AMS’s Russ and Ryan traveled to the mythical land of Port Chester, New York to see if they could become honorary Blood Brothers with guitarists-extraordinaire Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia, and Jimmy Vivino. I’m not sure they made the cut… But at least they got to talk to the Blood Brothers + Vivino about their shiny new matching Gibson Les Paul guitars, trading gear, and what it’s like to play with other entertainers like Bill Murray (yes, that Bill Murray).
Check out the AMS Blood Brothers Interview now!
Brand-New Gibson Guitars for the Tour
It was pretty obvious right away that Mike, Albert, and Jimmy are all gear nuts. They were all holding brand-new Gibson Les Pauls — and there was even a nifty little Epiphone Coronet in the corner. Naturally, the conversation immediately went to guitars.
Before the tour, Mike had mentioned how he thought it’d be cool if everyone got matching guitars. So Jimmy started browsing the ol’ interwebs and came across a dark-red Gibson Les Paul. Not only did it look classy, but it was also perfect for a band called “Blood” Brothers. So he ordered three.
Now, you might think players as prolific as Mike Zito, Albert Castiglia, and Jimmy Vivino would go straight for a ridiculously expensive Custom Shop. But that’s not what happened. These are your straightforward Les Paul Standard 60s; you know, the kind you can get shipped straight to your door from AMS!
Mike, Albert, and Jimmy all loved their new guitars right out of the box. The slim-tapered 60s neck profile is perfect for their playing styles, and you can’t go wrong with a pair of Gibson Burstbucker pickups in your arsenal.
The only “mods” they did to the guitars was that Jimmy top-wrapped his bridge to make the strings springier — which neither Albert nor Mike can stand… Mike's guitar also mysteriously got a "Z" etched in the back of the headstock, but nobody's entirely sure how it got there... Fate, perhaps?
I guess we’ll just have to change the name of the Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s “Sparkling Burgundy” finish to “Blood Brothers Red.”
Amps and Pedals for the Blood Brothers and Jimmy Vivino
What’s a good guitar without an amp? The Blood Brothers and Jimmy Vivino like Magnatone amps. They have a great tone that’s not easy to find anywhere else. Unfortunately, neither are the amps… And since Jimmy, Albert, and Mike aren’t actually carrying gear on this tour, it can be hard to find a rental that actually carries Magnatones. It’s always exciting when they find one!
When it comes to pedals, the guys are pretty straightforward:
Jimmy Vivino prefers to go directly into the amp. The only time he’ll use a pedal is when he’s playing a smaller venue that won’t let him crank his amp into overdrive territory.
Albert Castiglia has two main pedals on his board: a JB-2 Angry Driver and a custom-made Klone called Conspiracy Theory. The Conspiracy Theory was actually built for Albert by legendary pedal designer Jeorge Tripps, the same guy who designs pedals for Dunlop (like all the awesome Way Huge effects) and Joe Bonamassa. That’s why it sounds so good. Albert leaves the Conspiracy Theory on all the time with the volume down to clean up his tone. The JB-2 is for when he wants to kick it into overdrive (literally).
Mike Zito uses a JHS Double Barrel. It’s like two pedals in one, so he doesn’t have to carry as much gear around. He uses the Bluesbreaker setting for his clean(ish) rhythm tones, while the Tube Screamer brings in the rock parts. He also has a Morning Glory on his pedalboard, but he very rarely uses both pedals at the same time.
Everyone in the room shared the belief that the pedals should be helping the amp, not the other way around. If you have a good amp, you don’t really need pedals. And don’t even get them started on guys with 50+ pedals plugged into a Dumble… If you have all those pedals, you might as well be using a Jazz Chorus.
*Disclaimer: There’s nothing wrong with a Jazz Chorus. It’s an awesome amp. It’s just very clean.
Gibson Guitars | The Unsung Blood Brother?
They showed up with three identical Les Pauls… OF COURSE the Blood Brothers and Jimmy Vivino are Gibson guys. Gibson is basically the fourth member of the band.
Gibson and Fender really started the entire electric guitar craze. They were the first. And according to Jimmy, everyone has been chasing them ever since. Every other guitar manufacturer (including Gibson and Fender themselves) is essentially trying to capture the magic that Gibson and Fender had in the beginning. Gibson was just the one that captured all their hearts.
Albert Castiglia was the only Fender guy… initially. He started playing on a Fender Stratocaster. However, it wasn’t long before a friend of his ended up with a Les Paul Studio Standard with the dot inlays from the ‘80s that was modded out with a Floyd Rose and left to sit in a studio for years. His friend refurbished the guitar and Albert was hooked the minute he played it. He ended up buying the guitar from his friend for $2,000, making $100 payments whenever he could.
Now, Albert isn’t shy to say that his favorite Gibson ever is a 2013 Les Paul. Sure, there are plenty of people out there drooling over vintage guitars, but Albert says it’s all about what you like. New models have new stuff, and some of that new stuff is better than the stuff last year’s model had! You can keep your ’52 Gold Top; Albert likes his 2013.
Mike stumbled upon his first Gibson guitar when he worked at a music store in St. Louis in the mid ‘90s. They weren’t a Gibson dealer initially, but they did get a shipment of Gibson’s first Historic Series guitars. He instantly fell in love with a ’57 Gold Top Historic Line — but unfortunately had to sell it six months later because he couldn’t really afford it… We’ve all been there…
Mike later picked up a ’59 Reissue with a flame top that he thought was awesome, but he eventually gave it to Jimmy — who still has it.
And stepping away from Mike’s love of modern Gibsons, Jimmy’s favorite Gibson is a ’53 Gold Top Les Paul with wrapped bridge (of course). He also frequents an Epiphone Coronet that he conveniently had sitting next to the couch. And no, it’s not a Fralin pickup; that’s just a cover for the original pickup. As for the color, “Red guitars just sound better!” At least that’s what Jimmy has heard…
It’s easy to tell that these guys are big guitar nuts. So when it comes down to it, which is more important: a good guitar or a good amp.
Unanimously, the guys said, “neither!” It’s all about the hands. However, when we really pressed them, they all admitted the guitar was more important. It’s what the player touches and influences their playing the most. It’s what the hands work on.
Musicians and Comedians – A Match Made in Entertainment Heaven
The Blood Brothers and Jimmy Vivino regularly have a famous guest on stage with them: the one-and-only Bill Murray. But why does it seem like every actor or comedian can just jump up on a stage and play music. Or vice-versa, how can almost every musician do well on screen?
Well, they’re all entertainers!
According to Jimmy and the Blood Brothers, everyone in entertainment is an absurdist. You’ve seen crazy stuff happen, and it all translates into whatever art you’re into, whether it’s comedy, music, acting, or anything else. That’s also why it’s so easy for entertainers to work together. They’ve all seen stuff! Plus, they all just want to be loud and get the attention..
Albert, Mike, and Jimmy have worked with the Murray Brothers for a long time. Even back in the late ‘70s, Bill Murray and his brothers would join Jimmy at his shows. Now that everyone is touring again, Mike pushed to have Bill join them on tour, which he did! You just might see Bill Murray throw down some serious blues at the next Blood Brothers show.
Thanks to the Blood Brothers, Jimmy Vivino, and Gibson Guitars
A huge thank you to Albert Castiglia, Mike Zito, and Jimmy Vivino for hanging out with us before the show. We had a great time talking to some fellow gear nuts. And another huge thanks to Gibson Guitars for setting it all up.
You’ll definitely want to keep up with the latest Blood Brothers happenings on their website. And, if you want to become Gibson fans just like Albert, Mike, and Jimmy, check out all the awesome Gibson Guitars right here at AMS. You might just find your next favorite guitar!
