FlashWounds Interviews Metal Shredder Xander Demos

 

Xander Demos is not only a celebrated shred metal guitarist, but also an intelligent, seasoned, multi-talented musician who has remained level-headed and genuine throughout his career ~ and we consider ourselves very lucky that he was up for answering a few questions and letting you all get to know him a little better.    

FW:  Which group or artist would you personally like to induct into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame?  And if you were to earn the honor of being inducted next year, whom would you want to induct you? 

XD:  This is a fantastic question! Well, I think that Journey was already inducted into the Hall of Fame, but that would have been my choice.  Always been a huge fan of theirs…just timeless, classic melodies and insane guitar work on a lot of their stuff.  I would want either Eddie Van Halen or Neal Schon from Journey to induct me…although Rob Halford or Ozzy would be pretty cool, too.

Which do you find more difficult/intimidating ~ performing for a comparatively small audience (especially one that you know includes family and/or friends) in a more intimate venue or for a huge [faceless/anonymous] crowd at an enormous stadium?

I’m not easily intimidated by a crowd.  I love to get up there and perform, no matter the size of the crowd.  When it’s a smaller, more intimate crowd, you can easily connect and see the faces of a lot of the crowd, so you can feed off of that one on one interaction.  When it’s a larger crowd, you’re feeding off of a greater energy.  It’s a totally different vibe, but you still want to make that connection.  It can be lot harder to do on a big stage, in front of a huge crowd…and that’s the trick!

If you ever decided to do an entire album of covers, which songs would make the cut?

I did a couple of covers on my first album, Guitarcadia.  I recorded “Boys of Summer” by Don Henley and an instrumental version of “Lady In Red” by Chris Deburgh.  I will also be recording a couple of covers on my follow-up album, which I’m working on right now.  Both will be 80s pop covers, giving them a harder edge…very excited about it.  I would also love to do some Judas Priest covers and possibly some Iron Maiden on an upcoming XDB album.

Are there any causes/organizations that are particularly close to your hearts and that you would encourage the public to support?

Yes!  I am very involved in Animal Rights and in donating to animal causes and charities.  I’ve been donating to several animal shelters, over the years.  I set aside a portion of all of my album sales, just for this cause.  I encourage everyone to give ‘til their hearts hurt…these beautiful, innocent creatures need our help and care.

Is your music “for the moment,” something that the general public can simply enjoy now, or do you think at it more as your legacy-in-the-making…an accumulated body of work of which your children/grandchildren can be proud, that future generations of music lovers/musicians will count amongst those “Must Have Albums,” etc.?

It’s a legacy, for sure.  I started late, with putting albums out, I know…but now that we’ve jumped in full force, there’s no stopping it.  I foresee myself putting out great records for the next 20 years, at least!

When you see a band that was huge in, say, the 80s, and that you really loved, make a bid for a comeback today, do you hope they’ll have kept their original style/playlist or do you want to see a more mature band with new material?

I think they can do a little of both.  I would hope that they would keep making new music, since they are “musicians.”  I mean, that’s what we do.  It’s part of who we are.  If you only write a few albums worth of material and keep playing the same stuff year after year, does that still make you a “real musician?”  Of course, be proud of the work you’ve put out in the past, and ALWAYS give the fans what they want…but at least put out a couple of new tracks, even if they aren’t “released.”  Play some new stuff to compliment the older songs.  Show some growth and some activity.  It lets the fans know that you’re not just trying to milk them for another tour go-around.

Not sure if you can answer this question objectively, but are bands, especially those who are widely considered “mega” and those who are well on their way to reaching that status, spoiled and pampered, or is that a misconception you wish the public would stop perpetuating ~ or an accurate assessment but only of a very few bands?

I don’t think bands are spoiled at all these days.  It gets harder and harder to earn a living doing music.  So, when bands reach that certain level…if they’ve managed to survive and thrive, through all of the bullshit and all of the negativity and all of the nights sleeping in vans and eating crappy food…then they deserve to be treated well.  It’s usually the bands that haven’t earned it that wind up looking like spoiled divas.  They don’t last, either.  Ever see some of the greats, like Maiden, or Alice Cooper, or Ozzy?  They are like regular guys.  They are so down-to-earth, and they’ve reached the pinnacle of success in this industry.  You’d never know it. They don’t take it for granted, even when they could.  I aspire to be that way.

Most important lesson you’ve learned from being in the music industry?

Be humble and gracious.  It’s one thing to have rock star attitude on stage, but when you’re off, treat everyone kindly and give them the attention they deserve.  A second of your time can leave a lasting impression.  Always think how the fans would think.  If you do that, you can’t go wrong.

Have you ever been bitten by the bug to try your hand at hosting a radio show like Dee Snider does?

I’ve actually had this opportunity.  It would be for a one night only guest DJ spot.  I just haven’t found the time to do it, unfortunately.

Most impressive/worthwhile (from your perspective, not the public’s) music industry event (awards show, NAMM, and the like) you’ve ever attended?

NAMM West Coast, without a doubt!  I get to hook up with all of my endorsement companies and try out the latest gear, [I] run into some amazing players and great friends, make some new friends, and perform at NAMM Metal Jam!

Where do you come from, musically speaking?  Have you been a musician/in a band since you were a kid?  Did you take lessons or are you self-taught? And is the genre you play now what you started out in/have there been some musical detours along the way?

I started playing the drums and switched to guitar in the 80s, after seeing the guitar “gods” on MTV.  Self-taught.  Always been a melodic rock/metal player.  It’s just what I prefer.  The style fits my personality and lifestyle to a tee.

If you could have been involved in the soundtrack to one film, which film would you have chosen? Hmm…Jaws!  I’m a huge shark lover.

I’ll actually be involved with the upcoming soundtrack for a movie, Hair I Go Again.  That’s coming out fairly soon.  Keep a look out for it!

Opinion on technical prowess vs stage presence?

A little of both goes a long way.  I play a lot of very technical stuff, and it’s fun to do that, and to see the crowd’s faces.  But, you also have to give ‘em the attitude and acknowledgement that they want, too.  So, a good mix of the two is what I try to put out there, on stage.

Which generally comes first in your songwriting process, lyrics or instrumentals?  Or does it vary so much that there is no “generally?”

Always the music first.

Do you teach music in one form or another?

I’ve taught guitar lessons for the past 25 years.  In fact, if any of your FlashWounds  readers want to learn some of my shredding techniques, just hit me up on Facebook at facebook.com/xanderdemosmusic.  We can set something up!

If you had to write a song that was an ode to an inanimate object, what would that object be?

I know Adam Sandler already did it, but Ode to my Car.  I love that thing!  Or Ode to Planes.  Love them, too!

Aside from being approached by the company, what goes into the creation of a “signature” instrument?  Do you have input into the design of the guitars, or is it more about lending your name and talent associated with it to a design that already existed and that you already played?

I have a signature model guitar with McNaught, the XD727, and I have another one coming out with another company, but I don’t want to spill the beans on that yet…but I was very instrumental in telling them the exact specs that I wanted.  They were amazing enough to listen to what I wanted and recreate those details in perfection.

Any of your songs that you think would be perfect for a TV commercial ~ and for what product/service/entity?

Well, actually…a lot of my songs are instrumental, so I think they could easily be utilized in commercials.  I am lucky enough to just be signing some deals with Fox Sports, Nascar and MTV to have my music in their programming!

Who chooses the order the tracks are in on an album?

I do.

When the band tours, should audiences expect slightly different versions of the songs from what’s on the album or do you try to duplicate the sound of the album as closely as possible?

Aside from endings of songs, we pretty much play them as they are on the album.  I think that’s what fans want to hear.  They want to see if you can pull it off live.

What would the title of the authorized biography of your band be?  

Xander Demos: That’s REALLY My Name!

Xander, it’s been a pleasure, thanks so much for your time…we hope you’ll stay in touch and keep us posted on the upcoming projects and endorsements you mentioned!

****** 

 

The Xander Demos Band (XDB) is Mario Brescia, vocals, Dan Bozym, bass, Jeff Anzelone, drums, Jeff Morris, keys/vocals, and Xander Demos, guitar/vocals (the “XD” in “XDB,” in case you hadn’t guessed!)

Make sure to check out XDB’s Dancing Through Daggers and Xander’s solo album, Runways And Waterways.

 

xanderdemos.com

facebook.com/xanderdemosmusic

Special thanks to MTS Management Group