Blessed By A Broken Heart| More ’80′s, Less Cheese
One glance at the boys of Blessed By A Broken Heart explains it all; this band is a force to be reckoned with. Though there may be an apparent obsession with the eighties, BBABH is not stuck in the past. Instead they continually challenge musical trends and mainstream fads, simply by playing music that they enjoy. After three years of transitioning and building a sound for the new album, BBABH is finally releasing the beast that lies in Feel The Power. Far from predictability, Blessed once again conquers technicality and melody, though there is certainly a mystifying quality about the music. Lead vocalist Tony Gambino embraces that mystery in a recent Hopecore.com interview.
What sets you apart from the mass of the metalcore and hardcore rock bands?
Tony Gambino: Well I guess because we don’t play metalcore or hardcore anymore. We’re really doing this whole metal, rock n roll thing. I think that is where everyone’s heart is as music goes. We are kind of fed up with metalcore and hardcore. It’s just like it’s so oversaturated and it’s become this thing where you don’t really have to be a musician. Anyone can pick up a guitar and figure out how to play hardcore. Our band is full of musicians and we want to play music that is art, it’s not just dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun. It’s like come on anyone can do that so that’s what sets us apart, our love for actual music and not just trends. We really pour our hearts and souls into what we do as a band and that’s how we do it.
There definitely seems to be a transition with the upcoming release of Feel The Power. So how would you describe the style that you guys are playing?
TG: It’s definitely matured a lot since the last album. Our plans as far as lyrically and content goes, it’s not as cheesy as the last album. It’s still very much Blessed and very much 80’s but with a little less cheese in it.
So I guess I wanted to talk a little about where does your obsession with the ’80s derive from?
TG: I guess because we were all born in the 80s. All the members — and we have had a few member changes here and there — anyone we have ever gotten in he band has also had that same mentality or love for the 80s. And that’s the way it’s always going to be with Blessed. I guess it is because it is one of the best decades of all because of how the music was and how obvious their fashion and culture was back then. It’s definitely one of the best decades of all time. I love it, I think it’s cool. I think they had some of the best music. I think it kind of paved the way for metal and so many awesome things came from the 80s, including myself (laughs).
Are you in any way associated with the mafia? I’ve been dying to know.
TG: My family has some huge roots in the early mafia but I have no ties to it anymore. My great great grandfather was Carlo Gambino and they made the movie the Godfather after him. I never knew the guy, this was way back in the days. But yeah it is pretty cool history that I have. Not like I honored what they did because it was definitely bad stuff but just the fact that my family has history in that is just kind of neat.
What are some of the topics that you’ve delved into in this record?
TG: You know someone else asked me that and I kind of don’t want to go into that. I want it to be organic for the listener or come as a surprise to the listener. Everything is pretty straight forward but I don’t want to give away too much, I want it to be a surprise. I don’t want to say this song is about that and this song is about that and here is the meaning behind it and these are the notes that we use you know what I mean it’s just like I kind of want to leave that alone. But definitely a good variation from Christianity and having a good time and just rock n roll. And it’s just a good variety. That’s for sure, I’ll say that.
What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in producing the record?
TG: Well I’m going to go back to the hardcore thing. Personally I could probably write a hardcore album in a matter of a few days. You know music, lyrics, everything. But when it comes to Blessed, like I said we want to pour everything into it. It’s not just generic music. It’s shred, it’s crazy drums, it’s life lyrics, you know what I mean. And it took us three years to make this album and get it into production and all the crazy preproduction that we went through and everything. It’s just been a long ride and at times it was definitely getting frustrating at how long this was taking but I know for a fact it is going to be worth it. I know kids are going to love it and I know people who have never heard of us are going to love it. I know good things are going to come out of it and I’m just super pumped about the whole thing.
So is exposing your personal faith an intrinisic part of making music or do you feel like that is an underlying subtle theme?
TG: It’s just part of who I am, that’s for sure. As far as Blessed goes I guess I can say it’s more of an underlying theme because we don’t want to turn people off. We want to appeal to the masses and then let our personalities do the talking when it comes to Jesus. I think that is a good way to do it. It’s called discipleship and that is kind of where my heart is for stuff like that. Kids don’t listen to Striper, you know why? Because they were blantantly Christian and they failed to reach certain people because of that. Was it a bad thing? No, they were awesome but we also need people who will go the extra mile and appeal kids who never want to step foot in a church. So that is what I think about that.
Along with that theme of discipleship and ministering to the masses, who is your target audience?
TG: Everybody. I think we appeal to Christians as well as people who don’t want nothing to do with that. I guess people who enjoy our type of music. But we can only go so far.
Where does the title Feel The Power come from?
TG: Where doesn’t it come from? Yeah you will understand as soon as you listen to the album. That’s kind of what that means I guess.
What are your favorite songs on the new record and why?
TG: I guess when it comes to liking songs, whether it be the bands or some other group that I listen, it has to do with melody mostly to me. That is what I look for and there are a lot of songs on the album that allow me to put some feeling into the vocals and I love that. So I would definitely say “Here I Come” is one of my favorite songs. “Rockin All Night” is probably one of my favorite songs and the other one I would have to say is “Innocent Blood”. So those three songs I have really been able to put some feeling into the vocals and some soul. So that is why those are my favorite songs and you will see as soon as you get to hear the album.
What is in the future for Blessed By A Broken Heart?
TG: Well as soon as the album comes out we are planning a world wide tour from America, to Canada, to Australia, to Japan, to the UK.
No plans for a new record?
TG: Well we are always writing so there will be another record at some point.
I heard you guys did a lot of recording on the road. What was that like?
TG: We have our own pro tools rigged so we are able to record on the tour bus and venues; wherever we’re at so we can just lay down tracks. That is extremely helpful when it comes to song writing because you can put your ideas down digitally and can always go back and revisit them and put them together as songs. So instead of putting it together in your head and trying to remember, you can demo out songs right away.
You plan on doing that with the next album and just continually writing?
TG: Oh yeah we are already doing that.
