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Riff & Roll Exclusive Interview With Jimmy - Part 2 (1998)

Riff and Roll caught up with Jimmy and talked to him about a variety of subjects, including the recording of Rock In A Hard Place, his time playing in Aerosmith and with Rod Stewart and other bands, a planned album and much more....

RR: How was it to be playing with Rod Stewart, playing Jeff Beck's guitar lines when Beck had been one of your influences?

JC: It was really brilliant especially the first few months. I remember learning music from Rod's Truth album in 1968, especially the song "I Ain't Superstitious" which I loved. England was especially cool, as I got to play some of the older tracks in his collection.

RR: How do you feel about playing on albums uncredited for your work?

JC: It's always a disappointment. I'm still pissed to this day about one guy, Lenny Wolf, from Kingdom Come, who got me to play on his album, then what he did was he went over to Germany or something and got some kid to play my guitar lines, lick for lick, and anyway I was in this guitar centre one time, and I heard one of these songs, and I thought, hang on, I know that song....

RR: Of the new artists in the rock scene, do you have any favourites?

JC: I like Korn. Any of the heavier stuff, I like to be able to hear the guitars. Otherwise I like listening to classical music. Marilyn Manson is ok and all, but it's all pretty comical and theatrics.

RR: So what prompted the move west to L.A.?

JC: It was pretty much organised through Geffen when they brought me into Adam Bomb. I liked L.A., and it was cool to be there, as before Aerosmith I really hadn't seen a lot of the country, and it was cool finding out what was out there.

How many cans of Hairspray did you use before each Adam Bomb gig?

JC: I didn't go through any! The other guys, especially Adam and Phil, who'd just come from a punk outfit with the big hair and all were the ones who were into that. It's sort of funny looking back at those promo photos. They made me do it!!

RR: Your family seems to be blessed with quite a bit of musical talent, your daughter Cristina is quite a great singer by all reports - any duets planned in the near future?

JC: Well you never know, we'll see, it's a possibility. At the moment she's only 12!

RR: Any other vocalists slated to guest on your upcoming album? Will we hear much of your vocals or will it be mainly instrumental pieces?

JC: Once again we'll see...It will probably be mostly instrumental.

RR: As far as guitars, you show quite an affinity for strats - do you have any favourite guitars?

JC: Not really. I used to like playing vintage guitars, in fact they were all I used in Flame and Aerosmith. Inevitably over the years you sell some of these guitars, and in time it's become so hard to get your hands back on them now they've become such collectibles. In the seventies it was really only the players who had these guitars, but now a lot more it's the people with the big money who have them. As far as my own preferences these days I find it's more whatever works. I do like my Fenders and Gibsons though.

RR: Do you know the biggest crowd you've played in front of?

JC: It would be Wembley with Rod Stewart. 84000 people. It was really amazing. With Aerosmith we played to crowds of 15 - 20000 a few times, which was such a rush...

RR: Pretty scary in front of those crowds?

JC: It was more just real excitement. Sometimes that excitement from the crowd got a little two much, and I once had a bic lighter thrown up on stage which hit me in the face. Like it was only a small little lighter, but when one of those things is thrown from 50 feet back, they can you hit you pretty hard and it stunned me for a bit.

RR: So in your household, do you tell the kids to turn the music down, or do they tell you?!

JC: Absolutely, I do. And I hate that! I hate being like a parent, it's terrible! it's a curse! Now I'm telling my kids the things I hated being told. I hate myself for that. As for the kids telling me - they can't! Well I'm sure they could but they don't...

RR: Most embarrassing moment?

JC: I guess that picture with Adam Bomb! It's not me!

RR: The Lightning Strikes Video maybe?

JC: That was kinda stupid. It's not so much embarrassing, it's just terrible! (laughs) It was filmed in New York by the pier. It was really crazy, they wanted to film it really late at night there because they wanted cobblestones in the picture.

RR: You've been tearing up L.A. club dates with Mary Dolan recently. Do you prefer more intimate venues or arenas to showcase your playing?

JC: It really depends on what I'm playing and the venue itself. Arenas definitely give you a bigger rush. Mary's music is more suited to club venues though, and that works well too.

RR: What were Anacaonda and Flame like?

JC: Oh my god, Anaconda! Anaconda was great in the nightclubs. It was around 1972, and back then you could just play guitars in the clubs, and it was pretty wild. Flame was more R & B almost like Rod Stewart. We put out a couple of records on RCA,which are actually fairly difficult to get these days.

RR: What song do you wish you wrote?

JC: So many....Purple Haze by Hendrix would be one.

RR: What's on your cd player currently?

JC: Theatre music right now. I have the Phantom of The Opera cd playing.

RR: Favourite Album?

JC: Maybe Hendrix's first, or Cream's Disraeli Gears.

RR: Favourite song?

JC: It depends on my mood really...

RR: Favourite Website?

JC: Riff and Roll!!!

 

 

Part One of the Interview with Jimmy Crespo

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