fiZ
Today I’m discussing the healing power of music with the talented visionary and musician fiZ. First things first. How did you get the name fiZ? What does that symbolize? Do you prefer to be called Tony or fiZ, or don’t you care?
I’ve always had nicknames. I don’t know why, but friends and family always had these nicknames for me; Vibe, Tone, Tonevibe (hence my label), fiZ. I can go on and on…there we’re many. I decided on using fiZ because it’s easy to remember unlike my birth name. It’s fun,it goes with Pop/Rock. Even though I know some might think it’s a little silly, I saw the universal appeal of it, the flexibility of it for marketing purposes…fiZTV, fiZWEAR Clothing Line (Coming soon to a store near you)ect… My birth name is Anthony Luca DeMattia, a name I was never too fond of, because I’ve been a rocker ever since I was a young boy.
I always felt it was too ethnic sounding to be a Rock Star’s name…(and still do). I like names like David Bowie,T Rex, Ringo Starr, Mick Jagger…even though a lot of these rockers used their birth names, a lot didn’t too. To me Bono is Bono not Paul Hewson…that’s his identity.vI made a transition from being called Anthony to being called Tony…now I prefer to be called fiZ. We are all souls in the material world so I don’t have strong connections to names that way..but I see it like this, if you’re in the Army and see someone who is a Sergeant, that’s what you call him because he’s earned that title. I see fiZ the same way.
So, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself and your music? What instruments do you play, how long have you been writing/performing, that kind of thing.
I play guitar & piano, sometimes mandolin and harmonica. I’ve been writing songs for almost 30 years now. I was always singing. I started playing the organ when I was eight. I wrote my first song with my first band at the age of thirteen. I came from a divorced family. There was a lot of turmoil and bad feelings…music was my savior…That’s why I used to have visions of being a Rock Star that was helping people in need. That’s what it did for me, and I’ve always wanted to share that with others…the healing power of music…I still believe music can save the world.
I sense a great deal of emotion in your singing voice. It feels very soothing to me as well. Have you always enjoyed singing, or was that something that came at a later point in your life?
I was always singing along with songs…back in the 70′s, I’d be sitting in the back of my dads car while Elton John,Smokey Robinson or Cat Stevens we’re being blasted on the radio…I would be singing my ass off…and I thank heavens I still am.
I know you’ve done some benefit concerts to raise money for charity. Please share a bit about the benefits, and what makes your concerts special or unique?
Well, I created “Notes for Life” (www.notesforlife.org) back in 1998. The 1st benefit I did was for “The Just Kids Foundation,” for Children with AIDS. I noticed that a lot of the medication and support for AIDS was driven more for adults and not for children with AIDS. I came up with the idea of creating an organization that supports up-and-coming artists while simultaneously raising funds for small charities in need. The most recent one I did was called “Music & Mediums”. I wanted to do something unique, so I combined the musical & the metaphysical worlds together; three musicians, three mediums. We raised nearly $10,000 for “The Golden Fund for Autism”. I don’t take any of the money…it goes directly to whatever charity I’m raising the money for.
The most rewarding performances I do are for physically challenged children. Their hearts are very open,they are not judgmental like we are. They are able to receive music on a deeper level then most people because they don’t have a lot of issues that we do. We’re constantly thinking this, thinking that….”look at that person”…”yeah look at her”…blah,blah blah…the ego mind getting in the way of love. When I perform for those children, the love is overwhelming. It’s healing. You have to be there to really know what I’m talking about.
I usually perform in a big auditorium filled with kids in wheelchairs. When I first started performing for them I would bring my guitar, but I quickly realized there was a lack of connection with me standing on a stage playing the guitar, so I purchased a wireless microphone so I could get in the crowd and let them sing with me. When you connect with people on a deep level, the healing power of music becomes that much more powerful.
What’s your bigger vision of how music can help us individually and collectively heal?
We’ll, different strokes for different folks. Some people feel connected by listening to Heavy Metal, some classical or Rap music. I would like to see more of an awareness of positive songs or just good music for children to listen to. Let them learn an instrument instead of a video game.
I was fortunate to grow up listening to The Beatles, Cat Stevens, John Denver, CCR etc… Artists with a message instead of “yo pop the beat box you dirty ho.” Obviously I believe in freedom of speech. I don’t believe in censorship, but I do believe parents should be aware of the importance of the Arts and educate their children accordingly.
I explore the possibility of group reincarnation in my book, and how rock music seems to be calling certain groups of people together to heal. If you could be reincarnated from a particular era, when would it be, and what part of the world would you have been from? Why?
The Renaissance Era in Italy. I feel a strong connection to the artists of that time. The passion and drive of artists like DaVinci & Michelangelo .
Anything else you’d like to share about yourself or your music? What’s next for fiZ?
I just came out with a CD called “fiZ” this year. I hired some of the best musicians in rock to play with me. From Paul McCartney’s former drummer, Steve Holley, to Paul Errico, who has been Steve Forbet’s keyboardist for years. It was produced by Bob Stander, who is just brilliant. We wanted to make a CD that’s timeless. It’s Melodic Pop/Rock with deep spiritual messages. I have fans from seven to sixty seven yrs old flipping out over this CD, so I accomplished my goal of recording a CD that has mass universal appeal. Now I’m working on getting the world to hear and buy it ,which is a little tricky without the right team behind you.
So I’m focused on getting a team behind me. I put my life savings into this CD, so when people say they copied my CD or what have you, I’m flattered people like the music enough to make copies but they are stealing from me. If they don’t buy my CD,then I can’t record with top musicians and producers. Musicians need to get paid for their craft as anyone else does. If people continue to just steal music, then the quality of music will diminish.
I’m also focused on taking fiZTV to the next level. fiZTV is on my website fiZband.com. In the next episode I interview a child named Anthony who is blind. He sings and has perfect pitch. His mother is very supportive of him. These are the type of people I want to start interviewing on fiZTV. People making a positive impact in the world…whether it’s a mother who’s supportive of her child or an entrepreneur who raises money for people in need or perhaps someone like Eckhart Tolle or Joe Vitale. I will be intertwining these people with artists for a show that’s all about positivity and healing. I see it getting on a TV station one day.
Of course I’m always writing music. The next CD is really going to be phenomenal, but first I need to focus on promoting the “fiZ” CD. So whomever is reading this, if you buy my CD,you’re not only getting a great CD but your helping an artist out that likes to help others, so in the end, we’re all helping one another, and that’s what it’s all about. So on that note, please go to my website www.fizband.com and purchase my CD and sign my mailing list. Hopefully I will meet you at a show one day.
Until then, I wish you all…
peace.luv.music.
fiZ