Did you start playing music with
a view to create your own material, or was that something that
came along later?
Becki diGregorio tells, in an email interview, of her new CD and the contributions of a certain Mr Gregory...
Did you start playing music with
a view to create your own material, or was that something that
came along later?
I actually started playing my mom's baritone uke that I found one day in the closet. Played that thing for hours. Then onto an electric organ. Guess I was around six or seven. Would play songs out of books they gave you with it, with the melodies being represented by numbers that corresponded to the keys. Though the day I distinctly remember was when I figured out how to play "Hey Jude" without the book. When I got my first guitar (sixth grade) I started out playing a few Beatles tunes, but soon discovered I could make up my own chords that sounded better. When I got the 12-string (in eighth grade or so) straight "cowboy" chords fell by the wayside. Too much fun to find strange chordings and drones and middle-eastern sounding riffs. Trance inducing stuff, to be sure...
What prompted you to work with other musicians? You seem to be a multi-instrumentalist who needed little or no assistance to produce interesting work on your own.
While I wrote these songs on 12-string guitar, I heard so much more going on with them in my head. There is no way I could possibly duplicate the sound myself. I play guitar just enough to get ideas down. Violins, middle eastern drums and percussion, ripping guitar solos, wild trap drums -- all this came from talented musicians I chose who I felt could assist me in creating my aural vision. And though I could play the songs live with just my guitar, I'd want others to share in what I hear as much as possible.
At what point during the recording of your CD did you consider sending the tapes to Dave Gregory?
After finishing up all the tracks on "Inside The Dream" except for the end guitar solo. The idea just kinda' hit me: this song sure would soar if Dave played a guitar solo at the end. Gee, I wonder what the chances would be... I knew it would be a long shot, but I also figured it never hurts to ask, y'know?? And I did meet him that time (a few years back) and had him sign my bass...
Did you send him the full tape or just the tracks you thought he'd be most likely to appreciate?
Since I wasn't sure he'd be into playing on that one particular song, I also sent three others to him. and except for "When You Get Home," he did in fact play on the ones I sent. In his three-page letter he enclosed with the tape, he wrote about why: "I'm afraid that, owing to time restrictions, I have not been able to add anything to this track at all."
On the track sheets that went with the ADAT, I'd written in where the solo would start on "Inside The Dream" and on "Godbox." He stuck to this on "Godbox," but added a whole bunch of other guitar tracks to the other tune. His fills grace the song so beautifully, and needless to say are perfect.
Are you totally happy with all the contributions he made?
I could be honest here, Simon, and reply in the way I would if I were standing in front of you: "What, are you crazy??!!"
But I will instead try to be more articulate in response to your query. Dave's contributions are simply amazing, and are parts I could never have imagined in my own head. Such is the reason I believe so many XTC fans (and non-fans alike) would agree that he is one talented cat. Being able to listen to a song and know just what would fit where is something that impresses me as all git out.
What next for Becki diGregorio?
Getting it heard. I've been sending some out to record companies and agents, so we'll see. They're in a bunch of record stores around the Bay area, including Tower Records in San Jose. I've done some interviews for radio, and am getting some airplay, too, which is nice. I'd love to do an official CD-release party, a concert of sorts, and am aiming for August. But so far I'm just trying to get the CD's out to folks who've ordered them through Chalkhills -- there have been quite a few, which makes me very happy. I enjoy packaging them up for people and sending them off.
I just wish I had more time to write some new music, 'cuz I've had some ideas swirling in my head. Perhaps sometime soon. I just dig playing my 12-string in my front room, a glass of red, some incense lit, and my cat tranced on the rug. Cats make the best audience...
I've also been contacted by a band in Italy to produce their next album. The manager bought my CD, liked what he heard, and we're currently talking about doing a project together. It'd be great to help other bands and musicians find their own voice/sound, and producing is the next logical step. Since I've gone through the process of making and producing my own CD, I've learned a lot about what it takes to accomplish this. I feel I have a lot to offer in helping others attain their dream. So if anyone is thinking about making their own CD, and would be interested in having me work with them, they can write to me and we can talk about it.
Becki, thank you very much.