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General Stratocuster And The Marshals Wicked Spins Radio Interview

Sometimes you come across a band that are a gem, one that when you hear you need to hear more.  I came across General Stratocuster And The Marshals and was instantly hooked, they have passion and heart in their music and to say that they are talented is a sheer understatement.  They have just released Double Trouble, an album in which every songs in unique and different but yet has that lovely General Stratocuster unique signature.  Every element that goes into the music is perfect, this was a band that I had to tell people about. So what happened when Wicked Spins Radio caught up with General Stratocuster And The Marshals?  Read on and you will see.

WSR – Thank you so much for giving Wicked Spins Radio this interview, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourselves?

General Stratocuster – We are 5 grown-up boys who still believe in music . We still feel excited whenever a new song chooses us to be played.  It’s a strange chemistry, an exciting mix of experience, talent, music skills, balance and uncertainty that makes a sequence of chords a “song”.  And we 5 want to feel that moment when every single element just fits like a glove.

WSR – Your music is unique and has the air where you can imagine yourself on a long American highway in a muscle car, what was about it about that style that attracted you?

General Stratocuster – The connection with “on the road” images we like a lot and it suits our sound well…driving down the road “in attractive company”! But we think that our musical influences can also cover other kinds of music.

WSR – You all have extensive musical backgrounds what did each of you bring to General Stratocuster and what is it that you feel blends you all so well together?

General Stratocuster – It’s true that we come from different musical backgrounds but what unites us is our love for Rock and Roll. What turns us on is that “thrill” we get every time we create a new song during a jam session. It’s a propitiatory ritual, a special kind of alchemy which happens each time and reaches its peak in our live concerts.

WSR – You new album Double Trouble feature nine unique sounding tracks but yet they all carry that distinct General Stratocuster sound, did you set out to make an album with such a wide variety of music?

General Stratocuster – Yeah! You have understood exactly what our hallmark is : we wanted to be completely free to compose different kinds of songs but at the same time maintain a sound that distinguished us from other bands!  This gives us the freedom to move from aggressive sounding tracks to Blues, passing through dreamy ballads on the way, without losing our artistic identity.

WSR – Double Trouble’s cover is a picture by Italian artist Giacoma Costa, what was it about his work that made it perfect for Double Trouble?

General Stratocuster – It was an honour for us to collaborate with Giacomo Costa but above all the feeling that immediately developed between him and our music was really great. It worked out very well for all of us and happened quite easily and naturally. We think that what brought us together was our desire to rediscover our “roots” to then re-elaborate them in new way.

WSR – It seems that you are born with music flowing through your veins as a musician, when in life did you realise music was the way forward for you?

General Stratocuster – I have been attracted to music since I was child.  At parties they used to stand me on a table and make me sing Opera!  But the real spark was set off by hearing Jimi Hendrix one day in a bar in my city. It had a devastating effect on me, my blood started to circulate very quickly and in the opposite direction!

WSR – What does music mean to you?

General Stratocuster – For us music is life….and life is music!  But apart from the play on words there are many other things.

WSR – What was the first song you ever played when you first picked up an instrument?

General Stratocuster – Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix.  A fantastic song where the melody of the ballad fuses perfectly with the energy of the guitar in a blues atmosphere which is almost surreal.  A magical box that you can look at from any angle and still see something new!

WSR – Do you have any other hidden talents bar being amazing musicians?

General Stratocuster – We try to direct all our energy into Rock and Roll. It is quite enough, at least for now!

WSR – With your music having that great sound it does if you had to describe it as an American muscle car or a motorcycle then what car or bike would it be?

General Stratocuster – Hey, you must have a passion for engines! OK ! To be honest I can see a connection between motorbikes and our music . A little because the revving up is similar to playing the guitar . And a little because the impact with the asphalt and the wind in your face is so exciting and I hope this is the same feeling you get from our music !

WSR – How did you learn to play your instrument or become a singer, is it something that you just did on your own or did someone else teach you how to play?

General Stratocaster – I started singing and playing together.  But I have always dedicated more time to the guitar . My “teachers” were the great guitar heroes of Rock and Roll.

WSR – Your music is amazing and all the reviews I have red are completely amazing, is there a review you have had that sticks in your mind and have you ever had a bad review?

General Stratocuster – We have had very few…..To be honest we have been lucky because even the bad ones stated we had a “sound” but the reviewer simply didn’t like it! Hey it’s a free world and we are old enough to know we can’t be loved and appreciated by everyone.  What we are proud of is that ‘Double Trouble’ listeners seemed to have perceived the essence of the album : our true passion for the roots of rock.

WSR – Do any of you come from a musical family at all?

General Stratocuster – We were lucky enough to have had parents who understood our passion and allowed us to follow it .

WSR – Thank you so much for giving Wicked Spins Radio this interview, is there anything you would like to add?

General Stratocuster – Never stop listening to music . Music , good music , needs to be ” fed” by passion and desire.

http://www.generalstratocuster.com/

https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStratocusterandtheMarshals

You can see the video to Highway by General Stratocuster And The Marshals here on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0DXHuynJr8