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1.What’s up Michael? Thanks for taking the time to do 10 to 20 with Lars. The Lynyrd Skynyrd/Hank Williams Jr. Rowdy Friends Tour kicked off this month. How have the shows been going?

Michael: Hi Lars... Thanks for reaching out with this interview. Yes, we are in our fourth week of the tour as I type this. Actually, I’m sitting on the tour bus right now, as we drive through Louisiana. The shows with Hank have been going great so far: the band sounds like a million bucks and we’re having fun out here.

   2.    People think you got your first break recording and touring with Damn Yankees. But you moved to New York, hooked up with Eddie Jobson (Roxy Music), and then hooked up with Tommy Shaw, before Damn Yankees. How was the move to New York from Cleveland at age 22?

Michael: Well, moving to the big city was a bit daunting, to be honest. However, I moved there after a successful audition with Eddie Jobson- so I didn’t go there starting from scratch, with no prospects. Eddie and I worked in an intense rehearsing/recording project for a few years- and that continued after I started to play with Tommy- and even spilled into the early days of Damn Yankees.

   3.   Damn Yankees and Don’t Tread were big albums and even bigger as far as touring was concerned. Were you surprised how fast it broke, when Coming of Age was released to radio?

Michael: Yes, it caught me a little by surprise. I had a good feeling that Coming of Age would do well at radio, but I didn’t expect it to jump up the charts as fast as it did (making it to #1 on Rock Radio). It was incredibly exciting to watch those Billboard charts each week. Also, I vividly remember sitting in the driver’s seat of a U Haul truck, in suburban Washington D.C. and hearing Coming of Age on the radio for the first time. That was an indescribable pleasure.

4.     How many Town Fire Marshalls did Ted get into trouble with, shooting his flaming arrows?

Michael: Only one: in Cincinnati, Ohio. He got arrested that night and it made the local news. You can’t buy that kind of Press!

5.     With the Damn Yankees on your resume, you move from L.A. to Nashville. It took you awhile to get established, then you joined the touring band of Suzy Bogguss. How was that?

Michael: Honestly, moving to Nashville had it’s pros and cons. I went there with quite the Rock resume and discovered it didn’t carry the weight I thought it would. I had people literally tell me, those credits don’t count in Nashville and could even work against me. I remember being surprised by that- I worked hard to establish my career and reputation up to that point- and was proud of what I had accomplished. In time, I ended up getting recording work in Nashville that was appropriate to the type of drummer I am: Peter Frampton, Adrian Belew and the German Heavy Metal band, Accept.

I then was asked to join Suzy Bogguss’ touring band, which turned out to be quite challenging. I was playing musical styles which were new to me: very slow 6/8 ballads, for example. Also, we were playing intimate environments and I had to learn how to pull my volume way back, without losing my feel or intensity. It enabled to grow as a musician. As for Suzy, I absolutely loved her: an incredible talent, a wonderful singer and a truly kind and sweet person.

   6.   You credit your time with Suzy as helping you nail the Fogerty job. Tell us more.

Michael: As I mentioned, we really covered some stylistic ground with Suzy: slow ballads, twangy rock, and swampy blues. That broadened my vocabulary as a musician. Interestingly enough, most of that directly applied to playing with John Fogerty.

   7.    You had big shoes to fill replacing Kenny Aranoff. You nailed it in Chicago. Was it a blast playing all those C.C.R. tunes?

Michael: I’ve said this before in interviews: I’ve never had more fun, night in and night out on tour, then I did playing John’s music.

   8.     I met and hung out with John on the Centerfield Tour. He has to be one of the nicest guys in Rock n Roll. Was he great to work with?

Michael: In a word, Yes. I completely respect John and would be honored to work with him again.

   9.    Then in the late 90’s came Lynyrd Skynyrd. How did that gig come about?

Michael: Ironically, it involved Kenny Aranoff again. While I was in Australia touring with John (in November 1998), Kenny was in the studio tracking drums on the new Skynyrd album, Edge of Forever. They were recording in Nashville and working with Damn Yankees’ producer, Ron Nevison. I had just gotten home from Australia and Ron called, to invite me down to the studio to say Hello. It was Kenny’s last day in the studio- and he and I were laughing about my replacing him in John’s band. Ron then hired me to play percussion on the album- then soon afterward, the band asked me to join them permanently. So, I followed Kenny twice!


10.   I caught the 1999 show at the Star Plaza, Leon Wilkeson personally gave me his Dunlap pick he played the show with. He was a gentleman and a class act. His sudden death had to of shocked all of you.

Michael: I have never met a kinder soul than Leon Wilkeson. Yes, his sudden death greatly saddened all of us. I miss him.

11.   A few years ago, Jim Beam sponsored Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Tour. Did they go above and beyond or what? The Tour Bus was killer and the stage looked like a whiskey Distillery. People were fighting over the banners they had of you guys in the Venue. I still have 2 of them. That Tour looked fun.

Michael: It was fun: cool staging and production, which is showcased nicely in our concert DVD, 30 Years Lyve. However, I have to admit, it was hard for me to have proper interaction with the band onstage. That Whiskey Barrel Drum Riser had me 9 feet up in the air- and I was looking down at the top of everyone’s heads!

12.   You also have a passion for Art. Some of your paintings have been showcased at The Rock Star Gallery in Phoenix. Your work has been showcased in several Gallery shows in other cities as well. I like your portrait of John Lennon. My favorite painting is “Roy.” When did you realize you had talent with the brush?

Michael: Thank You for the compliments about my Artwork. I’ve just finished a new painting, of a New York City street scene set in the 1920’s, which is stylistically similar to “Roy.” That will be on my website soon (www.michaelcartellone.com). Anyway, I started painting when I was four years old, studying that year at The Cleveland Institute of Art. For most of my childhood, I expected to be an Artist for my career. However, at age nine I began drumming and that took over. However, I never stopped painting or studying Art. Now, I have a nice little Art career on the side.

13.    Hypothetical here. If you had to pick a late night talk show to be the drummer, which one? And tell why?

Michael: This is an interesting question. I would say Late Night with David Letterman. Not only is it a great band (and I’ve played with their amazing bassist Will Lee before, who makes everyone onstage sound better), but they get to perform behind all the incredible musicians who appear on the show. I’ve actually performed on the show twice: once with Damn Yankees, once with Skynyrd. Incidentally, Late Night drummer Anton Fig, is a good friend of mine.

14.   Did you see Ted Nugent In Supergroup? If you ever had the opportunity to do a Reality show, would you consider it?

Michael: I only saw a snippet of one episode of Supergroup- so, I can’t really offer any observations. I have to admit, Reality shows are not my cup of tea.

15.   What kind of Pearl kit are you taking out this Tour? Reference Series, Masters Custom!! Maple, Birch? For us Drumaholics. You’ve been with Pearl for a long time.

Michael: Yes, I’ve been with Pearl almost twenty years- and it’s been a great relationship. On this tour, I’m using Masterworks Series- in a Piano White finish. For a real change of pace, I’ve added a 14” Remo Roto Tom to the kit (painted white to match the drums). It’s a large configuration: two toms on the left of the hi hat- roto out front- two floors to the right- and lots of Zildjian cymbals!

1.Michael thanks for taking the time for the 10 to 20 with Lars. You’re instructional DVD’s “Speed Kills”, “Speed Kills 2”, “and “Speed Kills 3”, as well as “Speed Lives”, and “Performance”, are simply amazing, and a joy to watch. On your latest CD “Hands without Shadows” Mark Tremonti (Creed, Alter Bridge) guests on it. How did that come about, and is it safe to say he is pretty underrated?

MAB: You are welcome and thank you.
I met Mark at the NAMM show in
Anaheim, CA. in January 2004. We
immediately “hit it off’ and became
close friends. On his first tour with
“Alter Bridge” I performed with the
band at several shows including
House of Blues in Chicago. I asked
him there if he would perform a
guest solo on my new CD and he
said “yes.” I think he might be under rated as a guitarist, because he is a really great player, but I think that he is definitely not under rated when it comes to writing hit songs. His former band “Creed” is a testament to his incredible talent for writing music. I re paid the favor by performing a guest segment on Mark’s new DVD scheduled to be released sometime this Summer. Alter Bridge vocalist Miles Kennedy as well as guitarist Bill Peck perform guest segments on the DVD. I saw a rough cut of the program and it is amazing!

2.You came up with the Twin-necked guitar as well as the quad guitar; I love the look of the MAB1 Armorflame, your signature guitar from Dean. How have players responded to that guitar?

MAB: Yes, I designed, invented and was the first to perform on both the Double-Guitar and the “Quad.” The new MAB1 Armorflame signature guitar by Dean Guitars has been a huge success! I am very humbled and honored by that. The ads have appeared, starting in the October 2008 issue of Guitar World Magazine. Dean Guitars has already sold out of the first shipment. I sincerely tried to make a guitar that guitar players would want to own, as opposed to an ego driven “Mikey” guitar with my name “plastered” all over the neck and headstock. The MAB1 is also very competitive price wise. It features an original Floyd Rose locking trem, an EMG active pick up system, a slim neck, Grover tuning keys and IMHO, the best graphic that I have even seen on a guitar.

3.You played with Holland on “Little Monsters” in 1985, (A Windy City Gem), then Nitro from 1987 to 1992 with Jim Gillette. How do you remember those days?

MAB: I had an incredible time recording and performing with both bands. It was a time in my life that I am grateful for and will never forget. When the band “Holland” officially signed the recording contract with Atlantic Records, to me, it validated that I was good enough to be in the “major leagues” in music. I also realized then, that if I worked hard enough and smart enough, I could have a lifelong career doing something that I truly loved and still love to this day.

4.I haven’t seen you since the 1996 ALS benefit for Jason Becker at The Riviera Theatre. Was that a special night for guitar players and guitar fans or what?

MAB: That was an amazing
concert! The best part for me
was, besides being able to
contribute to donating money
for ALS and Jason Becker, was
that fact that Eddie Van Halen
came up to me after the show
and told me that he really liked
my guitar playing. Both of us
then sat down and chatted for at least a ½ hour at the side
of the stage. It was just the two of us, engaged in a great conversation about music and the entertainment industry in general. We also talked about Van Halen as a band and his perceived differences in working with DLR and Sammy Hagar. I will never forget it. He is not only one of my all time favorite guitarists, but a really “cool, down to Earth” person as well.

5.You perform and are interviewed as well, in the forthcoming documentary on Randy Rhoads, by Peter Margolis. You play “Tribute to Randy” on the double neck. Have you seen the documentary? And when will it be released?

MAB: I haven’t seen the final version yet, but I know that the movie is scheduled to be released in 2009. I am really looking forward to seeing the finished version of the movie. I was honored to be asked to participate in the project. Especially since Randy Rhoads is one of my biggest influences with regards to Rock and Metal Music.

6.You have had a busy 2008 thus far. Including appearing on the “Colbert Report”. I love that show, how was the experience?

MAB: S. Colbert is a fan of “shred” guitar playing. I thought it was great to be featured on his show! The episode that I appeared on also featured Tom Brady and Al Gore so I was in some “serious, celebrity” company! I was grateful for the opportunity to get that kind of not only National, but International exposure.

7.What do you think of the video game Guitar Hero? And when are they going to include you?

MAB: I think that any game that promotes guitar and music is a great game! I think Guitar Hero is an ingenious concept and a really fun game to play. I would like to be included in it. We shall see.

8.Who are the players that influenced you growing up? And out of the players or Bands out today, is there anyone you flat out say “they just kill it”?

MAB: So many players influenced me
growing up, that it would be impossible
to list them all! A few of my favorites
were and still are, Robert Fripp and
King Crimson, George Benson, Al
DiMeola, Eddie Van Halen and Randy
Rhoads. I also have a degree in Music
from Northeastern University so I have
always listened to orchestral music.
Mozart is my all time favorite composer.
I also like Bach, Handel, Liszt and again, many, many more.

9.If you had to choose a late night talk show to be the guitarist for, which one would it be? Leno, Letterman, Ferguson, Conan, or Kimmel. And Why?

MAB: Leno. He is incredibly funny. Plus, I would like to jam with his band. They are all great players.

10.Any chance in the near future you will do a clinic in the Chicagoland area?

MAB: I just performed 2 clinics in the Chicago area this Spring. I perform at least once or twice around the Chicago area every year.

11.If you type your name into You Tube, the pages are endless. What do you think of You Tube from an artist point of view?

MAB: I feel that this is the YouTube generation. I perform over 100 shows around the world every year and have gotten used to seeing phones with video cameras pointed at me, recording my performances. Videotaping is not allowed at any of my shows, but that doesn’t stop people from using their phones and recording the performance. There is nothing I can do about it so I just embrace it and appreciate the fact that people think enough of me, of my music, to video and ultimately post it online.

12.Your website .angelo.com is impressive, the public can get everything they need there. What is the rest of 2008 looking like for you Michael? And for myself and illianaMusic.com, thanks for taking the time.

MAB: I just finished performing shows
in New England and am typing this
interview at Bradley International
airport in Hartford, CT. now, waiting
for a flight to Chicago. After this, I
travel to Iowa, then to the Southern
part of the USA, then California,
then to Canada, Germany, Russia,
Portugal and Spain. I have at least
50 more shows to perform this year
as well as finishing up 2 DVDs. I am
also working on a new CD that I had
hoped to release this year but given
the amount of shows scheduled for
2008, I don’t think it will be possible.
In conclusion, I am sincerely grateful
for having the career in music that I have. Here is what is on my agenda for the rest of 2008 and 2009. More shows, more CDs and more DVDs. Always something new! Always moving forward. Thanks for the questions and for your support.