Gianni Paci – Make America Great Again

By starrymag | December 21, 2018

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects you are working on?

A) I have written in excess of two hundred new songs that I will be bringing to producer Perry Margouleff!

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) While in a recording session, an engineer once remarked that my songwriting was “classic.” I found that endearing.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) A lot of my favorite music predates the contemporary. I’ve been listening to a lot of Bob Dylan lately.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Make America Great Again.”

A) It’s interesting, I ran into some old friends when I was walking around town one evening in September and we stayed out until two or three in the morning. While we were at our last bar of the night, I caught a glimpse of a famous entertainer performing on a late-night talk show with this infamous red hat. A spirited conversation ensued and I woke up the next day with this song in my head, almost daring to be written. The inspiration came hard and fast and I decided to trust what came through.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I would reckon the power of the song is it’s audacity to ask important questions.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

A) To be honest, a lot of the times the music and lyrics seem to emerge almost synchronistically. I would liken it to a channeling or deliverance.

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music? 

A) I produce all of my music. There have been times where I have collaborated with others in that department, but even in those instances I had brought in fully arranged demos or was beyond hands on in the process.

Q) We’re also seeing you in Season 2 of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” What made you want to begin acting?

A) It’s something that I believe springs from the same creative or artistic source and is very much related to live performance, so it all feels quite natural to me. The music videos laid the groundwork for this sort of crossover, I suppose!

Q) How did you come to make an appearance on the show?

A) The call came for the scene and I was beaming with excitement!

Q) Were you a fan of the series before working on it?

A) Yes!

Q) Talk about filming the train scene with Alex Borstein, Erik Palladino and John Scurti.

A) Wow, what a thrill! I leaned a little too heavily on those subway doors the first go around and narrowly dodged a good fall… [laughs] But the cast and crew were beyond gracious and kind. It is rewarding to work on such a beautiful soundstage in such a professional environment. I was in heaven being whisked around the vintage clothing archives the week prior for fitting. And grabbing lunch next to Rachel Brosnahan after the shoot was another “pinch me” moment!

Q) As a musician, where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you? 

A) Last month, I played in Seattle for the first time and I had a really great show. I guess it’s always about how a city can inspire something new in a performance.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Paul McCartney!

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) Circling back to Bob Dylan, the interest there is rooted in the notion of a song being a vehicle for storytelling, like a movie condensed into a couple of minutes instead of a couple of hours. Perry Margouleff actually said that to me after we recorded the Pie Studios EP. So, I’ve been sort of studying the way that Dylan does that because it is fascinating to me, what Perry said…how a great song or story is enriching or edifying or enlightening, and how there is great power in that.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) I think it’s about delivering the message and stepping back, you know? One can introduce an idea or make waves and then just kind of ride the surf. There is a great story about a little girl who taught me how to surf, but that’s for next time!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you for the love. I love you back!