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Interview with Johnny Monaco
vocalist/guitarist of Enuff Z'Nuff
By Thomas S. Orwat, Jr.
Johnny Monaco is a true Rock n’Roll survivor. He replaced longtime Enuff Z’ Nuff Donnie Vie days before a national tour, he made it though the two month long Metal-Sludge tour living on a tour bus with Pretty Boy Floyd. Hell, that in itself should get him nominated into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of fame. He is also involved in three side projects, two of which have the potential to be signed to a major label. 2004 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for Monaco. In the past, he’s faced much adversity, he faced it head on and has prospered and grown stronger as a musician. It is evident in his solo material and this will be his year to bring his music to the masses.
What follows is an exclusive glam-metal.com interview with Johnny Monaco.
How difficult was it to make the transition from guitarist to lead vocalist guitarist?
I've been doing that with my other band for a while now so I’m kind of used to it. The hardest part is executing it live and trying to remember all the right guitar parts against the vocals.
How much time did you have to prepare for this change?
I found out the day before the tour started that I was going to be singing. (that tour was w/ the Erick Martin band) I learned a lot of the words on the bus going to the first show in Texas.
Did the band ever consider finding other lead singer?
No
How has the fan reaction been to you as the lead singer of Enuff Z' Nuff?
Everyone seems to like it. I got to be honest I haven't had a lot of terribly bad reviews. It still sounds weird, even to me, to hear me singing these songs but I can't deny that it sounds great all together. It's a hard position to fill since Donnie's voice is so uniquely the voice of EZN and anything else is just not right sounding. But I think we do it well too so it's just a little different. Some will arguably say its better then it was. Ouch!
What were the first couple gigs like?
I'm sure they were rough trying to remember all the words and hit the right chords and not look like a geek. You gotta know all the words cause the ppl in the first few rows are singing along so if you mess it up you'll look like a jackass.
How difficult is it to pick a song list for your shows?
There are over 100 songs to choose from. We try to mix it up as much as we can. We've been doing a few lately that we never did before and also still do some of the more classic EZN tunes.
What is the current music scene in Chicago, IL?
Mainly either NU-Metal sounding bands or underground Chicago sounding sub-pop. Like bands you would hear in the IPO. The dance/dj scene is big in Chicago as I believe it is in most cities.
Are Cheap Trick and Billy Corgan still considered music gods there?
Yes, I'm sure the ppl who are aware would consider them a staple in the history of bands from here. Those 2 bands definitely played a big part in putting Chicago on the map. I mean how can you not like Cheap Trick!
What’s the game plan for Enuff Z’ Nuff for the next year?
Probably do some more touring and hopefully record another CD for an American release.
Will Donnie Vie still be involved at all?
I don't know what the deal is with that. If Chip decides to write another CD with Donnie then yes he will. If Chip wants to write it with me that's fine too. Unfortunately I don't think Donnie will be touring with the current line as it is.
What led to you joining Enuff Z' Nuff?
I was playing at an outdoor "Weed Fest" at a place here in Chicago called "Cricket Hill". (It was right when Jerry Garcia died). EZN played right after me and they did it as a 3-piece cause Gino Martino had just left the band. So Chip asked me if I'd be interested in doing a small tour to fill in for now. And that turned into 8 years of this.
What were you involved with before you joined the band?
I was doing my own stuff in a band called "Pinch" and I also played w/ Matt Mercado in a reincarnation of his band "Mindbomb". www.mattmercado.com
What were some of your professional highlights of 2003?
I did a few "Coors Light" commercials for radio/TV and got to work with a good engineering team. Genuine Music, Inc. I like working in the studio when it's a big production. Going to Italy & Spain w/ EZN was cool too.
And low points of 2003?
Going to the UK with a sudden case of Bell's Palsy. It's gone now but it happened the day I left for the UK tour so it was difficult at the time to sing.
What was it like touring on the same bus with Pretty Boy Floyd?
Oh Lord. They were all nice guys, just real stinky and all Hollywood ROCK-N-ROLL crazy!!
What was the most shocking think that you witnessed on that tour?
Not too sure about that one. I'm pretty used to whatever. I remember the bus driver taking a swing at our tech on the bus. That was pretty cool. The whole Banana incident was ok too I guess. C.C. Banana Attacked During MSX Show, 7/2/03
How do you think the most recent Enuff Cd “Welcome to Blue Island” compares to previous releases?
I like most of it. There's a few tunes I could do without but for the most part I think it's a cool & different sounding CD. Parts of it are a little more experimental I guess
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What pre-show and after show rituals do you partake in?
I try to drink the blood of the innocent before & after every show. j/k.... I have no rituals. :)
There's a picture of Enuff in which all four band members are nude. How drunk were you guys when this picture was taken, and whose idea was it?
Unfortunately no one was drunk. We took that photo in England at the end of a photo shoot for the CD. It was Chip's idea I think and I don't know what his motivation was behind it. Maybe he felt it was a timeless shot and something you should only do once. Maybe he thought it would be shocking/controversial in a way. IE: "Chili Peppers", etc.. I really don't know. At the time I wasn't really into it but now I'm glad we did it cause it was something different then the same old "rock shot" and my hair was really red.
In addition to Enuff Z' Nuff, you're involved in three side projects: Your solo project, Low-tek and Sadie. Which one is your #1 priority?
I'm focusing on "Johnny Monaco" right now cause I feel the timing is right for these type tunes. The songs are more of an alt/pop flavor with a heavier edge. I'm also gonna start recording some of the Low-tek songs and I'll probably put a separate, heavier live band together for that stuff. The "Sadie" band is mainly covers.... Beatles, Costello, Bowie, etc... I haven't done that one in a while cause it's hard to find ppl that can play all the parts well & sing it. All three are very different from each other. I don't have any plans for that as of now but ultimately I am trying to get signed so I can put out a CD and tour as much as possible.
johnnymonaco.com
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