Page 19 - ROCKNATION ISSUE 26

ROCKNATION ISSUE 26 PAGE 19

Who wrote the music and lyric writing for this release?
The bulk of the album was written by Dan Michaels and I. There were 3 songs
that were written and arraigned by Terry, JK, Pat Fontaine, and I. I’m not much
of a lyricist so I don’t get involved in that realm too much. I typically pick up a
guitar or jump on a keyboard and start fleshing out ideas. I’ll usually come up
with the music and send it off to Dan or he’ll send me lyrics and I’ll put music
to them. Love is a lie started with Terry leaving me a voicemail of him singing a
rough sketch with an acoustic guitar and it grew from there. Working with him
was incredible because he knows what he wants to hear in his head and how
to pull the best out of everyone he works with. I learned a great amount about
myself, the way I write, and the way I play during that process.

Where did you record these tracks at?
The CD was recorded in 19 different studios if I counted correctly. Everyone recorded their parts separately and all of the
files were sent to Bill for mixing. Luckily everyone recorded in the same format, exported their wave files, and they all lined
up with the master clock in Bill’s studio. We took advantage of the technology that’s now available instead of trying to get
everyone coordinated to go to Bill’s studio. Technology like skype, drop box, and even text messages were really
monumental in putting this all together. We could interact without being in the same room.

How long did it take from start to finish on this release?
It took a little over 2 years to finish the release due to everyone’s schedules. When I started the album, the one agreement
we all made was there would be no pressure and could be recorded in between tours and life. It was a good way for
everyone to blow off some steam without a producer breathing down their neck or watching the clock at a studio. Once
everything was recorded, that was when we discussed how to release it. That subject never came up during the process.

Who are your influences and how have they affected your writing?
You have room for a 3-page dissertation? Night Ranger would have to be my biggest influence overall. They’re a band that
does it all with some of the best musicianship I’ve ever heard. They know how to write a song and mastered the art of how to
interact with other instruments. They can full on shred or play the most melodic harmony guitar lines. Van Halen, Steve Vai,
Winger, Journey, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, and Huey Lewis were huge influences on me as well. Stevie Wonder really threw
me through a loop. His playing, writing, and the way he phrases everything is so effortless.

How excited are you to have your CD now distributed in Europe, Japan and the USA with Perris Records?
Working with Perris Records has been a blessing. Since the CD went from crowd funded to self funded in a blink of an eye
due to everything at Pledge Music, having a company like Perris Records step up to fill that void for distribution has been
monumental. Everything they have been able to do with getting the CD out there has been nothing
short of extraordinary and certainly not something
I could had done on my own.

If you had to tell someone what your music sounded like, what
bands would you mention?
There are elements of Extreme, Tyketto, XYZ, and Firehouse due
to some of their members playing on some tracks. I’ve heard quite
a few people say it reminds them of that late 80’s timeframe and
seenit compared to Def Leppard, Van Halen, Bon Jovi, White Lion
and Dokken so I’ll go with that.

Thank you for taking time for this interview. Any last words to
the fans?
Thank you for having me on here. Please go to:
https://morano.hearnow.com or
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4fpkuAwug1sFuZuL8eerwX
to check it out or jump over to:
www.facebook.com/duanemoranomusic
for the latest on what I’m up to.