Page 20 - Rocknation Issue 28_Neat

PAGE 20 ROCKNATION ISSUE 28

Buy AOR CDs direct from
Perris Records scan this code:

Interview with Frederic Slama

Hello Frédéric Slama from AOR and welcome to Rocknation. You had a busy year releasing two CDs “Journey
To L.A.” & “L.A. Suspicion”. Please tell us some details about these two CDs.
Hello Rocknation! “L.A. Suspicion is my latest album, maybe the most melodic and rock of them all. It features
incredible talented singers such as Steve Overland (FM), Robbie LaBlanc (Blanc Faces), Paul Sabu, Steph Honde,
Markus Nordenberg, Michael Stosic & Bill Kelly (Dakota). This album got fantastic reviews worldwide and is considered
among my best releases. Fans of Foreigner, Toto & Survivor should really check it out! In 2022 there was also the
re-release of my classic album from 2009, “Journey To L.A.”. But this time with a new artwork, slightly different songs
and a hidden secret track. The album was remastered and features some legends of the Melodic Rock Scene such as
Fergie Frederiksen & Steve Lukather (Toto), Steve Overland (FM), Bill Champlin (‘Chicago), Philip Bardowell
(Unruly Child) and many others. This is among my strongest album, and it’s been finally released as it was intended to
be thanks to Tom Mathers and Perris Records.

Who writes the lyrics for your music.
I always write all the lyrics and all the music by myself in all my songs, so that way if it’s good I can get the medals and
all the girls, and if it’s bad I can only blame myself and cry all alone under a bridge.
I’ve written more than 400 songs since I’ve started my
career in 1984 and i’ve always prided myself to
offer the best to the fans. Lyrics are very personal, and
you can develop easilier your ideas and themes when
you’re the only one writing them.

When you work with a vocalist do you give them
the lyrics & melodies or just let them do their own
thing?
No, I know exactly what I want note for note and I can
easily become a small dictator and invade a country
if my instructions are not followed to the letter ha! ha!.
When I write a song I know exactly what I want, and my
style appeals to fans. So after working hard on a song
for days or weeks, I’m not tolerant enough that someone
just improvise new lyrics or a new melody on a finished
song. Usually a singer who tries this stunt is arrested
immediately by my AOR guards, sent to a public place to
be beheaded by the king of AOR himself (that’s my guilty
pleasure). Usually after that the singer have nothing
more to say ha! ha!

When you work with a vocalist do you give them the
lyrics & melodies or just let them do their own thing?
By offering them cocaine and beautiful French girls!
Usually they can’t resist ha!ha! Otherwise when I was a
young music journalist, starting at the age of 13, I made
tons of contacts when I lived in L.A.. From that day I
made more and more contacts with famous people
always willing to help me to fulfill my dream in doing the
best songs possible. Many of these great musicians and
singers wanted to be part of AOR and add their names to
quality releases. That’s why they were always here when
I needed them, and i will be eternally grateful for their
invaluable help.