Interview Alberto Rigoni

Alberto Rigoni has become one of THE newcomer on the bass- scene during the last couple of years. He´s playing bass with such different bands like prog- metal-band „TwinSpirits“, the new pop electro duo „Lady & the BASS“ and his solo-project.

Reasons enough for an interview with the bustling Italian.

Interview with Alberto Rigoni conducted by Maik Reishaus for www.BassTheWorld.com 1/6 Hi Alberto! Another project of yours is Lady & the BASS . Can you tell us Ciao Maik!! Thanks for this interview! about this? Hope that everything is going well! It´s a new project focused on bass What are you working on at the grooves and female vocals. Our first moment? single "Quirky Girl" has just been released on digital stores (iTunes, Well, I've just completed my new solo Amazon MP3 etc) by Emmeciesse album that features also great Music and the video-clip is available musicians such as Gavin Harrison on Youtube. Checkt it out! (Porcupine Tree), (Ark, ex-Malmsteen), Michael Manring, Lady & the Bass - Quirky Girl (Video) Yves Carbonne and many others. It's going to be released on Nightmare Nice song! Is this project going on Records on March 2011 I think (TBC) stage? Grazie! Glad to hear that you like it! Wow, that´s a nice line-up! How did Yes we already played some gigs and you choose the musicians for your hope to play more soon! solo record? Thanks Maik! These musicians are Do you play live as a duo or with a amazing! I love their playing! Well, the band? first musician I've contacted was Gavin Harrison. His playing was We play live as a duo but sometimes perfect for a tune I had in mind so.. we have also a keyboard player and the same happened for the other (Federico Solazzo who's playing with guests and songs :) the famous Italian singer Alexia) Sounds like some serious prog- As all this were not enough, you also music ! playing bass with Italian based I hope so :) Well there're some prog progressive-metal-band TwinSpirits . tunes but it also features some rock tunes and bass "only" songs with I've just recorded bass tracks for the some relaxing atmospheres.. new TwinSpirits album and we also shot a video-clip for the song "My Future" (from the album The Forbidden City

Interview with Alberto Rigoni conducted by Maik Reishaus for www.BassTheWorld.com 2/6 released by Lion Music on september Touring, or recordings we rehears all 11th 2009). together.

Btw: I've also completed Mistheria's How do you practice all these fast (italian virtuoso keyboard player) lines? "Dragon Fire" album line-up recording the whole CD. The album's personnel When I'm at home, I practice with the in full is: drum tracks only. But first I use the On Vocals , , Rob metronome (slow BPM to normal Rock, Titta Tani and Lance King. BPM) by George Bellas, Roger Staffelbach, Emir Hot and Neil Zaza. When and why have you started to And on drums John Macaluso. play bass?

I started playing when I was 17 (now I'm 28). A friend of mine introduced me to and I felt in love with them. So I decided that I wanted to play Dream Theater- songs…

And why did you choose the bass instead of the , keyboard or drums? :) Rigoni live with Twinspirits To be honest I tried with drums first TwinSpirits are playing complex but it was a total failure!!! . How do you write and rehears these Together with drummer Enrico Buttol songs? you founded the band ASCRA, which covered songs by prog-metal-legends Daniele Liverani, the keyboard player, Dream Theater . No easy task because is TwinSpirits ' mastermind, he writes of the complexity of their songs, all the songs and lyrics. He is amazing right? and I love his songwriting. We rehears the instrumental parts Yeah.. not easy! without the singer (he lives in But it was really challenging! Sweden) very often and , before I think the first song I've learned was

Interview with Alberto Rigoni conducted by Maik Reishaus for www.BassTheWorld.com 3/6 „Erotomania“ (from the Awake- Well, I think most part of the viewers album). Not too fast but pretty didn't look at the bass :) Watch the complex due the continuous time videoclip and you'll understand what I changes. mean hehe. By the way, the song and the video What is so special about this band? got really nice feedbacks from all kind of listeners. I really love their first albums such as Images & Words , Awake , A Change Of Thank god you didn´t slap on this Seasons . There's something magic in tune :) . their songwriting.. they have not just How did you came up with this idea? technique but also a lot catchy melodic lines. Also they are incredible Well, my target was to have a funny musicians. video.. so the director (Elia Cristofoli - Solingo) got the idea! Have you had bass-lessons? When and why you started playing 6- I had a few lessons at the beginning. string basses? I'm almost self taught My first bass was a 4 string but after a What other musicians and bands couple of months I wanted to learn „A have influenced you? Change of Seasons“ (Dream Theater) and that song requires a 6 string bass My main music background is so I purchased it :) progressive metal and rock so… Rush , 6 strings are now my main basses! Genesis , etc.. But I listen to all kind of music. You used to play an F-Bass, now you I think that i've been also influenced play an Elrick Bass. Whats the by many bass players like Michael difference between these Manring, Randy Coven, Doug instruments? Wimbish, etc. Well, I love the sound of Fender Jazz For your song „BASSex“ you shot a Bass so I've always been looking for 6 music clip, wich was broadcast on strings basses that sound like a JB. some Italian tv-networks. What was Fbass has that tone, it's like an the viewers reaction? evolution of fender. Alberto Rigoni - BASSex (Video) My Elrick Gold Serie (bolt-on) 6 string

Interview with Alberto Rigoni conducted by Maik Reishaus for www.BassTheWorld.com 4/6 has JB tone as well but it has more cut through the mix! presence and headroom. I also own a Elrick Hybrid 5, The Hybrid model What is the outlook for the perfectly bridges the gap between immediate future? thru-neck and bolt-on. The feel of a thru-neck with many qualities of a TwinSpirit´s third album is mixed and bolt-on. mastered and it will be released by Recently I discovered Dingwall basses, Lion Music on march 2011 (TBC). with fanned fret system... they are The Lady & the BASS - album is almost absolutely amazing!!! Low B to die ready to be released as well.. more for.. 37’ scale… and 34’ on G string. news coming soon! Many bass players ask me if it’s hard to play a bass with fanned frets… well, Alberto, thanks for the interview and no it’s not! I got used in 5 minutes and I wish you every success with your now I can play much better and faster projects ! than on a normal bass. Dingwall tone is killer.. I’d like to thanks Sheldon for making them. They are truly revolutionary...the greatest single improvement in bass design since the 70's, IMHO…

You are a Aguilar-Endorser. What´s special about their amps and cabs?

I spent years on looking for the right tone. Aguilar allows me to have a powerful, warm and high quality sound without changing the source of the instrument. I'm using AG 500 dual channel and I really dig also the Channel Two’s 3-band shelving EQ and Saturation circuit that gives me everything from tube-like grit to full on dirt. The DB410 cab has an incredible attack and presence that

Interview with Alberto Rigoni conducted by Maik Reishaus for www.BassTheWorld.com 5/6 Equipment Discography

Basses : • Twinspirits - The Music That Will • Dingwall ABZ 5 strings, black burst, 2 pc Heal The World (2007) ash body, maple neck, FD3 4-L, passive, • Alberto Rigoni – Something Hipshot Bass Xtender Different (2008) • Twinspirits- The Forbidden City • Elrick Bass Gold Series, E-volution, 6 (2008) strings, Aero Pickups, Aguilar OBP3 • Tommy Ermolli – Step Ahead Electronic. Swamp ash body, maple neck (2009) and fingerboard. • Lady & the BASS - Quirky Girl (2010) • Elrick Bass Platinum Series, Hybrid, E- • Mistheria – Dragon Fire (2010) volution, 5 strings, Xtended B, Bartolini pickups and electronics. Alder body, maple neck, wenge fretboard. Amplification : Links: • Aguilar AG 500 Head (dual channel), DB410 cab www.albertorigoni.net Strings : • Ernie Ball Slinky http://www.youtube.com/user/albert origoni Cables : • Evidence Audio Lyric HG, the Forte www.twitter.com/albertorigoni Straps: • Comfort Strapp www.myspace.com/albertorigoni FX etc. : www.facebook.com/Alberto-Rigoni • Aguilar Tone Hammer, Sonuus B2M and i2M (bass to MIDI www.ladyandthebass.com converter), MXR M-80 bass pedal, DOD Envelope, Whammy, www.twinspirits.net Korg DTR2000 Tuner

Interview with Alberto Rigoni conducted by Maik Reishaus for www.BassTheWorld.com 6/6