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Greg Amici Warms Hearts Everywhere With His Passionate Single, "Girl Next Door"

Writer's picture: BUZZ LABUZZ LA


The New Jersey-based Musician, Singer/Songwriter, and Actor Greg Amici returns to BuzzMusic with a soulful single and video for "Girl Next Door." Following up on his recent single "Spin That Ball" for a documentary, Greg Amici has been busy writing songs that channel deep emotion while also finding the right lyrics to win listeners over to fully experience his warm sound.


His recent hit "Girl Next Door" captures brilliant lyricism and an Alternative-Folk approach within the instrumentals. Greg Amici mentioned that the single was written for an unproduced TV pilot, and although he wasn't too sure about the show itself, Greg Amici was confident that the tune would rock worlds. Doing precisely that with the intro to "Girl Next Door," Greg Amici opens the song with sole and upbeat acoustic guitar strumming, accompanied by his twangy and warm vocals. While singing lyrics of a girl he's incredibly grateful for, Greg Amici does an amazing job of portraying the correct lyricism that matches the uplifting emotion of new love.


Not to mention releasing a deftly-edited lyric video for the single, we love the video's imagery that goes hand in hand with Greg Amici's lyricism concerning someone he has his eyes on. Reaching the song's hook, Amici takes the track by storm and channels playful lyricism while getting listeners out of their seats with heartfelt and exhilarating instrumentation.


From the bright and picturesque lyric video to Greg Amici's overall performance on "Girl Next Door," we're locked right into his sound and hopeful for more passionate and exciting tunes to follow.



We adore the heart and passion you've infused into your single "Girl Next Door." We presume that you found inspiration for the song from the girl next door. Was the song inspired by true events?

Thank you for saying that. At the turn of the century, I wrote a TV pilot about a bitter has been/never was singer/songwriter who is reinvigorated when a young record label assistant sees him perform at a dingy club, loves his music, and sets out to garner him some recognition and respect in the business. The “Lucy” character was an invention, but as I began to write the script I was looking for someone to serve as the model. I used to hang out with Matt Pinfield at CBS and would often come across his lovely, sweet-as-pie, hard-working, ambitious assistant. I realized I had my model. That girl was Allison Hagendorf. LOL. Seeing as you're a musician and a Singer/Songwriter, did you record the instrumentals yourself? What did your creative/recording process look like for "Girl Next Door?" I’m a barely competent guitar player. I was going to record the acoustic guitar myself, but due to my fear of the click track, I called upon my old friend and Big Honey bandmate Joe August Gentile to play it instead. Ray Ketchem, our engineer, played drums, and Jim Mastro, who is an incredibly versatile musician as well as a great producer, played all the other instruments. I performed the lead vocals and Joe and I did the backups. Regarding the lyric video for your single "Girl Next Door," did you have any help with the video's editing? What sort of vibe and atmosphere were you going for within the video?  


I don’t like to be too literal, so I checked around for vintage images of girls and cars — not a Neo-colonial with a Bobby Soxer sitting on the porch steps. I came across this incredible series of photos taken by Rick McCloskey in 1972 from a series called “Van Nuys Boulevard." Rick was nice enough to let us use one of the shots for the single cover, but we didn’t want to push it, so we looked for similar themes available to us. When I say “we” I mean our graphic designer, Lise Bjork-Posson, and manager/pr man Geordie Gillespie, of unleashed music. Lise pretty much took it from there.


We can't help but notice various genre elements within your sound, ranging from Country, Alternative, Folk, and Rock. How would you describe your sound to a new listener?

I just don’t know anymore. I ask other people but no one can seem to tell me if I’m alternative or classic rock or whatever. My stuff is between a lot of genres, as you pointed out. I certainly wear some of my influences on my sleeve: The Who and XTC. Others are less discernible. The first records I got were by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, so there are snippets of doo-wop in some of my choruses. Jim also brings his sensibilities — Bowie, et. al to the table. The Bongos were considered alternative/New Wave, and now he plays with Ian Hunter, a classic rock icon. 

What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?

I guess that I’m fortunate enough to still be alive and able to write and record music with phenomenal musicians in a great environment at Ray’s studio (Magic Door Recording). Some things are tough — my father passed fairly recently and my mother’s health isn’t so good, which makes the COVID risk very palpable — but I’ve got a lovely girlfriend and a lot of wonderful friends.  I try to do the Tony Robbins "walk around the block and talk about what you’re grateful for” each morning, but I usually oversleep. Sometimes I do, and it helps. Good advice.



 

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