New York-based Electronic Music Visionary Chris Ianuzzi takes his cutting edge artistry to the outer limits of space and technology on visionary new Artificial Intelligence-created music video for "Lonesome Highway Superstar". "Lonesome Highway Superstar" is a post-punk and synth pop-soaked highlight from Chris's chaotic, expansive album "Maze", which was released on April 8, 2022. For this release, he also embraced A.I. technology for new music video "March of Madness". And if that weren't enough, the album was accompanied by the release of "March of Madness" in Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Chris Ianuzzi, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What drew you to the music industry?
Hi Kamil, Thank you!
I have always loved music. I grew up in a home with a mother that was obsessed with Opera and Classical music. The stimulation was engrained. Of course I have to mention The Beatles. I went back and forth learning piano and not. The big thing that hit me was hearing a synthesizer for the first time and all the technology that made the early synths work. Flashing lights, sounds that were never heard before etc. I saved money from my first job in high school to buy a synth.
Synthesizers were becoming more involved with Pop music. i.e. Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, ElP etc. and there were the non pop works of Morton Subotnik, Stockhausen etc. So, I went to a music conservatory where I could learn about recording and electronic music as well as music in general. After 2 years, I was really feeling the bug to move on. I read an interview with Suzanne Ciani and said “Thats it! I am going to go to New York and work for her in her commercial production company.” I did that. I was Suzanne’s assistant for 2 years and then worked freelance for her for the next 8 or so years. I worked as a session synthesizer guy as well as a composer/producer.
It was an amazing time in Music and in New York. All this led me going forward. I was recording with people and meeting people that had influenced me in my life. This all sounds a lot easier than it was :)
What is the funniest or weirdest question that you have ever been asked in an interview?
I was asked if I wrote any songs about masturbation. LOL!! and the person wanted to know which ones, he found one that he thought that I did.
No, I never did that :) I can see how one could be interpreted if I put on my pervy glasses. LOL, It didn't seem as funny at the time as it does now.
Can you write about where the idea for the music video for 'Lonesome Highway Superstar' came from?
That piece had been around in may different forms. I was first going to make it an instrumental. It sat like that on my hard drive for a couple of years. Then on a fresh listen, my mind was making the word “Dreamer”. So I recorded it. That is there now, It is kind of a whisper. The piece was called Dreamer.
Then a little later, I sat down with a live microphone and improvised, sometimes nonsense came out and there were parts that rapidly made up the verses that are there now. I sat back and allowed the piece to “tell me” what to do. It needed a chorus. There were visions in my brain starting to happen. it was a very rapid progression from then on. This process is the way that I create a lot.
I usually think visually when I am making music, I started thinking about a “Road Warrior” desert scene. I realized that people were beginning to latch on to the song so it was time to make a video.
I had just finished working with Serkan and Ilke in Istanbul on the March of Madness video. They did a great job with AI and all the processes that go into it. I wanted to move on from the road warrior scenes and let them run wild with making something interplanetary. they did a great job.
What are your songs about?
I think it's rare if any are about any one thing for me. On the I, Synthesist album Avalanche, there are 2. Red Clouds mostly happened as I was up early making music on 9/11. The lyrics of Red Clouds are about my experience. The music ended up in a very danceable direction and it was very popular in performance. Sometimes strange to see people dancing while I tell that story. I guess it was a way of dealing with seeing that unfold. The other is on Avalanche as well. "Glides On” Lyrics were written and the song came together in my head on my way doing a job in the .com era. It was what I was feeling.
Generally songs for me are triggered by words coming to my head as I am making music. I will take certain situations and make something and allow it to grow. other situations may come to my head in the same song. I guess its a therapist in sound :) I like when I hear other peoples feelings from what I’ve made. It’s interesting and fun to hear what someone else is thinking.
If you could be a fruit, which one would you be and why?
I would be a lemon. :)
If you see the cover for the new song “Edge of the Earth” I made the using the program Dall - e
I was entering lyrics and things into the program. Somebody walked by and said you should ad lemmings as she saw the beginning pic. I thought she said lemons. it looks great. it was a beautiful mistake and I’ll take it.:)
If you can have your fans remember one thing about you, what would it be?
The best things happen when your comfortable being yourself.
If you did not become a musician, what would you be doing right now?
Good question, There was a time where I dreamed about being a football player. I really don’t know.
Which famous musicians do you admire?
Eno, Bowie, Vangelis, Suzanne Ciani, Morton Subotnik, Richard Devine , There’s more but thats enough for now.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to be performing and making audio/visual worlds to capture peoples imaginations, feelings and tell a story with sound. It would be great to do more scoring for movies too. I have new material that I’m developing and will make more all the time.