Marco Mendoza has played bass for countless acts in rock and metal. He just released his second album with the all-star band Iconic, also featuring Michael Sweet, Joel Hoekstra, Tommy Aldridge, and Nathan James. Marco recently took some time to talk about the record and more. I will note, just after recording this interview, the tour with Adrian Vandenberg and Vinnie More was canceled.
Please press the PLAY icon below for the MisplacedStraws Marco Mendoza interview –
On the new record being heavier than the first – I believe so. I think a lot of that that influence came from the production through the producer. Also I think, when you put something like this together, everybody gets to know each other. They know where their strengths are, and we take a minute to find the direction. In the older days, you used to have record deals. You have three or four album record deals, and you have the process of growing together and developing a sound together. Now it’s like out of the gate you gotta come up with something. I would even say that if you were to do a third one you would find that it would find, the focus would be a little closer and a little bit on the heavier side. We tend to lean on that side because of the nature of the project. With Joel and Michael playing, they’re magnificent guitar players. They carry that weight. Tthen Tommy and I, we’re not too bad rhythm section. But it’s all in support of the vocals and the tracks, the songs. Yeah. So, it depends on the production, depends on the lead vocalist, and Nathan James and Michael Sweet are amazing. We can go so many directions, but I think this is a good one. Great album, man.
On if the writing is a group effort – No. I say unfortunately, because I’ve been part of a lot of projects where I get to participate in the writing. But the way this thing was put together I think that at the beginning Alessandro Del Vecchio was with Frontiers. He was producing the first album. He had a lot of influence and direction, and him and Joel Hoekstra, Michael Sweet got started the writing process together. Then Nathan James came in. We were not in the picture. Tommy and I were not in the picture. At some point I got approached by Mario and Serafino from Frontiers and they said, “Hey, we’re looking for a bass player to complete this picture with this band. Would you be interested?” Of course I’m always interested in (playing), and I heard the names, I’m going, “Absolutely, yes.” To take it further, they hadn’t found a drummer yet, so they asked me to kinda suggest or pick somebody that I would love to work with. There’s so many drummers I’d love to work with, and I’ve been very lucky as a bass player. Some of the best. Without exaggerating. But when I heard the music and I saw the direction, I said, “Tommy Aldridge is perfect.” We did a lot of work with Whitesnake, and Joel Hoekstra had been spending his time with David Coverdale, and Tommy as well. Then Nathan James’ voice, it was headed in that direction. The writing process, the songs were heading in that direction. So, it was simple for me to say, “Hey, I’m gonna call Tommy.” I love Tommy. He’s a brother and I love him to death. There’s only one Tommy Aldridge. And what he brings to the table is just amazing. As a bass player, I’m in the best company possible. We get to know, we know each other. I’ll take it further. I’ll say that because we’ve been participating in so many things together that I’ve gotten to know his playing. You kinda read each other and we have a blast. So it was a given for me when they said, “Can you get in touch with, whoever you wanna work with?” I said I have five, six drummers I wanna work with.” But this project, it’s got Tommy Aldridge all over it, and that’s what happened.
But in all honesty the writing was done. It was completed, and we just came in and did our parts. The same thing happened here. There was a change of guards, if you will, production-wise. Alessandro went in a different direction. Aldo Lonobile took over producing and I was traveling, I gotta tell you, Jeff, I these past 10, 15 years have been the busiest years of my life. My career is just an abundance of beautiful work and collaborations, and I get requested to do this, do that. But anyway, last year when it was finally coming together, the second album, I was traveling. I was on tour all over the place with (Joe) Satriani and (Steve) Vai, actually, in Europem and I got asked to do my tracks. I was traveling. I said, “Let’s figure something out.” And I ended up going to Aldo’s studio in Milano. Just outside of Milano, Italy, and we had a blast. But the writing was done.
It doesn’t get any better when you have cats like that. With all the experience, that everybody’s got, it would’ve been cool to have collaborated or put my two cents in, and Tommy as well. But this is how it is. This is how it worked out, and I think we got a great result. People are raving about this album and the songs. They’re great.
On how he finds his space on a track with so many top musicians – As a bass player, I’m glad you said. It’s a great question- Your first instinct is wanting to come up with something very special, extraordinary, and all that. But I’ll tell you, one of the reasons why I’m working a lot is because I remember my first role, which is a supportive role. Bass player is there as a supportive role, together with the drums, to support the melody, the harmonies, the soloists, the singers, the song. So, I put that hat on, and I had a great time with Aldo. Aldo was producing amazingly. He would let me do my thing and then suggest some things, and we end up going in that direction. But I tried to support the song. I tried to support the melody. When you have a monstrous drummer like Tommy, he is so musical and so dynamic that it’s very easy. My job becomes very easy. It’s one of supportive, a supportive role.
There’s some spots where you know that you could add some tension in changing the harmony, the root, and you’re going to, and there’s some places where you could get a little busier note-wise, but you got Michael Sweet, you got Joe Hoekstra flying high. So that’s pretty much covered. I remember doubling a couple of the lines here and there, but I felt, “It’s a bit too much.” “Let’s lean back and support.” “Give it the groove and the pocket so it can fly higher,” and so that’s what it is. I really keep myself in check.
My younger days, I have to say, I had something to prove, I had chops and I overplayed a lot, and it opened a lot of doors in a different genre kind of music. Then it closed a lot of doors on the other side. I believe it’s maturing and understanding what my first role as a bass player, seldom, more so with my solo project, do I get to solo and fly a little more, which I get to do live, but also, it’s a three-piece, it’s a trio. I travel with a trio. So, there’s a lot of room to improvise, a lot of room to color, and sometimes play a lot of notes, get busier. But with those cats, it was very easy and it was a pleasure to put the bass player supportive role hat on, and did it. But I heard it. There are some cool things going on in the rhythm section with Tommy. The way he plays allows you to paint that canvas, a different canvas, different colors underneath that makes it very melodic and very cool. But full at the same time and rhythmic, and I remember pocket, swing. I’m old school like that. With all due respect I know quite a few players, and I can hear when the swing’s not there. I can hear when the groove it gets on top too on top of the beat and the groove gets lost. It’s one of those things. But no, man, this whole album was a pleasure, and I know there’s some more tracks floating around waiting to be finished. Unfinished tracks. But yeah, I keep myself in check to be honest. The supportive role hat is firmly planted on my head.
On if Iconic will ever play live – I know that it’s gonna be a huge impact if we ever get to play live, perform live or tour, whatever, it’s gonna be big. It’s gonna sound big. It’s gonna be amazing. But based on everybody’s schedules, and that’s what happens when you have when you put projects together like this, it gets complicated. So I’m not gonna say that I’m not gonna try again. There’s a few things cooking, without getting ahead of myself. If it does happen, obviously we’re gonna let everybody know, and I’m excited for it to happen if it happens. But yeah, there’s been a few opportunities. The cruises I got invited to put it together a few times and it just didn’t work, unfortunately. But so we’ll see. We never say never, and I think it’s leaning towards that direction that it’s possible. So stay tuned. That’s all I can tell you.
Everybody’s really busy. If we can plan ahead of time, like next year I would love to do a run of festivals. I get so many calls about it, saying, “Hey, what do you think?” And I’m like, “Yeah, let’s do it.” Then the ball starts moving and he’s available to at this time, but he’s not, and he’s available that time and he’s not. I’m available, but he’s not, and it becomes a bit of a thing, so I believe if it’s supposed to happen, it will. And something to look forward to. Hopefully it does, it’s a monstrous project.
On Adrian Vandenberg and Vinny Moore – How it started, this is a long story. I’m gonna try and make it really short. Last, a few years ago I hooked up with a manager that was working with Adrian Vandenberg. Of course, you know him and I have a connection with David Coverdale, with Whitesnake and all that. We actually shot a few videos for the Restless Heart album. Then something happened, I couldn’t go on tour. My father got sick and I had to stay with him, on the terminally ill. I had to, I couldn’t get on the road, so that opportunity went by. Then when I came back to the Whitsnake fold with David it was a different lineup, so Adrian wasn’t there, but we had the connection.
I got invited to kinda come in the support slot, which is something I would do anytime, anywhere, anyhow because I’m trying to break in my music, my shows, fronting my own band. It was a great opportunity. We played some great venues, and the feeling all around was that it was a great package. It really worked really well. The fans were really happy, and we sold out everywhere. Of course, Adrian’s got a massive following, and I think I added a little bit on top. We managed to sell the venues, so we did it again. So, let’s just say that the record was a good one. I got in touch with management. The manager, existing manager had moved on, but I got in touch with management actual management now, and and we decided let’s put something together for the US. So I got in touch with my agent, he said, “Let me go get some feelers out.” You’d be surprised, Jeff. It was like everybody was “yes.”
At that point, I had been talking to Vinnie about doing something together. I threw it at him and he said, “I’d love to do it.” So it just came together organically. The best things in our business, I have to say, having been around for so long, the best things are the things that happen organically. You don’t plan it, they just fall into place because there’s a sign, and so yeah He came up with 10 shows, 15 shows, now we’re up to 20 something shows. So, there’s a lot of interest, a lot of anticipation on my end, and Vinnie and Adrian’s. We’re excited, man.
I think it’s gonna be a great show. Paying tribute to some of the bands I’ve been part of a little bit. Mainly I wanna talk about and play my music, my solo music. I have four albums. I have a, a vast catalog of songs to pick and choose from. Obviously, Vinnie’s got the UFO, the Alice Cooper, his solo stuff. That’s what we’re trying to do, incorporate a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Tip our hat to our past, and then so we’ll do our set. I’ll start the set, bring Vinnie up. We’ll pay tribute to UFO and Alice Cooper and do some fun stuff. Take a break, and then Adrian gets up and does his set.
He’s got an amazing band, man. All the players are on fire. And Matts Levin singing he’s one of my favorite singers out there. He is just killing it, man. Of course, Adrian, he’s on fire too. So, it’s gonna be a great show. It’s gonna be a great night of rock and roll and at the same time opening some doors, exposing some new music, which I believe in so much.
I really believe that, the new generations need to learn to write songs, to create new songs. The tribute thing is fabulous, it’s wonderful, but with all due respect, as great as that music was, it’s in the past already. It has happened. Because some of us were lucky enough to be part of those, you gotta continue being creative. For me it’s I have to do it. If I stop that process I’m starting to consider retiring, and I can’t even spell the word. But I’m having a blast, Jeff. I’m having a blast playing my music. In my set, I try to pay tribute to some of my past. Of course, Ted Nugent, my wonderful years with Ted Nugent. Legendary guitar player, I love that guy. All my love and respect. Then Thin Lizzy and many other bands. It’s gonna be a good night, man. It’s gonna be a good night. We’re looking forward to it.
On playing with so many different bands through the years – It keeps me on my toes, to be honest. I’ve had the luck and the privilege and the and the gift of being with massive projects for years. Again, with all due respect, as exciting as the music is and all that, you get into a groove where the catalog has already been proven and tested. They’re massive songs. It’s hard to keep that spark going, so for me, I’ve been very lucky. I have no regrets. People say, “What’s wrong with you? How come you move around so much?” It’s not something I planned. It’s just something that happened. I get invited to do this and do that, and if it’s something I wanna do and I’m interested in, which is musical and creative and it will create some growth within me, I’m in, man.
Most recently I’ve been hanging out with Satriani and Vai, the Satch/Vai Band, and that’s entirely different from another, from right field or left field, whatever you wanna call it. But musically and as musicians, man, to me, it doesn’t get any better. These cats are, masters of the guitar playing world. The shows were amazing. I got to sing a little bit. I got to play with Kenny Aronoff, one of my favorite drummers of all time. He’s massive. He’s insane. He’s wonderful, man. As a drummer, wow, what a drummer. Then Pete Thorn also, who brought a lot of the magic to the mix. But Steve Vai and Joe, wow, man. Every night it was just…I’ve been saying it’s magical because I believe it is, man. They reach these plateaus where it’s just, it’s like, the doors open for creativity to just come down, and I just got chills. They do it, and they connect.
Those guys, they know each other so much, so musically, and we’re right there supporting it. I had a great experience with that. Different project. Different kind of project. But I was flattered that somebody like Joe would call me and him and Steve would want me to be part of that mix. I’m hoping to do some more in the future. We’ll see where that goes. But they’re busy cats too, right?
The Iconic project, of course. When I got invited, I said, “Absolutely.” Michael Sweet, Joe Hoekstra, Tommy Aldridge, Nathan James. What could go wrong? Then you had Alessandro Del Vechio producing, who’s a massive talent guy, projects. This is it comes up a lot, it might seem like I’m extremely busy, which I am. But there’s always windows of downtime. No matter how busy you are touring any given year, there’s always two months here, a month there. So, there’s time, and it’s time management.
I got invited to do the new Revolution Saints one too, which is something I shouldn’t even mention, because they wanna come out and announce it. But that was also a pleasure to do with Deen Castronovo and Joe Hoekstra. What a beautiful project. I was in the studio in France playing with a French artist. I’m gonna do some recording in I’m doing some recording in Turkey for some artists here. I’m in Holland writing my own music with a different project. So, there’s always a lot of moving parts. It’s very exciting. It’s very exciting, Jeff, and I embrace it with all the power I can. All I need to do is stay healthy and keep my mind clear. I call it the attitude of gratitude. Because I am very grateful for all the gifts. It’s a privilege to do what we do, isn’t it?
To your listeners, please check out my music. Live for Tomorrow, Casa Mendoza Viva La Rock, and New Direction. These are the four albums.
