Mr. Jack – Life is a Beautiful Dream

“If you dream through your work, you can make people dream, too.“ Mr. Jack

Mr. Jack is a singer, musician, vocal coach, record producer, composer. He started his career at the age of 14, and after some collaborations, he founded the band IRON HEART at the age of 19. The band supported many national and international artists such as Pino Scotto, J-AX, Subsonica, Ian Paice from Deep Purple, Skanners, Joe Lynn Turner… He worked, and work, with many great and talented musicians: Mistheria, Alexander Layer, Marty Friedman, Ralf Sheepers, Enzo Donnarumma, Freddy Delirio, Philip Bynoe..

After the great success of the previous release – “Long Road”, with many guests: Mistheria (Vivaldi Metal Project – Bruce Dickinson), Freddy Delirio (Death SS – Freddy Delirio and the Phantom), Alexander Layer , Tomas Valentini (Skanners), Raffaele Raffo Albanese ( From The Depth), Steve Volta (Perpetual Fire – Pino Scotto), and many others, these days, Mr. Jack is working on the new music for his upcoming album “Destiny and Hope“. According to the artist, it will be a project full of surprises, and will include some extraordinary guests and many friends and colleagues from the music scene.

These days you are working on new music. Did your previous album „Long Road“ lead you where Mr. Jack stands now – artistically? Are there any similarities between the past and present in your music expression? What can you say about the new songs and the forthcoming album?

Hello dear, and thank you very much for your invitation! Yes, I am working on my next album which will be called “Destiny and Hope”, full of guests (which I will announce in the future). It will be a very personal record,  full of very interesting topics, in addition to music, whose work is going great, such as drafting, arrangements, composition, ideas, etc. “Long Road“ gave me a lot of satisfaction! It is my latest work (after almost 20 albums, including mine, and projects that have seen me as a guest), and I’m very proud of it! Mr. Jack –  currently, I can say that he is a musician who has grown a lot! Thanks to the music, and to all the musicians I work with, etc. He grows a lot – both musically, and on a human level! In my music, I like to change! I love all musical genres related to rock and metal, and I love to mix them sometimes! Being also a musician who works in Horror music, sometimes I really get 1000 ideas and then come out with works that contain: Rock, metal, horror, country, ballad, hard rock, etc. It’s great to work like this, and it’s great always to give the new and different stuff to the fans! I love my job and I wouldn’t trade it with anyone.

Your first album, Long Road, is very emotional. What kind of freedom the music give you? Do you feel the music opens your mind in some way?

In fact, it is full of feelings, events etc… It is a record where I also talk about myself! Life lived, good and bad memories etc… It was a great job to do, and the impact on the audience was extraordinary! I was able to talk about my experiences through my music! Talking my story, through my songs, gave me the opportunity to make myself known even better to those who listened to the record. It was a great experience! Shouting your life out to the world, doing it with a guitar, with a microphone, with lyrics, etc., was truly something magical!

Mr. Jack

The music style of the album „Long Road“ is very colorful, but, on the other hand, there is the beautiful 80’s vibe. What kind of music inspires you the most? Which bands have an impact on your style?

You hit the mark! Yes yes, I love the music of those years! Come on.. Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue etc, good sound, impact, I love that genre and I love these bands! I also love other musical genres, and many other bands such as: Metallica, Doors, Alter Bridge, Creed etc. etc. The fact is that in “Long Road“, there are various music genres. It has also been my personal way of thanking to all the bands and artists who have inspired me!

Since one part of your job consists of promoting talented musicians, do you always have to stay informed what happens in the world’s music scene? Do you like to discover new music by yourself?

I love discovering new music!! Put me on youtube, or on other social networks, to listen to young bands that have so much to say – I love it! Also, of course, I listen to the various new and old works of very famous bands! Let’s say I can’t live without music! I love my job as a record producer, also because it gives me the opportunity to meet new people and great artists that I have always followed (since I was a boy), and to be able to know their ideas and work with them!

You created your record label “Wanikiya Records“ in order to promote artists from all over the world. In today’s world, when most of the people are doing their job without a passion, do you think that working in Art is a privilege? Do you think that happiness also lies in a joy of doing your job with Passion and Love?

Look, work is one thing and passion is one thing, but if there is no passion in doing your job, you better change your job right away… It is a great privilege for me to work with great bands and great artists, exchange ideas, work a lot, but you are always satisfied at the end of the day! Living with music it’s a thing! But it is full of emotions and it gives you great satisfaction, especially when you work a lot on a project!  As I said before – without passion, everything would be “mechanical”. I would never be able to work without it! I wake up early every morning, and can’t wait to start working! This is the right spirit and so it should be for any other job. You have to love your job! With the Wanikiya Record, I realized a dream, and being able to carry it forward, always gives me more and more joy and increases the passion I have in my work more and more!

You started your music career at the age of 14. What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned during all of those years? How your musical growth reflected on your inner self?

Great question! After all these years, I have changed a lot! From the boy who started to play and sing, now a man has arrived – mature and with many responsibilities! Thanks to all the projects I have done (or where I have been invited as a guest), I have learned a lot! I grew up both  – musically, and on a human level! My ego has matured a lot! And I also see it when I compose or write! Music gives you so much! And it is a piece of advice that I also give to young bands! To always cultivate their dreams! It will take a lot of effort, but never lose hope! Life is difficult, but thanks to difficulties the great results of life are achieved!

In your career, you have worked, and you work with many great and talented musicians. How do you take those collaborations, what kind of experience you brought to each other by working together?

In fact, I have the privilege of working with so many great artists! Well, with most of them I share a great friendship! With others, you find yourself working together on some projects and from there, other beautiful friendships are born! I learn a lot from them, and sometimes they learn from me, too! In the end, we are all humble people, and this is the most important thing! Of course, it’s a great thing to be able to work with them! But the thing I can assure you is that there is a beautiful relationship with everyone! Remembering the question above, if there is no passion in your work, change the path!

Last year was a bit difficult because of the global pandemic situation. The present days are also challenging for the musicians and the whole music industry, in general. How did you manage to rise above the whole situation as a musician?

It was very hard! And now we are starting to put the “LIVE” issue back on its feet, as well. But it was a really bad time! I, on my own, have always tried to make my music, and the music of the artists I represent all over the world listen and run! The web saved 80% of the music, thankfully! I have been invited to many broadcasts and thanks to the journalists like you (who do a magnificent job, and who are the word of music and artists), there was an opportunity to keep company with the public locked up at home, even at a distance (with interviews , hosted, live streaming etc)! It was definitely a new experience, but we got down to business and tried to bring music to everyone’s home! So, I congratulate myself, but also congratulate all of my colleagues in the world of music, because we have been able to give our best, even in a bad situation like this!

What about the Dreams? How important are they when it comes to an artist?

Dreams are the main thing for someone who works with art! If you don’t have dreams, you can’t work in this field! Music is a dream that plays, poetry, the lyrics of a song, is a dream written and made to read to people! Dreams are those things one wants to achieve! Life is a beautiful dream if you think about it! And if you dream through your work and thanks to your work, you can make people dream too, you feel the happiest man in the whole world !!!!

Thank you, Mr. Jack!

Thank you Katarina, for inviting me to this beautiful chat! I greet all the readers of Videosound Art Magazine! Keep supporting the music 100%, you are our joy !!! Good music to everyone! Rock on Friends!

Photos: Imma Losano

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/mr.jackofficialartistpage

https://mrjackofficial.wixsite.com/mrjack?fbclid=IwAR1Q0Xi3Xx-RFW_qt-2MbRdxuQe70HlqyZSw6HYP4zBo8x6FVjAr_dqKsUQ

https://wanikiyarecord.wixsite.com/wanikiyarecord?fbclid=IwAR23ChZba3T1n3cS3cApLD95LZl0JtRUkR4a_8b21gXF7yLNLsmEMu_2bSk

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