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www.AbuDhabiWeek.ae | Vol 05 Issue 23 | 07 - 13 June 2012
EXPRESS
YOURSELF
Freestyle football with the Flow Style Crew
THE FIRST LADIES
Abu Dhabi Darling talks community, fundraising and girl power
COOL CATS
A lazy afternoon on the water with Mafraq Hotel
HOME WORK
The pros and cons of home schooling
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NEWS
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Meet Madonna’s guitarist
Abu Dhabi Week sits down with the incredibly talented and rather charming Monte Pittman
WELL, WE don’t know about you, but we’re
still in recovery after a spectacular show from
Her Madgesty! In true Madonna style the
audience was wowed, shocked and worked
up into a frenzy on Sunday and Monday night
as the Queen of Pop worked her magic.
We caught up with her favourite guitarist
Monte Pittman to find out what it’s like
being on stage with Madonna.
What were you most looking forward to
about your visit to Abu Dhabi?
Mainly seeing a place I hadn’t been to yet.
I love it here! This is a place I know already
that I want to come back to. We had two
shows here and we were all excited to play
for everyone. It was a great couple of days of
all being together.
When did you first pick up a guitar? And
how would you describe your style as your
career has developed?
I got my first guitar when I was 13. I can
say my career is constantly evolving. It’s
something I look back on rather than seeing
it as it’s happening. In November, The Los
Angeles Music Awards are presenting me
with a Career Achievement Award. It’s
hard for me to believe I’ve been doing this
professionally for 12 years now. I feel like I’m
just getting started.
You’ve been playing with Madonna for
some time now. What has been your most
memorable moment on stage with Madge?
There are so many. I’ll never forget the
first show of the Drowned World Tour in
Barcelona. The band came up on lifts at the
front of the stage. That was the first time I
got to see a packed stadium or arena from
the entertainers point of view. It was so hot
at that show and people in the front were
passing out right and left.
Your new album has won several awards
- what would you say is your inspiration,
what drives you to write and perform?
I’ve always wanted to perform going back
to when I was a little kid. I would stand on
my sister’s bed with my toy guitar that had
rubber bands for strings since I would break
them all the time from playing it so much.
I would put on her records and act like
the bed was a stage. Especially to Kiss Alive
1 & 2 since there was an audience in the
recording. Now, it’s become my job. I have
a family. I’m married with four kids so when
I play, if I don’t push myself past my limits
and do my absolute best then I’m not taking
care of them.
If you could play with anyone - alive or
dead who would it be and why?
Tough question. Maybe John Coltrane. I got
most of my inspiration from him and Jeff
Beck for all of the solos on my new album,
Pain, Love, & Destiny.
Which musicians do you most admire?
I like a variety of people. For the acoustic side
I like Ray LaMontagne a lot. His story inspires
me because he started his career in his
thirties and also has a family. On the heavier
side, there is a band called Decapitated from
Poland. Their first album was made when
they were 14. They’ve experienced some
heartbreaking tragedy and you would think
they couldn’t go on any more if you read
about their story. Their guitar player, Vogg,
is one of my favourite new guitar players out
there and if he can pick up the pieces and
make that band as good as they’ve ever been
then anybody can do anything.
7
07 - 13 June 2012
Abu Dhabi website upgraded
ABU DHABI Tourism & Culture Authority
(TCA Abu Dhabi) has launched an
upgraded version of its official website
www.visitabudhabi.ae. The website is
a one-stop-shop for tourists who want
to explore the Emirate, helping them to
easily interact, in eight languages, with
extensive information on Abu Dhabi’s
attractions, culture and heritage.
The new website also acts as a base
for the launch of the destination’s social
media channels, inviting travellers to
become contributors to the destination.
TCA Abu Dhabi has partnered with
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas to offer
one lucky winner an ultimate Abu Dhabi
360o journey and a panoramic view of
the Emirate.
For more information, terms and
conditions, and to enter, please log on to
visitabudhabi.ae/en/newsletter.aspx
problems or differences to the side. It’s been
said that music is the universal language.
If you want to know more about Monte,
visit his website: www.montepittman.
com and get hold of his CD, Pain, Love &
Destiny, at CD Baby: www.cdbaby.com/cd/
montepittman12
What advice would you have for young
musicians starting out?
Don’t listen to anyone but yourself.
Somehow deep down you always know
what the right thing to do is. If the decisions
you make are for the good of everyone then
you know you are making the right choice.
You are going to make mistakes. We all do.
The important thing is to learn from those
mistakes and hopefully not repeat them. It’s
also important to pass that on to the next
person so they know to look out for the
same thing.
What do you hope the Abu Dhabi audience
took away from the show?
A Madonna show, as with anytime there
is music, is about unity. It’s a time when
everyone comes together and puts their
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