was Kenne’s choice. We’ve always jammed on Heep covers, “Circle of Hands”, “Easy Livin'”, etc. And he called it Uriah Cheap. He’s been a Heep fan since 1973, when he first heard them. The first single he got may have been “Stealin'”, and I know for certain the following year’s Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert featuring UH made quite an impression on him. Then there’s Randy Pie… a German funk-disco combo from the mid-70s, starring the late Bernd Wippich. It was a hit in Austria and Germany at the time. We’ve jammed on this number with the prior line-up, but it took shape as a melodic hard rock number when the current lineup started running through it. It is still quite retro in sound, but a radical departure from the funky original. People reviewing our album usually don’t know this is a cover, so they think we’ve written a road trip song! But the proper credits are on the back of the CD. 

Do you write All the songs, or are there co-credits and input from other band members? 

I usually write the originals and, in some cases, co-write with Dmitry. He’s a poet and I’m a composer. We have Dmitry to thank for “Fool”, “Illusion” and “RnR Samurai”, with more to come in the near future! It’s the same dynamic as Elton John – Bernie Taupin or Gary Brooker – Keith Reid. But I usually listen to my guys when it comes to the arrangements – like why won’t we do a bridge here or a drum break there. Intros and outros, softer and harder bits, and so forth. They usually have good suggestions! 

There is such a wide variety of tunes, from organ driven rockers, to ballads, to almost theatrical ‘show’ tunes.  What gives? 

(As previously stated), I’ve taken the kitchen sink approach. Open the vaults – empty the vaults. What have you got? Give me everything. This is what happens when you hold out for a quarter of a century. In my defense, I’m thinking Queen could have astonishingly heavy bits on albums like “A Night At The Opera”, for instance, sitting next to quaint, clever and whimsical little ditties like Seaside Rendezvous. But from the looks of it, judging by the critical and listener reaction, the listeners by far prefer our heavier side, so yes, the next one will be more consistent in terms of style. Let’s just say, I’ve gotten things like “You Nearly Stole My Heart Away” out of my system, time to move on. Speaking of which… this is one song on which I decided to take the “delicate whisper” approach, sort of borrowed from Colin Blunstone of the Zombies. I don’t normally sing like this, but it worked on this tune. 

Can you tell me a bit about the John Sloman song (“Parting Line”), and how you ended up using the lyrics and putting them to a new song? (Was John cool with this? Any feedback?) 

John… it’s a story onto itself. I came across his lyrics somewhere on the internet, and one song in particular, from his first solo album, ‘Disappearances Can Be Deceptive’, really touched me. It just sort of clicked in my brain. I heard the chugga-chugga Status Quo shuffle in my head to the tune of: 

As the sun comes up to announce the day 
The lights are coming down 
On an allnight show starring you and me 
The audience surrounds 

And I thought, this could be something. It was a naughty thing to do, but luckily John was totally cool about it. He only asked to be credited on the CD and for a copy of the CD. He even added, “I wish I’d thought of that myself”. But his “Parting Line” is so different from ours – it’s a moody mid- 80s ballad.  

What sort of gigs does Mad Painter play, and what does your set generally consist of? 

We play locally here in the Boston area, sometimes venturing out of town for a festival. Our set usually contains upbeat rockers like “Barely Alive” and “The Letter” from the first album. Definitely both our current singles which now appear on Splashed. The guys are “gung ho” on going for the jugular, the 1-2-3 punch, wham bam thank you ma’am. I like to mix it up a bit on stage, so once in a while we do “Soldier Boy” (also from the first album), a somber ballad about the tragedy and horrors of the Vietnam war. Then we also play “Empty Bottles” and “Stand Your Ground”, the songs that haven’t yet appeared on record, although you can find “Empty Bottles” on YouTube if you search for it. “SYG” is the heaviest and the angriest song we’ve ever come up with, sort of Motorhead and Deep Purple in one flasket. Motorpurple. 

I’ve always known you as a keyboard player, how do You feel doubling as lead singer? Is this natural for you, or something you had to adjust to? 

My first love is the Hammond organ. As a kid, I was classically trained, between the ages of 5 and 8, but then I quit, so I never got proper classical piano education. And didn’t go back to playing keyboards until I was 19. But as early as 1994, I was in my first band Silver Star, playing keys and singing lead on some numbers. Sometimes stepping up to the mic with an acoustic guitar also. We did an EP CD back then called Foot Stomping Music, for which I wrote three numbers but only got to sing lead on one, “Kindness”. It’s still a very special track to me, one I’m really proud of. Being out of that band (I will omit the circumstances for now), thereafter, I entered a city studio and demoed the aforementioned three tracks which wound up on Splashed. This was in 1997. Throughout the ’90s, I played keyboards in a variety of bands, blues, heavy metal, funk, but those weren’t my projects and I didn’t feel like I truly belonged in any of them. I did not do much music-wise between 2000 and 2010 and all through that decade, I felt there was something missing in my life, this huge void inside. Then I tried myself out as a keyboard player in two tribute bands, Deep Purple (Stormbringer) and UFO (Lights Out), before finally getting around to create Mad Painter. So, as you can see, I’ve always 
wanted to double as a keyboard player and a lead vocalist. My two main heroes are Jon Lord and Ken Hensley, and neither one sang when they played the B3. So this to me was the biggest challenge. It takes a lot of energy to play “the beast”. I had to look to Billy Preston for that kind of inspiration. 

Can you tell me a bit about the CD cover art? Is album art, in this day & age, still important (or as important)? 

The artwork on Splashed is a thing of beauty. It’s done the “old school” way. It was a real photo session with a real pro photographer, and we used real vinyl records, threw them randomly across the floor and then squeezed acrylic paint of different colors all over them. It was my idea, materialized by Dmitriy Gushchin (the photographer) under my supervision. And it worked wonderfully. Our guitarist Al donated the vinyl records that had been ruined by a flood. They weren’t playable anyway. 

In this day and age, album or CD cover art may matter less, but when you set your mind on creating a 1973 or 1975 album instead of 2023, it is of paramount importance. We couldn’t do the vinyl LP format because it’s too expensive. But we have pressed a quantity of CDs housed in a wallet style foldout. Plus the album art is a striking visual online, websites and social media alike. It catches your eye immediately. This is the physical painting component to the Mad Painter experience. Our music is sonic painting. Or, to quote “Return to Fantasy”: 

In another place 
There’s a newer face 
Like an unfinished painting 
Your creator is waiting

I know it’s early, but what might be expected on the next Mad Painter album, as far as direction, types of tracks, anything you’ve learned from making? 

Firstly, I must take into account what the entire band wants. My guys thrive on the heavy, rambunctious sounds of vintage hard rock. So when it comes to pop and balladry (some writers have called it “traditional songwriting”), I’m kind of on my own and they tend to refer to those numbers as “Alex’s solo material”. We are a unit, and I don’t want the next one to be “Alex’s solo” even in part. So for as long as this lineup sticks together, we’re going to go for the proverbial jugular. There will be some bluesy rock’n’roll numbers for sure, but the next album should be a lot more consistent in style. With “Illusion” and “Samurai”, we’ve sort of introduced and defined ourselves, our own sound.  For better or for worse, this is Mad Painter. 

Can you (a few) give us a ‘top 10’ of your favorite albums from your younger years? 

Alex Gitlin, vocals and keyboards: 

Status Quo “Blue For You” 
Uriah Heep “Demons and Wizards” 
Nazareth “Razamanaz” 
Deep Purple “Machine Head” 
Rainbow “Rising” 
Black Sabbath “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” 
The Sweet “Give Us A Wink” 
Slade “Slayed?” 
Smokie ‘Midnight Café’ 
Queen “A Night At The Opera” 

Alan Hendry, drums: 

Grand Funk Railroad – Live Album 
Yes – Yes 
Galactic – Already, Already, Already 
Tower of Power – Back to Oakland 
Porcupine Tree – Any Album 
Blind Faith – Blind Faith 
Tool – Lateralis 
King Crimson – In The Court of the Crimson King 
Genesis- Trick of the Tail 
Jethro Tull – Stand Up 

Kenne Highland, bass: 

Stooges – The Stooges 
Stooges – Fun House 
Stooges – Raw Power 
MC5 – Kick Out the Jams 
MC5 – Back in the USA 
MC5 – High Time 
New York Dolls – Too Much Too Soon 
New York Dolls – New York Dolls 
Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat 
The Velvet Underground – Velvet Underground & Nico

A Chat with Mad Painter (21.03.23) 
March 22, 2023   
Nicole Mendes   

https://www.theothersidereviews.com/a-chat-with-mad-painter-21-03-23

Drawing inspiration from iconic bands Deep Purple and Uriah Heep, US-based band Mad Painter is a time machine dragging us back to 70s rock. We speak with frontman Alex Gitlin about their album Splashed, creative processes, future plans and more! 

OSR: What inspires you to make music? 

Gitlin: My heroes. The musicians I’ve followed my entire life. Virtuosos such as Rory Gallagher, Ritchie Blackmore, and Keith Emerson. Songwriters and poets, Marc Bolan, Phil Lynott, and Ken Hensley. I’ve always had this inner voice telling me: if they could do it, so could you; so you should try at least. – Oh, but I’m living in the wrong decade and century for this sort of thing. It’s not the same as it was back then. – Try anyway, the voice keeps telling me. I always get inspired when I hear a classic rock record, be it Magician’s Birthday, Calling Card, Slider or Jailbreak. And I feel I need an outlet for self-expression, to give something back. I hear a bunch of songs, then inadvertently a melody is born in my head and I follow it. 

Recording my songs with Painter is a thrilling experience. You nurse and nurture each one like your own baby, from the very first rough take (which you know will wind up on the cutting room floor) to the finished product, fully mixed, mastered and assigned a number in the track sequence of your new album. As is the case with our latest one, Splashed. 

Finally, the huge motivator is our audience. We have uber-fans and diehard Painter followers who show up at every one of our gigs and like all our posts. We love them for it. But it’s also equally thrilling to bring your songs to a “virgin” audience, those who’ve come to see you for the first time and probably never heard your material before. They’re giving you the benefit of a doubt. If you’re able to bring them to ecstasy, to get them up and moving in the room, and applauding like crazy at the end of each song, you know you’ve succeeded. A rapturous reception is addictive. It’s like a drug. So when you’re playing to just a handful of people in the room, it can feel like a downer. As an artist, you always crave more… 

OSR: How did Mad Painter come together and why did you choose ‘Mad Painter’ as your band name? 

Gitlin: I had this crazy idea of putting together a band circa 1990 and calling it Mad Painter. Why? Because as a musician, singer and songwriter I’ve always viewed myself as a “sonic” painter. I paint with notes. Now that I have a solid band, WE paint with aural palettes and colours, which are rhythms, notes, solos, chords, etc. Nothing came out of it at the time and I put the idea on hold for a very long time. It was just a wacky fantasy of mine. But then, many decades later, I got together with two friends for an impromptu jam after Christmas 2015; things just started to gel and we took it to the next level. 2016 was a very tough year, we kept auditioning guitarists and no one would stick – either they weren’t a good fit or they had no interest and auditioned just for fun. So we wound up playing a bunch of gigs guitar-less, as a trio – rhythm section and me on vocals and keyboards. We also recorded our first album that year, and our producer added his own guitar parts and mixed the whole thing. It just snowballed from there.  I’m no longer in touch with anyone involved with that album. The present line-up is the best one Painter’s ever had, and our second album, which has just come out a week ago, called Splashed, is a thing of beauty. We are immensely proud of this release. 

OSR: What can you tell us about your album Splashed? 

Gitlin: It’s extremely diverse. There are seventeen tracks on it and you have heavy, melodic rock via our two singles, ‘Illusion’ and ‘Rock and Roll Samurai’, orchestrated romantic balladry (‘I Live For Love’, ‘I’ve Been A Fool’), gut-wrenching blues (‘Lie To Me’), vaudeville (‘The Moon’), nostalgic pop (‘A Friend In France’, ‘Love Is Gold’), a little bit of something for everyone. My favourite track is ‘I Don’t Know’. The bass line and the string arrangements are just perfect. Also a couple of covers, ‘Stealin” by Uriah Heep and ‘Highway Driver’ by German band Randy Pie.  

Reviewers have called it “a rock opera” and a “smorgasbord”. Some may think this lack of focus on any one style is a weakness, but critics so far tend to call it a strength. All that said, I think in the future there’ll be more heavy rock songs in the classic tradition, that’s just my bandmates’ preference. And it’s alright by me. All five of us are crazy about Deep Purple and Uriah Heep. 

OSR: If you could change one thing about Splashed, what would it be? 

Gitlin: If we could have it done and released a year earlier, that would be good. But being realistic, although Tom Hamilton’s the best producer for Painter (he knows exactly what we need and knows how to work with our songs), he only does it part-time, which means the recording and mixing sessions took place during weekends. We had to wait a very long time but he did things just right – the effects on vocals, the drum production, the entire thing. 

Also, I had to do all the string and horn arrangements on my Juno synth, and if only we could afford a real live orchestra to work with, the end result would’ve been even better! 

OSR: What is your creative process? 

Gitlin: Writing-wise, if a melody comes to me in my sleep or when I’m in the shower, doesn’t matter, I try not to lose it. Put it together, add some structure and present it to our master lyricist, Dmitry Epstein. So far, he’s the one who’s written the lyrics to our best songs, the two aforementioned singles and ‘I’ve Been A Fool’. He gets back to me a while later with some verses and choruses. Then I bring the whole thing to practice and run it by our band. Of course, there’s a world of difference between the first time trying a song out for size and the finished product. But we do have our own patented Painter sound, I’m proud to say it’s impossible to confuse it with any other band, past or present. 

Lately, I’ve been receiving lyrics from Dmitry and putting them onto my own music. So sometimes his lyrics come first and sometimes I just come up with my own text. I’m not a poet though, so it’s a much harder process for me. I try to make it interesting when I write, avoiding banalities and mundane words and expressions. The motto is, if you have nothing to say on a certain day, don’t even bother. It has to have substance, it’s got to excite, thrill, engage or provoke thoughts and emotions. It’s got to be real. But we don’t view ourselves as a contemporary band because in our minds we’re not competing with other bands out there in 2023. We have our favourites and they all were active in the period between 1968 and 1975. Mentally, we’re competing with Mountain and Grand Funk, Vanilla Fudge and the Small Faces, people like that.  It just feels right. We’re in our own element when we forget about the realities of today and just plunge into our own music. It’s as if we’re teleporting ourselves (and our audience) back to that era. So our shows and records are, invariably, a time warp experience. 

Those are our influences. This is chiefly why I avoid current topics in my lyrics. 

OSR: What does music mean to you? 

Gitlin: It’s an outlet for creative expression. If you’re an artist, you can’t just go through life working, drinking beer and watching TV, right? You get to hear the music by the bands and artists you revere and feel the urge to express yourself in the same way your favourites did back in the day. They, too, had to start somewhere and build their fan base and discography from scratch. Now some of them are part of the international rock canon, while others remain less well-known and more obscure (so “for connoisseurs only”). Either way, I feel just like they did 45-50 years ago. I want to be part of that scene, and I think this goes for all members of Painter. 

OSR: If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money? 

Gitlin: Quit my day job. Organise the best marketing campaign possible for Splashed. Shoot more promo videos. Go on a three-month tour playing in many countries. The possibilities are endless. And of course, finance the recording of the next Painter album which will become reality sooner rather than later anyway. We are planning on visiting Tom’s studio this year and laying down some tracks for the new songs we have up our sleeves. 

OSR: What do you think are the pros and cons of releasing music in this digital era? 

Gitlin: You have a lot more competition now because it’s become a lot easier to create music at home. There were no Pro Tools and such back in the 70s or 80s. On the other hand, the record industry was so tough to break into – you had to knock on many doors, send out demo cassettes, beg some mogul or impresario to give you the time of day. Now it’s the “DIY” era and you get judged by your own merit, if you’ve got the goods, your music will speak for itself and you’ll gain new fans. Of course, to us, the quality standards of writing, arrangement and production still matter just as much as they would back in our favourite time period. Which you can clearly hear on Splashed. 

Now, the fact that you can’t make money selling your records, I don’t even know if it’s a pro or a con, to be honest. Yes, with Spotify and other digital platforms, less and less people want to buy a physical CD (we offer both CD and digital downloads of Splashed on our website). But the CD now becomes a great marketing tool with the help of which you can spread the word, secure the right connections, get to know record labels, DJs, promoters, etc. It’s like your business card, in a way. We’ve toyed with the idea of doing a vinyl release, but the costs are clearly prohibitive. Unlike many established musicians, I don’t begrudge the digital era with all its gadgetry and convenience right at your fingertips. Yes, with Splashed being on Spotify and iTunes, I know we’ll probably never get rich from the song streams, but hopefully, they’ll help popularise the band and introduce it to new audiences around the world. 

OSR: What future plans do you have for Mad Painter? 

Gitlin: Another album, at the very least. Hopefully, more gigs both locally and around the US, time and schedules permitting. More singles and videos, those are a lot of fun! And definitely festivals. There are so many out there! We’ve played the Winter Tangle Fest twice, most recently in February 2022, in Kingston, NY, and the audience reception was absolutely phenomenal. 

OSR: Do you have a message for our readers? 

Gitlin: Yes, definitely! Come see us in New York, at the Chelsea Table and Stage on Saturday, May 27th.  Details here: https://madpainter.co.uk/shows 

And do visit our webshop if you’re interested in buying the CD or the digital download of Splashed. We’re so proud of the way it’s come out, the artwork on all four sides of the wallet-style foldout is a thing of beauty. 

Many thanks to Alex Gitlin for speaking with us. For more from Mad Painter, check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.