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THE JOURNEY ZONE
http://www.journey-zone.com
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Infinity: A Tribute to Journey
Interviewer: Wistyxfan
Date of Publication: July 16, 2004
Date of Interview: July 10, 2004
Location: Round Lake Beach, IL
Infinity is:
Band members: Bob Biagi, James Cairo, Vincent Ribando, Len Schillaci, Kevin Willison, Dennis Zarobsky
Crew: Scott Flaws, Bill Rueschaw, Zach Willison
Ten Questions with Infinity
1. How did you meet and decide to play together?
Bob: We’ve been playing together since 1984.
Kevin: Bob actually started the band. We’ve only had four member changes over the years….and always the keyboard and bass players. (Len is the newest member, with a year and a half playing with the band.) Bob and Jim are cousins.
Bill: Even I have been with the band since the beginning…but I still consider myself the “wer-gin”!
2. Infinity is the most active tribute band covered by the Journey Zone. What do you think makes you so successful?
Bob: I think we naturally identify with our audience, we listened to the same music growing up, and it brings back memories. We like to take the focus off of us, and put it on to them.
Jim: I think it has to do with Bob going out in the crowd.
Bob: Our audience seems more like friends than fans. The came to the show, met us, met each other….some of them had kids, and now the kids come to the shows. The music we play spans time from about ’69 to 2002.
3. Besides making your schedule more accessible, how has the internet helped Infinity?
Bob: I think it is (mainly) making the schedule more accessible. Our site averages 700-800 hits a week. We also have the Infinity2k mailer we send out, and a hotline for fans to call: 630 – 964 – 1956.
4. The song list on your website represents selections from 32 different bands. How do you choose songs?
Bob: Mainly fan requests – we never work with a set song list.
Dennis: We use hand signals on stage, like baseball players use, for what we are going to play next.
Kevin: Crowd reaction is the key….like tonight with “Enter Sandman”….that will be going into the set.
Bob: I promise to learn the words! We talk a lot with fans before and after shows to see what they wanna hear.
5. Have you thought about creating an internet poll to let fans help you choose/add songs?
Len: That’s an idea.
Bob: Maybe, but we like talking to the fans to see what they wanna hear.
6. Favorite Journey song to perform?
Bob: It’s one we don’t even do: Mother/Father.
Kevin & Scott: Stone in Love.
Bill & Len: Separate Ways.
7. Most embarrassing moment on stage or off?
Bob: You don’t have enough paper!
Len: Before when we played a Ted Nugent medley, I didn’t know what they were doing, so I played the wrong chord!
Dennis: At the end of the Queen medley I totally messed up the notes!
Jim: Vinnie has a good story!
Bob: Vinnie, the drummer who’s so quiet, has a good one!
Vinnie: Ok, ok. This one happens a lot. I come offstage, dripping wet after a set. I’m in line for the bathroom, and the guy behind me will go, “Hey, you know that band? They’re pretty good huh?” All laugh.
Bob: They have no idea who he is.
Vinnie: You think they could tell, I’m dripping with sweat!
Bob: Ok, one time I went to a pool party before the show….and I didn’t swim in all my clothes. Later at the show, I see some people auctioning off underwear. It’s pretty funny until I look – and it’s MY underwear!
8. What is the craziest thing a fan has asked you to do?
Bob: You don’t have enough paper! All laugh.
Bob: Signing body parts. I look at them, hold up the marker and say to them, “This is permanent marker!”
Len: Once I was asked to sign a brick.
Kevin: I think it’s been asking me to sign a Journey shirt.
Bob: Yeah. I mean, it’s their Journey shirt! But sometimes they’ll say, “Hey, this is the closest I’ll get to Journey, man.”
9. What is your first reaction to this situation: You are on stage performing and you get word from a reliable source that a member of Journey is in the audience.
Bob: It’s happened!!
All: Yeah!
Bob: It was our first fest at Glendale Heights, and we heard that Deen’s (Castronovo) mom was there. When I saw her backstage, I wanted to ask for ID! We heard that Deen himself was there, but we didn’t see or meet him…they couldn’t tell us where he was, you know.
Len: It was nerve-wracking.
10. You have 25 words or less to say anything you want to any member of Journey – go!
Bob: I grew up listening to your music, I used to wear out your albums. Thanks for the roots, man. We’re just trying to keep the music alive.
Len: Neal was the biggest influence on me musically – thanks!
Kevin: They began real vocal rock. Thanks for starting that, and making it ok for guys to sing slow songs.
Click HERE for Jan's pictures of Infinity.
Last Updated 02 July 2007 (JRNYDV)
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