TGP’s Alana Quartuccio Rocks on the Page AND on the Stage
Published in New Jersey Automotive
TGP Editorial Director Alana Quartuccio does it all – interviews, writing, editing…even administrative work. There’s no doubt that she rocks when it comes to creating collision and automotive repair content that the industry can’t wait to read, but readers may not be aware that she’s also a legitimate rockstar!
When it’s time to put down the pen and paper, Quartuccio picks up a microphone and a guitar to express her creativity in a completely different way. And even the way she rocks out varies from day to day as she’s been in several bands through the course of her music career doing everything from punk rock to top 40 pop hits.
She dedicated the bulk of her time thus far to her female-fronted punk band, known as Six to Eight Mathematics, where Quartuccio rocks out as the lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist. Then, there’s Evil Annie, “a rock n’ roll killing machine fueled by injustice, gasoline and beer,” according to the band’s Facebook page. Quartuccio provides less aggressive vocals as the lead singer for Blame It On the Girl, a popular cover band that plays “party rock” at various venues and private events throughout New Jersey and surrounding areas, and she also has a new recording project, Evil6, which she started with her fiance, Vinnie DeMasi, who is a full-time musician. The couple performs together occasionally, most recently in a classic rock tribute show at (le) posson rouge in New York City last fall.
“Evil6 offers an outlet for both of us to record the music we don’t get to do anywhere else,” Quartuccio explains. “I get to write and record my own songs, from the music to the lyrics. I also wrote for Six to Eight, which was a lot different than what I’m doing now, and for Evil Annie, which leans more into the rockabilly genre.”
So, how did Quartuccio make her way from the page to the stage? From the very beginning, she’s been doing both, and in fact, her musical inclinations started a little earlier. “I’ve been singing since I was a child, and in the early ‘90s, I started dabbling with learning how to play guitar. Around the same time, I was discovering journalism through my high school newspaper.”
And that’s been the course over the past 30-plus years. Quartuccio continued to explore a writing career through college, going on to work for her local community newspaper in 1998. But unlike many writers who thrive behind the scenes, she always felt the allure of standing in the spotlight, but maybe that’s genetic: her father was her biggest influence. “He was always really into music and played several instruments.”
When it comes to the musicians who’ve influenced Quartuccio, the answer is as varied as her skill set. “I’m a HUGE fan of Madonna – she’s a maverick with a commanding stage presence and the ability to continuously evolve which I’ve always found inspiring,” Quartuccio shares. Yet, the other artists that have heavily influenced her are much more rock n’ roll. “I grew up on Guns N’ Roses, Rancid, Nirvana…I listened to a lot of techno in high school. I’ve always listened to a little of everything and enjoyed a broad upbringing musically, but the group that probably had the biggest effect on how I express myself on the stage was Babes in Toyland, an underground grunge/punk rock group that has a really aggressive style of singing.”
Although the music she currently performs is a bit more serene, Quartuccio screamed her way on-stage for years with her main punk band, which she affectionately shortens the name to just Six to Eight. “We’ve been together for about 20 years, but we’re on a break right now,” she explains; however, her biggest “rockstar” moment took place on stage with that group, and ironically enough, that moment actually started with a collision.
“I’d had a really rough week, starting with getting into an accident when someone rammed into my car, so I was feeling extra feisty when I stepped onto the stage that Saturday night,” Quartuccio recalls. After sharing a synopsis of that catastrophe with the audience, she led fans in a rousing chant as the room full of people directed the title of one of the band’s newer songs, “Everybody Hates You,” toward the person who had wrecked her car. Quartuccio launched into the song, venting her frustration by ragingly vocalizing the lyrics.
As she sang the bridge leading up to an intense breakdown where she would scream the chorus, her bandmate reached over and ripped her tights…and that’s when audience participation took an unexpected turn. Hands reached onstage and ripped Quartuccio’s tights so hard that she lost her balance! “I fell over, dropped my guitar and knocked the mic over,” she laughs. “It was an absolute mess; there was beer everywhere, and I only had a few seconds before I needed to be back on the mic. It seemed impossible to pull it off, but somehow, I got my guitar plugged back in.”
Quartuccio certainly played the part – her voice never faltered. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” she screamed as she clawed her way to her feet: And the crowd erupted in cheers. “It was such a rockstar moment,” she recalls.
Well, when and where can readers hear Quartuccio play? Pretty soon actually! Blame It On the Girl will be playing at Booyah! in Mahwah on March 28. “For a long time, I was so focused on performing my own music that I avoided singing covers, but I started to really enjoy performing, and although I’ll always have a foot in rock, singing covers let me explore different genres,” Quartuccio expresses her enjoyment at being on the stage. “Singing professionally is different and provides a different outlet. And it’s just so much fun to sing and entertain the audience!”
Quartuccio’s other creative outlet, of course, is through writing, and her career at Thomas Greco Publishing actually began through her musical connections. “Everyone remembers former TGP Editorial Director Joel Gausten. Well, he’s also a musician who I’d known for years, and through that connection, I learned that his job was looking for another writer. Fortunately, Tom [Greco, president of TGP] loves music, so he had no qualms about hiring another musician.”
And working for someone who appreciates music has additional benefits as well. “For the eight years I’ve worked here, I’ve always written under the watchful gaze of George Harrison, who happens to be my favorite Beatle.”
So, what are some other ways that life as a musician and as a writer intersect?
“Whether I’m drafting an article or writing a song, there’s an element of storytelling,” Quartuccio explains, though she acknowledges that there are certainly some differences. “When I tell stories in my day job, it’s about creating a connection to the people I’m writing about, observing who they are and capturing their essence for readers. Music is more personal. Whether I’m expressing angst, joy or some other emotion, it’s about painting a picture of myself in that moment. I hope that listeners will feel something when they hear it, but it’s more about my own observations and less about others.”
Since songwriting is so personal, it’s no surprise that Quartuccio feels more creatively exposed on the stage. “I’m definitely showing myself more on the stage than on the page. Like I said, the articles I write are intended to inform, so someone else is in the spotlight. But as soon as I step behind the mic, all eyes are on me, and it feels a little conceited to admit it sometimes, but I do love that. The more people there are in the audience, the better I perform.”
These two outlets also provide balance. “After a long day of connecting, understanding and ensuring what I write is specific and accurate, it’s nice to let loose and have fun. Educating readers is so important, but performing allows me to watch the audience’s reaction and know they’re having fun. When I’m singing and the audience starts dancing, that immediate feedback is amazing.”
Still, Quartuccio stresses, “Both ways of expressing myself are very important to me. Whether I’m putting pen to paper or bellowing into a microphone, it’s a huge part of who I am as a person. I’m extremely passionate about this industry, and I’m also passionate about music. Both avenues allow me to make some amazing connections with people, and they’ve each provided new experiences that have helped me grow as a person. Writing and music are both part of who I am, and I feel fortunate that I get to make a living doing two things that I’ve loved since I was young.”
