{"id":35455,"date":"2013-12-11T22:48:03","date_gmt":"2013-12-12T03:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=35455"},"modified":"2013-12-11T22:51:22","modified_gmt":"2013-12-12T03:51:22","slug":"joe-retta-of-heaven-and-earth-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2013\/joe-retta-of-heaven-and-earth-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Retta of Heaven and Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Alexandra Mrozowska<\/span>
\n– Columnist —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Heaven<\/p>\n

One of the most anticipated hard rock albums of 2013 was Heaven & Earth\u2019s new release. Dig<\/em> definitely met expectations of those who awaited for a full-length band\u2019s release since 2001\u2019s Windows to the World<\/em> and marked an important change within the band\u2019s line-up as well. Started as an all-star project in the late \u201890s, now Heaven & Earth enjoys a new found stability with Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot) on bass, Richie Onori on drums and Arlan Schierbaum on keyboards, the guitarist and the band\u2019s founder Stuart Smith at the helm and \u2013 last, but not the least \u2013 Joe Retta on vocals. <\/p>\n

The Sweet fans know the guy well \u2013 alongside the aforementioned Smith and Onori, it was Joe Retta who joined Steve Priest in his \u201cversion\u201d of the legendary glam rock act. And it is Joe Retta who discussed all the important issues \u2013 his input in Heaven & Earth\u2019s current incarnation, his status in Sweet and more \u2013 with Hardrock Haven. <\/p>\n

HRH: A tough question first\u2026 Dig introduced a new Heaven & Earth line-up, but still \u2013 remains not too drastically different from the band\u2019s overall style. How would you recommend the album to those who haven\u2019t listened to it yet?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: In a sea of hip hop, boy bands\/girl bands and other soulless noise there is still some reminiscent rock \u2019n\u2019 roll with a little bit of soul that just might speak to you. <\/p>\n

HRH: Any personal highlights of the record?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: I like the percussion on \u201cGood Times\u201d It\u2019s a different musical spice from the rest of the recipe. Also, I like our Agape choir vocals on \u201cWhat Love Is\u201d. The power of it.<\/p>\n

HRH: \u201cNo Money, No Love\u201d was chosen to be the first single of the record. Could you tell us more about making the video clip to this?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: The video is zoo of imagery, characters and debauchery\u2026 my Mom did not appreciate the unedited version (laughs) For my part, I had to sing solo and pretend I was in an environment that wasn\u2019t there. It\u2019s a little weird singing in a green screen studio. You have to do a bit of acting. I enjoyed the whole process.<\/p>\n

HRH: On Dig<\/em>, the guest musicians that were involved in the process of recording are the old friends of the band \u2013 David Paich, Howard Leese, Richie Sambora\u2026 Any comment on their participation?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: It was super cool of them to help us out. These guys still love the craft. I\u2019m a big Toto fan so it was especially cool to work with David Paich. <\/p>\n

HRH: One of the most interesting songs on Dig<\/em> is \u201cMan and Machine\u201d, with its lyrical ego enchanted with his \u201cmachine\u201d \u2013 his car, I guess. Isn\u2019t this a bit worn-out concept already, with all these songs like \u201cHighway Star\u201d or \u201cLovedrive\u201d etc.?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: \u201cMan And Machine\u201d to me is like a rowdy surf song on steroids. That song is about any man or woman who has strapped themselves into an amazing combustion propelled machine and fell in love.<\/p>\n

HRH: Which influences have you, as a new Heaven & Earth singer, brought into the band\u2019s music?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: My influences? Holy crap, pick a genre. I listen to everything. And I do mean everything. This planet is full of amazing music on every continent. I\u2019m not sure which parts became a part of \u201cDig.\u201d Probably just my love of ’70s rock \u2018n’ roll.<\/p>\n

HRH: You co-wrote most of the material for Dig<\/em>, which lyrically is very diverse album. What were your and the guys\u2019 lyrical inspirations during the songwriting process? <\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: All of the lyrics came from my twisted brain (except for \u201cDay Like Today\u201d) but the song titles and writing challenges came from Mr. Smith. He would give me a song title and I would conjure the story supporting the \u201cthesis\u201d of the day. It was a like a writing exercise. Especially because a few of the titles I did not relate to at first wiew (\u201cI Don\u2019t Know What Love Is Anymore\u201d, \u201cBack In Anger\u201d). It was like writing a song to the title of a movie. However at the end of the process there was a bit of self-discovery. <\/p>\n

HRH: Are you familiar with the previous two Heaven & Earth records? In what way Dig differs from or resembles them?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: I am and they sound completely different to me. Which is a good thing. I really enjoy the first record with Kelly Hansen, Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn Hughes and Bobby Kimball. These guys can sing their asses off.<\/p>\n

HRH: Is the new found stability of the band (which, all in all, started as an all-star project) somehow reflected in the band\u2019s music?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: We are all old friends. Three of us have been members of Sweet for many years – Stuart, Richie and myself. We all have similar tastes so\u2026 yes.<\/p>\n

HRH: Now let\u2019s talk about the things that led to formation of the current Heaven & Earth line-up. You, as well as Stuart Smith and a longtime Heaven & Earth\u2019s drummer Richie Onori, have performed mostly throughout the States as the Sweet (or, Steve Priest\u2019s Sweet, not to be confused with the \u2018other\u2019 version of the legendary band which frequently tours Europe). What is the current situation of the band \u2013 did you left, or is it just a hiatus?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: I am still proudly the lead singer of Sweet. We are still playing festivals throughout Canada and the U.S. I have been a Sweet fan since I was a youngster and the age diversity of Sweet fans is mind-boggling. We get 11 year olds right alongside their folks singing every word. The shows are always a party!<\/p>\n

HRH: One of the things that are somewhat emphasized in your biography on the official Heaven & Earth website is that your passion towards music developed early in spite of coming from a non-musical family, differently than the majority of musicians. Can you pick a particular moment in time when, or a particular reason why you got interested in music? <\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: My Mom was a fan of jazz and was always playing her records or had the radio on. The \u201cbug\u201d was nurtured at a very young age. Music was always a part of our celebrations growing up. So I equate songs and singing to good times. <\/p>\n

HRH: A significant part of your career was spent in various cover bands. In covering someone else’s material, what is more important \u2013 strict and precise approach to the original so that the cover version is no worse than the previous one, or maybe, the complete reworking of the original in order to show your own \u201cvoice\u201d and style?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: I\u2019ve always felt a loyalty to the artist and the audience. And being a bit of a mimic it was fun to imitate. People are sometimes very moved by a close representation. I would only put \u201cme\u201d in it if it was a re-recording of one of my favorites. I wasn\u2019t just doing \u201ctribute\u201d work. I did a lot records overseas that were never released here.<\/p>\n

HRH: Please name the most important influences throughout your career \u2013 bands and artists that shaped your attitude towards music as well.<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: Wow. I can never answer this question easily. There are far too many influences in this jumbled brain to pick out only a few. My list would be long and convoluted (laughing)<\/p>\n

HRH: In your career, you have performed or recorded with members of Journey, Foreigner, Toto, ELP and, of course, with the original the Sweet member Steve Priest, a glam rock legend on his own. Impressive though it is \u2013 are there any specific bands or artists you\u2019d love to collaborate with in the future?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: Well, if Sir Paul McCartney isn\u2019t too busy, I like to do some writing with him. Seriously I\u2019m open to anything or anyone (almost). I like funky grooves combined with nasty guitar and organ. But I also dig more organic sounds and instruments sometimes. As long as I can lay a little soul on the musical canvas, I\u2019ll be smiling.<\/p>\n

HRH: What are your near future plans?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: I\u2019m looking forward to taking our music on the road and writing record #2.<\/p>\n

HRH: Thank you for the interview! Any last words to Hardrock Haven\u2019s readers?<\/p>\n

JOE RETTA: Rock and Roll can, Rock and Roll will, Rock and Roll does.<\/p>\n

Visit Heaven and Earth online: http:\/\/www.heavenandearthband.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Alexandra Mrozowska – Columnist — One of the most anticipated hard rock albums of 2013 was Heaven & Earth\u2019s new release. Dig definitely met expectations of those who awaited for a full-length band\u2019s release […]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":35456,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9052],"tags":[8457,8456,203,8455,8458],"class_list":{"0":"post-35455","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arcint2013","8":"tag-dig","9":"tag-heaven-and-earth","10":"tag-interview","11":"tag-joe-retta","12":"tag-stuart-smith"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35455","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35455"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35455\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35455"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}