Alfie Zappacosta - (laughing) Oh John, well it's been tremendous and intense (Alfie starts singing Johnny Cash's 'I've Been Everywhere') It's all been good though and the mindset around here is just get out there and play. You know how it's like for anyone to appreciate what you're doing you have to get out and sing for the folks.

John - To be the man you have to be busy!

Alfie - Yeah, you have to be busy. Hey John, I have to congratulate you and Shannon on your marriage and since I saw you last you had a son, Chase. Congratulations man.

John - I thought I'd finally do the right thing. (laughing)

Alfie - (laughing) Well, I'm sure her parents appreciate that.

John - Yeah, no kidding. The new album 'Start Again' has a very live feel to it, was it recorded live to tape?

Alfie - Well, it was. We started everything live to tape and sometimes I'd be singing right beside the drums as isolated as possible to be able to do the vocals and play the guitar. In some of the cases we didn't have people who knew the tunes so they were reading charts. On this one I didn't have the luxury of having people around me that had known the songs for a long time but I know my situation is quite common. In a performance sense there were things that came out of this record that I knew never came out of my other albums and I think a lot of that has a lot to do with maturity. It ain't a hobby anymore John. (laughing) We've kind of done this a few time before. (laughing)

John - There is certainly a sense of vulnerability on this album. The kind of thing you're famous for bringing in a concert setting.

Alfie - John, I thank you for that. You know what, I was ready at one point to give up on this. I think I told you about this when we we're hanging around your place in Calgary over two years ago. Well, that was a time when I was really getting back into it John. I just starting doing a ton of shows and now it's become so personal for me. I like the fact that everything we're doing is such a stripped down form and I have to come across and show the vulnerability.

John - Yeah, I remember when you first told me that, I was so surprised since I thought you were at the top of your game. Your life has been like that hasn't it, first you think your doing this but then another opportunity comes up.

Alfie - Sure, I didn't think I was going to do another album, then I was going to do the Jazz record then I was approached by some people who wanted me to do a whole new album, well mostly new stuff.

John - How was it getting inspiration for the album?

Alfie - Well, I got on a bike and rode all throughout Toronto. I wanted to revisit some of the places I'd been too and I wanted to remember some of the stories. When we recorded those tunes I just made sure I felt them in the studio. I think that's why the album sounds like it does so I'm happy with that.

John - Are there tunes that you find hard to perform live sometimes?

Alfie - Oh sure. Sometimes I find myself choking up!

John - You recorded a Marc Jordan song on this album 'Tears of Hercules.' Who brought it to you Marc or the record company?

Alfie - That was something that the record company presented to me and you know what that's one of the songs that I choke up on and I had nothing to do with writing it.(laughing) You know I start singing that song and I get so lost in it.

John - Do you know Marc?

Alfie - Yes I do. We're not great buddies or anything but I know him and I met his wife.

John - Amy Sky.

Alfie - Yeah Amy. I met her a number of times also. We were going to work together but things just didn't time out. Marc and I were also going to work together at one point but it didn't work out. I'll connect with him again soon. It's funny we seem to have a lot in common. I called Marc when we recording the record to let him know that I was doing his song.

John - You know you're the only artist that I've introduced on stage in two different cities and what was so strange about it was I work for two different radio stations so I introduced you in Calgary via The Breeze and then a week later represented QM-FM in Vancouver. Interestingly, they were two very different crowds and I got at least a slight glimpse of something I know you've experienced and that's the change from night to night with the vibe. For instance at the Vancouver show I saw you meet the crowd differently because it was a different vibe. It was cool to see from my end.

Alfie - Oh, that happens for sure. I want people to understand what it is I'm singing through the lyrics or just the emotional feel or music in general. I think I really learned that from doing theatre. I need to deliver something and make sure all the words are articulate and it's really something that I really go into deep thought about. I can't really portray a song without showing that emotion.

John - You've been doing theatre again and with British Invasion your doing 80 songs in two hours, wow!

Alfie - Oh there's nothing to it.(laughing) I'm with an incredible cast and really I'm out there playing basically. Thinking about it was tougher than actually doing it because when I'm there it's easy for me, it's what I do and I forget that sometimes. So the idea of it was tougher than actually doing it. It's just another way of letting the public know that I'm still alive and well. (laughing)

John - Well, what's the toughest thing about doing a show like 'British Invasion?'

Alfie - Well, I'm working with some people who I think are really on top of their game, these people are just tremendous so I was wondering at first if I'd be able to react to it and put in the same energy that I put into my music but it turned out great. I do 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' which is a song I've always loved.

John - I hear the album Surrender is being re-released. The old bands back in some form anyway.

Alfie - It was just released in the U.K. so we'll see what happens. At first I thought, oh my god, after all these years a new audience may hear those songs. Hell, I would have to re-learn those old songs if they hit, maybe I'll hire a clone to go out and perform them for me. (laughing)

John - It's another one of those cyclical things.

Alfie - Yeah, I've been known to go full circle a few times. (laughing)

John - Speaking of full circle I'd love for a young artist to record your tune 'Passion.' I'm not a Kid Rock fan at all but somehow I think he'd sound great singing that tune. To me 'Passion" is a kick ass country song. Or it would be great for a rocker too of course because you made it into a rocker.

Alfie - Well, maybe no one has recorded my catalog because maybe I've been one of the world's best kept secrets. (laughing) Someone else discovering my catalog? It's bound to happen. You know I do these writers circles and these new writers hear me do these songs. 'Passion,' 'Start Again' and songs like that are getting out there at least and I'm doing them a lot so someone is bound to hear them. I have to tell you at some concerts I have kids in their twenties coming up to me asking about the older tunes because they've just hear them for the first time. These kids weren't even born when I wrote them.

John - I remember the first time you told me that you never really wanted to be a singer.

Alfie - Yeah, I remember that conversation. It's true though I really didn't want to be a singer. It's taken me a lot of years to feel secure. You know I guess I live my life through my father's eyes, this is his life in some ways but at some point it has became mine. (laughing) I grabbed it because of people like you John who always remind me that after you listen to the CD's and go to the shows you think it's good stuff. You've always reminded me and I appreciate it John. For years and years I never thought I'd be capable of a lot of these things.

Alfie - We were just talking about that today. I would like nothing better and listen it's been sitting there for a long time 3/4 done so it's all about budgets at this point.

John - Hey man, that's your gold mine right there folks just have to see you perform and then you got them.

Alfie - Thank you John, but it was all done a year ago and already some of it is dated and we have new songs for the project that were not recorded.

John - You knew Gino Vannelli before you worked at the CNE with him, right?

Alfie - You know when we were all younger we would cover his songs in Surrender. Gino is such a professional he's tremendous and I would love to work with him again.

John - How often do you write?

Alfie - The last bunch of writing that I did was last summer. This might sound capitalistic but it's really not when I'm asked to write I do. If someone needs it then I'll do it. I remember being signed to publishers and I would just write non stop, it was my duty so I had to do it. I remember at one point the company was expecting 17 a year and I know that doesn't sound like a lot but it really is if you want to write something of great quality. When I have to do it I tell my family goodbye (laughing) and I just go out and do it. I just leave and tell everyone not to call me or visit. I also connect with people who may have recording equipment in their own spaces that's very laid back and then I pretty much write all day and all night. It's quite intense. If this new record is successful it could give the luxury of writing more where the company would pay me x amount of dollars to just take three months and just write. I'd like to write and have room to breath because remember for years I would have to write under pressure and sometimes it's not there and you write crap.

John - In the new movie "Halo" you have a juicy role of a guy who is from the bottom of the barrel.

Alfie - Yeah, I play a nasty guy called DJ Newell and I beat people up with bats (laughing) and I kill people with bats I take young girls and throw elicit drugs down their throats. Everything about my character is just plain nasty but somewhere a long the line the character is supposed to have a heart. The character is a drug lord who owns clubs.

John - Tom Cruise says he enjoyed playing a dark hitman in his last movie.

Alfie - You know sometimes we get mad enough and we say "I'm going to kill you" in the heat of the moment but of course you don't mean it literally but there is a side to playing someone so dark that does exercise whatever demons one might have inside. Our psyches are built up with God knows what, do we truly know what's inside of us sometimes we don't know until we are pushed or we have one bad break after another. Ultimately can I relate to my character, a little bit but not to his extent of anger and greed. There is something about playing a character that allows you to go that low and do things without really doing them or at least it allows you to discover that part of you even if it is a little part.

John - Was it fun doing the movie?

Alfie - I have to say that it really was a lot of fun and I'm proud to say that it was completely done in Edmonton Alberta; there was no Hollywood stuff on this one.

John - Ok Alfie I'm going to hit you with a few quick questions. What drives you nuts?

Alfie - The Blues, I'm sick and tired of the Blues.

John - What is your weakest link?

Alfie - My lack of self esteem.

John - If you could have coffee with anyone tomorrow who would it be?

Alfie - Richard Harris. I would love to hear some of his stories.

John - Was there a concert that just blew you away.

Alfie - Oh, I've spent so little time listening but I've always liked Lyle Lovett. I loved his stories.

John - Which one of your musical friends has been the biggest support?

Alfie - Not that long ago Paul Rodgers from Bad Company and Free was a big support. I would have never thought in my life I would be sitting next to Paul Rodger talking about old Led Zeppelin stories.

John - I remember he was sitting right beside us at your Vancouver show. Alfie, I want to thank you once again for taking the time to talk with me.

Alfie - Thanks John, take care buddy.