JACK, CHIP, RUBEN (ACTION)

What are you currently up to? (recording, gigs, plans)

Jack Marques: Currently, I'm mixing a record for a talented group of players called China Blue with Josh Ramos, Tony Mills and Eric Ragno. There are some good songs and great performances on this record. You all should check it out! It is soon to be released on Frontiers as well.

I'm also writing and recording my first solo effort. It was something I was working on even before the days of Mars Hill. I kept putting it on the back burner to record the Mars Hill record and to also finish the Action record.

I'm hoping to finish it by this spring and have Vining Management shop it around. Tim Gaines formerly of Stryper has played bass on 2 songs and I'm hoping to lock down one or two more guests if our schedules allow. Check out www.jackmarques.com for updates.

Chip: WRITING, PLAYING LIVE ALL THE TIME. TRYING TO GET ALL THE ARRAIGNMENTS READY FOR ACTION II. WE START RECORDING BASIC RHYTHM TRACKS IN FEBRUARY.

Ruben DeMello: I have a music production company called "Galactic Vibe Music". We do soundtracks, film scoring and keyboard overdubs. So I've been busy with that when not busy with the Action project. You can check out my page at www.galacticvibemusic.com.

Ron Vining: Chris Sutherland (Bass) and Mark Duane (Drums) are currently working with Chip on Action II. Chris Longo (Drums) is working with his other band Project Broken which recently released their debut titled Songs of Disbelief and will be working with Action when he's finished.

I am working with Frontiers to see that this Action record gets the exposure it deserves throughout Europe. Then it is on to the promoting the record in Asia and later this year in the USA. I would like to put Action on a tour package as well so the European and Asian fans can get a little action this summer. So if any of your readers are interested, please have them get in touch with us.

We have recording starting for Action II in February. This record will be more of the same, but very different. I think the fans will love it. I am also managing a band, WickedWitch, comprised of Zak Stevens of Circle II Cirlce and Savatage fame, along with Jeff Plate of TSO, Metal Church and Savatage and founder Matt Leff who is also in Adam Bomb and Trigger Effect. They'll be finished recording in February and with all the firepower, I am hoping to get interest from some of the major labels.

Jack and I are working together on another all-star band I manage, China Blue, which will be released on Frontiers Records in 2008. This is a real treat for me as I've been a huge fan of Josh Ramos going back to The Storm, Two Fires, Hardline.

Not to mention of Eric Ragno as well, whose keys can be found on just about every major melodic rock release of the past decade going back to the legendary Takara with Jeff Scott Soto.

Lastly, Action has renewed a great interest in Mars Hill's recordings which were released independently, so I may shop both Sink or Swim and Prelude with bonus tracks in the coming months.

Brief history of the band and how you all met etc.

Jack Marques: Chip was the catalyst for getting Action together. When he and I were in Mars Hill we decided to get some of our other material and put it together with a bunch of tunes he had written and that we recorded at an earlier time. After shopping it around there was some label interest and Chip recruited the guys to complete the record.

Chip: CHRIS SUTHERLAND AND I MET YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS AT BERKLEY SCHOOL OF MUSIC. I TOLD HIM THAT I NEEDED A BASS PLAYER AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

JACK AND RUBEN, I MET IN THE LOCAL, ORIGINAL SCENE. ALWAYS ADMIRED THEM BOTH, WE KEPT IN TOUCH AND FINALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH THEM.

CHRIS LONGO AND I WERE IN A BRIEF COVER BAND TOGETHER A COUPLE YEARS BACK, WE KEPT IN TOUCH AND HE WAS THERE WHEN I NEEDED HIM FOR ACTION.

Ruben DeMello: All of us came up playing in different bands in the local scene. That's how we all originally met and got to know each other. Chip and Chris Sutherland (Bass) were 2 of the original founding members of Action back in the 80's.

Jack and I had been in bands together and Mark Duane (Drums) and Chris Longo (Drums) had been in bands with Chip. When Chip decided to resurrect Action, he chose the line-up that you hear on this album.

Ron Vining: I first met Chip at Mars Hill's record release party for Sink or Swim. I then kept in contact with Ruben's wife who was booking the band as I wanted to pair Mars Hill up with a band I was managing at the time, MASS.

From there, I started doing promotion and media stuff for them and was later asked to manage them. They were a solid band and it was too bad I came in too late as they had pretty much decided to disband as I was getting started.

Chip and I remained in contact and he just called me out of the blue one day and asked if I remember the Action demos he had given me years ago. I was like, remember them, I listen to them all the time. We got to talking and the rest is history.

How did Action hook-up with Frontiers?

Jack Marques: When we were recording the Mars Hill record, Michael Sweet of Stryper had heard some of the other material we had written and recommended we send it to Frontiers. Serafino Perugino, the President & C.E.O. / A & R Director of Frontiers showed some interest in the project but the timing wasn't right as Chip and I were pursuing Mars Hill.

However, truthfully, we blew it! We lost the deal. After some time passed post Mars Hill, Ron Vining of Vining Management and Chip talked and they thought it was time to revisit the Action material. He worked on our behalf to secure the deal.

It wouldn't have happened if not for him. Not only was he the one who secured the deal for us, he managed the whole thing, recording, mastering, CD packaging, MySpace, etc...

Chip: WHILE RECORDING MARS HILL, I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT THE LATEST GIANT CD ,WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK FROM OUR RECORDING BREAK SHOWED IT TO MICHAEL SWEET AND HE MENTIONED THAT WE SHOULD SHOP OUR MATERIAL TO THEM. I DID AND SERAFINO LIKED IT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE TIMING WAS OFF FOR US TO GET IT DONE AS WE WERE SO INVOLVED WITH MARS HILL, OUR FAMILIES AND WORK.

Ruben DeMello: Chip had several tunes from the old Action days that he wanted to shop to record labels. That's when he contacted Ron at Vining Management who was instrumental in securing the Action / Frontiers partnership.

Ron Vining: When Chip and I talked about Action, he asked if I could get things going for them. At that time, the interest Frontiers had shown in them while recording the Mars Hill record years before was long gone. I repackaged the demos, sent out a few feelers to labels and got a number of great offers. But what I wanted was to be on Frontiers. So I reached out to Serafino Perugino and he was gracious enough to give the band a second listen and they picked us up immediately.

Could you take us though the songs on your excellent debut album please e.g. ideas behind the songs, song writing process etc?

Jack Marques: It was essentially recorded in two parts. We had recorded 6 tunes before the Mars Hill era and then 5 after. Once we knew there was label interest we got together and wrote a few new tunes to complete the record. We wrote songs like Destiny, Forever and Someday. I had written Cinderella and thought it would be a good fit for the record. Half the record was done at an earlier time the other half was recorded over the summer of last year.

Chip: A LOT OF THEM WERE WRITTEN A WHILE AGO, SOME IN THE 80'S SOME IN THE 90'S - SO MY MEMORY WON'T GO BACK THAT FAR, LOL. BUT THE NEW ONES, WRITTEN JUST LAST YEAR WERE A BLAST TO WRITE FROM SCRATCH WITH THESE GUYS. BASICALLY WE JUST GET THE MUSIC OVER TO JACK AND HE FINISHES IT WITH THE MAGIC TOUCH AND THEN BAM!!! YOU HAVE A GREAT SONG

Ruben DeMello: The 3 tracks on the album that I was involved in writing were Someday, Destiny and Forever. Chip had a few rough ideas for new songs for the album. That's when Chris, Chris, Chip and I got together to work out the ideas that Chip had and turn them into songs.

Then from there, we presented the songs to Jack who wrote the lyrics and melodies. It was great to have the opportunity to contribute to some of the song writing process on this album.

Ron Vining: Jack and Chip did a track by track which is posted on ActionTheBand.com if you really want the history behind each track.

What have been the live highlights so far for the band and who ideally would you like to tour with & why?

Jack Marques: I would love to tour with Journey, The Police or the Foo Fighters, because I greatly respect these guys as players and writers!

Chip: THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE MAKING MUSIC WITH THESE GUYS, WATCHING SONGS COME TOGETHER, AND THEN RECORDING THEM.

I HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE I WOULD LOVE TO TOUR WITH, BUT RIGHT NOW...I'D SAY AEROSMITH, OR VAN HALEN. OLD SCHOOLERS STILL DOING IT. IT WOULD BE FUN TO PLAY WITH WINGER, MR. BIG, TESLA, JOURNEY - A LONG LIST.

Ruben DeMello: I know that our manager, Ron Vining, would love for us to open for Alter Bridge as it is one of his favourite live acts today. I think it would be great to do a tour with U2. It's been said that you don't see a U2 show, you experience it. A U2 show is more than just a rock show, it's like a spiritual experience. That's the kind of experience I want people to feel when coming to an Action show.

Ron Vining: We were going to open for Jeff Scott Soto during his US tour in October but the timing just wasn't right as we were getting the final details squared away for the December release of the debut record. Chip and I ended up bringing JSS out to New England anyway. I'd love to see them on a package that tours Europe and Asia this summer and fall. It would be cool to do some shows with Def Leppard, Alter Bridge, Poison, Winger, Journey, Tony Harnell, Valentine, Hardline, Foreigner; Ten…notice that I am listing bands I am fans of!

Who have been influences on the band musically?

Jack Marques: Journey, Giant, TNT, Def Leppard and so many more.......

Chip: ANOTHER LONG LIST IF I SAT DOWN TO WRITE IT. SO MANY. LET'S SEE VAN HALEN, JOURNEY, MR. BIG, WINGER, TNT, SCORPIONS, RATT AND ON AND ON…

Ruben DeMello: The thing about Action is that our musical influences are so diverse. My influences range from the Beatles to U2 to Stevie Wonder to Bach to Jimmy Smith to….the Wiggles (I have 2 kids!). I think for this album some of the influences that have come through in the music have been bands like Journey and Boston.

How do you view the internet and downloads etc. Does it help bands like yourself get established?

Jack Marques: One great thing about the internet is that a struggling artist can get their material to many more people (and quicker mind you,) than they could ever meet in person. It also allows you to get your music out to those who may be interested, even if you don't have a label to back you.

The one danger about downloading is that I believe it hurts up and coming artist's chances of securing a much needed break in the music business. Let me explain, I don't have a problem with someone downloading one song or even two for free.

However, when people are getting entire albums, every song on an album for free, what happens is that artist sells fewer records. When you don't sell records, you don't secure a record deal or worse.... a career! So the end result is that the artists you like and the struggling up and coming artists, get passed on because the record companies aren't making the kind of money they need to take chances on current and newer artists!

Many people think that because you are on a label that you're making big money and that very often is not the case! You make many financial sacrifices as a struggling artist to try and make it. You very often can't even pay the bills as your starting out.

When people download music for free they are making it even more difficult for new artists to make it or for some to maintain a career. When you get music for free, you're not sticking it to the labels, your really sticking it to the artists! Buying the music of an artist who you love allows that artist to stay alive and keep making music. Well that's my take on it anyway!

Chip: SEE JACK'S COMMENT...I SECOND THAT!!! IT'S A BLESSING AND A CURSE ALL IN ONE. BOTTOM LINE, WE NEED MORE MONEY SO DON'T DOWNLOAD THIS RECORD JUST BUY IT PLEASE!!!! I NEED ANOTHER GUITAR TO WRITE THE SECOND RECORD.

Ruben DeMello: I think the record industry as a whole is in a state of transition. The old business model and methods of getting music out to the masses has changed. Modern technology certainly has allowed a lot more music to be accessible by a lot more people, which I think is a good thing.

If you really think about it, it has been technology through the years that has made music more and more accessible to people, the inventions of radio, the phonograph record. So I think what's been happening lately is not anything new. It certainly has opened up more opportunities for bands like Action.

Ron Vining: On one hand, I view the internet, MySpace, iTunes, downloads as a great tool to create awareness of new bands as well as grant greater access to established ones. However, I also see it bleeding the industry to a slow death of a million paper cuts. Some fans want music for free and ,most artists can't simply survive by giving their music away.

When the whole Metallica vs. Napster flap occurred, many mistakenly saw it as the greedy rock stars looking to squeeze every nickel out of their fans. In Metallica's case, they were an established band who made it, made millions from their label touring, etc. But Metallica is the exception, not the rule. For a band like Action or China Blue, the deals are small, basically not even enough to cover the costs of all the work that is involved. If fans cherry pick songs on iTunes or make pirated copies of the CDs, then the guys make no money, period.

In the Radiohead case, they made more money by putting the album up on their site for free and giving fans the option to donate what the felt they should. Radiohead made 3x more than if they had taken an advance from a label and distributed it in stores.

Even if the band didn't make money via the donations, they would have made up for it with a world tour and merchandise. Can a band like Action or China Blue survive if they followed the Radiohead model? Certainly not new comers like Action. China Blue might have made out ok on the name of Tony Mills, Josh or some of the other players, but not to the extent of an established act like Radiohead.

If I can't land WickedWitch, which will be produced by the Goo Goo Dolls' Paul David Hager a major deal, we may give the Radiohead model a try. But it is really risky.

I've seen the Record, 8-Track, Cassette, CD and Mp3 in my short time. The modern delivery systems are just awesome. I fear that the Mp3 takes away the connection that a fan has when the hold the artists' product in their hand, read the liner notes, follow along with the lyrics while listening, etc…It is something that I still enjoy today and hope that won't be lost with this great, new technology.

Music shouldn't be about money. And for most artists it is not. The artists create music cause they love to, and because they love the interaction with the fans. However, at the end of the day, they have mortgages, wives and children to support. Let's not forget their manager either, lol.

Any good rock 'n' roll tales to tell?

Jack Marques: It was great to work with Michael Sweet of Stryper on both the Mars Hill and Action records. He was always one of my hero's and it was a joy working with him and Stryper and doing some tour dates together. If that wasn't cool enough, when he asked me to sing some backups on the Stryper record, I had to pinch myself! Talk about dreams coming true!

Chip: NOT REALLY, I'M BORING ACTUALLY...BUT IF YOU BUY THE RECORD I CAN TOUR AND THEN COME UP WITH SOME. THEN I CAN GO BACK INTO THE STUDIO. THEN MAYBE I CAN COME UP WITH SOME GOOD TALES. ACTUALLY DID YOU HEAR THE TALE OF A BAND ACTION THAT SOLD A MILLION COPIES OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM? YOU DIDN'T? ME NEITHER, SO PLEASE START BUYING NOW.

Ruben DeMello: One of the more "glamorous" moments was when we were doing the photo shoot for the album. One of the locations we were at was an old military fort of some kind. There was a really cool spot in there for some shots of the band.

While we're standing there trying to look all cool there was water (I think) dripping on top of us from somewhere up above. It was kind of funny because we had to stand there and look all tough and cool while inside we're all like 'get us outta here'! Talk about water torture!

Ron Vining: Things that happen on tour buses, backstage and in the studio stay there. LOL, Actually as Chip said, it is pretty quite. I've got some tales from other bands that I could share, but the Action guys are all good family guys so the only tales are in good natured, practical jokes and the camaraderie of hanging out with some great guys.

The best moment for me was when Frontiers sent us some promos of the Action debut. What a treat to hold it in my hands and thumb through it and put the disc in my player. The guys did such a great job!

Where would the band like to be in a year's time?

Jack Marques: Still making music!

Chip: A YEAR FROM NOW. BACK IN THE STUDIO WORKING ON ACTION 3, WAXING THE NEW CORVETTE, AND STRINGING UP MORE GUITARS WITH THE MONEY WE MADE BECAUSE YOU BOUGHT A GREAT ALBUM AND DIDN'T DOWNLOAD IT. HONESTLY, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE ACTION II RELEASED, HAVE BEEN ON A TOUR OF EUROPE AND ASIA AND THEN STARTED WORKING ON ACTION III.

Ruben DeMello: We'd like to have the word out about Action to a worldwide audience. We're also hoping to have the second album wrapped up and ready to go!

Ron Vining: One year from today, I'd hope that Action will have done their tour to support the debut in both Asia and Europe, be ready to release their follow-up and have the third just about in the can. I'd like to see us do a full US tour with a national act.

Message for your fans...

Jack Marques: I want to thank all the Action fans who bought the record for their support. I really hope you enjoy the music. To the fans that have carried over from the Mars Hill days, thanks to you as well! You all are the ones who let us know we aren't crazy and keep the guitars in our hands instead of hanging on the wall!! We need you and love you all. God bless you guys!!!

Chip: WHETHER YOU DOWNLOAD IT, BURN IT, BUY IT, PLEASE ENJOY THIS RECORD...THIS IS WHAT WE DO ALL OF THIS FOR. THE GOAL IS TO BRING GOOD MUSIC TO YOU, THE FANS, PLEASE ENJOY IT.

Ruben DeMello: We want to express our deepest thanks everyone for your support and for buying the Action CD! It means a lot to us. It's a good feeling when someone is able to connect with what you are trying to express and communicate through music.

Ron Vining: Like a lawyer, I am just the manager, so I don't have any…lol. That is until the guys need something. ;)