An interview with... EWO Guitarist Mauro Cecchi

List the gear you use and describe the desired sound you like to hear blasting back at you from your cabinet.

Gear:
Ibanez SA
Epiphone Les Paul
'66 Fender Telecaster
Mesa Boogie Sinlge Rectifier Head
Marshall Cabinet
Line 6 Floor Pod Plus

Desired Sound:
Well, it always depends on what the song is asking for. For example, on a heavier track like Beat Down or New Age I like to hear a perfect blend of sustain and presence in my leads and a thick, chugging pound in my rhythm. When it comes to the tracks that are a bit more laid back, let's say, Leave the Bottle or Perpetual Blue, I want to hear a warm, ambient sound that sets a mood of comfort.

Mood and comfort are certainly awesome bedfellows. Describe the ultimate setting or mood for writing music or jamming out new tunes.

There are many different moods that can define the outcome of a song. Any mood that you're in is perfect. New songs depend on moodswings in my opinion. Anger tends to bring out a more aggressive sound while anguish may bring out a bone chilling power ballad. Happiness will always give you those songs that you can dance to.

Jamming out new tunes always depends on how everybody in the room is feeling. Sometimes its just good to let everyone do their own thing for 5-10 min and see what kind of creation we can come up with together. You never know what off note or off time fill can do for a song.

In point form, name 5 bands/acts that have influenced your songwriting the most.

In the beginning I would have had to say:
Black Sabbath Santana Metallica

...now I would have to say I'm steering more towards:
Incubus Rage Against the Machine

...while keeping that same feel from previous years

I'll pluck Incubus from the lot for this next one... what, specifically, about Incubus do you find most inspiring?

There's nothing bad to say about Incubus, especially their album S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Their style is like no other. Mike Enzinger aka Fabio Fungus Amongus (no joke) is a hardcore guitar player who has all kinds of trippy loops and riffs with sci-fi sounding movie effects. He has influenced me like no other guitar player. I try to create songs with the same dynamic feel that he does. He has a funky side to him that I love and, in my opinion, are some of the best riffs of all time. I would love to steer into that direction of sound for EWO. Alternative Rock with a dash of funk and a hint of down right dirty in yo face heaviness.

At a recent show, you had some technical difficulties that, unfortunately, ended the set early. From what I understand, it was like lightening hitting twice. Can you lay it all out for the readers?

Don't remind me. I had nightmares of that happening and it finally came and bit me in the ass. From the minute I woke up that morning, things were just not right.

Anyways, we get to The El Mocambo to play some soup kitchen benefit. We all thought we were gonna be late because we were suppose to be on stage at 11:00. Once again EWO's set time was pushed back. The place was almost empty that night and none of us were really pumped to be on stage.

Finally, 1:00am rolls around and the venue was actually looking pretty good. The audience was all warmed up and ready for more. So, EWO hits the stage..

1,2,3, DANANANA DA, DANANANA DA (we opened with See What I See). Not even 30 seconds into the song, the tuning is out of whack. I look down only to find my D string dangling from my guitar. Lucky the song kept on going and we were not booed off the stage. Next song, I had to borrow a guitar from one of the other bands. So, we start the tune and guess what, the same string on a different guitar pops off.. I guess that we were not meant to play that show or maybe I should have just slept through the whole day. That was the shortest set in the history of performance, not a fact but I'm pretty damn sure.

So that was a rough experience, tell us about the opposite end of the spectrum. From what I understand you're having a blast with street level promotions an sales.

Oh yeah.. Grindin on the streets is my favourite part of this whole music thing (besides playing of course). Rain or shine I'm out there hustling EWO discs with all I got. My strategy is pull up, swing open the doors of the Dodge, blast the music and make sure every single person that passes by hears the name Easy Way Out. No matter who it is is, I will try and get them to buy our disc. 1 out of 5 or 6 will stop and buy one which is even more of a reason to do it. We got a good product. Sales are doing great, by the way, people. If you don't have "Steal the Show" I would advise you get it while it's HOT!!!

So where are the corners you can most likely be found selling "Steal the Show"?

We can most likely be found on Queen and Spadina, Yonge and Dundas or around Ryerson. Those are probably the best areas. Next, we'll be hitting malls like Yorkdale and Dufferin Mall. It's a long summer and there's a lot of sales to be made. Hope to see some of you out there.