Interview with Bassist Gaetano "Gae" Amodio of DragonhammeR

March 06, 2023

Interview with Bassist Gaetano "Gae" Amodio of DragonhammeR

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Gae! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

CV: Do you feel Heavy Metal music in general is viewed differently by fans in Europe compared to fans elsewhere, especially in America, and if so why?
Gaetano "Gae" Amodio: I don’t think that Metal is viewed too differently around the world. On the contrary I see that the metalheads are quite homogeneous with a lot of things in common. This is one of the best things about metal.

CV: What do you feel makes Heavy Metal music so alluring to the fans? What is it about the music that personally resonates so strongly with you?
Gae: When I think about Metal, I think of something powerful, fast and epic…characteristics that aren’t present in the other genres. This is why I like it and I think that many fans feel the same. Also, the dark atmospheres and obscure themes make a lot of influence.

CV: Has Metal splintered into too many sub-genres in your opinion, thus, making it harder for newer bands to actually classify themselves as one style over another? Is it confusing for fans as well?
Gae: I don’t think so, the variety of the sub-genres is a peculiar thing of metal and one of the features that make metal prosper. It is still a very popular music 50 years after its birth.

CV: How would you describe the current state of the music business considering we are now living in a COVID aware, and maybe even feared world? Have things drastically changed long-term for artists and bands given the recent pandemic? What are your thoughts?
Gae: The pandemic has heavily impacted the music industry making the long- and short-term project very difficult to pursue. Also, the live concerts were drastically reduced with the consequent economic disaster in the sector. Luckily the things now are much better and we are starting to play a lot of concerts. 2023 will be a good year hopefully.

CV: What do you feel makes your band and its particular approach to songwriting work? What keeps the band together and making music?
Gae: We, Dragonhammer, with this latest formation have matured a lot from the perspective of songwriting. We are very attached and we make a lot of teamworking. This is highly beneficial for the music compositions and this is also what keeps the band together. Of course, also the live music has a big role for the bonding of the band.

CV: On a more global view, how do you see your band’s music and songwriting separating itself from just being another Heavy Metal act?
Gae: We have a lot in common with many of the progressive power metal acts that belongs to the Italian scene but we also have our specific and peculiar traits that separate us from our colleagues. For example we are much more epic-oriented with some old-school vibes from the 80’s and these features are quite unique in the power metal scene nowadays.

CV: Can an artist truly be unique? Some would argue there is no such thing as being unique; that it’s nothing more than a compounding of influences making an artist who or what they are. Would this then say that artists today are destined to be just copies of those who have already come to pass?
Gae: Yeah, of course every kind of art is somewhat derivative from other forms of art. The act of making art is itself a compound of influences as you said but each time something is copied there are errors and novelties. Those errors and those novelties, those details make each band different as they drive the whole process of creation of new art.

CV: Are there life lessons to learn being in a Heavy Metal band that you feel cannot be taught elsewhere? If so, what are they?
Gae: Probably the feelings and the bonds that rise from playing around the world together for other heavy metal fans. This thing is quite a very special lesson about friendship between people.

CV: What do you feel makes someone a “rock star”? Does being a rock star automatically make one iconic or are the two completely different in your opinion?
Gae: I don’t think that being a rockstar is something that can be achieved during our days. There are some iconic musicians of course but a pure rockstar… I don’t know… I prefer to focus on the band rather than on the single individual musician.

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming in 2023?
Gae: We are going on tour a lot in 2023 and we are ready to hit some very big stages around Europe without restrictions.

CV: Thank you again Gae for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
Gae: Thank you for hosting us. Keep the metal faith alive!

Check out DragonhammeR at:

Official: https://www.dragonhammer.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dragonhammer.official/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dragonhammerofficial/

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.