A wise bass player named David Hungate once said, "It's been my experience that great musicians become great not because they want to beat other musicians in popularity contests, but because they want to satisfy their own aesthetic standards. I've also found that those motivated primarily by competition tend to limit themselves artistically - and they tend to become obnoxious." He may have been thinking of bassist and guitarist Ronny Paige, well not the obnoxious part- the great musician with a strong aesthetic part. I had a chance to speak with the man who is currently on tour with Fuel but has earned the street cred of one of the busiest and most inexhaustible players to hit a stage in the past 24 months. Ronny and I covered his current work and how he has managed to be the thumper AND the slinger of choice.
What are you currently up to? It seems like you’re vying for the title of hardest working man in show business as you have been juggling gigs as the bassist for Fuel, lead guitarist for Revelation Theory and your own project FOREVER OEUVRE?
Well thanks for the acknowledgment of my recent accomplishments. I haven’t been striving for that title, I’ve just been working the opportunities that have been presented to me in this industry, which has allowed me to stay in the loop since Five.Bolt.Main split back in 2006. As for what I’ve been up to, well like you’ve said I was the touring guitarist for Rev Theory on the “Bad Boys of Rock” tour featuring Hinder, Papa Roach, and Buck 
Cherry. Upon completion of that tour I had a break for a few weeks. I was asked and immediately recruited for the “Angels and Devils” tour playing bass with Fuel sharing the stage every night with Trapt, Submersed, EndeverafteR, and a couple weeks with Framing Hanley. Between those two tours I also shared the stage with Alter Bridge, Sick Puppies, Evans Blue, Earshot, Chris Cornell, Smashing Pumpkins, Evanescence, Finger Eleven, Lifehouse, Vanessa Carlton, Shadows Fall, Tesla, Hello Eden, Another Animal, Operator, Flyleaf, Chevelle and Black Stone Cherry (to name as many as I can remember anyway). It was great to see old friends and make some new ones along the way. I’m currently still performing with Fuel and writing and recording demos with Forever Oeuvre. There is also talk about recording another Five.Bolt.Main record. I’m just trying to keep busy really.
Who have been your main musical influences and why?
I think sound in general is my inspiration. I started tooling around with music when I was 3. My dad (drum influence) had a drum kit, which I played with a hammer and a wrench (I slowly but surely broke everyone of his drum heads, he was PISSED!), but my mom forced piano on me (thanks mom) at 4 and I could read musical notes before I could, well, read English. In elementary and middle school, I sang in the choir and played the saxophone, flute, and had a crappy casio keyboard. At around 13, my dad and my Uncle Dave (guitar influence) got a band together for some town benefit or something and I became fascinated by my uncle’s guitar playing. He showed me some chords and I was hooked. I took 6 half hour lessons at the local music store from this dude named John Sheehan (amazing guitarist with by far the best guitar playing facial expressions ever) and the rest, I figured out myself. A couple years later my Uncle Dave asked me to show him a couple things on guitar. Socially, I involved myself not only in the rock scene, but I would go to hip hop and dance clubs, as well as metal, punk, funk, and NYC hardcore shows. I would even go check out ska, reggae, jazz, and jam bands. There are way too many musical oeuvres that I enjoy to even try and list them all, and I’m not really a “favorites” type of person. I like and can appreciate most every style/genre and dig all different moods. I hear rhythm and melody in everything that surrounds us on this planet. The wind, rustling leaves, waves in the ocean, birds, insects at night, road construction, cars passing, clothes drying in a dryer, dogs barking, people doin it, and even the turn signal in my truck have all inspired me to create music. All anyone has to do is take a moment, and listen. It’s all around us.
Gene Simmons once said that there's something more male about the bass, as opposed to the guitar. You’ve played both... care to set the record straight?
I believe that’s all a matter of opinion. Yes I can see what he’s saying as far as the physical aspect of playing bass as opposed to guitar in the way it feels. The bass has a longer fret stretch and the bass strings are obviously much thicker in diameter, which I suppose can be a bit more brutal on your fingers, and after strictly playing the bass for an extended period of time jumping to guitar tends to feel tooth pick like and soft in comparison. Yet if you’re talking tone and sound, a good Les Paul through a chunky super high gain amp and a couple floor cabs can blow your head off and drive right over the sickest bass tone like a offensive lineman on crack meeting his dealer in the end zone, or something. My mom told Gene Simmons once that he was a real asshole (thanks again mom). Now who can set that record straight?
How did you get your first break in the music business? What advice would you give to musicians starting out now?
My first paying gig was at the YMHA in Wayne, New Jersey when I was 14 playing with a half original, half cover band called Visual Purple. I had a bunch of bands in high school but I really started gigging all over in NYC (CBGB’s, the Limelight, Bond street café, the Wetlands, etc) in a band called Rosebush White at age16. Advice for the rookies? Practice, practice, practice!!! Play with other people and see if it works for you. Once you’re up to par in your playing ability, work on your tone and invest in pro gear. Get yourself out there and network. Make friends with people you look up to and if you’re good at what you do, people will notice. If you want to make money in the music business, become an entertainment lawyer. I’m kidding! Well, not really though…
How do you feel about synth bass?
When it works, it works.
Tell us more about Forever Oeuvre? What makes you passionate about this project?
Forever Oeuvre is my baby. The songs we have been writing have a wide range of style and dynamic. We encompass hints of metal, R&B, dance, classical, funk, pop, and flamenco, but we like to keep things more along the lines of rock music. Most of the songs I feel are very radio friendly yet they still hold major weight with musicians because the music is a challenge to play. We also make it a point to try and not rip off other artists. The lyrics send a positive message dealing with the darker side of life and ways to overcome the everyday battles and struggles we face as humans. I think Forever Oeuvre caters to a wide range of listeners and with all that said we are also staying true to ourselves. The project was started by Rachelle Holscher (vocals) and I in 2007 after I came to terms with the fact that Five.Bolt.Main was unable to continue, and I had to do something to express myself musically. Rachelle was on and off playing shows with her brother Jimi and the thought of teaming up with her musically hadn’t even crossed my mind. It was like, one day she just pulled me out of the mind funk I was in and said, ”The answer is right in front of your face. Um… I’m right here silly!?!” I just kinda went,”Huh.?. Okay, let’s give it a try!” So for our first few demo songs, I wrote, produced, recorded, and performed all of the music (guitars, bass, drums, keys, and backing vocals). Rachelle in turn wrote words and sang the melodies, thus Forever Oeuvre was born. Ryan Sebastian (Seabass) grew up singing and playing piano in church with Rachelle and they became wedding singers together for a hot minute. I heard him play piano and knew we had to have him in the band. He performed on the demo song “wounded” singing and playing keys. He is now collaborating on both words and music. Jimi Holscher (guitar and vocals) has been performing live with Forever Oeuvre but also is the lead singer with a great band from Cincinnati called Rootbound. Rachelle and Jimi have this sibling music connection that almost can’t be touched. There’s just something so special about hearing them sing together that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. It’s crazy they can give you goose bumps on a blazin’ hot day. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep him aboard. Originally, Alex Cando (currently with Silence is Broken) who I was band mates with both Alston and Five.Bolt.Main was more than considered for the bass position of this project, yet he had joined FLAW so, in walked PJ… PJ was a singer/screamer/rapper and a drummer, former member of the bands Madcat and Bloodshot Fury. PJ is super overzealous and really wanted in the band so he took up the bass. He has come a long, long way since his audition, and with his new bass, a little practice, and my bass rig, PJ now sounds sick!!! PJ also has a hand in writing. Unfortunately, we are still unsure at this point who will fill the percussion/drum spot. Ivan Arnold (former FLAW, Five.Bolt.Main) has been involved both with playing shows and writing new tunes for F O, but he is involved in another project called Hanover. Over the last 6 months I’ve spoken with numerous drummer friends who could be possible candidates for laying down tracks for us on an EP or full length. Provided that schedules coincide, contracts allow, and planets align, one of the following phenomenal drummers may possibly end up on the debut Forever Oeuvre album: Aaron Montgomery (Trapt), Chad Szeliga, (Breaking Benjamin), Dave Buckner (Papa Roach), Eric Cohen (Hello Eden), Howard Davis (Evans Blue), Ken Floyd (Eighteen Visions), Tommy Stewart (Godsmack/Fuel), Will Hunt (Dark New Day), or Woody Wurzburg (Alston). I’ll also see what Chris Lamoureaux from my old band Tweed is up to. He’s prolly all baked, sittin on his couch all lazy like. Either way, I’m very proud of how the preproduction for a future record has been coming along and can’t wait to present the finished product to the rest of the world. You can check out the demos on myspace. www.myspace.com/foreveroeuvre
What's the story behind the band name?
Well, in short, I think Forever Oeuvre is best described as: “A never-ending work of art”. Rachelle and I came up with the name and I think it describes exactly what we’re doing. As a band you are always creating and growing. With new songs your Oeuvre will grow and change. The tale of an artist’s work, till death do us part. And even when we die, hopefully our oeuvre will live on spreading our message till the end of time.
What are the challenges of being a gun for hire- ? Do you find it hard to juggle multiple projects or is it the kind of challenge every musician dreams of?
The playing part comes natural to me (It’s what I was born to do) but scheduling tours to work out is a challenge I suppose. The thing that really sucks is touring with only one at a time. You can only get so much done. I don’t know if every musician dreams of the headache of almost spreading yourself too thin. Carl Bell from Fuel suggested the coolest thing to me once, which would be if Forever Oeuvre opened up a tour for Rev Theory and Fuel and I performed in all 3 bands, but the chance of that happening is slim.
Which countries/venues do you enjoy playing the most?
I’ve only played the USA, but between Alston, Five.Bolt.Main., Rev Theory, and Fuel I’ve performed in 49 out of 50 states. I’ve never been to Hawaii. There are so many really cool venues it’s hard to pick favorites. I love going to the Rave (the Eagles club) in Wisconsin ‘cause it’s just so cool to walk around in that place. It feels so haunted but it has the chillest backstage area ever. The place that Jeffrey Dahmer killed a bunch of people in is across the street. The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan always has a great crowd and the people who work there are some of the coolest guys around. Of course I love playing radio festivals and shows that have numerous different bands all coming together with like 30,000 people cheering you on, it’s an amazing experience. I like playing Dexter’s in NJ because well, my family runs that place. I also loved playing Sun Tan Lake.
What have been the highlight(s) and lowpoint(s) of your career?
The highlights have been recording music, hearing your own songs on the radio, playing live shows, signing a record deal, watching yourself on tv (music videos/live performances), talking with fans, seeing records I’ve played on in stores, seeing myself on the “DirtBag” clothing promo poster at Spencer’s Gifts, touring on a tour bus, fly dates, being accepted as an artist, inspiring others to play, and actually getting paid to do it all. The lowpoints are/were touring without my other half (dealing with a long distance relationship), being low man on the totem pole while watching others who can hardly play be put in better positions just because of who they know, being caught up and out of control in the downward spiral of drinking and drugs and not knowing it, not being pushed by the label when you’re working your ass off, having major back problems and trying to get a good night’s sleep living in a van, living on two dollars a day on the dollar menu, not showering for a couple weeks, and not making a penny after a year of touring and having to go get a job cooking or something just to make ends meet…
Outside of business, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love to surf and snowboard, but I don’t really get much time to do those things anymore. I like to write, record, and perform music, or just jam out with some friends. I do enjoy watching certain TV shows and movies with my lady. I also like to do things for her to make her feel like a princess. I enjoy hanging with the group of friends I grew up with and spending time with my family who I hardly ever see anymore.
Any final thoughts or words for our readers?
Thanks for taking the time to read what I’ve been up to, and I hope you check out Forever Oeuvre at www.myspace.com/foreveroeuvre and lemme know what you think. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you soon at a show when I’m back out on the road...
