AWARENESS ROCKS

2011: My friend Tony Capobianco, drummer for Xenon, broke his collar bone in September 2010.  I went up one day to pay him a visit while he was home ‘healing’ from the injury.  As we talked, he started telling me about a school program he did for his kids years ago about expressing yourself.  It was music based, and went over really well with all the kids and adults in attendance.  The more he talked about it, the more he lit up like a Christmas tree!  You could see it in his eyes that this was something very close to his heart.  He’s always been a huge part of his kids lives be it coaching sports, scouts, or various trips for the kids.  As we talked about it, we expanded on the idea he originally had.  We wanted something that was part musical appreciation/part awareness and communication.  A few months later, Awareness Rocks was born. 

We put a lot of time and effort into creating a very special program.  From January 2011, we created an entire program, a website, literature, and did our first school assembly in March for 300 K - 2 kids!  We are currently in the process of marketing to schools, and very excited about all the interest that has been generated in such a small time.  For more information, please visit awarenessrocks.com.

AND IN THE END...

So that's the story, long as it was!  To say I’ve had a lot of fun would be an understatement.  I learned a little bit from every musical situation I've been in.  Writing this was a long trip down memory lane (as I'm sure you noticed!) and I've had to go back and fill in some blanks that escaped me.  Music has been a journey for me personally and the trip takes you on detours you never fathomed, but ultimately it all shapes who you are as an individual.  Variety is definitely the spice of life and even if I could, I wouldn't change a thing.

Cheers!

-Bob

Season’s Greetings

October 2011: I’ve always wanted to do an all acoustic Christmas album.  Back in grade school I played in a church folk group.  Folk rock really.  Lots of singers and many acoustic guitars.  Every December we would do Christmas Eve mass, and it was always a great experience to go along with the season.  Thoughts of doing an album like this have always been with me, being as I had a blue print of how I would go about it.  This would be all sorts of stringed instruments though.  6 and 12 string acoustic, nylon string, mandolin, and even dulcimer.  So in October, I took some time, tried to maintain a schedule without life getting too much in the way (as it usually does when you’re trying to accomplish something!), and got to work! 

I bought a usb interface and started recording onto my iMac. Today’s technology is simply amazing that you can record right in the comfort of your own home.  This album has certainly been a work in progress.  With time being a factor, I realized it would be better to add two more tracks and make a 6 song EP, so I took the first weekend of December and recorded “Joy To The World” and a song called “Angels Adoration Medley”, which is comprised of “Angels We Have Heard on High, Hark The Herald Angels Sing, and O Come All Ye Faithful”.

I really owe the completion of “Season’s Greetings” to Anthony Jay Lalumia.  When all the tracks were recorded, we brought them into his studio to mix, and he did an incredible job! Working with Jay, I knew the album would sound great, but this went above and beyond my expectations!  Jay even took time out of his busy schedule for me to make this happen all by a deadline of December 7th.   I am definitely blessed to have such amazingly talented people in my life!

Check it out on iTunes, Amazon, or cdbaby.com!

THE ELEPHANT MAN AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS

In 2004, I received a very unique opportunity.  Nick met Loretta Caravello at a KISS convention.  Loretta is the sister of Eric Carr.  Eric replaced drummer Peter Criss in Kiss in 1980 (I believe). 

A little back story, Eric became a big driving force in Kiss and pushed them to become a heavier band.  His joining rejuvenated the band and they went on to have many successful albums in the 80’s and 90’s.  Unfortunately 10 years into his Kiss career, Eric received some tragic news.  He was diagnosed with an unexpectedly serious and extremely rare type of cancer – heart cancer.  Eric was treated and fought hard, but on November 24, 1991, Eric Carr died at the age of 41.

Loretta told Nick she had lots of unreleased Eric material that she wanted to do something with, as a tribute to her brother.  Nick told me about the opportunity and we met up a few days later in my apartment.  He handed me a piece of paper and said, “We have to put music to this”.  The song was titled “Elephant Man” and the lyrics were written in Eric’s own hand writing (though a photocopy).  The song was about him, what he was going through, and it was written in his last days.  So I got to work, and wrote something acoustic and ballad-like being as the lyrics were so incredibly personal.  Nick and I bounced some ideas back and forth and the song turned out well.

Loretta liked what she heard, but was interested in something more ‘driven’ and might have drums on it as well.  So I rerecorded everything electric, and it transformed from a ballad to an all out in your face rock n’ roll anthem.

2011: Loretta was putting the album together that would soon be Eric Carr: Unfinished business.  Kee Marcello from the band Europe (remember “The Final Countdown”?) played the intro slide guitar, A.J. Pero from Twisted Sister played drums on the track, and my demo rhythm and lead guitar tracks were used throughout the song as well as my vocals.

The album was released on the 20th anniversary of Eric’s death as a commemorative cd, and I was very glad to be a part of something that paid tribute to one of my childhood heros.  Most recently it was “pick of the week” By Eddie Trunk and the guys at That Metal Show on VH1.

BOB GILMARTIN • 732.754.5566 • ROYALBEARMUSIC@GMAIL.COM