Mach22 is a young & promising hard rock band which hails from Philadelphia US. Staying true to the classic hard & heavy roots these youngsters really know how to combine the influences of each member’s music ear so as to create rockin’ tunes. We had a chat with the band’s bassist, Jaron Gulino, so as to get to know this band better and see what their future plans are…
Hi Jaron. Glad to talk to you about your debut album & Mach22 in general. I think that you’re a newcomer with lots of potential…
J: Hey Thanos! Thank you very much. I appreciate you taking the time to check the band out.
So, how did the band take shape and how did you all guys get together? What’s the band’s story in brief?
J: Lamont Caldwell (our singer) has been working on this band for almost ten years. The band has really come to life over the last four years or so through various incarnations. The biggest turn of events for the group was winning the Slash contest in 2012. It really boosted the band’s drive and notoriety around the area. Right after the contest the band unfortunately parted ways with their previous lead guitarist and bassist and I ended up getting a call to fill in for an upcoming gig. Ted Merrill had also just auditioned and was filling in for the show as well. The show ended up going really well and we both got the gig. We have been working our asses off ever since.
How did you come up with the name Mach22 and what does it mean for you?
J: Lamont came up with the name by chance. He was toying around the word “Mach” and I believe the number 22 was just something that came up randomly on TV or something like that. I think even Lamont is unsure exactly how it all came to him. I could be wrong.
Did you have in mind to follow the hard rock path since the beginning or it just came out naturally?
J: Absolutely. All of the guys in the group are hard rock fans and love portraying that style in our music. When Lamont wrote the first set of tunes for the band, the music had a little more soul and groove, but still was dominated by hard rock. Over time, the members and writers that contributed to the material have changed and the music tends to reflect the style of the members involved. In my opinion, I would say the current band has a great blend of hard rock and the soul and swagger that it originally had since day one.
Which are Mach22’s musical influences? Are there any boundaries that you do not want to cross or you feel free to do anything that feels right at any given moment?
J: I wouldn’t say that we are concerned about crossing or not crossing any specific boundaries. The bands influences ranges widely from artists like James Brown and Bootsy Collins, to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, to Cinderella and Van Halen... mostly classics.
What does “Sweet Talk Intervention” declare?
J: The title describes being sweet talked into changing who you are. It simply goes hand in hand with the lyric content. As far the album itself goes, I think it declares that rock ‘n roll is not dead and is very much alive and well. I feel like the scene is full of great new bands that I and many of the guys are fans of. However, I do feel like there is a severe lack of uniqueness in many of these bands. This album offers many different atmospheres and moods that can’t really be found anywhere else. The sound seems familiar but can’t be identified with anything else directly. That is the main reason I was drawn to this band before joining.
Please comment on each track…
J: “Constant Denier”: Hard driving, energizing.
“Go Ahead”: One of my favorites! A fun song to play and we had a blast making the video!
“Don’t You Give Me”: This track defined the band in my opinion, prior to me joining.
“I’m Just a Man”: Killer, heavy track. Total rip up rocker!
“Stone Rose”: Very emotional, amazing vocals!
“Backslider”: Another ripper… love playing this one... lots of bass licks!
“Made to Love”: I love the verse riff to this and always love playing it live.
“Radio”: Wrote in about 5 minutes.. always a crowd pleaser.
“One Trick Pony”: Kind of the underdog of the tracks in my eyes, lots going on, great build up!
“Nevermind”: Fun song to play, cool riffs going on everywhere.
The album was produced by the renowned Jeff Labar (Cidnerella), engineered by Ronnie Honeycutt (Jackyl) & Brian Davis and mastered by UE Nastasi (Gojira, Lamb of God, They Might Be Giants, Steelheart etc.). I bet it was a great experience to work with such notable people in the music industry. How did that help the band’s sound in general?
J: Working with Jeff and Ronnie really boosted our confidence. We traveled to Nashville to work with them and it paid off. It was nice for the band to get away from home and really focus on recording. Jeff contributed great suggestions and was very motivating. He really brightened up the atmosphere. Ronnie was a blast to work with as well. He was hilarious and very open to just about anything we wanted to do. His great attitude and enthusiasm really contributed to the performances on the record.
Did you plan to release the debut on your own all the way from the start or did you take several pieces of advice and you came to that decision?
J: Releasing it on our own was not our original plan necessarily, but it was a reality that we were aware of since the beginning. With the way the industry is today, we were fully prepared to take matters into our own hands if we didn’t have any other options when the time came. A few people advised us to go that route as well. In the end, we are a proud of the material and are happy that it is finally getting out to the fans regardless of how it is released.
Now, that the whole thing is already running, what do you think of it? Was it for the better that you decided to go independently? What are the pros & cons in such a thing?
J: I think it was a good idea to do it independently. We know where we stand and will always have something to work towards. The pros would include being in charge of our own product and seeing the profits actually come to the band. The cons would obviously include lack of label support regarding exposure and financing. The band is full of hard working individuals who care most about the content rather than the money to be made. As long as the music is available to anyone who is interested, and sounds killer, we are satisfied.
In a couple of weeks you will appear at the well-known Rocklahoma festival. Which were your first thoughts? Do you have other confirmed dates for any other live shows soon?
J: We have tons of dates, we are always trying to fill our calendar. Our dates can be found on our website (www.mach22music.com). Rocklahoma is a dream come true and we are eager to show the audience what we do. It’s an honor to share the stage with all sorts of artists, known or unknown. If anyone reading this is attending, find us and come hang out!
What do you wish to accomplish with Mach22 and what are the band’s future plans?
J: Our plan from here on is the keep cranking out music and to hit the road as hard as possible. We love playing live and will continue to do so as long as the fans will let us. I hope to take things to the next level with guys and continue to push the limits of what we do.
J: Hey Thanos! Thank you very much. I appreciate you taking the time to check the band out.
So, how did the band take shape and how did you all guys get together? What’s the band’s story in brief?
J: Lamont Caldwell (our singer) has been working on this band for almost ten years. The band has really come to life over the last four years or so through various incarnations. The biggest turn of events for the group was winning the Slash contest in 2012. It really boosted the band’s drive and notoriety around the area. Right after the contest the band unfortunately parted ways with their previous lead guitarist and bassist and I ended up getting a call to fill in for an upcoming gig. Ted Merrill had also just auditioned and was filling in for the show as well. The show ended up going really well and we both got the gig. We have been working our asses off ever since.
How did you come up with the name Mach22 and what does it mean for you?
J: Lamont came up with the name by chance. He was toying around the word “Mach” and I believe the number 22 was just something that came up randomly on TV or something like that. I think even Lamont is unsure exactly how it all came to him. I could be wrong.
Did you have in mind to follow the hard rock path since the beginning or it just came out naturally?
J: Absolutely. All of the guys in the group are hard rock fans and love portraying that style in our music. When Lamont wrote the first set of tunes for the band, the music had a little more soul and groove, but still was dominated by hard rock. Over time, the members and writers that contributed to the material have changed and the music tends to reflect the style of the members involved. In my opinion, I would say the current band has a great blend of hard rock and the soul and swagger that it originally had since day one.
Which are Mach22’s musical influences? Are there any boundaries that you do not want to cross or you feel free to do anything that feels right at any given moment?
J: I wouldn’t say that we are concerned about crossing or not crossing any specific boundaries. The bands influences ranges widely from artists like James Brown and Bootsy Collins, to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, to Cinderella and Van Halen... mostly classics.
What does “Sweet Talk Intervention” declare?
J: The title describes being sweet talked into changing who you are. It simply goes hand in hand with the lyric content. As far the album itself goes, I think it declares that rock ‘n roll is not dead and is very much alive and well. I feel like the scene is full of great new bands that I and many of the guys are fans of. However, I do feel like there is a severe lack of uniqueness in many of these bands. This album offers many different atmospheres and moods that can’t really be found anywhere else. The sound seems familiar but can’t be identified with anything else directly. That is the main reason I was drawn to this band before joining.
Please comment on each track…
J: “Constant Denier”: Hard driving, energizing.
“Go Ahead”: One of my favorites! A fun song to play and we had a blast making the video!
“Don’t You Give Me”: This track defined the band in my opinion, prior to me joining.
“I’m Just a Man”: Killer, heavy track. Total rip up rocker!
“Stone Rose”: Very emotional, amazing vocals!
“Backslider”: Another ripper… love playing this one... lots of bass licks!
“Made to Love”: I love the verse riff to this and always love playing it live.
“Radio”: Wrote in about 5 minutes.. always a crowd pleaser.
“One Trick Pony”: Kind of the underdog of the tracks in my eyes, lots going on, great build up!
“Nevermind”: Fun song to play, cool riffs going on everywhere.
The album was produced by the renowned Jeff Labar (Cidnerella), engineered by Ronnie Honeycutt (Jackyl) & Brian Davis and mastered by UE Nastasi (Gojira, Lamb of God, They Might Be Giants, Steelheart etc.). I bet it was a great experience to work with such notable people in the music industry. How did that help the band’s sound in general?
J: Working with Jeff and Ronnie really boosted our confidence. We traveled to Nashville to work with them and it paid off. It was nice for the band to get away from home and really focus on recording. Jeff contributed great suggestions and was very motivating. He really brightened up the atmosphere. Ronnie was a blast to work with as well. He was hilarious and very open to just about anything we wanted to do. His great attitude and enthusiasm really contributed to the performances on the record.
Did you plan to release the debut on your own all the way from the start or did you take several pieces of advice and you came to that decision?
J: Releasing it on our own was not our original plan necessarily, but it was a reality that we were aware of since the beginning. With the way the industry is today, we were fully prepared to take matters into our own hands if we didn’t have any other options when the time came. A few people advised us to go that route as well. In the end, we are a proud of the material and are happy that it is finally getting out to the fans regardless of how it is released.
Now, that the whole thing is already running, what do you think of it? Was it for the better that you decided to go independently? What are the pros & cons in such a thing?
J: I think it was a good idea to do it independently. We know where we stand and will always have something to work towards. The pros would include being in charge of our own product and seeing the profits actually come to the band. The cons would obviously include lack of label support regarding exposure and financing. The band is full of hard working individuals who care most about the content rather than the money to be made. As long as the music is available to anyone who is interested, and sounds killer, we are satisfied.
In a couple of weeks you will appear at the well-known Rocklahoma festival. Which were your first thoughts? Do you have other confirmed dates for any other live shows soon?
J: We have tons of dates, we are always trying to fill our calendar. Our dates can be found on our website (www.mach22music.com). Rocklahoma is a dream come true and we are eager to show the audience what we do. It’s an honor to share the stage with all sorts of artists, known or unknown. If anyone reading this is attending, find us and come hang out!
What do you wish to accomplish with Mach22 and what are the band’s future plans?
J: Our plan from here on is the keep cranking out music and to hit the road as hard as possible. We love playing live and will continue to do so as long as the fans will let us. I hope to take things to the next level with guys and continue to push the limits of what we do.
I read that you’re more into thrash metal & death metal bands. How has your experience in a hard rock band been so far? What kind of music do you fancy to play & listen to?
J: I would say I am evenly split with all sorts of rock and metal. I am really into guitarist so as long as there is some solid playing, there is something to admire. I love getting to play with Sebastian and Ted, they rip it up every time they plug in, and it’s always a treat to hear what they play and twist into the songs. I love playing hard rock because it is a bit more open in terms of bass playing and there is more room to mess around with some different styles. I do love playing faster rock and metal just as much because it keeps my chops up and forces me to look at things in a different light. I feel that this has helped define my style and makes my playing stick out a little bit. I like listening and playing it all.
Time for our weird questions!!! Name your 3 favorite hard rock bands of all time…
J: Hard to name three but off the top of my head... Deep Purple, Van Halen, and Lynch Mob.
Do you think that funding platforms like Kicksatrter, Indiegogo etc. can give any kind of solution to the “legal downloading” matter? Can bands/artists only be supported by their fans in order to make music?
J: Making music is up to the individuals who are creating it, long before it gets out to the fans. Platforms like Kickstarter are a great way for bands to fund something for the people who really want it. As far as legal and illegal downloading go, I don’t think it is possible to really stop anyone from downloading things illegally. Many have tried and have little success. It is something that bands unfortunately have to deal with. I understand why it is upsetting to many, but personally I would rather have people downloading my music one way or another rather than not. The more people that hear it, leads to more possible fans.
How do you see the “free downloading issue” of our time? In a world where people easily download music for free and hardly pay for it what can we do in order to change things? Is it different now that you can see things on the inside?
J: I think in this day and age, we need to expect it and account for it in the bands business plan. There really isn’t any way to avoid it. Find a way to use it to your advantage.
Sex, drugs & rock & roll! Do they have any influence on today’s new bands or things are totally different? What should the rock music motto be? Views, tweets & Likes?!!
J: Haha!! I think that depends on the artist. I’m not sure of a “motto” but as long as people are actually PLAYING their instruments and putting their mind and soul into their work, things will be ΟΚ. Play for the enjoyment, not for the rockstar status.
Have you ever used your “music identity” to throw a chick into bed? Do musicians get it easier and faster than the other ordinary guys or not?
J: Haha!! No. I see people use it to their advantage all of the time, if you’re the real deal, they will come.
Porn stars vs Rock stars? Who wins & why?!
J: Nothing wrong with either... I think both lifestyles would be great!
Sex, music or meditation?
J: All!
Imagine that your girlfriend is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
J: “What else is new?” Haha… If a girl did that to her guy, than that relationship should not exist.
That’s all for now Jaron! Keep up rockin’ dude! Say anything you’d like before we close. Take care!
J: Thanks Thanos!! Make sure to check out the new Mach22 album “Sweet Talk Intervention” and come say hi to us on the road! www.mach22music.com is the place to keep up with the band. We really appreciate the support leading up to our first major release and hope to make many new friends on our journey in the future.
J: I would say I am evenly split with all sorts of rock and metal. I am really into guitarist so as long as there is some solid playing, there is something to admire. I love getting to play with Sebastian and Ted, they rip it up every time they plug in, and it’s always a treat to hear what they play and twist into the songs. I love playing hard rock because it is a bit more open in terms of bass playing and there is more room to mess around with some different styles. I do love playing faster rock and metal just as much because it keeps my chops up and forces me to look at things in a different light. I feel that this has helped define my style and makes my playing stick out a little bit. I like listening and playing it all.
Time for our weird questions!!! Name your 3 favorite hard rock bands of all time…
J: Hard to name three but off the top of my head... Deep Purple, Van Halen, and Lynch Mob.
Do you think that funding platforms like Kicksatrter, Indiegogo etc. can give any kind of solution to the “legal downloading” matter? Can bands/artists only be supported by their fans in order to make music?
J: Making music is up to the individuals who are creating it, long before it gets out to the fans. Platforms like Kickstarter are a great way for bands to fund something for the people who really want it. As far as legal and illegal downloading go, I don’t think it is possible to really stop anyone from downloading things illegally. Many have tried and have little success. It is something that bands unfortunately have to deal with. I understand why it is upsetting to many, but personally I would rather have people downloading my music one way or another rather than not. The more people that hear it, leads to more possible fans.
How do you see the “free downloading issue” of our time? In a world where people easily download music for free and hardly pay for it what can we do in order to change things? Is it different now that you can see things on the inside?
J: I think in this day and age, we need to expect it and account for it in the bands business plan. There really isn’t any way to avoid it. Find a way to use it to your advantage.
Sex, drugs & rock & roll! Do they have any influence on today’s new bands or things are totally different? What should the rock music motto be? Views, tweets & Likes?!!
J: Haha!! I think that depends on the artist. I’m not sure of a “motto” but as long as people are actually PLAYING their instruments and putting their mind and soul into their work, things will be ΟΚ. Play for the enjoyment, not for the rockstar status.
Have you ever used your “music identity” to throw a chick into bed? Do musicians get it easier and faster than the other ordinary guys or not?
J: Haha!! No. I see people use it to their advantage all of the time, if you’re the real deal, they will come.
Porn stars vs Rock stars? Who wins & why?!
J: Nothing wrong with either... I think both lifestyles would be great!
Sex, music or meditation?
J: All!
Imagine that your girlfriend is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
J: “What else is new?” Haha… If a girl did that to her guy, than that relationship should not exist.
That’s all for now Jaron! Keep up rockin’ dude! Say anything you’d like before we close. Take care!
J: Thanks Thanos!! Make sure to check out the new Mach22 album “Sweet Talk Intervention” and come say hi to us on the road! www.mach22music.com is the place to keep up with the band. We really appreciate the support leading up to our first major release and hope to make many new friends on our journey in the future.