Exclusive Interview with GIB THE ROCKER

Giuseppe, also known as Gib The Rocker, is a Sicilian rock guitarist and songwriter based in London. With years of experience playing the guitar and performing in bands, Giuseppe decided to embark on a solo project after struggling to find a committed band. The journey to bring his project to fruition was not without its challenges, including the pandemic, vocal and mental health issues, and logistical problems. However, Giuseppe persevered, driven by his passion and love for his music.

In the summer of 2022, Giuseppe finally entered the studio to record four songs, showcasing his different musical influences, including classic rock, power ballads, rockabilly, and hard/heavy rock. The EP was released on all platforms on October 25th, 2022, marking Giuseppe’s first publication. Check out the EP “Alive” and the exclusive interview with Gib The Rocker below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

GIB THE ROCKER: I come from a small town on the coast of Sicily, Italy. When I was 11, I visited an older cousin in the US and he was blasting Bon Jovi and U2 hyper loud from the speakers of his car. Initially I hated it and asked him to turn it down, but after he did, I was “Actually, loud is great!” haha! So that got me into rock. A few years later a friend gave me a cassette with Aerosmith music, and that made me fall in love with the guitar. I picked one up and that’s the one of the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

GIB THE ROCKER: Never formal. After making little progress as a self-taught guitarist, I took lessons from a local musician, Gai Bennici, one of the greatest Italian blues players luckily! He himself wasn’t formally trained, but had such great ear and feel. The best things he taught me were to learn from all styles of music and to learn by myself. After one year, I left my town to go to Uni, but kept studying off books, dvds, youtube and obviously classic records!

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘GIB THE ROCKER’?

GIB THE ROCKER: Aerosmith and Joe Perry are the reason why I play the guitar, and partially responsible for my name. Joe Perry had a solo record called “Once a rocker, always a rocker”. My name is Giuseppe, which is Italian for Joe, so I started calling myself Joe Rocker. When it was time to release my record, I realised it was too common and generic, so I changed to Gib The Rocker – Gib comes from my surname Gibilaro.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

GIB THE ROCKER: My sound is simple: plug the guitar into the amp, add distortion and turn it up! In your face, sincere and direct. It should rock and make you rock! As far as the music goes, the songs incorporate different influences, but I think there is an underlying sense of energy, vitality and that’s what the record is about: feeling alive, enjoying life, letting yourself go and releasing your energy. I hope that comes through.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as ROCK?

GIB THE ROCKER:

I wanted to be a rock guitar player from the very beginning, so that was very natural. Like you said, initially I was trying to copy my favourite artists, playing their songs note for note, but as you gain skills you start naturally expressing yourself and adding your own twists. What took long was to become a more rounded musician and songwriter, because initially, like all guitarists, I just wanted to play guitar solos as fast as possible. Guitarists are the worst, haha!

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

GIB THE ROCKER:

Great question! I think art and artist should be totally free: you should carry whatever message is close to your heart, which can be something very political or very mundane – great music and art has been made with very different purposes. For me personally, when I compose, I naturally tend to look for emotions or ideals rather than thoughts or ideas, so it’s natural to make songs about freedom, joy, love, pain, grief, etc., rather than political and social messages, even though I appreciate them in other people’s art. Never say never though, who knows what inspiration I’ll get for my next record?

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

GIB THE ROCKER:

To be honest, I haven’t got much from music in terms of achievements so far, mostly because my bands have disbanded before we could ever do something serious – which is why I’ve gone solo! I hope this EP is the start of something and I’m soon starting to write the next! But let me add that whenever I play the guitar, may it be at a jam session or in my room, I get a sense of fulfilment that nothing else can match, so I’ll keep playing till my hands fall off or I die!

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

GIB THE ROCKER:

There’s no rule, but one: when you have a good idea, save it! Sometimes I wake up with a riff in my head, or something comes to mind when I’m walking the streets, and I immediately record it on my phone, so that I can work on it later. Inspiration is sacred, don’t waste it! But to give you more details, it’s easier and more frequent to compose the melody first and then surround the melody with the chords, the riffs and whatever it needs. The melody is what people sing and remember, the melody is the queen!

9. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

GIB THE ROCKER: You know what? I think something has shifted in me. Before Covid, I think I would have said playing live, no doubt. But after the pandemic and making the record, I really enjoyed the process of creating and want to do it again, so I’m leaning towards creative work right now. I think there is also an element of physical and mental health that is missing, I’m still recovering from some of the effects from the pandemic. Maybe when I’m back to 100% I’ll die to be on the road!

10. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

GIB THE ROCKER: You can’t control what people think or feel, besides, I like freedom, so let everyone get their own impressions. What did you feel listening to Alive? What’s your favourite song? People have given me the most diverse answers and I love it. There is more in the art than even the artist knows! I gotta say though, you hope not to be misunderstood.