 First of all let me ask you to give a brief band history in case anyone is not too familiar with the band.
ME AND MARCO (BASS PLAYER), JUST STARTED THE BAND FOR FUN, WE USED TO SKATE TOGHETER AND IN THE FREE TIME WE LIKED TO RENT A PRACTICE ROOM AND MAKE SOME NOISE WITH OTHER FRIENDS. IN FEW YEARS EVERYTHING BECAME MORE SERIOUS AND MUSIC OUR MAIN PASSION, WE HAVE CHANGED SEVERAL BAND MEMBERS AND CHOSE THE NEW ONES IN THE CIRCLE OF OUR FRINDS. IN 1996 WE HAVE RELEASED OUR FIRST PROMO TAPE AND IN 1997 WE'VE SIGNED THE DEAL WITH CENTURY MEDIA. OUR CURRENT ALBUM "COMALIES" IT'S OUR THIRD FULL LENGTH ALBUM.
If I remember correctly you all just finished a tour through the States with Opeth. How did the shows go and what was it like touring with Opeth? I saw a show from that tour and I must say that the energy at the show was crazy. Was it like that at most of the shows or just certain ones? Was there one show from that tour that stands out as the best? Any bad experiences while you were on this tour?
ACTUALLY AFTER THAT TOUR WE CAME BACK TO AMERICA TWO MORE TIMES, ONE FOR A TEN WEEK TOUR WITH TYPE O NEGATIVE AND ANTHRAX ANE ONE FOR A FIVE WEEKS HEADLINE TOUR SPONSORED BY RADIO STATIONS. ANYWAY, THE OPETH TOUR WAS SIMPLY AMAZING THE GUYS ARE GREAT MUSICIANS AND PEOPLE TOO! WE HAD GREAT TIME TOGETHER AND MOST OF THE SHOWS WERE AWESOME FOR US, IF I REALLY HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE I WOULD SAY ATLANTA. EVERY SHOW WE PLAY WE ALWAYS TRY TO GIVE 100% OF US SOMETIMES IT HAPPEN THAT THE PEOPLE REACT SO WELL THAT WE REACH 110%!
You guys are starting to get some airplay over here in the States, mainly on MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball". How does it feel to know that people are being introduced to your music everyday? What are your thoughts about having the video on the air over here?
WHAT CAN I SAY... IT'S JUST UNBELIEVEBLE! IT'S HAPPENING ALSO IN EUROPE AND IT REALLY HELPS OUR POPULARITY A LOT, SO FAR I'VE SEEN ONLY POSITIVE ASPECT FROM IT, LET'S SEE WHAT'S GOING ON...
Do you all have any plans to do a headlining tour in the States anytime in the near future? What is your touring schedule for the rest of the year look like?
AT THE MOMENT WE'RE WORKING ON THE NEXT ALBUM AND PLAYING SOME SHOWS IN EUROPE BUT THERE ARE MANY CHANCES THAT WE'LL BE BACK IN THE U.S. BY THE NEXT SUMMER MAYBE FOR A SUPPORT TOUR.
Let's talk about the new album for a minute. After listening to "Comalies" I was just completely blown away by the album to be honest. It just feels like there is so much emotion coursing throughout the album. Is that something that you as a songwriter try and do when writing a song or does that just happen naturally? Once again you guys went with Waldemar Sorychta to produce the album? What makes you all keep going back to him as opposed to trying someone else out?
CERTAINLY OUR MUSIC IS BASED ON PERSONAL SENSATIONS AND EMOTIONS, WE'RE NOT A HYPERTECHNICAL BAND AND WE LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE, SO THE FEELING MUST BE THERE IN EVERY SONG. WALDEMAR IS ALSO A BIG FRIEND OF US. HE KNOWS ALL THE GOOD AND BAD POINTS OF THE BAND AND HELPED US IN SORT OF CO-PRODUCING THE ALBUM. WE HAVE GROWN AS A BAND AND HE HAS GROWN AS A PRODUCER TOO. FOR THE FUTURE WE'LL SEE.
There is a bit of a new sound to the band on this CD. If you go back from the first album you released to the present one, the band's sound has evolved more and more with each album. Is that something that the band tried to do it was it just more of a progression?
BOTH THINGS TOGETHER, WE WANTED TO IMPROVE AND MAKE THE SOUND MORE PERSONAL AND WE ALSO PROGRESS AS MUSICIANS AND SONGWRITERS. HOPEFULLY IT WILL HAPPEN THE SAME WITH THE NEXT ALBUM!
Now when it comes to songwriting, where do you draw your lyrical inspiration from? And are you the type of songwriter that will write down material constantly or do you wait for it to come to you?
WE TAKE INSPIRATION FROM EVERYTHING THAT HAPPEN EVERYDAY IN LIFE, THERE IS SO MUCH SHIT GOING ON EVERYWERE AROUND US. SOMETIMES IT'S MORE PERSONAL AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST FOUND IT IN A MOVIE OR IN THE WORDS THAT YOU TRY TO SING ON THE MUSIC. WE COLLECT IDEAS BUT WE DON'T WRITE CONSTANTLY.
I must admit that one of my favorite tracks that you have recorded is "Senzafine" partly because it is in Italian, but just because I find it to be a very beautiful song. Are there any plans to record an album all in Italian or at least do anymore songs in Italian that could be featured on a new album?
SENZAFINE IT'S ONE OF OUR "CLASSIC" TRACKS, ALL THE FANS LOVE IT AND WE PLAY IT LIVE ALMOST EVERY TIME. THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR AN ENTIRE ALBUM IN ITALIAN BUT WE'LL TRY TO WRITE ANOTHER SONG IN OUR MOTHER TONGUE ON THE NEXT ALBUM. I DON'T PROMISE ANYTHING BUT WE'LL TRY OUR BEST. | | "WE'RE NOT A HYPERTECHNICAL BAND AND WE LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE, SO THE FEELING MUST BE THERE IN EVERY SONG." |
Do you all have plans to record a new album anytime soon or will you focus on touring or take some time off?
THE NEXT ALBUM SHOULD BE READY MORE OR LESS FOR THE NEXT SUMMER, IF EVERYTHING WORKS WILL BE PROBABLY RELEASED IN THE AUTUMN 2004. IN THE MEAN TIME THERE WILL BE SOME MORE TOURING...
Once the touring is over, does the band still pretty much hang out together while taking a break or do you go your separate ways to give each other space? How long has everyone in the band known each other?
NORMALLY WE TAKE SOME PRIVATE TIME (1/2 WEEKS), JUST AS A DECOMPRESSION PERIOD, BUT THEN WE NORMALLY HANG OUT TOGHETER (2/3 TIMES A WEEK). I KNOW MARCO MORE OR LESS SINCE 14 YEARS AND ALL THE OTHER GUYS FROM MORE THAN 6. WE'RE BASICLY GOOD FRIENDS ALSO OUT OF THE BAND AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER.
What was the music scene like in Italy when you all started playing together and how has it changed since then? What are your thoughts towards the future of metal and where do you see yourself and the band in that future?
WHEN WE STARTED EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY MUCH IN THE UNDERGROUND, NOT MANY BANDS AND A SMALL SCENE. RIGHT NOW I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT'S GROWING A LOT AND THERE ARE MANY CLUBS AND FESTIVALS. I THINK THAT US AND FEW OTHER BANDS HAVE OPENED MANY DOORS FOR ITALIAN ROCK CREDIBILITY AT LEAST IN THE EUROPEAN MARKET. TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE IT'S ALWAYS VERY HARD EXPECIALLY SINCE WE REALLY TAKE EVERYTHING STEP BY STEP TO SAY WHAT'S GOING ON. WE'LL TRY OUR BEST TO HAVE A GREAT NEW ALBUM AND THEN PROMOTE IT BY TOURING, TOURING AND TOURING...
What made the band decide, alright it's time for us to take the next step and record an album?
SOMETIMES IT'S A BIT STRESSFUL, BECAUSE AT A CERTAIN LEVEL THIS IS ALSO A BUSINESS AND EVERYTHING NOW HAS TO BE DONE IN A SPECIFIC TIME, THE THINGS TO DO ARE MULTIPLIED AND YOU FELL LIKE PEOPLE EXPECT ALWAYS A LOT FROM YOU.
Who, if any, would you say are influences for the band? Do you have any influences as far as other singers are concerned?
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER, THERE ARE SO MANY MUSICAL INFLUENCIES IN THIS BAND THAT THE LIST WOULD BE NEVERENDING...
If the opportunity was presented to the band to be able to collaborate with anyone they chose, who would you guys pick? And if you and Andrea Ferro could collaborate with another singer, who would that be?
I DON'T KNOW, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT A COLLABORATION WORKS AND MAKE SENSE WHEN IT HAPPEN AS AN UNEXPECTED THING, SOMETHING UNPLANNED WITH A PERSON THAT YOU MEET AND STIMULATES YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU FEEL TO SHARE
SOMETHING TOGHETER.
How do you think things have changed for the band from when you first started out as to the way they are now? Did you all expect to have as much success as you have had?
NOT REALLY, WE ALWAYS HAD HOPE FOR THE BAND AND TRUSTED IN WHAT WE DID BUT WE NEVER EXPECTED TO REACH THIS POINT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE STILL TAKING EVERYTHING DAY BY DAY WITHOUT MANY EXPERTATION. WHAT CHANGED THE MOST SO FAR IS THE REACTION OF SOME PEOPLE AROUND US.
Any great tour stories that you can pass along? Does the band have a favorite show that stands out in their mind? How about the worst show the band has played?
SO FAR WE'VE DONE SOMETHING LIKE 18 OR 19 TOURS AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY FUNNY AND TRAGIC STORIES BEHIND ALL OF THEM. ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS WAS THE ONE WE'VE PLAYED IN OUR HOMETOWN MILAN IN THE BEGINNING OF 2004 BUT I DON'T REMEMBER ANY REALLY BAD SHOWS RECENTLY.
Alright well thank you for taking the time to do this interview. This is where I let people just talk about whatever they would like and just kind of have a little rant. So say whatever you feel like.
THANX A LOT TO EVERYBODY FOR THE SUPPORT AND KEEP YOURSELF UPDATED ON OUR WEBSITE WWW.LACUNACOIL.IT!
--Chaoslord
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