Ted Poley (Danger Danger) – Interview

Ted Poley (Danger Danger) – Interview

16 Dicembre 2015 0 Commenti Alessandro Lifonti

interview by Alessandro Lifonti
italian version

MR: We finally have the chance to interview one of the best melodicrock singers around. Ladies and gentlemen: Mr. Ted Poley! Hello Ted and welcome to melodicrock.it!
TP: THANKS FOR THE NICE INTRODUCTION! IT’S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

MR: Ted, not many people know that you started your career as a drummer. Please take us back to those days…
TP: I STARTED ON PIANO WHEN I WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD, THEN PROGRESSED TO DRUMS AND PLAYED PROFESSIONALLY FOR MANY YEARS IN CLUBS AROUND THE NEW YORK/NJ AREA. MY FIRST RECORD DEAL WAS AS A DRUMMER FOR THE BAND PROPHET.

MR: Are you considering to play drums again someday on a studio album?
TP: I JUST DID A FILL OR TWO ON MY UPCOMING NEW SOLO CD BUT AS FAR AS DRUMMING A WHOLE STUDIO CD, PROBABLY NOT, THAT’S NOT FUN FOR ME. I SOMETIMES JUMP BACK THERE AT THE END OF A SHOW AND DRUM, ALSO I HAD TO DRUM THE WHOLE SET FOR ONE NIGHT ON THE 80’S INVASION TOUR 2 YEARS AGO, WHEN OUR DRUMMER DIDN’T GET INTO CANADA…THE SHOW MUST GO ON, SO I DRUMMED AND SANG THE SET. THAT WAS FUN.

MR: Where and when were you approached by Bruno Ravel and Steve West? Did you already know each other back then?
TP: BRUNO HEARD ME SINGING THE SOUND CHECK WHEN I WAS IN PROPHET AND WE WERE PLAYING L’AMOUR IN BROOKLYN NY. OUR SINGER DIDN’T SHOW UP FOR SOUNDCHECK SO I DID IT. BRUNO WAS IN WHITE LION AT THE TIME AND THEY HAD A REHEARSAL STUDIO IN THE BASEMENT. HE HEARD ME SINGING FROM BEHIND THE DRUMS,RAN UPSTAIRS AND ASKED ME TO SING ON HIS DEMOS. THE REST IS HISTORY.

MR: You came out of nowhere with the first two danger danger albums. Would you like to describe with your own words what they meant/mean to you (happiness, fame, parties, songs that still stand the test of time, whatever….)?
TP: IT WAS MY DREAM COMING TRUE. BUT I WAS BUSY ON THE ROAD DOING SHOWS EVERY NIGHT, LIVING AWAY FROM HOME, NO MONEY BUT VERY HAPPY AND YEAH WE HAD A GOOD TIME ON THE TOUR BUS.

MR: You left DD in 1993 and you formed Bone Machine. How tough were those days for you, and why did you decide to start a brand new band right after?
TP: VERY TOUGH BUT I WAS FIRED AND HAD NO CHOICE SO I MOVED ON AND AS AN ARTIST I JUST CONTINUED TO MAKE MUSIC,BONEMACHINE WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PROJECTS OF ALL TIME, WE TOURED THE UK AND RELEASED SEVERAL CD’S WHICH SELL FOR A LOT OF MONEY ON EBAY. I LOVED THAT BAND.

MR: In 2000 you joined tha band Melodica and one year later DD album coackroach was finally released. Those were busy days I guess…
TP: YES, I JUST KEPT DOING WHATEVER IT IS I DO. MELODICA WAS A TEAM EFFORT WITH GERHARD PICHLER. IT HAD ITS OWN SOUND. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOUNDING STUFF OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE MADE OVER 20 FULL LENGTH ALBUMS IN ADDITION TO ALOT OF SIDE WORK SO THERES ALOT OUT THERE TO FIND WITH ME SINGING! PLEASUREDOME, POLEY/RIVERA, MELODICA, BONEMACHINE, POLEY/PICHLER, SEGA SONIC VIDEO GAME MUSIC. MY SOLO STUFF, DANGER DANGER, PROPHET..

MR: Let’s now talk about the DD reunion. We are all very happy that you rejoined DD years later. What did really happen behind the scenes?
TP: NOT MUCH, THEY DECIDED THAT I SHOULD LEAVE SO THEY FIRED ME, LATER ON THEY DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO ASK ME BACK SO THEY ASKED AND I SAID YES…..I AM HAPPY TO HAVE COME BACK, WE ARE ALL FRIENDS NOW AND IT’S A LOT OF FUN. I DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE PAST, I MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS POSSIBLE.

MR: Ted, you have your successful solo career. You released a few albums and a brand new one is on the way. Would you like to talk about the old ones and promote the new one?
TP: I AM VERY PROUD OF MY SOLO CAREER WHICH INCLUDES THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE AND SMILE CD’S,2 GREATEST HITS COMPILATIONS AND OF COURSE THE NEW ONE WHICH I JUST COMPLETED IN ITALY, IT’S MY BEST WORK YET. ANYONE WHO LIKES WHAT I DO WILL BE BLOWN AWAY BY THE NEW ONE. I AM VERY PROUD OF IT. WE MADE 2 VIDEOS TO GO WITH IT WHEN IT’S RELEASED, SOMETIME IN THE SPRING OF 2016 I THINK.

MR: We often see you in Italy these days. Two years ago you played with DD at the Frontiers rock festival, last year you played at the same Festival with some awesome italian musicians, and on November 15th you played again with the same guys in Ranica. It was a hell of a show. You guys were awesome….
TP: THANK YOU! MY ITALIAN BAND IS AWESOME AND I LOVE THE FANS SO MUCH. I HOPE TO PLAY MORE IN ITALY NEXT YEAR, THE FANS SEEM TO WANT IT ,THEY CAME OUT TO MY SOLO SHOW AND I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THEM.

MR: What’s your schedule now?
TP: IT’S THE END OF THE YEAR SO I HAVE ONE MORE LIVE SHOW WHILE I AM HOME WORKING ON THE FINAL MIXES FOR THE NEW CD WITH ALESSANDRO DEL VECCHIO, THE PRODUCER. THEN I GO TO LIVE IN JAMAICA FOR CHRISTMAS, I HAVE DONE THAT FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. I LOVE IT THERE AND I GO TO GET AWAY FROM THE HOLIDAY CROWDS AND LAY ON A SUNNY BEACH AND DO NOTHING. IT RE SETS ME FOR THE NEW YEAR AFTER A YEAR OF HARD WORK.

MR: Ted, thank you so much for your kindness. Looking forward to seeing you again in Italy.
TP: THANK YOU AND I HOPE TO COME BACK SOMEDAY SOON, I HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME LIVING NEAR MILAN FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS WHILE I RECORDED.

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