TAKARA is a great Hard Rock band from the USA which has been around since 1987. The band´s bio is a big example of perseverance, belief and dream focus since Neil Grusky, the guitarist and “headmaster” started everything and never let it end. Even during moments when hard rock was nothing but a crazy investment sure to become a loss, Neil never gave up being able to count on great professionals to join the project such as Jeff Scott Soto who has recorded TAKARA´s first 3 albums.
The band got great respect and a legion of fans in Europe and Japan entering the Burrn Charts at number 16, European charts at number 8 and into the Billboard charts for Japan at number 96.
After a 5-year-break the band is back with a new album called INVITATION TO FOREVER and an impressive and “globalized” line-up formed by the Brazilian singer Gustavo “Gus” Monsanto (Revolution Renaissance, ex-Adagio, ex-Overdose), the Swedish bassist and drummer Bjorn Englen and Patrick Johansson and the American Brook Hansen on the keyboards, who is a long-term Neil´s friend and has already recorded previews albums. INVITATION TO FOREVER is heavier than the other TAKARA albums but it´s still a hard rock work full of Neil´s identity.
The band is now getting ready to tour and details on dates as well as in how to buy INVITATION TO FOREVER can be found in the website www.takararocks.com or in the band’s myspace page www.myspace.com/takararocks.
The contact with the band should be made through their email address takararocks@yahoo.com for anything that may be needed.
Here you can read an interview with Neil Grusky and get to know a little more about this the band and its future plans. We hope you like it and support TAKARA!
STAY ROCK!
Interview with Neal Grusky
Maila-Kaarina: You formed Takara in 1987 and on your bio you make it clear that hard rock has always been your biggest influence. You learned how to play focusing on masters such as Eddie Van Halen, George Lynch and Randy Rhoades . When you moved to LA in 1982, hard rock was going through a great moment in the USA but you were just boy from Sacramento with nothing much but guts and a dream to search. How was this beginning, from 1982 to 1987, before the real coming out of Takara?
Neal Grusky: The coming out so to speak was a real experience for me. It was my first time being away from home, and being on my own in a big city. When I first got to LA in 82 it was one of the most exciting places to be for hard rock music in the world at that time. It seemed to me the hard rock music world revolved around the scene here for a time. It was a non-stop, and very exciting music scene. Ironically, the time of 82-87 were a real highpoint for the careers of guitarists like Lynch, Rhoades, Malmsteen.The end result was a huge amount of influence it had on me, as well as many other guitarists. Initially, I started out once I got to LA playing with several bands. We played the clubs quite a bit. By 1987 I started considering that starting Takara would be more rewarding for me than playing in other people´s bands.
Maila: Takara´s debut CD ETERNAL FAITH has a great line-up being sung and produced by Jeff Scott Soto, who has recorded the 3 first albums. In Japan and Europe you have always found your space and the band has gone through great moments. With such a great resume it is difficult to understand why in the USA things didn´t happen in a real big way. What makes it more difficult in the USA then in Europe or Japan?
Neal: You know from the start Takara has been blessed with some very talented lineups. I am sure this made a major difference on each album that we recorded. The end result again was some very high chart topping type releases. The critics from the start seemed really like our music. The down side was it was the 90´s, the unfriendly time to release this type of music. We worked very hard to do the best with what we could during this time. Most of the career of Takara has been during the 90´s which made it very hard to break out in the U.S.
Maila: I´m asking this question more for a personal reason and curiosity since looking into the rock history from the 80´s and 90´s you see the USA as the biggest source for Hard Rock and Thrash Metal bands. Suddenly it has just stopped there but the same has never happened in Europe and Japan where hard rock and metal are still on. I don´t know if you agree with me but why do you think the market changed so much and so fast in the USA and why Europe and Japan have taken the place?
Neal: The market change in the states can be attributed solely to the record labels. They make a decision of what types of music to release. Ultimately for them it is all about money. In the U.S.
it has been more often than not a flavor of the month type policy. That they ad here too. It´s a shame, there is so much great music that was being made then , but so little that was actually released.
Maila: In 1999 Jeff Scott Soto and some other members left the band. Although you have never given up, how was it for you to go on by yourself and find new people to substitute them? Were you disappointed?
Neal: Of course not being able to work with Jeff was disappointing, but by the same taken I was actually at that point in time that I was interested in working with someone new that would actually be able to commit to Takara. Finding other replacement was for other members was just what the music needed for a fresh new sound, and perspective, which I feel we got on Perception of Reality.
Maila: I believe the singer and the solo guitarist carry the band´s face since they are 90% of the time the front men of any work (of course there are exceptions). Changing a long term vocalist is always hard because you cannot preview the reaction your fans might get. Michael James Flatters is a great singer undoubtedly but he was unknown at that time while Jeff was a worldwide respected artist. How did you find Michael and what made you believe he was a perfect option ?
Neal: Michael was referred to me by a mutual friend. From the time I met Michael he was super committed to the band. We got along great! He worked very hard, and really tried to do his best to promote our new album. I felt Michael was a great option for that last Takara album because he and I shared many common views on how we wanted Perception of Reality to sound. In the end we were very pleased with that album. Sadly, after that album Michael decided to retire from singing in bands, and concentrate on his work, and family life. He was a great partner, and friend.
Maila: Were you surprised by the great acceptance Michael´s first album with Takara PERCEPTION OF REALITY got? You had great reviews and sold a lot. Were you expecting so much?
Neal: Honestly, replacing JSS is no easy feat. But, Michael pleased a lot of people by his performance on Perception of Reality. I was not sure honestly quite what to expect when the album came out. What I did know was we had created some really good new Takara songs. The song Miles Away still stands out to me to this day. Many fans have actually mentioned to me
how much they liked that album, as well as Michael´s voice. In the end I felt like that was a successful album for us. I felt like we didn´t miss a step, and I know many artists that have changed key members this can be a really unpredictable time of change for an artist.
Maila: After Perception of Reality, though, instead of going on the band stopped. From 2002 to 2008 we can see a huge break. Why did it happen?
Neal: Initially, I intended to take some time off and write for the next album. I also realized that during this time I didn´t need to rush to get a new album out since the music scene was still in a rather good sized transition period that was not too supportive to bands such as Takara. As I proceeded to work on the follow up album, I experienced the passing of my father, and one of my best friends, as well as some major personal life transitions. Due to these circumstances, this is what delayed the release of the new Takara album Invitation To Forever.
Maila: What made you feel like coming back 5 years later?
Neal: I never left lol. But, nonetheless I am so happy to be doing what I am doing that I couldn´t be any happier. Also, I have got some great surprises for all our fans this year in 2009. Everyone will have to stay tuned in to the Takara websites for details.
Maila: How was it to start making music and looking for a totally new line-up once more?
Neal: Very exciting! I love and crave input from new and inspiration sources. This process for the new album was exciting. It was everything that it always is, very fun and rewarding. For me as a songwriter I get to see my creations become reality, how much better can it get than that?
Maila: Takara´s current line-up counts on Gustavo Monsanto (v), Bjorn Englen (b), Brook Hansen (k), Patrick Johansson (d) and you, of course. It´s a very curious line-up since the singer is Brazilian, the bassist and the drummer Swedish. How did you get to these choices and how has it been to work with musicians who live in a different country and have other bands and projects?
Neal: Well this is easy to explain. Bjorn and I go back about 8-9 years. He introduced me to Patrick the drummer. Incidentally, both of the guys live here in the U.S. even though they are Swedish.Brook Hansen and I have known each other for 23 years, so we go a long way back.
Gus noticed that I posted a news release on a hard rock news site that Takara was looking for a new singer. It was an easy choice to pick him. Hes a great guy, and friend, that shares the same musical Vision as I do. Make no mistake about it, I wish him and I lived in the same city., but we do the best we can with what we have.
Maila: The new studio album, INVITATION TO FOREVER, came out in November of 2008. It ´s a great hard rock release. What kind of difference in your music has happened after all these years and how different does the new album sound?
Neal: Thank you I am glad you like it.Well the main difference is I went for a harder edged sound than before. I feel like we are bit heavier, but we still retain all that you might expect from a Takara song and album. Still all the catchy hooks, and riffs that many have come to know and expect from us. I am very satisfied with this album. This album is a little picture of what awaits Takara fans from the next follow up album.
Maila: Did you make all songs or was it a collective work with all members participating?
Neal: I mostly write all the music. There was however a little bit of collaboration on the music , but a small amount. Gus writes most of the lyrics with a little bit of my help, here and there.
Maila: What are Takara´s plans for 2009 with the new album on?
Neal: Our plans for 2009 is to perform live. I also, like I said before, will release some very classic Takara which is all I will say for now. The fans will love it, trust me.
Maila: Use this space to leave a message to all fans and Hard Blast readers.
Neal: We just want to thank all you Takara fans for all your support over the years and look forward to see you out on tour when we play live. Feel free to contact anyone of us anytime. And last but not least please buy our new album.Please also, do not support downloading.
