Interview with Symphony X drummer Jason Rullo

[TitoC]

http://www.anarchymusic.net/2007/08/jasonrullo.html#more

Please note that not all of the questions were mine, nor were all the questions I submitted asked. By the time I found out about the need for additional questions, the server was down - so I couldn't get to "you lot" for your questions, which was my intention.

A nice interview/pictures nonetheless.

Tito

 

[Yngvai X]

Glad to hear the guys are finally able to make their livings entirely from music...

 

[Wander]

Cool to have an interview from Rullo too. That's rare. Interesting thing is that they actually had some material left out. I wonder if it will end up in the next record.

I would have liked the interviewer to ask Rullo something about the actual drumming (on this new record etc.) tho...

 

[freezingeclipse]

good to hear from rullo

 

[progmetaldan]

cool interview, good to hear from Jason for a change! Great pics as well!

 

[MasqueReaper]

Glad to hear the guys are finally able to make their livings entirely from music...

Pinella still works at a Guitar Center, but I think he does it to be around musicians and equipment rather than for the money.

And I totally agree, he asked the wrong questions to Rullo, he didn't write the album, so he refered the interviewer to Romeo on almost all of those questions. I really wish he would have asked more (some/any) questions about Rullo's drumming. Live vs studio, new techniques he is using, double bass stuff...oh well.

 

[The Stormbringer]

Glad to hear the guys are finally able to make their livings entirely from music...

It's even more puzzling now to see Mac leaving Threshold (a band that I think is more successful than Symphony X) because he didn't make enough money with the band... perhaps he was just making excuses.

 

[Wander]

Pinella still works at a Guitar Center, but I think he does it to be around musicians and equipment rather than for the money.

And I totally agree, he asked the wrong questions to Rullo, he didn't write the album, so he refered the interviewer to Romeo on almost all of those questions. I really wish he would have asked more (some/any) questions about Rullo's drumming. Live vs studio, new techniques he is using, double bass stuff...oh well.

Exactly what I meant. It was propably due to the fact that the interviewer didn't understand much about drumming. I would really have liked to hear how came up with some drum parts or even something like how much he practices or anything.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

Mac's leaving Threshold? That totally sucks.

I wonder what this extra Japanese bonus instrumental track Jason was talking about is, and where I can find it.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

I wonder what this extra Japanese bonus instrumental track Jason was talking about is, and where I can find it.

Probably in Japan... that'd be my guess.

 

[TitoC]

The Japanese version of Paradise Lost has two bonus tracks:

11 Sacrifice Prelude (Demo)
12 Opening Alternate Intro (Demo)

The CD can be found here:

http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2569424

By the way, the CD is a jewel case with the full panoramic view of the artwork when the front of the jewel case is opened.

Tito

 

[MasqueReaper]

Exactly what I meant. It was propably due to the fact that the interviewer didn't understand much about drumming. I would really have liked to hear how came up with some drum parts or even something like how much he practices or anything.

Yeah, and considering how rare it is to hear from Rullo, it seems like this interview was kind of a wasted opportunity. He didn't really ask any drumming questions at all. Kind of like asking DaVinci how he cooked his eggs. I would kill to ask him who came up with some of those beats in Set the World on Fire, or how many takes it took. I love his double bass in the chorus, alternating between galloping and running beats. He plays it live to perfection!!

 

[CttN]

...Rullo talks? He looks so quiet.

There are recurring melodies in Revelation and Divine Wings of Tragedy. Was that planned?

This question irks me a bit, it's somewhat of a no brainer. But other than that, great interview. Good o hear from ol' Jase.

 

[rockyracoon]

Yeah, and considering how rare it is to hear from Rullo, it seems like this interview was kind of a wasted opportunity. He didn't really ask any drumming questions at all. Kind of like asking DaVinci how he cooked his eggs. I would kill to ask him who came up with some of those beats in Set the World on Fire, or how many takes it took. I love his double bass in the chorus, alternating between galloping and running beats. He plays it live to perfection!!

I disagree completely. I thought the interview, though brief, asked some good questions. I've stuck around to speak with SX after virtually every show I've seen them play, and here's what I've found. You wanna have a real boring conversation that ends real quickly, start asking about drum setups, the drum fill at 2:38 during a particular song, or whatever effects Romeo happened to use on that album, etc etc etc. I bet they get asked that stuff by a dozen people after every show...I'd be bored outta my mind and would welcome some questions along a different line.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

I disagree completely. I thought the interview, though brief, asked some good questions. I've stuck around to speak with SX after virtually every show I've seen them play, and here's what I've found. You wanna have a real boring conversation that ends real quickly, start asking about drum setups, the drum fill at 2:38 during a particular song, or whatever effects Romeo happened to use on that album, etc etc etc. I bet they get asked that stuff by a dozen people after every show...I'd be bored outta my mind and would welcome some questions along a different line.

I see what you're saying, but this is an interview, not just a quick conversation. It was supposed to be informative, and I would've liked to hear about his drumming/drums.

 

[proulxski]

wrong, and interview doesn't have to be informative... Its a series of ask answer! He doesn't have to rip out the musical talk, this guys life is dedicated to music.. why does everyone think every interview should be rapping the band about how they played this, what octave was that, what equipment etc... I found it be rather informative, and a chill interview!

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

WRONG - The interview was done for the fans (usually musicians) to read/hear. When doing an interview as the drummer of SX, it should somewhat be about the music and his involvement (interviews are included as part of his job to a certain extent. He's not there to just party shit up).

Oh, and this is not meant to be negative towards Rullo. It's negative towards the presented questions. Overall, still an interesting read.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

lulz... there's no wrong way to do an interview. Unless it's the way that I do interviews...

 

[Horus]

1x Zach's post
2x Zach's avatar

 

[rockyracoon]

I see what you're saying, but this is an interview, not just a quick conversation. It was supposed to be informative, and I would've liked to hear about his drumming/drums.

I asked all the band members why I always read the same old stuff in virtually every interview. They pretty much all said the same thing, which was that nobody ever asks them anything else. It's a shame, too. I got the distinct impression that they'd love to talk about other topics, not necessarily deviating from the music tip, just maybe not always the technical stuff that disengages alot of readers(in my opinion) during standard interviews. When I invest as much time, money, and feeling into a band as I do with SX, its nice to know a little more about them other than what hi hat or midi crap they're using, etc.


However, I do see the importance of touching on the technical aspects as well, maybe just not exclusively.