Interviews 2003 Reunion Tour Interview with George DiAna by Brynn Arens of Flipp Won't you please welcome George DiAna the newest member and bass player in the brightest shinning band of all time STARZ...so lets get to some rockin! Q: Well first off just let me say you are doing a f*cking great job. Can you please tell us how you came about joining Starz? A: I sent an email to www.starzcentral.com about 18 months ago... I wanted to tell the band how much they influenced me musically. Richie replied to the email, we became friends, we started playing gigs together, and richie honored me by asking me to come aboard! Q: Were you a big fan of the band back in the day? ( no pun intended ) and when was the first time you remember hearing a Starz song or record? A: I was a huge fan, and I owe it all to my neighborhood buddy John Astolfi. We were all teenagers at the time, loving KISS, Angel, Nugent, etc.... The gang is sitting on my stoop when John comes walking up to us, with a cool looking black album and yellow logo on it. We went back to his house...by the time we reached "pull the plug", we were all hooked!!! Q: Peter Sweval (R.I.P.) was such an important member of the band. Did you have any sense of pressure playing or singing his parts? A: To be honest, I did feel pressure at first...BUT...after the success of the first rehearsal with Richie, Dube and myself, all pressure was gone. Man...Sweval was so cool.... I remember sitting in the first row in front of Peter and Brendan at the old Palladium in NYC. WHAT A SHOW!!! Q: I know the band speaks so very highly of you it must feel good to know that they are comfortable with you. What was going thru your mind just prior the first show? A: All of my butterflies left my system after that first rehearsal...so not much nervousness was there. I am used to playing live, so there wasn't a problem in that regard either. I think that i was in a kind of euphoric zone, knowing that Starz was ready to rock again, seeing all of the loyal STARZ fans in the house, and knowing that not only was I going to perform with one of my favorite bands of all time, but that I was also going to enjoy living this dream with the fans. Q: What was your reaction after the tour? A: Let's do it again, often! The whole band couldn't have been happier.... And from a Starz fan's perspective (my own!!!), Starz completely kicked ass, and, judging from the lack of rehearsal time, didn't even try!!! Q: From the interviews the band did after the tour it seems as though they are looking forward to going into the studio to record some new material. This must be an exciting prospect for you. Did you foresee this happening? A: No, it did not occur to me. But if an album (err, CD) is going to be cut, I want the Starz fans to know that I am gonna lay some heavy-ass, killer shit down baby!!! Q: Please tell us a little bit about your musical history before joining Starz. A: I picked up a guitar at 17, switched to bass at 19, and started gigging huge clubs and living a charmed wild-life.... I was a proud original member of the tri-state area super-group VIXEN (b4 the honeys of the '80s, please visit www.georgeandjoel.com for more info), and a proud original member of the tri-state area super-group PARADISE ALLEY in the '90s. Without a record deal, I lived a great life, experienced all the $ and chicks that any young fellah could ask for!!! Q: Did you know all the guys in Starz before this tour? A: Only Richie and Dube. I met brendan 48 hours before the the first show, and Michale the night before! Q: Who had more drums in there kit in the 70's Joe X Dube or Keith Moon? A: Who is Keith Moon? (hahahaha, the Who, with Keith Moon, was a little before my "rock and roll awareness" time). Q: The topic is fantasy band.... Alive or deceased please tell us who would be in your fantasy band? A: Drums: Dube; joining me on bass: Graham Maby (Joe Jackson band); guitar: Richie, Brendan and Joel Frix (another member of Vixen}; background vocals: John Waite (Babys), Derek St. Holmes (Nugent), and Michael Lee; with lead vocals from Chris Cornell (Soundgarden)... with special mention to Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy, R.I.P.), Lonesome Dave (Foghat, R.I.P.), Brian Connelly (Sweet, R.I.P.), and every mother f*cker who ever dreamed of rockin'... Once again, George, let me say congratulations for doing the great f*cking job being the "new guy". The audiences loved you and it works great! .....SO LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR THE NEWEST MEMBER OF STARZ...BASS PLAYER GEORGE DIANA! A: THANK YOU ALL, and if I have anything at all to do with it, SEE YOU SOON!!! Insane George DiAna