DAVE LOPEZ: I WAS DISGUSTED, STOPPED BELIEVING IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Flipsyde lead guitarist Dave Lopez, who toured India with singer Allen Ling, says he helped him come out of his semiretirement

Chasing money is what the record company wanted us to do and that was disturbing. Music was not fun. DAVE LOPEZ, Guitarist

Lead guitarist of the boy band Flipsyde, Dave Lopez, marked his fourth visit to India recently. The USbased musician was here for a tour with singer Allen Ling and says he loves India.

“I am an expert on India. My friends consult me before coming here,” he laughs.

Sharing how the collaboration with Ling materialised, Lopez says, “Allen’s ex girlfriend is my friend, so he accompanied her for one of my shows. Later, we became friends. One day, he played his music and I really liked the song Closer .Iam really good at melodies, but terrible at lyrics. He helped me write the lyrics for my daughter’s birthday song. He did it so fast! I thought it was a good mix. That’s how it all started. Now, we are in India to promote our new single.”

In fact, Lopez admits that he was semi-retired and returned to music courtesy Allen. “I was so disgusted with the music industry. I stopped believing in it, but he never did. That’s why I came to India. I wanted to help him however I could. He inspires me,” says the guitarist.

Ask what put him off the music scene and Lopez says, “When Flipsyde came out with it’s first album (We The People; 2005), everyone loved it. We had recorded it in a car garage. Then there was a big tour. The label let us do what we wanted to. By the time the second album (State of Survival; 2009) came out, they wanted us to be like the Black Eyed Peas (American rap group). There were no solos, the sound became different. Chasing money is what the record company wanted us to do and that was disturbing. Music was not fun.”

He adds that keeping a band together isn’t easy. “Being in a band is like being married to three motherf ***** s. It’s hard to do music. Anytime you see a band successful and doing records, you should respect them. It’s hard to stay together,” the musician signs off.