Indie Music

As always – A great shout out and appreciation to Thomas Hilton & Aldora Britain Records for supporting independent musicians.

Link to Full Aldora Ezine Article with Interview: https://bit.ly/aldorabritainrecords-magazine-175

ALDO BUZZI’s all-original output would have been an ideal fit for a raucous night of rock and roll at Max’s Kansas City. Across his records to date, this American musical maverick has traversed the ground between
alternative rock, glam, garage punk, prog, and much more. By combining these unique styles and approaches, Aldo has created something refreshing and revitalizing, caught on LPs such as 2023’s Cubism and Music, a twelve-song snapshot of a gloriously classic sound in a modern world. Tracks including ‘Automation’, ‘Jerky’, and ‘East Side Shuffle’ are specific high points. With this record approaching its first anniversary, and with new music in the works, Aldo took some time out to once again chat with Aldora Britain Records about his life in rock and roll so far. We discuss early live memories of Elton John, Aldo’s approach to songwriting and songcraft, a selection of his recorded output, and much, much more. That exclusive in-depth conversation is published here in full for the very first time.

Aldora Britain Records: Hello Aldo, how are you? I think it is about time that we welcomed you back to the Aldora Britain Records e-zine. I really enjoyed our chat last year. Let’s do it again! As always, let’s kick things off by travelling back in time. You previously mentioned your first live music experience was Blue Oyster Cult and Three Dog Night. Can you tell me about this? What impact did it have on you at this early formative stage?

Aldo Buzzi: To be perfectly honest, the first concert of Three Dog Night and Blue Oyster Cult didn’t really wow me, it was the next concert I went to that did, Elton John when he was touring Madman Across the Water. The show and the music were magical. If I’m not mistaken, that was in 1971 when I was in high school. The following year I bought my first bass guitar, a Fender Precision Bass. My music world started to open, listening to all types of music from progressive to Southern to country and progressive rock. Allman Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Zappa, Motown, I can keep going. Just out of high school I started going to New York City increasingly and my mind really got blown being exposed to Bowie, punk, new wave, rockabilly, reggae, samba, all different but exhilarating. These are and have been all my influences to this day as you can hear those sounds in my music. Take for instance ‘Pickle Brother Blues’, you can hear the country and blues influence, ‘One Black Rose’ has the Motown feel. I enjoy writing and playing music that has many influences instead of being pigeonholed in one style or genre. It’s quite amusing when I release an album, or single and the digital streaming services ask what genre the music should be in. It is rock and roll baby, anything goes!

Aldora Britain Records: And now, let’s take a leap forward to the present day and your brilliant and unforgettable solo output. You know I love what you do here, especially in the way you write and craft your songs. How do you approach this part of your creative process? Are you drawn to particular themes or topics? Perhaps coming from a personal, observational, or even fictional perspective and point of view?

Aldo Buzzi: I usually start with a bassline as I am a bass man by nature. Add a basic drum track with that bassline to establish the tempo and rhythm. Then I start to layer what I hear in my head. This is hard to explain as it comes naturally to me as the song evolves. This is always my favorite part of writing, creating, and recording, you never know where it will lead you. God knows I have hundreds of songs on my hard drives that sounded good but never really panned out too much, but I save them, and you never know when that riff or sound can be used elsewhere. Interesting fact for me is the lyrics always are developed last, after the whole composition is completed.

Aldora Britain Records: You have released two stellar singles so far in 2024. I am talking about ‘Pickle Brother Blues’ and ‘One Black Rose’, of course! Two further gems for the Aldo Buzzi back-catalogue! Thank you for the music, and please do keep them coming! What are your memories from writing, recording and releasing these tunes, and how would you say you have grown and evolved since your earlier releases?

Aldo Buzzi: ‘Pickle Brother Blues’, I wanted it to have a country twang, so after I laid down the basslines, I added the slide guitar to achieve what I was looking for. In the case of ‘One Black Rose’ you can hear the bassline resembles Motown’s Temptations, ‘Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone’. In the last eight years, getting back to my solo career, I feel my music progression and production have improved vastly. It is more deliberate and precise. Each song has its own feel deriving from the distinctiveness of the instruments and ornamental sounds in just the right places. Then I layer in the lyrics and background vocals. The hard part comes next, hours of mixing the song down to ensure clarity and distinctiveness of each instrument and vocal. I play all the instruments, guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, myself, except using a drum machine. From time to time, I will invite in some other local musicians and vocalists to lend a hand.

Aldora Britain Records: Previously, if we travel back to 2023, you unveiled an outstanding full-length album in the form of Cubism and Music. I have really been enjoying this outing at late, twelve stellar gems! It definitely makes me excited for the next LP! How do you reflect on this set as a whole now, and is there anything that you would edit or change looking back with the benefit of hindsight?

Aldo Buzzi: You asked if I would have changed or edited anything, and the short answer is no. After a song or album is completed, I rather just move onto the next creative endeavor. I feel as an artist you can get caught up in perfection and drive yourself nuts. “Just out of high school I started going to New York City increasingly and my mind really got blown being exposed to Bowie, punk, new wave, rockabilly, reggae, samba, all different but exhilarating.”

Aldora Britain Records: It is a pearl of a record from start to finish, top to bottom, but I would like to pick out two personal favorites of mine. Let’s go for ‘Jerky’ and ‘East Side Shuffle’. Let’s dig deeper on these selections! For each, what is the story behind the song, and can you remember the moment it came to be? Did anything in particular inspire them and what do they mean to you as the writer?

Aldo Buzzi: I appreciate that you picked ‘Jerky’, one of my favorites also. Straightforward out of my punk inspired days of Max’s Kansas City and The Mudd Club and my band The Lampshades, politically charged with the idiocy of today’s world. A deliberate hard rocking song with the subliminal message of the times. It’s jerky! ‘East Side Shuffle’ was inspired by the state of New York City or in many cases many cities on our planet. Violence and hate and the entitlement of many. In this sort of a rap style song with a catchy rhythm, percussion, and my signature synthesizer ornamentation.

Aldora Britain Records: I always love to delve deeper into an artist’s roots. For me, it is one of the most enjoyable parts of any interview. You previously namechecked Scary Monsters as an all-time favorite. Can you remember the first time you heard this record? How has it informed you and your musical
output since? More broadly, who are some of your biggest influences and inspirations currently?

Aldo Buzzi: As previously said, David Bowie is one of my favorite artists, following his career from when I was first introduced to his music, there was always that anticipation when his next album would drop. In 1980 when that album came out, my company with my partner at the time was Centour Sound. Centour Sound was a production and sound system company we formed to make money in the club scene. I do not like being a starving artist! That’s how we were involved so heavily in the music industry in New York City and the tri-state area. So, we were always in the mix regarding being the first to get our hands on new releases. I always loved the way Bowie was able to change and morph his personality into something new. For some reason when it first came out it had a profound influence on me and how I looked at art and music. Today it’s tough to say any one artist or band influences me. I still look to the non-commercial artists and bands that I enjoy listening to the most. Here now is a plug, Tom, Aldora Britain Records, to me that is where you find rough gems in the making. You need to dig deep to find true innovating artists.

Aldora Britain Records: A broad question to finish. We have been through such a unique time in history over the last few years. Both politically and within society, and that is before you throw in the pandemic. How have the last several years impacted on you personally and as an artist? How do you think this time has changed the music industry, both for the good and the bad? I am curious to hear your insights.

Aldo Buzzi: The last few years have been surprisingly good in terms of reflecting on yourself, your family and friends, and what is important in your life. As an artist I keep creating, I took up painting recently, I keep going. The pandemic was tough for everyone, although it seems everyone weathered the storm and came out the other side. Politically, more than ever the politicians have lost their fucking minds and society is not too far behind as the nuclear family is falling apart. I would say that everything changes but it all stays the same in the end. “In the last eight years, getting back to my solo career, I feel my music
progression and production have improved vastly. It is more deliberate and precise.” The state of the music industry has gotten worse, especially for independent artists. Unlike in the 60s to the 80s the lack of venues for bands and artists to play in is minimal at best. You need a ton of money to get exposure and how it all works in the music industry is even more of a mystery. But reflect on the state of the music itself
and usually in these times something always manages to come out and make a statement. Personally, I’m a positive person, I surround myself with positivity, and say fuck the negative shit. On that note, I have another single to be released called ‘Street Walker’, to be released on July 1st, and in August another single called ‘No Matter Anyway’ that was inspired by the negative shit.

Quickfire Round
AB Records: Favourite artist? Aldo: Bowie.
AB Records: Favourite album? Aldo: Scary Monsters.
AB Records: Last album you listened to from start to finish? Aldo: Frank Zappa, Hot Rats.
AB Records: First gig as an audience member? Aldo: Three Dog Night.
AB Records: Loudest gig as an audience member? Aldo: The Ramones.
AB Records: Style icon? Aldo: Zendaya.
AB Records: Favourite film? Aldo: My Cousin Vinny.
AB Records: Favourite TV show? Aldo: The Honeymooners.