Robert Tepper - "Lord knows I love writing and making records…"
The new album is like a new beginning and you just released one. How do you feel about it?
This album was such a joy. You have to remember it started in my studio behind my house and is growing into this very wonderful adventure. I am thrilled. When Pablo Padilla and I would get together every week and just write and we had no idea what it would be. But we were both very much on the same page about it being a modern AOR record.
It is your first solo project since 2012. Why did you make us wait so long for your new CD?
I swear I wasn’t trying to be difficult. It was just that until last year I didn’t feel inspired to do it. Meeting Pablo helped a lot because his guitar playing to me felt so inspired and contemporary. That was the goal to make an album that was inspired by AOR rock but would feel somewhat modern in a cool way.
"Better Than The Rest" was released on September 2019 and it seems that you decided to go back to your roots. It's a rock album much different than your previous one "New Life Story". Was it intentional? You were tired to hear they call you "acoustic singer with an electric tinge"?
I wasn’t tired of the acoustic music. I love performing it and right now I have at least another albums worth of material. But once we got going on the “Better Than The Rest” direction, it just felt right take this to its completion.
Your singing style is based on the emotions. You put your heart in almost every line and it sounds incredibly. Is it difficulty for you to reach that level of the commitment while you working on the song?
First of all thank you for that. It’s been kind of the only way I know how to communicate with my voice. It’s all very personal to me. When I’m writing I try to touch on some emotions that will help me to communicate the song.
I asked about it because honesty is a word that comes to my mind every time I listen your records. Without a doubt it's a trademark of your music. How important is that for you to be honest with your audience? What is the message you would like to share with them?
There is a strong degree of not only being honest with the audience but with myself. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding that degree of sincerity. I don’t want to make it sound like I’m always so aware of how I’m singing a song lyric. I know for me it helps if I feel connected.
You have started your adventure with music at the age of 17. You were singing in your hometown band in Bayonne, New Jersey and then went to New York's Mannes College of Music avoiding the war in Vietnam. Have you ever wondered how your life would look like if you went to fight there? What was your opinion about this war?
If you remember at that time in history there where many of us who were very against the war in Vietnam. And even then I didn’t look down on the people who went but it was something I was very much against. Let’s say I did go. Hypothetically I probably would have been playing a guitar somewhere and got myself killed. Bad joke.
Good for you and all of us - your listeners you have met great people who have helped you in this music business. One of them was Ritchie Weiss who had signed you to his record label Scotti Brothers Records. What was your reaction when he offered you a deal? Seems the gates of heaven were just opened...
Ritchie was someone I was immediately comfortable with. I swear to God I didn’t have to give him the big sell or anything. We were both so enthusiastic about me being an artist on that label. And was it a great place? No, but Ritchie was the best. How could they not give me tour support? Never understood that one.
So you found yourself in new environment, among new people and you had a chance to record your debut album. Wasn't you afraid that you won't make it? That you won't live up to the expectations?
I was petrified. Here I was listening to tracks and saying to myself how will I ever live up to how wonderful these musicians are performing these songs. I was very unsure of myself but I managed to get thru it. I’m somewhat more confident now.
You were working on this record with Joe Chiccarelli, who produced the whole thing. Can you tell us more about him? Did you worked together in the later years?
I can tell you a lot about Joe. He’s probably one of the most dedicated people you can ever work with. He’s musical ideas and his engineering skills are unparalleled. So a quick side note my two older boys where in a band called The Natural History and they wrote a song that a singer named Britt Daniel put on his bands record which was a cult hit in America. The band is called Spoon out of Austin, Texas. When it was time for my boys to do a record I hooked them up with Joe. He’s kind of like a family member. We don’t see much because he’s always so busy, but no mistake he’s family.
Now, I'm sure you knew that this moment had to come and I'll ask about your biggest hit - "No Easy Way Out". And believe me Robert, there is no way out from this topic! You recorded this song for the "Rocky IV" movie and you even had a chance to meet famous Sylvester Stallone. So how was it? Did you watch other "Rocky" movies before that?
Honestly the way that song came about to be on the “Rocky IV” soundtrack was all about Sly coming to my record company The Scotti Bros. and was played that song from my first album. He must of felt something because he used that song in his movie down to the fade. It was a perfect video and people loved it. Now you have to remember that MTV was kicking ass at the time and I think a lot of movie makers where feeling the power of a three or four minute music video. I mean early MTV changed are lives. So I always felt that “Rocky IV” kind of borrowed that vibe from the days music videos. As far as hanging out with Stallone, he came down to the studio one time and we talked and he was always very nice to me. Then at the opening of the film I sat with him and Brigitte Nielsen at their table. I was so naive at the time and probably pretty star struck.
Well, this song was a great success and still is to this day. It is known worldwide. Tell me, why is it so? What is so special about it that people love it so much?
I think it was kind of what I was saying before. It was a perfect marriage of music and film that brought that song to life. I was singing my heart out and Sly was saving the world. It didn’t hurt that it was part of one of the biggest movie franchises ever.
And what about your own feelings? Don't you have enough of singing "No Easy Way Out" over 30 years later?
No, I feel like the song has a great power to it. I even love doing it acoustically and still think there’s a good acoustic version in me somewhere. I respect the song. It’s got a lot of energy.
We're getting close to the end of our conversation but before that I would like to know what are your future plans related to "Better Than The Rest" album? Do you plan to go on tour?
This album seems to be connecting with people in a very cool way. I would love to do some shows performing these songs and will do just that at the Heat Festival in Germany on December 1.
Speaking about the future, where do you see yourself in 5 years from now as an artist and as an songwriter? Any idea what might happen with your music in that time?
Well I don’t see why I have to slow down. Yes I’m older but my energy still seems to be pretty good. And Lord knows I love writing and making records.
So let us end philosophically - if your new album will be the last you will ever record how would you like to be remembered by your listeners?
If this is it remember me as a person who felt deeply about what he did. Who was all about making emotional music that would deeply touch something inside of all of us. Also someone who had a crazy amount of respect for just how records were made and how they sounded. The ones behind the board. It’s all still magic to me.
Journalist: Kamil Mrozinski
This album was such a joy. You have to remember it started in my studio behind my house and is growing into this very wonderful adventure. I am thrilled. When Pablo Padilla and I would get together every week and just write and we had no idea what it would be. But we were both very much on the same page about it being a modern AOR record.
It is your first solo project since 2012. Why did you make us wait so long for your new CD?
I swear I wasn’t trying to be difficult. It was just that until last year I didn’t feel inspired to do it. Meeting Pablo helped a lot because his guitar playing to me felt so inspired and contemporary. That was the goal to make an album that was inspired by AOR rock but would feel somewhat modern in a cool way.
"Better Than The Rest" was released on September 2019 and it seems that you decided to go back to your roots. It's a rock album much different than your previous one "New Life Story". Was it intentional? You were tired to hear they call you "acoustic singer with an electric tinge"?
I wasn’t tired of the acoustic music. I love performing it and right now I have at least another albums worth of material. But once we got going on the “Better Than The Rest” direction, it just felt right take this to its completion.
Your singing style is based on the emotions. You put your heart in almost every line and it sounds incredibly. Is it difficulty for you to reach that level of the commitment while you working on the song?
First of all thank you for that. It’s been kind of the only way I know how to communicate with my voice. It’s all very personal to me. When I’m writing I try to touch on some emotions that will help me to communicate the song.
I asked about it because honesty is a word that comes to my mind every time I listen your records. Without a doubt it's a trademark of your music. How important is that for you to be honest with your audience? What is the message you would like to share with them?
There is a strong degree of not only being honest with the audience but with myself. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding that degree of sincerity. I don’t want to make it sound like I’m always so aware of how I’m singing a song lyric. I know for me it helps if I feel connected.
You have started your adventure with music at the age of 17. You were singing in your hometown band in Bayonne, New Jersey and then went to New York's Mannes College of Music avoiding the war in Vietnam. Have you ever wondered how your life would look like if you went to fight there? What was your opinion about this war?
If you remember at that time in history there where many of us who were very against the war in Vietnam. And even then I didn’t look down on the people who went but it was something I was very much against. Let’s say I did go. Hypothetically I probably would have been playing a guitar somewhere and got myself killed. Bad joke.
Good for you and all of us - your listeners you have met great people who have helped you in this music business. One of them was Ritchie Weiss who had signed you to his record label Scotti Brothers Records. What was your reaction when he offered you a deal? Seems the gates of heaven were just opened...
Ritchie was someone I was immediately comfortable with. I swear to God I didn’t have to give him the big sell or anything. We were both so enthusiastic about me being an artist on that label. And was it a great place? No, but Ritchie was the best. How could they not give me tour support? Never understood that one.
So you found yourself in new environment, among new people and you had a chance to record your debut album. Wasn't you afraid that you won't make it? That you won't live up to the expectations?
I was petrified. Here I was listening to tracks and saying to myself how will I ever live up to how wonderful these musicians are performing these songs. I was very unsure of myself but I managed to get thru it. I’m somewhat more confident now.
You were working on this record with Joe Chiccarelli, who produced the whole thing. Can you tell us more about him? Did you worked together in the later years?
I can tell you a lot about Joe. He’s probably one of the most dedicated people you can ever work with. He’s musical ideas and his engineering skills are unparalleled. So a quick side note my two older boys where in a band called The Natural History and they wrote a song that a singer named Britt Daniel put on his bands record which was a cult hit in America. The band is called Spoon out of Austin, Texas. When it was time for my boys to do a record I hooked them up with Joe. He’s kind of like a family member. We don’t see much because he’s always so busy, but no mistake he’s family.
Now, I'm sure you knew that this moment had to come and I'll ask about your biggest hit - "No Easy Way Out". And believe me Robert, there is no way out from this topic! You recorded this song for the "Rocky IV" movie and you even had a chance to meet famous Sylvester Stallone. So how was it? Did you watch other "Rocky" movies before that?
Honestly the way that song came about to be on the “Rocky IV” soundtrack was all about Sly coming to my record company The Scotti Bros. and was played that song from my first album. He must of felt something because he used that song in his movie down to the fade. It was a perfect video and people loved it. Now you have to remember that MTV was kicking ass at the time and I think a lot of movie makers where feeling the power of a three or four minute music video. I mean early MTV changed are lives. So I always felt that “Rocky IV” kind of borrowed that vibe from the days music videos. As far as hanging out with Stallone, he came down to the studio one time and we talked and he was always very nice to me. Then at the opening of the film I sat with him and Brigitte Nielsen at their table. I was so naive at the time and probably pretty star struck.
Well, this song was a great success and still is to this day. It is known worldwide. Tell me, why is it so? What is so special about it that people love it so much?
I think it was kind of what I was saying before. It was a perfect marriage of music and film that brought that song to life. I was singing my heart out and Sly was saving the world. It didn’t hurt that it was part of one of the biggest movie franchises ever.
And what about your own feelings? Don't you have enough of singing "No Easy Way Out" over 30 years later?
No, I feel like the song has a great power to it. I even love doing it acoustically and still think there’s a good acoustic version in me somewhere. I respect the song. It’s got a lot of energy.
We're getting close to the end of our conversation but before that I would like to know what are your future plans related to "Better Than The Rest" album? Do you plan to go on tour?
This album seems to be connecting with people in a very cool way. I would love to do some shows performing these songs and will do just that at the Heat Festival in Germany on December 1.
Speaking about the future, where do you see yourself in 5 years from now as an artist and as an songwriter? Any idea what might happen with your music in that time?
Well I don’t see why I have to slow down. Yes I’m older but my energy still seems to be pretty good. And Lord knows I love writing and making records.
So let us end philosophically - if your new album will be the last you will ever record how would you like to be remembered by your listeners?
If this is it remember me as a person who felt deeply about what he did. Who was all about making emotional music that would deeply touch something inside of all of us. Also someone who had a crazy amount of respect for just how records were made and how they sounded. The ones behind the board. It’s all still magic to me.
Journalist: Kamil Mrozinski
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