Please click on the link above to listen to the audio interview
By Chyrisse Tabone, Rock At Night Tampa Correspondent
Vernon Neilly is no stranger to the music businesss. He has had a unique career both a musician, actor, and founder of Boosweet Records, an independent label based in Los Angeles, California. Neilly began his career in radio (WEDR-99 Jamz) in South Florida at the tender age of 19. Surrounded by musicians during his youth, it seemed natural that he would forge his way into the industry. Boosweet Records has been successfully releasing independent music since 1999 and was a pioneer in the distribution of music through the use of digital files.
Vernon Neilly is also a Billboard Charting “Top 10” award winning recording artist, who has recorded with, toured with, produced, worked with some of the most legendary names in the music business such as, the late blues legends “Johnny Guitar Watson”, “Etta James”, “Temptations” , “Steve Vai”, “Greg Howe”, Motown hit producer “Norman Whitfield”, “Jennifer Batten”, “Slash”, Rap superstar “Warren G”, “Howard Hewitt”, “Teena Marie”, funk pioneer George Clinton, Brasilian guitar hero of Megadeth “Kiko Loureiro” and many more. His CD’s “G-Fire” and “G-Fire II” garnered Vernon two consecutive Contemporary Jazz Awards.
Neilly and his all-star cast of virtuosos Greg Howe (Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Rhianna), Frank Gambale (Chic Corea, Return To Forever), Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck), Kiko Loureiro (Angra, Megadeth), Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen), Victor Johnson (Busboys, Total Eclipse, Sammy Hagar), Doug Wimbish (Living Colour, Jeff Beck, Tarja), TM Stevens (Steve Vai), Juan Nelson (Ben Harper) and the other highly skilled musicians contributed to his fifth release Outta Time. Listening to the album, one will find an eclectic array of upbeat music that defies genre labeling. There are elements of rock, with Neilly’s wizardy on electric guitar, as well as hip hop, Latin beats, and jazz. The album features original tunes but also Neilly’s “take” on such classics as Hendrix’s “Fire”.
The politically-charged first single “They Don’t Care” was on the USA Billboard “Hot Singles” Chart for 9 weeks, 7 weeks in the Top 10 climbing as high as #6 and the song is in high rotation on British stations like London FM, Europe Radio One, Pop Shop FM, Britannia FM 106, Radio Britain FM, Fm Stations here in the USA, and Kiss FM 102.1 in Brazil.
Rock At Night chatted with Vernon Neilly about his Latin-influenced hip-hop brand of music (he was born in Bahamas and reared in South Florida) ; taking classic Stevie Wonder or Jimi Hendrix tunes and putting his own spin on them; collaborating with talented musicians like Greg Howe; the changes he has observed in music industry in the Millennium; the mutual love and devotion to fans in South America, like Brazil and Argentina; and the South American culture versus American regarding music.
You can listen to this fascinating interview by clicking the link above or below on iTunes.
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW on iTUNES!
Videos
Outta Time
They Don’t Care
Vernon Neilly is currently endorsed by the following companies, Parker Guitars, Giannini Strings, Digitech Electronics, Xotic Effects, Morley/Ebtech Products, Levys Bags and Straps, Meteoro Amps, Seymour Duncan, and Wampler Pedals.
I grew up in a household full of rock music, studied journalism in college, and then became a scientist.Although my science career has served me well, music has always played a major role in my life. I grew up reading "Creem" magazine; I play several musical instruments as a "hobby";and it seems a camera has always been in my hand. Now, I am combining what I love the most--music and photography--serving as editor of Rock At Night. I travel between the US and UK seeking my dream! My motto: life is short...no regrets. Chyrisse
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