Interview with Symphonic Metal Artist Suzanne DeCree of DiGregorio

By Mick Michaels

 

 

 

Cosmick View: Hello, Suzanne! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.
Suzanne DeCree: Hi, Mick!  Thank you for having me.

CV: What was the defining moment for you that made you realize you wanted to be a musician and pursue a world of songwriting and recording? SD: CHARO!  I was little – maybe 4 or 5 and my family would watch “The Carol Burnett Show”.  I’m pretty sure I just carbon-dated myself.  Anyway…Charo was on a few of the shows way back then, and I was just mesmerized by her Flamenco guitar playing.  When I was about 6, I realized that my dad never actually used the classical guitar he had, so I…um…borrowed it…permanently.

CV: Has what you thought being a musician would be or was all about lived up to your expectations, or have things not been quite as you hoped?
SD: As far as the writing and creating of music, it’s all I’ve ever really known.  I started at 6, like I mentioned, but I was always listening, trying to write songs, writing lyrics and stories, noodling on the guitar or the keyboards – always something musical happening.

OF COURSE, I’d always assumed that the record labels would just discover me one day and fawn all over me.

…still waiting….

So, no, the whole “DIY Music” thing never really occurred to me until I realized it was that way or no way – so here we are!

CV: Tell us a little about your band, DiGregorio. How did things come together?
SD: Completely by accident. It took 5 years from start to finish for House of Gregory, Chapter 1 to be released.  There were producer issues, studio issues, and singer issues.

From the studio issues came 2/3 of my backing band: Bob Horwatt on keys and Jeremy Papay on drums.  We were all introduced by the first sound engineer, and I guess the guys kind of liked what I did, so they hung around.

Something else that came from the ashes of the first 5 years is that I’m actually doing my own singing now.  I first attempted vocals on the Black and White EP.  There were some technical issues on that, so I was a little leery of putting it out, but I did anyway, and it provided a stepping-stone for me to get more serious about my singing and there has been a big improvement over the past 2 years.  I am now my own singer.

I was telling my tales of woe to a friend one day, and he ended up introducing me to Matt from Fire K Studios.  Matt was the one who resurrected House of Gregory, Chapter 1 from the grave and gave it new life.

Somehow, my good friend Aaron Griffith kind of crept back into my musical world as the once-and-future bassist.  I think it was because I randomly sent him tracks one day with the cryptic message, “Bass lines, please.”

No matter how crazy things got – and they got CRAZY – those guys were right there, helping to bring the music to life in ways I could never have imagined.  I mean…seriously…how many guys can you call and say, “Hey! All of your lines on this song need to sound like a spider…and I don’t know what spiders sound like…”

The parts that worked came together almost by accident and everything that was planned imploded spectacularly.

CV:  What has been the major influential factor in DiGregorio's approach to its style and songwriting approach and process? Is it a collection of influences?
SD: In 1921, Giovanni DiGregorio came to the USA via Ellis Island and was told he needed a legal decree.  “OK – my name’s DeCree.” That’s how my family got our last name.

Just as my grandparents had to create their world and make their way, so do I, but I do it musically. I was a daydreamer from the start. The House of Gregory…a rough translation of what DiGregorio means in English, is the “hub” – everything starts there and spreads further into the world I’ve created.  There is always a cohesiveness to my writing – a concept and a story from start to finish.

Musically, I pull from any and all genres.  I’m really big into Jazz and Classical, Prog Rock, Symphonic Metal (obviously…), Flamenco (of course!), and I’m a big music theory nerd, so you put that all into a blender and you’re never really sure what’s coming out in that musical smoothie!

CV: What do you see as the ultimate goal for you as a musician and songwriter? Is there someone who you want to work with on a future project?
SD: WORLD DOMINATION THROUGH HEAVY METAL!!!

But don’t worry. I’ll be a benevolent dictator…. : )

There are so many people I’d like to work with.  Tarja is probably the big one.  I’m a huge fangirl.  She could literally cough and not only would I pay for a recording of that cough, I would call all of my friends and be like, “yeah…you WISH you could cough like Tarja…”

CV: What's your personal take on DiGregorio's music compared to what is typically considered symphonic metal? Do you see a big difference…what makes it stand out in your opinion?
SD: Musically, I’m always looking for something that’s different.  Something I haven’t tried before, something I’ve not heard before, something I haven’t done before.  With the House of Gregory albums, that was straight up density; balls to the wall all song, every song.  6 and 7 guitar parts to every song, multiple keyboard lines, in some cases, multiple drum lines.

In Black And White, it was more Jazz.  If you listen to the music closely, you can hear a lot of Steely Dan, but turned up to 10.  There was a lot more space to breathe, more intricate chording, fewer straight-up power chords. 

On the upcoming EP (cue the dramatic music) there is actually a lot more acoustic and clean electric, counter-balanced with the uber-distorted metal guitars that we all know and love.  This EP is also a lot darker in nature.  Not necessarily heavier – but darker.

CV: What do you consider to be the most unexpected turn of events for your career musically?
…the fact that I have one…

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming from DiGregorio?
SD: Well, there’s that full-length heavy metal opera that I’m writing…hopefully finishing up in the next few months and then I get to try and figure out how to produce it!

CV: Thanks again, Suzanne, for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.
SD: Thank you so much for having me - this was a lot of fun!

Check out DiGregorio at:

Official: www.DiGregorioMusic.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiGregorioPgh/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQGiHn4CXL-Fulcpyt1gUZQ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/digregorio_band

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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.

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