Her last name happens to be Panagaris, but Adelaide, Australia native Orianthi is one of those first-name-only artists. Orianthi, who performs Thursday at Clearwater’s Capitol Theatre, is a guitarist with a white-hot track record, as solo artist and as a session and touring player.
She and her band are in the bay area touring behind the latest Orianthi album, Some Kind of Feeling, which ran up to No. 1 on the U.K. jazz/blues charts over the summer.
Orianthi isn’t a jazz player, although she can shred rings around many of the world’s top blues guitarists. She prides herself on being a singer and songwriter first, a guitarist second, and her diverse catalog reflects that.
Even her very first single in America, the Top 20 hit “According to You,” was electrifying power-pop.
With a couple of killer guitar solos.
She was 24 when Michael Jackson chose her to play guitar in the band he’d assembled for his ill-fated This is It concert tour. Later she spent several years on the road as Alice Cooper’s lead guitarist.
For tickets to Thursday’s 8 p.m. show, visit this link.
St. Pete Catalyst: When people see a woman playing electric guitar, they think she’s either a blues player or a rock shredder. Obviously, you can do both things, but there are strong pop and country flavors in your music, too. Is it important to you to break that “hot chick with a guitar” stereotype?
Orianthi: I never started as a guitar player; I started as a songwriter. My dad had so many different records, from Roy Orbison to Elvis Presley to the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix to Santana. Eric Clapton. Gary Moore. So I really paid attention to the song. The song, to me, is the most important thing.
When you’re writing a song, you’re telling a story, and you don’t want it to be a shred-fest, or something that’s about “well, how many notes can you play?” or whatever it is. It’s about melody, it’s about all of that.
When I came over to America, in the 2000s, I was one of the one first persons – as a female, I should say – to put a guitar solo in a pop song. That song, “According to You,” could fit into the Avril Lavigne/Kelly Clarkson vibe.
It did really well. It connected with a lot of people. It was really awesome to be one of the first females to do that, in that time, and that I inspired so many to do that. I inspired so many women playing guitar, and doing what I did back then. It really feels cool to be one of the first to do that.
You’ve described your new album, Some Kind of Feeling, as your first “genuine” record. What does that mean?
It means there was no A&R guy sitting in the corner with his arms folded, going “We need a hit!” Not that the others aren’t honest, it was more like there was just no one saying something foo-foo or weird, “This should be a pop song.” I hate that. It’s so fake. And for me, I had that a lot going on in my career. It’s a strange thing when people chase hits. I think a hit comes from people being authentic. Sometimes it’s just the energy of me and different songwriters getting together, and it just works. You never know what’s gonna happen.
But I love the freedom that I had making this record. Several of the tracks were self-produced.
Is that something that comes with success?
Yeah, I think the most important thing is going with what feels good in your gut. Because we all change, right? We’re forever changing. As humans, as people, as artists, as whatever in life. You can’t stay the same. That’s crazy.
For me it’s a journey, it’s an adventure, it’s awesome, it’s fun. I try not to get caught up too much with some of the BS that comes with this industry. That I used to before.
You’re young and naïve when you start. You just want to make a record.
Yeah, you just go what everyone else is telling you to do, because that’s the right way. But we’re all really powerful people – you just have to believe in yourself.
You describe Steve Vai as your mentor. What did he do for you?
When I was 14 years old, and he toured Australia, I got to open for Steve. And he was so sweet and supportive of me, and that was so cool. He was watching my show from the side of the stage, and he talked to me and my parents.
We stayed in contact. He said “send me your demos,” and he would listen to them and say “This is good,” “This is how you can improve on things” … he was very attentive and awesome, you know? I was so grateful and still am for his friendship throughout the years. And what an amazing human he is, aside from being one of the greatest guitar players on this planet.
And Carlos Santana, too. Carlos has been like family to me. And I am forever grateful to the universe for them. Sometimes when I’ve been a bit bewildered by this business, they definitely bring me back to center.
The side gigs touring with Alice Cooper, or Michael Jackson – did you think of them as detours from your solo career, or as another part of the whole … enchilada?
(laughing) I’m a kid at heart, and I think all musicians or artists are, so when something’s put in front of you … you get a call from Alice Cooper, “hey, do you want to be my lead guitar player?” And I’m in the studio with Dave Stewart finishing up a record. So of course I leave that album, and go on tour with Alice. And I’m celebrating Halloween every night!
It was fun. I got to just be the guitar player. The pressure’s not really on. It is kind of on, but it’s kind of not. You’re a key part of the show, of course, but it’s all on Alice, really. Alice is the captain of the ship. We’re all collectively putting on this crazy awesome show.
I got on that tour bus and I didn’t get off it for three and a half, four years! I thought I’d just do it for a year.
Tell me about your upcoming trio project.
It’s called The Power of Three. Produced by Eddie Kramer. It’s got Rhonda Smith on bass, Cindy Santana on drums. I’m on vocals and guitar. And we’ve finished the album; we’ll mix it in early November. We’re going for a Cream, Band of Gypsies vibe. And then we’re playing some shows in Vegas in mid-November. Our energy together is awesome; we really dig each other. We’re all going to have fun, that’s for sure.