reviews
The Funklab
1. PRELUDE
Thoughts of guitar in a loud voice. It’s like being at Earth limit, with seawaves at your feet. A really warm Spanish-style rhythm.
2. THE WAY U LOOK AT ME
This piece is a “pomp rock ’n’ roll”, Great White – style... obviously Paul Shortino is one of the best performers of this kind of songs.
3. CAN YOU GET IT UP ??
What can I say? Here sings He who gains power from God, the Funkmeister mr. Glenn Hughes. A melodic funk-rock in perfect Incense & Peaches style. It starts with drums and guitar duelling in a perverted tornado and then comes in the voice… a great ménage-a-trois… as the rhythm changes in that duel. Don’t miss it.
4. LONELY
Galactic. Simply galactic. A sweet ballad that you can’t forget so easily… Robin McAuley makes everything superb with his “aulic” voice. It remembers me some Michael Shenker episodes. Maybe that’s the best piece of this album, absolutely for melodic rock & ballads lovers. Acoustic intro and sweet voice dancing on notes with great skill and wisdom. Celestial!
5. WHO'S THE BOSS, AH ?
Instrumental jazzy variation, with a really interesting bass bridge. The riffs remember to me the best Tony MacAlpine of his first two albums. I can define the guitar “noir”, as old-times black & white cinema productions. Ending is a continuous drums zig-zag, as in search of something. It looks like something’s missing up in the air…
6. BECAUSE OF YOU
The return of Robin McAuley. This song may remember “Eve” or “Crazy” (from the 1992 Shenker album). It’s a good, clean and running rock ‘n’ roll, with Hammond shots that close into a brief but intense guitar solo. Then Robin comes in again and gives his best expressions. The ending is such “purpling”…
7. 5 A.M.
That’s a good surprise. This is a-la David Coverdale, but using superior tones, I think. Wonderful are the choirs, wonderful is Luppi and his voice, that could certainly figure in a Journey album. But is the guitar solo that gives the “ballad” mark, and I have to say that something comes from the Master Ritchie Blackmore, eh eh eh. Really superb.
8. CYBER DREAM
Well, what was missing in “Who’s the boss, ah?” now comes in again. The “noir” returns in this instrumental song: Humphrey Bogart lights his cigarette and everything vanishes in the fog. Yes, melancholy is the subject of this song. I don’t know why, but that’s my impression. The jazzy blues, the stops, the warm and mellow sound of the guitar, takes me back (despite the title) in a world apart where a simple guitar could transmit infinite emotions. Emotions that today have lost the way. But maybe it’s this: the cyborg dreams about the past, tries to imagine it but he can’t remember his origins, despite his journey through time. Simply great.
9. LOVE CHILD
Let’s come back to Earth, but not for much time. “Love child” is another rock ‘n’ roll. This song is a little slower than “The way U look at me”. Paul Shortino dreams and makes us dream with his mellow voice. The guitar is perfect with that bluesy voice.
10. THE PERFECT NUMBER
The carillon intro doesn’t reveal the rest of this instrumental track. The guitar starts with a crunchy guitar, in a style that for me is a mix among Eddie Van Halen and Steve Morse. The central part brings to light the old-times Blackmore, and the Hammond salad makes it talk in the Purple mother tongue. Maybe this is a tribute to the masters.
11. HAVENHURST DRIVE
Humphrey Bogart stops smoking, and on the horizon appears Edward G. Robinson with his chalky dress ready to the last battle. But both of them know that the sun is about to fall, and they walk on their way without turning back… and the two men vanish in the fog, as guitar and piano slowly fade out their great run… not a word… Can I say something else?
12. HIGHWAY STAR
Let’s take a deep breath and enter the live atmosphere of Highway Star. The song was performed with Michele Luppi on voice and Ian Paice on drums. Great sound and great play, obviously. Another time that’s a good performance for Luppi, and the guitar makes the rest. The solo is really great (in the good-times Ritchie style) and keyboards and bass are a perfect one.
Naturally this is my personal opinion about this album. I know that someone will not agree with me, or maybe all of you, but you know… music IS emotions, and everyone grabs that emotions in a personal mood. As I can do, as you can do. Let us know your opinions about TWISTER, writing to our emails.
ROBERTO COSENTINO (translation by Giampiero Frulli)
THE INTERVIEW
10 questions to Max Magagni
1) Tell us about you.....
MM: Well, let's start: ten years ago I obtained the degree at GIT in Los Angeles, where I lived for 8 years playing and teaching at L.A. College. There I had really good experiences with several musicians as Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Tavaglione, Mike Miller, Louis Johnson, Dave Garibaldi and many others. Those years in America have been extremely important because gave me the possibility to experiment various genres. Then the L.A. Musica Academy of Frank Gambale gave me the opportunity to manage the first Italian branch (located in Bologna). About two years ago I returned to Italy where I had many experiences with musicians, among others Ian Paice and Carl Palmer. Then Fender gave me the "Guru Fender" (testimonial) role for Italy.
2) How about the name "Twister"? How was this project born?
MM: I thought and thought for years about this project, but only one year ago I decided to enter the studios and start recording; fundamentally I decided the direction to give at this project. Finally I decided to give a "live" print, recording every instrument at the same time, like a "live" situation... in this way I preferred to give much warmth to everything, despite the fact that this could endanger the precision of studio recording. But it didn't matter, I wanted an album that could sound really natural, as natural as you can't hear no more nowadays... I hope I succeeded!
3) You've chosen three guests at vocals. It was your choice or management need??
MM: Surely, having such big names makes it more interesting among the audience, but the fact is that I wanted above all to work with those musicians! Also I tried to dedicate to each one the song that could be right; in other words I've idealized the genres with which, in my opinion, those artist better express themselves.
4) Tell us about them. How are they during work times ??
MM: Great pros; when we meet in the studio we knew eachother before only by the phone, or exchanging mp3 via e-mail. It's incredible how simply they arrived in studio and turned their vision in music. From this side you can see the great musician.
5) Where did you record your album? Were the vocals recorded in the same studio or elsewhere??
MM: The musical tracks were recorded in July 2000, using the "live in studio" technique, rehearsals included. Everything happened in the auditorium at Music Academy 2000 located in Bologna. Then we overrecorded the solos and, only in January I went to Los Angeles to record the voice tracks. Concerning "Can You Get It Up?", Glenn wanted to play the bass track, so we omitted the original one played by Oscar Bandiera.
6) Seems that you and your band are really good togheter. It's a long lasting collaboration??
MM: We started about one year ago during Ian Paice Italian tour, then Gianluca Tagliavini (keybs) and me have played other times togheter with Carl Palmer. However it's right, we are happy togheter because we see music in the same way.
7) It's difficult to stand out with this kind of music, nowadays; tell us how you live the musical scene today.
MM: Really, I like also actual music, I'm a fan of artists such Morrissette, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica. I listen various jazz artists such Benson, Carlton, Steely Dan, ecc. I know that my album has a vintage soul but this is because it's played live. If you add the great use of Hammond and Clavinet, the circle is closed!! But it doesn't matters to me; I wrote this album for personal pleasure, more than for business benefit... yes, if it could sell 1 million copies I wouldn't turn back...
8) Were you excited to play live with Robin Mc Auley ???
MM: Excited is not the word, infact between Robin and me a good friendship is born. Yes, I'm quite happy to present my album in my nation with such a great vocalist!!
9) Have you got future plans already?
MM: Surely I would make some promotional gigs in winter, perhaps with some guests... maybe the Funkmaister... why not? He gave me full availability so, we'll see. If there is some promoter interested in this, come in! And there is a big production in process for winter. Sincerely for several years I'm going at maximum rpm, so now I want ONLY to enjoy this album out and maybe later, go out for holidays...
10) Tell something to the young people who today want to choose the musical career.
MM: I think that it's important to BELIEVE in until the end, because nothing's impossible. But nothing comes free, and it's necessary to be ready to grab the opportunities: it could be really difficult finding them!
Best.-Nr. PV 732
