Sal Collaziano
11-07-00, 04:59 AM
News according to knac.com:
Exclusive Interview: From His Mid-'80s Pop/Metal Heyday To His Pop/Prog Present, Kip Winger Brings Everything To The Table With His Second Solo Album
"It kicked my ass." There is no false bravado as Kip Winger makes this observation about his new album, Songs from the Ocean Floor. It is a statement that is as honest and as courageous as the album itself.
Winger's second solo album is much more than just a simple collection of songs. Ocean Floor is Winger's re-evaluation of his life and a reflection of his grief in the wake of the death of his wife Beatrice in 1996. Many critics and fans alike thought that Winger's first solo project, 1997's ThisConversationSeemsLikeADream, was his answer to the personal tragedy, but that album was already finished and awaiting release when the desert car accident that claimed his wife changed his life forever.
After Beatrice's death, Winger went ahead with the release of Conversation, a painful decision in its own right as she had supplied everything from backing vocals to the cover graphics. In an effort to stay busy during this difficult time, Winger set off for Europe and Japan on a solo acoustic tour that was very well received (The biggest surprise for Winger about the acoustic dates? "That anybody showed up."). He repeated the tour here on a limited scale by visiting a number of Borders Books locations and playing songs from the new album as well a few old band favorites. As successful as the dates turned out to be, the whole experience was painful and draining for Winger, especially because of the associations of the material. "It was hard to do the songs from Conversation, because we were together on that album and it was a cool time," says Winger from his Arizona home/studio. "Some of the Europe stuff was better for me because it was a whole other experience and it was so far away."
The solo acoustic tour inspired Winger to try his hand at an acoustic album, which came out in three distinct forms in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. (here it was called Down Incognito). After satisfying that urge, Winger felt the pull of a new album, as quietly delicate as the acoustic album, but with a few more raucous high points and a definite purpose. "The songs presented themselves one by one, and then fell into place easier than any other album I've ever done," says Winger. "That was kind of nice actually. Usually, it's an arduous process trying to figure out the order of shit. I got lucky."
Once the theme of Ocean Floor as a tribute to Beatrice became evident to Winger, the album began taking its toll, both physically and emotionally. "Lyrically it was really difficult," Winger says with a sigh. "Production-wise, it was really hard. It took a lot of time because I was traveling a lot during the album, so I'd come and work and go and come back and work on it. But I needed to do that because there was enough on it that wasn't sitting right with me. I fixed a lot of stuff because I'd hear something and try to do it and it wasn't working and I'd go back and try to fix it."
Although nearly everything on Ocean Floor was written specifically for the album, one song was actually a holdover from the pre-Winger days. "Two Lovers Stand" was actually written in 1985, but never found a place on any subsequent band albums.
"I wrote that at the same time as "In the Heart of the Young," it was all before Winger," Winger says. "That one fit on this album. I've been waiting to put that song on an album, and it finally fit on this one. I never knew how to write the right arrangement for it, I wasn't skillful enough to write a string arrangement for that until now."
Ocean Floor represents several things for Winger. First and foremost, it stands as a tribute to and as a reflection of his feelings for his late wife. It is also a gentle extension of the pop/progressive atmosphere that permeated ThisConversationSeemsLikeADream (both albums are available from www.kipwinger.com). (http://www.kipwinger.com).)
"I'm going to do some more of these solo acoustic dates, and I'm actually looking forward to doing some of these things now," says Winger. "I'm in a different place with it now. This album was kind of like the end of an era, the closing of a chapter for me. It was good for me to finish it." It's clear that, even with the quiet direction of Songs from the Ocean Floor, Kip Winger still has a great desire and the chops to rock out. When the question is raised if he thinks he has another great rock and roll album somewhere in the recesses of his creative mind, there isn't a moment's hesitation in Winger's answer.
"I do, I do," says the man who gave his surname to one of the most popular pop/metal bands of the '80s. "It's like a big prog/rock album. A lot of "Down Incognito" and "Headed for a Heartbreak," and a lot of heavy music to feature the musicianship. I think that would be the only way for the band to survive."
Perhaps the biggest news that Winger drops is the possibility of a reunion with Reb Beach and the rest of the band sometime next summer. He reveals that he has been in contact with the others and that he has vaguely definite plans for the band's reappearance.
"I'd like to do a greatest hits plus one new song," says Winger. "I have a Winger album in my head, I know what it sounds like. I'd like to make a new record with them, but if we toured in the summer, I couldn't get it together by then."
One of Winger's hiatus projects was producing an instrumental acoustic guitar album from a young player named Rob Eberhard Young. Because of label acquisitions and changes, the album may never come out, but Winger is proud and happy of the work he did on it. Perhaps the best part of the whole outside production experience was that it showed Winger a part of the industry that he does not care for.
"It was heinous," he says of the experience. "Evil. I hated it. I like him, but I don't like producing. I've got too much of my own music going on. It's not fair to the artist, and it's not fair to me. Producers shouldn't be writers, and if they are, they should be co-writers, and co-dependent on artists. That is not the category I fall into. The producing opportunities are huge for me, but I'm just not interested. It doesn't have anything to do with my personal growth. Maybe if I produced an album for Moon (Zappa, who appears on the new album), I could get into that, because I love her. It sounds a bit hippieish, but it has to come from a love vibe, and to get into it for the music and the people. I'm not really into doing things to have a hit."
Winger doesn't discount the possibility of winding up on a major label again, but he knows the politics of that scenario all too well. "If I was willing to just do pop hits, I'm sure I could get it happening," he says. "That's what the big labels want now, stuff that they know is going to sell in the millions. What I'd like to do is put together a supergroup, like me, Steve Lukather, Tommy Lee, whatever. You know, like a Traveling Wilburys that rocks."
------------------
The loneliness just fades away
thoughts of you just memories
no cryin now for what we're missin
time won't forget what you meant to me
Exclusive Interview: From His Mid-'80s Pop/Metal Heyday To His Pop/Prog Present, Kip Winger Brings Everything To The Table With His Second Solo Album
"It kicked my ass." There is no false bravado as Kip Winger makes this observation about his new album, Songs from the Ocean Floor. It is a statement that is as honest and as courageous as the album itself.
Winger's second solo album is much more than just a simple collection of songs. Ocean Floor is Winger's re-evaluation of his life and a reflection of his grief in the wake of the death of his wife Beatrice in 1996. Many critics and fans alike thought that Winger's first solo project, 1997's ThisConversationSeemsLikeADream, was his answer to the personal tragedy, but that album was already finished and awaiting release when the desert car accident that claimed his wife changed his life forever.
After Beatrice's death, Winger went ahead with the release of Conversation, a painful decision in its own right as she had supplied everything from backing vocals to the cover graphics. In an effort to stay busy during this difficult time, Winger set off for Europe and Japan on a solo acoustic tour that was very well received (The biggest surprise for Winger about the acoustic dates? "That anybody showed up."). He repeated the tour here on a limited scale by visiting a number of Borders Books locations and playing songs from the new album as well a few old band favorites. As successful as the dates turned out to be, the whole experience was painful and draining for Winger, especially because of the associations of the material. "It was hard to do the songs from Conversation, because we were together on that album and it was a cool time," says Winger from his Arizona home/studio. "Some of the Europe stuff was better for me because it was a whole other experience and it was so far away."
The solo acoustic tour inspired Winger to try his hand at an acoustic album, which came out in three distinct forms in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. (here it was called Down Incognito). After satisfying that urge, Winger felt the pull of a new album, as quietly delicate as the acoustic album, but with a few more raucous high points and a definite purpose. "The songs presented themselves one by one, and then fell into place easier than any other album I've ever done," says Winger. "That was kind of nice actually. Usually, it's an arduous process trying to figure out the order of shit. I got lucky."
Once the theme of Ocean Floor as a tribute to Beatrice became evident to Winger, the album began taking its toll, both physically and emotionally. "Lyrically it was really difficult," Winger says with a sigh. "Production-wise, it was really hard. It took a lot of time because I was traveling a lot during the album, so I'd come and work and go and come back and work on it. But I needed to do that because there was enough on it that wasn't sitting right with me. I fixed a lot of stuff because I'd hear something and try to do it and it wasn't working and I'd go back and try to fix it."
Although nearly everything on Ocean Floor was written specifically for the album, one song was actually a holdover from the pre-Winger days. "Two Lovers Stand" was actually written in 1985, but never found a place on any subsequent band albums.
"I wrote that at the same time as "In the Heart of the Young," it was all before Winger," Winger says. "That one fit on this album. I've been waiting to put that song on an album, and it finally fit on this one. I never knew how to write the right arrangement for it, I wasn't skillful enough to write a string arrangement for that until now."
Ocean Floor represents several things for Winger. First and foremost, it stands as a tribute to and as a reflection of his feelings for his late wife. It is also a gentle extension of the pop/progressive atmosphere that permeated ThisConversationSeemsLikeADream (both albums are available from www.kipwinger.com). (http://www.kipwinger.com).)
"I'm going to do some more of these solo acoustic dates, and I'm actually looking forward to doing some of these things now," says Winger. "I'm in a different place with it now. This album was kind of like the end of an era, the closing of a chapter for me. It was good for me to finish it." It's clear that, even with the quiet direction of Songs from the Ocean Floor, Kip Winger still has a great desire and the chops to rock out. When the question is raised if he thinks he has another great rock and roll album somewhere in the recesses of his creative mind, there isn't a moment's hesitation in Winger's answer.
"I do, I do," says the man who gave his surname to one of the most popular pop/metal bands of the '80s. "It's like a big prog/rock album. A lot of "Down Incognito" and "Headed for a Heartbreak," and a lot of heavy music to feature the musicianship. I think that would be the only way for the band to survive."
Perhaps the biggest news that Winger drops is the possibility of a reunion with Reb Beach and the rest of the band sometime next summer. He reveals that he has been in contact with the others and that he has vaguely definite plans for the band's reappearance.
"I'd like to do a greatest hits plus one new song," says Winger. "I have a Winger album in my head, I know what it sounds like. I'd like to make a new record with them, but if we toured in the summer, I couldn't get it together by then."
One of Winger's hiatus projects was producing an instrumental acoustic guitar album from a young player named Rob Eberhard Young. Because of label acquisitions and changes, the album may never come out, but Winger is proud and happy of the work he did on it. Perhaps the best part of the whole outside production experience was that it showed Winger a part of the industry that he does not care for.
"It was heinous," he says of the experience. "Evil. I hated it. I like him, but I don't like producing. I've got too much of my own music going on. It's not fair to the artist, and it's not fair to me. Producers shouldn't be writers, and if they are, they should be co-writers, and co-dependent on artists. That is not the category I fall into. The producing opportunities are huge for me, but I'm just not interested. It doesn't have anything to do with my personal growth. Maybe if I produced an album for Moon (Zappa, who appears on the new album), I could get into that, because I love her. It sounds a bit hippieish, but it has to come from a love vibe, and to get into it for the music and the people. I'm not really into doing things to have a hit."
Winger doesn't discount the possibility of winding up on a major label again, but he knows the politics of that scenario all too well. "If I was willing to just do pop hits, I'm sure I could get it happening," he says. "That's what the big labels want now, stuff that they know is going to sell in the millions. What I'd like to do is put together a supergroup, like me, Steve Lukather, Tommy Lee, whatever. You know, like a Traveling Wilburys that rocks."
------------------
The loneliness just fades away
thoughts of you just memories
no cryin now for what we're missin
time won't forget what you meant to me