1. Tell us about the band?
Gringo Star is made up of Pete and Nick Furgiuele, Pete DeLorenzo, and Chris Kaufmann. We all met in Atlanta, at a Braves game, in the concession line to get some peanuts, or at least my brother and I were. Pete D was hoping to get some crackerjacks but they were out and Chris was getting a hotdog.
We all had sort of known each other before. Got together after the game to hang out and play some music in the basement, and ended up writing the title track to our debut album all y’all.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
No.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
Bob Dylan at some big Gymnasium at a college in the 80′s maybe early 90′s. I was young. After the concert my ears rang for 4 days.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
Yep. Pretty much have been playing music with my brother and writing songs since we were 11 or 12. We’ve always been writing songs and singing.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
It used to be my long hair. Now that I’ve cut it off, I’m not sure I’m still qualified to be in a band, but I can’t seem to find time to stop.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
Not really. It changes depending on my mood.
7. What is your greatness weakness as a band?
I think we like songs more than noise. These days’ folks seem to like noise and computer beats.
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
Good PR contacts and lots of money.
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
I fell off a roof when I was 20. Landed on my head and was knocked out.
Still waiting to see what happens.
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
We get Coffee and Mexican food but sometimes not in that order.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
Once in Portland, for some reason I made eye contact with this guy that looked like someone out of Lord of the Rings. He was short and had long hair, possible fan of dungeons and dragons. Once we made eye contact he started walking towards me.
As he got closer, he was mumbling or chanting to himself and making a weird gesture, almost like he was crossing himself (like a catholic), but not. As he walked within inches of me, every hair on my body stood up, and I half expected him to pull out a knife or something. But he didn’t. He never broke eye contact till he was past me.
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
Yes. A song by Dave Davies, off Lola vs. the Powerman and the money-go-round, called “strangers”
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
I wouldn’t.
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
Some place in Kansas called Kirby’s.
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
I reckon 20 million would do.
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
We are getting ready to have our debut album released on a European label called Cargo, we have a bunch of tour dates around the US to SXSW and back, once back from the US dates, we are recording our follow-up album to “all y’all”, then we are going to do some festivals and tour in Europe for the rest of spring and into the summer.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
Harry Nilsson
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
I would have been a girl.
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