Episode Transcript
[00:00:18] Speaker A: Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Frankly Slots podcast. In the coming months we're going to give you unique stories surrounding the slot machine, from operations to manufacturing to their history. And speaking of history, today's guests are going to tell us all about a historic development in the world of slots.
From Rockford, Illinois, we have Gino Iafrait, who is president of Hard Rock Casino Rockford. And you might recognize the other man, he's Rick Nielsen, the legendary guitarist and leader of hall of fame band Cheap Trick.
[00:00:52] Speaker B: Hey. Hey.
[00:00:54] Speaker A: Today we're going to talk about a slot machine called five Neck Fortune which is a custom game made only for Rockford to celebrate their first anniversary of the casino in August. It's based on Rick's five neck guitar, also known as the Quint neck guitar. And we're going to ask Rick first to give us a little backstory on the five neck guitar from, from Hamer Guitars. I guess that's the one that we're talking about. You have several of them?
[00:01:21] Speaker B: Yeah, I have three of them.
You know, five neck is stupid enough, but that's why, that's why I had more than one made. If you're gonna have a bad idea, make sure it's extra bad. So there you go. And so it's difficult to play but it's difficult to ignore.
Sort of like, sort of like me.
[00:01:39] Speaker A: Now is it the original Hamer 11981 that the slot machine is based on the slot game?
[00:01:45] Speaker B: Yes, yes it is. And it's actually the original one is in, is in the casino in Rockford.
[00:01:51] Speaker C: One of the first on display right at the center bar.
[00:01:54] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:01:55] Speaker A: Well, tell me a little bit about how the idea came about to make this slot machine and you went to igt, I assume to do it. Either one of you or both of you.
[00:02:06] Speaker B: I'll let Gino, Gino's the brain seer. I'm just eye candy.
[00:02:11] Speaker C: Interesting fact. I've actually held the five neck guitar and I think it's heavier than the slot machine, Frank.
So I, I don't know how he played that thing for so many years. Man, that, that's a heavy guitar. So it's, it's great to hold for a picture. I couldn't imagine holding it for a concert. But anyway, we, you know, the, the history, Cheap tricks history and you know, Rick's generally, and then the fact that the band is from Rockford, founded in Rockford, you know, Rick still lives in Rockford and such a, such an important, you know, contributor and part of our community. The Hard Rock Casino here in Rockford. The second you get off of Interstate 90, you're looking at Rick's, you know, iconic checkerboard guitar. Typically, not always, but typically hard rock will have. Will have a Les Paul out there on their sign. But we knew from day one in Rockford that we couldn't just be a normal hard rock. We had to really embrace the history of Cheap Trick and Rick specifically. So our guitar is Rick's iconic checkerboard guitar. We pay tribute to the band throughout the casino along with, you know, traditional hard rock memorabilia, which really focuses on local artists, regional artists. So there's a lot of Wisconsin history, a lot of Chicago and Illinois history, but we certainly made sure that Cheap Trick was front and center throughout the casino. And then more specifically Rick. I mean, our Hard Rock live concert venue is a mini Rick Nielsen museum. In that venue is Rick's. And then our three giant cases right in the center of the casino, right at the end of Yellow Brick Road are some of Rick's favorite guitars and pieces from his collection. And then our giant chandelier that's like 90. I think it's 90 plus feet long from base to the top of the neck is also a replica, LED replica of Rick's checkerboard guitar. So, long story, Frank, but we were missing a slot machine. So, you know, we're we. After all, we are a gambling joint. So we, we did have to make sure that we were able to get Rick into the. Into the gambling scene somehow. And just seemed like a great idea to create the. The five neck fortune slot machine off the old S2K platform. You know, it's all.
[00:04:26] Speaker B: Well, thank you.
[00:04:27] Speaker C: S2K is people have been re theming S2Ks for decades. And it just was. It was the path that was most logical for us. And Rick was on board from. I don't even think he really understood what we were trying to do, but he's like, yeah, sounds like a great idea. Go for it. And we showed them to him and he. And he was all in. He was the first customer to play.
[00:04:47] Speaker B: Yeah. And it's a wonderful machine. Thank you, Gino. And I think I'll go back to sleep now.
[00:04:54] Speaker C: Where are you anyway?
[00:04:55] Speaker B: I'm in Raleigh. Durham.
[00:04:57] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:04:57] Speaker B: All right.
[00:04:59] Speaker C: He was just here. And you never know where he's going to be. Last week he was in London, then he was here for a couple days and now he's gone again.
[00:05:06] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm here playing with Rod Stewart tonight.
[00:05:08] Speaker A: Well, listen, did you get input into. Into what was going into the slot machine. During the development process, did you work with igt, with their engineers and game development people?
[00:05:18] Speaker B: Well, I think I was. How I was involved was they wanted a pretty picture and I'm it. And so that's, that's either an oxymoron or sort of the truth. So yeah, some of the artwork on there is definitely through. Through mine. Filtered through genome.
[00:05:33] Speaker C: Yeah, all the artwork. I mean Frank, it's not a brand new platform from the ground up.
It's a re skinned, previously approved S2K game math that we replaced the real strips, belly glass, top glass. So Rick and his team very involved in the cymbal art and the top glass and belly glass art. Those are all with Rick's team.
[00:05:56] Speaker A: Can you tell me how the five neck guitar, the quint neck guitar fits into the game as far as bonus features and things like that?
[00:06:06] Speaker C: Well, it's the jackpot award is the five neck guitar symbols or the five neck fortune symbols. What gets you into, gets you to the, the grand jackpot on the game.
[00:06:15] Speaker A: So you don't have the guitar spinning around to a prize or anything like that?
[00:06:20] Speaker C: No. The S2K platform just didn't have all those digital features. So it's, you know, it's a more traditional real game that's been, that's been redesigned to, to create the five neck fortune game. And frankly there's still a lot of customers that love the S2K platform. It's been tried and true, been around forever. But we had a particular bank of S2Ks that was performing well below house average. You know, rather than getting rid of those games, it seemed like a great path to pay tribute to Rick and try to revitalize that bank of games. Without telling you exactly what win per unit per day is, I could tell you it's no longer below house average. So I think people are playing the games because they love Rick and they love Cheap Trick and you know, they just, they feel, they feel great, you know, playing Rick's game.
[00:07:10] Speaker A: Did you put Cheap Trick songs in the soundtrack? Do we hear Surrender, I want you to want me, the flame? Do we hear any of those songs while the reels are spinning?
[00:07:19] Speaker C: Well, that's a great idea for phase two. Frank actually didn't think about that. But we should look at that. Rick, I think didn't you. You wrote like almost all the songs, so yeah. Should be easy to get the rights.
[00:07:31] Speaker B: Yeah, I think I know the guy.
I know the guy.
[00:07:36] Speaker A: And you know, also the, the spinning guitar put that into the next phase.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: That's where the idea came from.
[00:07:42] Speaker A: Huh. Because you originally, I've read that you originally wanted the 5 neck guitar to be spinnable.
[00:07:49] Speaker B: Yeah, I wanted to be a six neck guitar and then.
And Billy Gibbons had a similar idea and I didn't want to look like I was copying him. So if you're. But if you're going to be ridiculous, be real ridiculous. So a 5 neck is good enough.
[00:08:03] Speaker A: It would have been him copying you though, wouldn't it?
[00:08:05] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. And then, well, we need a bass player that plays a mandolin. Wait a minute, that's you.
[00:08:12] Speaker C: Hey Rick, maybe there's me. The guitar stays stationary and you spin.
[00:08:18] Speaker B: I do that occasionally anyhow.
[00:08:20] Speaker A: Okay, so. So we're not done yet there.
Are you in discussions with IGT to get a more advanced version on the floor?
[00:08:28] Speaker C: No, we. It's such a long path to go from a concept to you know, full production of a slot machine. It's really not something that we've explored at this time. The easiest path was to reskin a previously approved game math. It's a good idea for an electronic version.
[00:08:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:48] Speaker C: Modern game. That's a great idea.
[00:08:50] Speaker A: This is a stepper reel spinner.
[00:08:52] Speaker C: It is. That's correct.
[00:08:54] Speaker A: Okay, well Hard Rock in Rockford is the only place you're gonna find this machine.
[00:09:00] Speaker C: Yeah, that's it right now.
[00:09:02] Speaker A: Have you talked with IGT about maybe spreading it to the, to the industry at large?
[00:09:07] Speaker C: Well, they don't, they don't produce. You know, the S2K platform is no longer in production. So if, if there was to be, you know, a five neck fortune game that was distributable by igt, it be a new platform, new cabinet, new game math and have not had any of those conversations.
[00:09:26] Speaker A: So phase two will go out to the industry along with Willie Nelson and, and Michael Jackson and everybody else that's on a slot machine.
[00:09:33] Speaker C: Now that's a great idea. We, it doesn't necessarily have to be IGT either. Whoever's listening to this should, should call Rick and talk about. Yeah, a slot machine.
[00:09:42] Speaker B: I'm ready. I'm ready.
[00:09:44] Speaker A: Well, this is going out to the entire industry and all the suppliers. So when they see this there'll be fantastic or I'm sure to do a. Either a cheap trick slot machine or a five neck guitar slot machine. Or both.
[00:09:57] Speaker B: Hello.
[00:09:57] Speaker A: In a video.
[00:09:58] Speaker B: Hello.
[00:09:58] Speaker C: That's a great idea.
[00:09:59] Speaker B: I like your ideas.
[00:10:00] Speaker A: Well listen, thank you both for joining me today on our first slot podcast. First of many but thanks for taking the time. Rick.
[00:10:09] Speaker B: Well, congratulations. Congratulations to you. You're a bass player, a manual limb player, and superhero.
[00:10:16] Speaker A: Yes. And again, my band is called Delta Cosmonauts.
[00:10:20] Speaker C: There you go. Gotta plug it.
[00:10:23] Speaker A: We'll be playing at the Hard Rock Rockford soon.
[00:10:26] Speaker C: Bring them up.
We got. We got room for you. Always room for you. No, seriously, same thing that Rick said is. Congratulations, Frank, I had no idea this was the inaugural podcast. And yes, yes, you know, you got a Rock and Roll hall of Famer, which is not me.
Right. Right on the middle of this screen.
[00:10:44] Speaker B: Good.
[00:10:44] Speaker C: Good luck with your future podcasts. I mean, how are you gonna top out? You're gonna have to get some Academy Award winners and.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: Yeah, it's. It's gonna be tough to top it, to tell you the truth.
[00:10:54] Speaker C: Yeah, maybe get. Maybe see if the Pope's available. I mean.
[00:10:58] Speaker B: Yeah, it's from Chicago.
[00:11:01] Speaker A: Another Chicago in there. Okay, thanks again.
[00:11:04] Speaker C: Hey, have a great day. Thanks, Rick.
[00:11:06] Speaker B: Good to see you, Dino. Good to see you soon, sir.
[00:11:09] Speaker C: See you soon.
[00:11:09] Speaker B: Bye. Bye.
[00:11:10] Speaker C: Bye.
[00:11:11] Speaker A: And thank you for watching the Frankly Slots podcast. I'm Frank Legado, editor in chief of Global Gaming Business.
