Gregory Attonito Interview
By Nathaniel Lay

What brought around this project? Has this been a long time coming?

Yes, It has been a long time coming. I have been recording at home for almost 10 years now. Releasing a solo record has been hanging around in the back of my mind all the while. So I felt it was time to make the time for getting it done instead of making excuses not to do it. Now its done and I’m stoked!

Are you planning on touring solo for these songs?

Not extensively. I just did a record release show at an unlikely venue in Asbury Park, Nj. It was at a place called the Watermark which is a restaurant bar overlooking the boardwalk and beach. We started the show at sunset and our backdrop was the beach and ocean..it was a beautiful night and a great experience so I’d like to do more shows like that…go off the beaten path as much as I can.

Was this a one time deal, or do you plan on doing this again down the road?

I have more songs and more ideas so I’m sure I will be releasing more music eventually. I don’t know how or when yet.

Are these songs new or things you wrote for Bouncing Souls that never were used?

No, These were all born in the process of creating this solo record. As the ideas came about they instantly felt like they were for the solo project and not The BS.

How did you go about creating the structures of these songs?

I did a lot of experimenting. I tried writing songs with the piano then taking them to guitar and vice versa. I also tried writing songs with very few chord changes. I learned a lot along the way and its just made me want to keep on tinkering. In the end the structures ended up being what felt right to me.

What kind of lyrical content is found here? What does it mean to you?

My intent with the lyrics/music was to open myself up as much as possible, see if I could find something beautiful in there, and capture it! The lyrics are about love and understanding the things that keep me from living in true love everyday. I used the creative journey on this record to strip the walls of myself so to speak. This time around it was just me. There was no collaborating so I was taking complete responsibility for everything. I haven’t been able to explore quiet and sensitive music with the BS so the solo project has allowed me to start learning how to do it. In my opinion as an artist its a lifetime process to become more clear, vulnerable and unafraid in the expression of myself. I feel like I’m just starting chapter two. Singing about love and people I love infuse my life with life, so I don’t want to stop doing it ever!! It has such a great domino effect.

How did you go about recording this album? How long did it take?

I started in Oct. 2010 recording at home in Idaho and continued making demos while on tour throughout the rest of the year. I recorded with Pro-Tools on my M-box which allowed me to record in Maui and mix wherever I happened to be traveling. It took about six months in total but I was touring with the BS and doing songwriting with the BS during that time too.

Why the title Natural Disaster?

My wife Shanti and I were working on the artwork for the record in Maui when the earthquake/tsunami hit Japan. It was about 10pm on 3/11/11 when the tsunami sirens went off in Maui. We turned on the tv to see all those intense and terrifying images of the quake’s aftermath coming from Japan and that wave was on its way to Hawaii! Nobody knew how big it was going to be so we were mentally preparing for the worst. It hit in the early morning but was only a 2-3 foot surge so there was minimal damage. A few days after the tsunami wave passed the title just popped in my head. “Natural Disaster” It felt right..and I had already drawn the volcano which became the front cover, so it all made sense.

Tell us about the album artwork

I had done the line drawing self potrait months before the recording began for the record. I liked its simplicity and thought it would make for a playful cover for a record. It captured something about me that I liked. One night during our stay in Maui (before the tsunami hit) I sketched out that volcano that became the cover. I like to think of it as a real Hawaiian volcano because it was born in Maui… As soon as I sketched it I though it would be a good visual to go with the cover art somehow. Shanti really put it all together in photoshop and made it look like a cover. I am very fortunate to have people close to me with photoshop skills.

What guests appearances are there on this record? How did they come to be?

Ben Lewis is a friend who has sat in with Shanti and I with his trumpet on some of our acoustic tours. He really adds a great conversational element to “Volcano” that I totally love. Amritha Vaz is a friend who is a classically trained violinist who composes music for films. She heard some of the early demos I was working on and offered to play on some tracks if I wanted her to. She added some great elements to “How Many Songs” and “Teardrops.” One of my favorite sounds she added is the electric tamboura.. SO cool sounding!!

How do you feel about the finished product of the album?

I am happy and satisfied with it but its also making me inspired to keep on experimenting. Its like the first potato chip.. Its really good but you can’t have just one.

What is Bouncing Souls up to these days?

We just had a good band meeting yesterday and devised our plan of attack on our next recording. We have some great new songs and we are planning on getting them down this winter. We are also keeping the label possibilities open.. Anything is possible!