By: Robert Cavuoto
Do you dig cars, guitars, motorcycles and old school rock?
Well let me enlighten you about a great new band headed up by none other than the History Series hit show Counting Cars – Danny Koker!
We all know Danny as, the Count, so it makes sense when we see him fronting his band, Count’s 77.
And the Count’s group has everything you need to get your motor running; hard rock with twin smoking guitars Vegas style.
Powered by the guitar duo John Zito and Stoney Curtis, Tommy Paris on keyboards, Barry Barnes [bass], Paul Disibio [drums] and fronted by Danny on lead vocals, I have to say that Count’s 77 are poised to be one of the leaders of the new classic rock revival.
Danny’s well-known enthusiasm and fun-packed personality shows through and has the crowd fueled with excitement when Count’s 77 cranks up with their sound that’s straight from those hard rock days when Detroit cars were Kings of the Road and what’s now called “classic rock” growled, rumbled, roared and burned rubber.
I had the chance to sit with two of rock’s highest energy musicians; Danny Koker and guitarist, Stoney Curtis, to talk about killer riffs, cars, and their latest CD!
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Robert Cavuoto: Tell me a little about how the band came together?
Danny Koker: It came together very honestly and organically. So many people have the perception, because of my TV show, that I have now decided to put together a band and went hunting for musicians. It’s quite the opposite as the band has been around longer that the TV show.
It came together at my rock club in Las Vegas – Count’s Vamp’d. It’s an old school rock club where we do a weekly jam night and invite different musicians to come by. The jam night is headed up by our other guitarist, John Zito.
Through the grapevine, he found out that I used to sing in a band and invited me on stage. On one particular night, five of the six of us got up on the stage at the same time. It sound great and felt right. After the session we decided that this felt so good that we need to get together to rehearse some songs and grow this thing.
A set turned into opening slot opportunities, then headlining shows. Lucky for us we turned out to be all like-minded people, in the same age group and loving the same type of music.
Robert: Tell me about the chemistry on that first night of jamming?
Stoney Curtis: From day one there was something special between us. You can put the most amazing musicians together on the same stage and it doesn’t mean that anything is going to happen. There was a real chemistry and brotherhood with us. With a little bit of structure, arrangement, and time, this could turn into something big.
Robert: Tell me about the song writing process for your latest CD.
Stoney Curtis: It typically starts with me, Danny and Mike Varny [Shrapnel Records founder] who I have had a friendship for over 10 years and on his label just as long.
I come up with a bunch of guitar riffs and we sit down together to review them. We get Danny’s feedback as he has a unique way of communicating things to people [Danny bursts out with laughter]
Danny Koker: I love that! [Laughing]
Stoney Curtis: We tell Danny to write down his thoughts, tell us his stories or feelings and then we put together lyrics from that.
Danny Koker: I would have to say that I was very much the third party in the writing process. It’s amazing to watch Stoney and Mike work. It’s very intuitive process, as they barely speak.
They somehow know what each other wants. They have an amazing way of taking all of that info and have it make sense.
Robert: Have you always wanted to front a band?
Danny Koker: It’s something that has always been a part of my life.
My father was an accomplished musician, so I grew up having three things in my world; music, motorcycles, and cars.
At a young age I was doing a lot of singing. That’s when I stepped away from it and buried myself in cars and bikes. But the passion, love, and desire of being part of something musical has never left my heart. It spoke to my soul again and this band is such huge priority in my life that it makes me happy.
In a world filled with tons of stress and when things go wrong, I can now expend energy rehearsing or being on the road performing shows. It makes me feel closer to my father who I lost in 2008. He was my best friend; doing the music I feel the connection as I do with all of these guys. We’re a band of brothers!
Robert: What’s the significance of the “77” in the band’s name?
Danny Koker: It a reference to the great era of the hard rock music and the love of the ’70s. We really want to represent ourselves to that style of music. When you hear the covers we do ,they’re all from the ’70s and our original music reflects that style. Plus, 77 is a positive number.
Robert: You have a sweet looking Gibson Firebird in the promo photos, is that you main guitar and did you use it on the CD?
Stoney Curtis: By trade I’m a Stratocaster guy with my solo band doing the blues.
This band is more about Les Pauls and Marshalls. For the tracking of the CD I used the Firebird almost everywhere with all its layering! Many of the tracks are recorded with a ’57 reissue Les Paul and another Les Paul which is a newer model.
Each had its own unique tone. The Firebird with the P-90 pick-ups, it just cut through everything and has incredible bite, particularly for the leads. Our engineer called the Les Pauls; Beavis and Butthead and the Firebird – the Firechicken [Laughing].
Robert: My favorite song on the CD was “Your Love Ain’t Right,” kudos on your use of the wah-wah pedal. Have you always been a fan of using it?
Stoney Curtis: I love that song too and it’s the perfect the opener on the CD, as it introduces the band for what they want to be. You have the John Shaft Wah and the cow bell coupled with a Les Paul and Marshall. I have always been a wah-wah pedal guy playing the blues and acid rock – the Hendrix and Clapton sound has always been a big part of my sound and how I go about structuring solos.
Robert: Another song that’s reminiscent of the ’70s and a great addition for the band is “Stand Tall.” It seems to perfectly combine your innate sense of melody with the band’s ability to rock? How important is that to the band’s sound.
Danny Koker: It really speaks to who we are with that ’70s vibe. Were 100% dedicated to bring back real classic rock.
Stoney Curtis: I’m a big KISS fan and the reason I started playing was because I wanted to be in KISS. So that song has a big KISS influence. I grew up on the south side of Chicago and have a passion for the blues, as well as of a Michael Schenker and UFO.
As the band progressed and we settled into our roles, Danny and I were hanging out and he was questioning whether he was right for the band and if we shouldn’t get someone else.
I said to Danny, “I would take you any day of the week and twice on Sunday!” The thing about Danny is that he has soul that can’t be taught. I like singers that sound like men with the bravado and bass in the voice.
Robert: Has there ever been a guitar that you sold or gave up that you would like to get back?
Stoney Curtis: Funny, we were just talking about this. When I was 18 and working at Libby’s in Chicago, the first guitar I purchased with a couple of my paychecks was a blue 1982 or 1983 Gibson Flying V.
For some silly reason, in 2005 I sold it to a buddy of Mike Varney and I yearn for that guitar as it hurts me to think I gave it up. I went to the guy a few years back and tried to buy it back and he was like “I really like the guitar and the value has gone up, plus it’s cool knowing that it was yours and I don’t know if I want to give it up.”
Every time I see him I look at him sideways and say to myself, “I want that guitar back!”
Robert: Has there ever been a car that you regret selling?
Danny Koker: It happens with almost every one of them that I sell [Laughing].
There was one, a 1973 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus that I did so much cool stuff to. The right people got me at a weak moment and paid me a premium for it. I miss her so much so that I’m in the process of building another one to replace it so I can feel better.
