But considering Nitro's lineup, that's not the least bit surprising. Jim's name may ring a bell: He's well-known from his Jim Gillette's Metal Power instructional series, while Nitro guitar player Michael Angelo is known for his Star Licks video series. He invented the Double-V-neck guitar and, for the Nitro album, designed the Quad X-400 guitar, which has four necks in an X formation, each neck with seven strings. Rounding out the powerful quartet are T.J. Racer on bass and former Vinnie Vincent Invasion drummer Bobby Rock on drums.
With an all-star lineup from the get-go, it seems Nitro is fated for success. That is, if they don't blow up any more sound systems. See, Jim isn't a vocal expert for nothing.
"I blow up PA systems all the time. The tweeters can't handle it," he claims. All that remains to be seen is whether the fans can handle it!
-- by Buck Petz
Nitro To Explode On Stage
The Who used to break instruments on stage. Wendy O. Williams chain-sawed her guitar. Singer Jim Gillette of the Pheonix band Nitro will shatter a crystal glass tonight at Peabody's DownUnder.
"That's right. I'll reach a certain high note and a glass goblet will break," said Gillette. "Before I do it, I tap the glass to detect the right tone. I'll have the glass on a little table. You'll see it shake, and then it will shatter. I have to get just the right resonance to crack it."
He seems to get the right tone in the midst of a 32-second scream. You might think that a thin goblet would be easier to break, but a thick one is needed, he said.
It turns out that Gillette, 6 foot 1, may be the only former high school boxer and wrestler who hits high D onstage. "I've got this wide range, six octaves," he said. "My voice isn't a falsetto, though, more of a soprano...but I can get down to low bass, too."
Nitro, a quartet, considers itself the world's loudest heavy metal band. In fact, here's a warning: Don't leave home without earplugs.
How loud is Nitro? "I'd say it's like being strapped onto a jet plane right by the motor," said Gillette. "We're over 140 decibels from 10 feet away."
The Environmental Protection Agency lists a jet engine sound as 140 decibels. Other EPA comparisons: a diesel truck, 80 decibels; lawn mower, 100 decibles; the average amplified rock concert, 120 decibels.
The EPA also says that every 10-decibel increase is perceived as a doubling of loudness.
"How are my ears?" Gillette asked, anticipating the next question. "Fine. I'm in back of the sound, remember. And I love it loud."
The sound is more enveloping at the lower end of the sound scale, he pointed out. "Your heart feels like it'll fly out of your back at the lower end " he said. "You don't feel it as much with the high notes."
Another interesting Nitro note is that guitarist Michael Angelo plays a four-necked guitar, each neck with seven strings instead of the usual six.
"He may have to play a two-necked guitar in Cleveland, though. His four-necker got stolen the other night," said Gillette.
The other Nitro members are bassist T.J. Racer and drummer K.C. Comet, who recently replaced Bobby Rock.
Nitro plays Peabody's DownUnder tonight at 9. Tickets will be $5 at the door.
If you're the type of metal fan who craves the fastest guitar solos, the highest screams, and quickest double-bass drums imaginable, then prepare yourself for the release of O.F.R., the debut by virtuoso shredders Nitro.
The album title (Out F?!king Rageous) definitely sums up this band's attitude as well as their skills. The act is fronted by the five-octave pipes of Jim Gillette and the bizarre multineck genius of axe whiz-kid Michael Angelo. Bobby Rock, former Vinnie Vincent Invasion drummer, and bassist T.J. Racer flesh out the ranks.
Dear Video Editor:
Don't blink because this video comes at you and doesn't stop!
Rampage Recording artists Nitro's first single and video "Freight Train" is as in your face as the rest of their debut release O.F.R.
The video features live footage of the band including guitarist Michael Angelo in action on his new Quad X-400, a four neck guitar with the necks in a X-formation. You also will see crystal goblets shatter from the power of Jim Gillette's voice.
"Freight Train" was directed and produced by John Seay who has worked with Armoured Saint, Precious Metal and Betsy. The filming took place at the Country Club in Reseda, California.
Nitro's "Freight Train" video is the perfect testimonial to what this band is all about. They are in your face with the fastest, loudest, highest sound around.
Nitro is getting set to tour the states beginning next month. This video gives fans a good idea of what one can expect from the band's live show. MTV's Headbangers Ball will be playing the vid in the weeks to come, so watch for it.
With T.J. Racer thrashing away on the bass and K.C. Comet tearing up the skins, Nitro is ready to make an impact.
Give the video a turn through your VHS and you'll see what I mean. I'11 be in touch soon to hear what you think. In the meantime, give me a call if you need anything.
Headbanging Regards,
Lori Hehr
Vice-President/Publicist
In a fit of fury to prepare for the shooting of NITRO's debut video, "Freight Train," vocalist Jim Gillette spent 12 hours in the tattoo chair etching flames into his skin. After the normal session length of two hours, the tattoo artist kept asking Jim if he wanted to stop, but the man with the six octave range kept on going. Before that night, the longest session the artist had done was four hours. "And I thought THAT guy was tough!" he laughed.
When Nitro vocalist, Jim Gillette, set out to shatter crystal goblets with his voice during the video shoot for the band's first single, "Freight Train," director John Seay was not quite prepared. The camera angle was perfect, the goblets exploded, but Gillette's voice was so powerful it also shattered the camera lens. Nitro is now thinking about printing a disclaimer on their concert tickets stating, "We like to shatter no glass before its time, but if we do, there ain't nothing you can do."
Last week, Nitro guitarist, Michael Angelo was a part of the "Guitar Heros" jam in Japan with Vinnie Moore, David Chastain, and other notable U.S. guitarists. Angelo was a huge success among the sold out crowd. One guitarist told Angelo, "You're so fast, you make the rest of us look slow!" Next stop for Nitro? THE USA!!
The men in blue greeted NITRO as they returned to the Cleveland area to play an encore performance at the club Agoura. It seems the only way NITRO could play is if they turned it down. The officers seemed to think the band was a bit too loud at their last stand at Peabody's. The band turned it down but the kids wanted it louder. Vocalist Jim Gillette, therefore, said they won't turn it down again. "Our power settings are glued in place now," he commented. "It's either loud or it ain't happening."
While on tour in Rochester, NY, it seems NITRO found someone in the sold-out audience who wanted to take vocalist Jim Gillette's place at the mic. The wanna-be singer "f**ked" with Gillette "too much for his own good." Little did he know Gillette is a former boxer who would have turned pro at age 18 but wanted to rock instead. The poseur got Gillette "Fighting Mad", so he jumped off stage, knocked the guy out with one punch, jumped back on stage and brought the house down.
NITRO and its battle for higher volume has clubs checking their foundations before the band plays. In Detroit, the band literally brought the house down when the ceiling partially collapsed because of the intensity. Chuncks of plaster were falling, but the band played on!!!
All across the U.S. this summer, NITRO have been blasting soundwaves intense enough to measure on the Richter Scale. But that's not enough for these "bad boys" of metal. They'll be back in Hollywood to attempt to break the world's record for the "Loudest Live Band". The target-date for this show that promises to be a real ear-bleeder is set for sometime in mid-to-late September. The boys are looking for a venue that is structurally tough enough to handle the extremes. Several clubs have already turned them down in fear that ceilings and pillars might collapse as was the case when NITRO played to Detroit fans with chunks of plaster falling around their heads. In order to break the world's record, NITRO will have to crank out over 140 decibels of brain-bashing metal, which is where the current record stands by fellow thrashers Manowar. However, they have already unofficially proved this fact throughout their entire tour, having been shut down by police in various cities on several occasions. "Breaking this record will be no problem," says a very confident Jim Gillette, the glass-shattering vocalist extraordinaire for NITRO. "This will be like another day's work for us. We'll just turn it up another notch and blow that record to shreds dude!!" Whoever, decides to let NITRO attempt the world's record in their club is going to have to do some serious nailing-down of furniture to the floor. NITRO also plan on having earplugs passed out at the door, which are almost sure to become collector's items.
After a long, grueling search for a permanent drummer, Nitro has added K.C. Comet, who will be featured in their video and subsequent tour. Comet is the "hardest, fastest drummer in this solar system," according to vocalist Jim Gillette. Bobby Rock played on the album as a favor to the guys, but is pursuing other opportunities including his own drum instructional video and drum clinics.
