Born during the pandemic, Luis Amaro’s L.A. Project evolved from instrumental guitar ideas into a collaborative rock project. In this interview, Amaro discusses influences, guest musicians, and the journey toward heavier sounds.
1. L. A. Project originally started as an
instrumental concept. What inspired the transition from purely instrumental
music to songs featuring multiple vocalists?
This project started during the pandemic of
covid 19. I had some ideas for some musics and i stated to do with the guitar
player of Exxocet, Lucky Sparx. Some of that ideas, become a song and as i try to
finish the songs i try different approach to get the final results, like having
different singers.
2. Your first EP 5 Dimensions explored
several musical styles. What was the creative idea behind building an EP where
each track represents a different musical direction?
In all the tracks my idea is the guitar in
first, so you feel that the guitar have a very important part in all the songs.
City 339 is dialog with 2 guitars. Gimme is a more Van Halen approach to my
song. Goodbye is a more powerful guitar riff with some good solos. Rock star is
a very guitar song with a good balance between the guitar and the singer.
Planet X is voyage of guitar in 3 parts.
3. Tracks like “Gimme,” “Goodbye,” and
“Rock Star” each carry distinct influences—from classic hard rock to melodic
metal. How did you approach capturing those different sonic identities within
one release?
Gimme is a more Van Halen approach capturing
the harmony and the up beat. Goodbye is a litle bit more dark song of love.
With a powerful riff and very melodic solos.
Rock star is a song that have the guitar
feeling of a rock star and the singer bring that to the song.
4. The project has featured many talented
musicians and vocalists. How do you decide which collaborator fits a specific
song or musical concept?
The first Ep the choice was on 3 singers,
Angela la Strange on Gimme, Mel Pollux on Goodbye and Eric Castiglia. Angela is
more a tradicional rock singer and fits better on a Van Halen style. Mel is
more melodic and dark for Goodbye and a rock star voice of Eric. On Electric
Life only one singer to bring more unity to the sound. And last Ep Mauricio a
more low voice to bring the stoner.
5. The Electric Life EP introduced a
stronger focus on guitar and featured musicians like Rich Gray and Fábio
Alessandrini. How did their contributions shape the sound of that record?
On the Electric Life my idea was to create a band
with a unique sound.
As a fan of Annihilator i try to bring to my
project a steady base rhythm section. Fabio only recorded one song Carry on because
Bonfire needed a new drummer.
Rich Gray did all the songs and give a awesome
contribution to the project.
6. Over time, several drummers have
participated in the project. What does each drummer bring that helps define the
personality of a particular song?
In each Ep i try to bring new things different styles and new ways to create my
sound, on the first Ep i try 2 different drummers one more rock and the other
more jazz. On the Electric Life as Fabio left e try to have a good heavier drummer.
The last Ep Space Fuzz Glenn Welman is grammy drummer and bring a more powerful
beat.
7. Your 2024 single “Hey Song” reached
around 40,000 streams in just a month. What do you think connected with
listeners so strongly on that release?
Yes it was my best song with a very melodic
and guitar feeling. It was a single on a more melodic rock with some influences
of Darkness and the choice was Rob Rideout because this singer have a wider range of voice. We also try to
make a big promotion on this song. Like this video with Jeff Scott Soto
https://youtube.com/shorts/NklBwjujFOg?is=uuLFZh6GPRdkMprp
8. The newest EP marks a shift toward a
stoner rock sound. What inspired this stylistic change after exploring melodic
metal and hard rock?
The songs for this Ep started in 2017 at that
time i was playing in a Stoner band. I feel that this 4 tracks are very good
and is also as a challenging moment for
me and try to produce and mix all the songs.
The inspiration for this is a less produced
sound and try to be more close to the fans with a more direct sound like if you
are in a rehearsal.
9. The single “My Way” introduced fans to
this heavier, riff-driven direction. How would you describe the songwriting and
atmosphere of this new EP compared to your previous releases?
My way was the first song inspired on the
beginning of bands like Black Sabbath on a modern approach and you can feel
that good vibe on the guitar riff and the choice of the melodic line on the
voice.
10. The recording process was delayed due
to a motorcycle accident that caused a hand injury. How challenging was that
period, and what motivated you to keep pushing forward to finish the EP?
Very hard to keep the faith on my work. But the
echos and the reviews on the single My way was very important and give me the push
to keep on trying and leave my injury in the past.
11. The first single was presented by Bill
Kelliher of Mastodon. How did that collaboration come about, and what did his
support mean for the project?
As a fan of Mastodon it means a
lot the idea was to make a litle line of
the guitar, but unfortunately the band
already had the tour scheduled and no time to record. Therefore the
presentation of the single is more than enough.
12. As a studio-based project that
constantly evolves with new collaborators and styles, what is the long-term
vision for L. A. Project?
My idea is to keep on going, at very short time,
i already have more new songs and a guitar extravaganza.
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