FREDDY
CURCI
FREDDY CURCI is one of the best AOR
vocalists of all times. He started his career in SHERIFF with
whom he recorded just one album, but this album is an instant AOR
Classic. 6 years after the release one song ("When I'm with
you") reached the number one position in the US Billboard
Charts. The next band Freddy sang with was ALIAS who also
released one album, but another AOR Classic. After the split of
that band, Freddy started a solo career and so far he has
released two solo CDs, the latest is a compilation of some of his
best work in the past. There's much more to follow next year, but
for now read the interview I had with this AOR legend...
Can you tell us
about the start of your career and the things you did before you
formed SHERIFF?
Let's see Sheriff
was My first real band, before that I played in Italian wedding
bands in toronto canada. I was very young when I joined Sheriff.
When did you form
SHERIFF?
I was the last
member to join the band. It goes back to the wedding band thing
again. I was playing in a wedding band called " T ramon t
o" (sorry Freddy missed the right spelling in italian) !!!
or sunset we had been playing around for a couple of years and
got to know the owners of the banquet halls. one day one of the
owners came up to me and said hey Freddy want to come and try out
for my cousins band tomorrow. I guess the rest is history.
In 1982 you
released the fantastic AOR Classic 'Sheriff; can you tell us
about that album?
That's a very
interesting question when the record came out in 82 the we put
out 4 singles in Canada sold 40 thousand records had a #1 single
in canada had a single go #61 in the usa and then got dropped by
capital. then I guess as happens to most bands egos get in the
way and in 1985 the band broke up I really didn't want that to
happen I wanted sheriff to stay together I thought we were strong
as a band but that's the way it goes. I guess
So it became a
success in Canada, why not in the USA back in 82 when AOR was so
hot...
I don't know why it
wasn't big in the states in 82 . One thing I have learned is all
I can do is make a great record after that it's out of my
control. it's up to the record company to get the music to the
people. at that point it's up
to the fans to decide. But I think the biggest problem is getting
the music to the people. That's why I'm A really Big fan of
Napster! it's all about getting the music to the fans. I don't
think it hurts record sales. A true fan will
always buy your record.
When did SHERIFF
split?
let's see sheriff
split up in early 1985
What did you do
after the split?
Right after sheriff
split Steve and I said to each other. well what do you want to
do? at first we wanted to stay on the road so we talked about
doing a deep purple clone band .then a foreigner clone band .then
we really sat down and got serious. We decided that we were going
to take the hard road, get day jobs,go tothe bank get loans
borrow money not only from the bank from our family and friends
as well and buy a recording studio. from 1985 to 1989 steve and I
worked during the day and recorded at night. all the stuff that
says platinum sound on the alias record is that studio in steve's
basement.
Then suddenly in 1988/1989 SHERIFF got a lot of airplay with the
song "When I'm with you", which eventually led to the
US Number 1. How did this happen and what did you think of it at
the time?
There was a dj in
las vages called jay tayler who loved "when I'm with
you" when it came out the first time. on a whim he played
the song on the radio. needles to say the response was huge.In a
week it was the most requested song in vages Jay called capital
and said you Sheriff song is a smash. Capital said what sheriff
song? anyway to make a long story short. Capial rereleased the
record and it went to #1 with no band no video no nothing.cool
eh! I thought it was great thing that all this stuff was
happening to us with sheriff cause steve and I had just finished
a record (alias)
Was there a
discussion about reforming SHERIFF again or did you just go on
with your lives, in other words, did it influence your life
situations?
sure there was.
remember sheriff broke up cause of egos. it's a shame we were a
strong band. there were only two really fantasic musicians in the
band one being a guitar player and one being a singer. but the
band as a whole was magic.I loved that band. captial wanted the
band to reform it made sense .they wanted to make a video but
when they saw that there wasn't going to be any cooperation steve
and I just moved on.
Anyway, not long
after you formed ALIAS, how and when did that happen?
Alias was the next
logical step to take for steve and I we had all these great
songs. recored a few more, toured lots and lots.Alias was our
baby I just wish we had more time to explore the music . we were
getting into our
stride.again that the way it goes.Alias was very close to my
heart
In 1990 ALIAS
released it's first and only CD, an instant AOR Classic with some
superb songs that also became big US hits... tell us all about
this album and its songs, videos, hits...
let's see I guess
this is where I get to brag a bit. we had 1 #1 3 top 10 1 top 15
oh yeah 2 top 5 MTV video's not bad for one record I don't even
know how many records we sold. I'm very proud to be a part of
that band.
After this CD
release it became a bit quiet and I only picked up a song called
"Perfect world" on a soundtrack ("Don't tell mom
the babysitters dead"), a fantastic song, tell us about it?
Alias was touring
in asia and australia I got a call from Rick our producer and
asked me if I wanted to do this song for this movie . he played
the song over the phone. I think I got off the plane in LA. and
went right to the studio to record the song. Great song.
When did ALIAS
actually split, because I never read anything about it?
Alias never split.
music changed we couldn't get our music out there no one wanted
to hear it anymore grunge was in and you know what that Ok cause
muisc needs to do that .it needs to change all the time that's
how it stays fresh Alias is stilll Steve and I .Alias will always
be Steve and I .Steve and I will do a record tomorow if the fans
need one!
After the split you
recorded a solo CD, a CD that was a mixture of Pop and ALIAS
typed AOR rock, why two styles and well tell us all about the
album (airplay, hits, songs, sales)
I did dreamer's
road with a mix of different stiles of music cause that's who
Freddy Curci is A powerful melodic singer who when I want to can
rock my ass off OKOK maybe I should be speaking in the 3rd person
here but I guess vocaly that's who I am .don't you think hearing
the same song 12 times on a record is boring? if you think
dreamers road is wild wait till you hear the record that's coming
out aug 2001 that's going to be a fun record
Did you do anything
else besides this solo CD?
My compilation that
was just released called then and now
Last year there
were some anounces and now it has finally happened, a new record
from you, the second solo-CD, a best of with some unreleased
songs, can you tell us all about the record and its songs?
I liked the Idea
putting out this record primarily cause it's been a long time
since I've been around i wanted people to remember who I am and I
want them to know where I'm going from now on I'm putting out a
record every august.that's my promise to my fans.
I always wondered
who influenced you to do AOR music?
that's easy The
doobie brothers, Chicago, deep purple, B T O , Gino vannelli
black sabath ,led zepelin , rainbow ,little tony ,earth wind and
fire, foreigner,journey ,the beatles,acdc paverotti !
Looking back at
your past, what do you consider to be your best song (s) and/or
best album?
My fav song is the
last song on the Alias record but the words are not the words the
I wrote originally I'm going to rerecord that song with the
original words on my next record the song is called life goes on
Why did you record
a few songs in the Italian language (pretty cool actually), are
you Italian from origin?
I'm Italian I love
to sing in Italian and from now on will always included a song or
two in italian
You really have a
fantastic voice, and you even got mentioned in the guiness book
of records for the longest note in history at the end of the song
"When I'm with you", was this your intention when you
recorded this song back in the early 80s and what do you think
for yourself about this...
the note at the end
of "when I'm with you"as a gag a joke and see what
happens when you do things for a joke!
So, what are the
plans for the near future, any touring plans...
I'm going to be
touring the us in the new year and i want to come to europe to
support the then and now record
And are you
recording/writing new songs, if so, are these in the AOR style of
SHERIFF and ALIAS...
I'm always writing
songs everyday I guess you could call it my day job .I don't feel
right if I don't write it's somthing i must do or I don't feel in
balance
BACK TO INTERVIEWSINDEX
BACK TO HOMEPAGE
FREDDY CURCI is one of the best AOR
vocalists of all times. He started his career in SHERIFF with
whom he recorded just one album, but this album is an instant AOR
Classic. 6 years after the release one song ("When I'm with
you") reached the number one position in the US Billboard
Charts. The next band Freddy sang with was ALIAS who also
released one album, but another AOR Classic. After the split of
that band, Freddy started a solo career and so far he has
released two solo CDs, the latest is a compilation of some of his
best work in the past. There's much more to follow next year, but
for now read the interview I had with this AOR legend...