Saturday, September 1, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
10: Medium Under Groove - MUG (Roma)
They are called Medium Under Groove or MUG
for short – they prefer that you pronounce it more like “moog” (which
would be the Italian way of pronouncing it) than “mug”. They are four musicians from Rome,
but more than that they are four good friends: Ilenia Volpe, Fab Mele, Gabriele
Cofannelli and Gabriele Trodella.
So what’s with the pronunciation? Is this
an attempt to stamp an Italian identity on the group I ask: “No, it’s so nobody
thinks that we’re big cups of milk” says Fab, laughing “it’s certainly not for
patriotic reasons, we don’t want to be identified as Italians – at least not
musically – we don’t feel very Italian. We like the name Medium Under Groove –
but others will always call us “Mug” “Moog” “Mag” “Meg” “M. U. G.” etc. etc.”
So what kind of music do MUG play? If I was
to put a label on it, it would probably have to be something like “experimental-electronic-post
rock” – but what do I know – and besides, I hate labelling stuff – it doesn’t help
me to decide whether I like the music or not! “We don’t really like to be
classified” says Fab “but this often happens because people almost always want
to listen to a specific genre forgetting that music is created to inspire
emotions within us which have no need for labels. We do not think of ourselves
as post rock nor electronic even if there is undoubtedly something in our music
which resembles those classifications. We choose not to classify out music
leaving it to others if they need to do so."
So not feeling particularly Italian musically,
what market is there for MUG in Italy? Fab laughs and then says “There probably
isn’t a market for us in Italy but we hope to reach out to a certain type of
audience, a niche, and through them let our music spread to as many others as
possible.” So outside of Italy? “We recognise that the music we play is
undoubtedly appreciated more outside of Italy” continues Fab “And fortunately,
as a result of social networking, we are trying to make our music known as much
as possible – also with your help!” He smiles again.
There have been a number of line-up changes
in the history of MUG so I ask Fab (he is the only original member) how the
band has developed with these changes and how their sound has changed. “The
music of MUG has changed several times in five years” he explains “we went from
being a power trio to a band with a viola and synth to what we are today. Each
change in formation had a significant influence on the genre, the sound and how
we write our songs. Today, I would say that each of us brings our own
character, talent and sensibility – a mix of emotions – which creates a balance
that is perceived when we play together. In that precise moment, I feel magic
inside me.”
Gabriele Trodella plays the guitar with the
group and in many tracks uses a violin bow. I have always found this technique
fascinating so I ask him to explain it a little. “It was always a dream of mine
to play the guitar using a bow” he says “and with MUG I have been able to
achieve that dream. It’s something really special, a surreal sound, flowing and
intense which goes very well with our sound. It’s a matter of ‘vibrations’:
when the bow makes the guitar strings vibrate I feel instantly that something
magical happens. And for this I can only thank MUG!”
Ilenia Volpe is the group’s other guitarist
and its newest member. I ask her what joining MUG has meant to her and her style:
“With MUG I have discovered a completely new ‘compositional approach’” she says
“It’s exciting: a new horizon.”
I’m also interested in when and how the
electronic sounds that the group uses are added. Gabriele Cofanelli is the
drummer with the group but is also responsible for this element. “I’ve been
trying to combine the sound of drums with electronics for many years” he says “I
started about seven years ago with the band I was with at that time using an
Akai sampler and some self-built pads. With MUG, in this last year or so, I
have been able to get close to what I want to achieve. The fact that I am now
going beyond that using a Theremin and cubes is a symptom, however, of the fact
that I’m still looking for new sounds and new sensations. The work of arranging
the electronic rhythms I do alone. I usually do it when the structure of a
track is almost consolidated. I usually find myself at home in my study aiming
to create a completely different key to that which was acoustically conceived.”
The bands first video, Memorie, was
released recently and has received a lot of praise for its originality as well
as much praise for the track itself. One commentator on youtube says “Extraordinary
is the word! Incredible, unforgettable, evocative, beautiful are others. This is a wonderful piece of work.”
And another “It's a beautiful piece of music, moody and
enchanting, and the
clip is very stylish too. Really well done.” I ask Fab
what the experience of working on the video was like and how it feels to see
comments such as these: “Emotional. To see that what you are doing is appreciated
is pure emotion. It is little satisfactions that do your heart good… Making the
video was exhausting, fun and fantastic. It was a day to be together, let our imaginations
run wild, because as soon as you’ve finished the shoot you already want to
be watching it over and over. It was definitely a new experience for me, absolutely
new. I was really tired and by the end I was exhausted, but I really enjoyed
it.”
I ask Luna Gualano, the video director,
what the experience was like for her and how the idea for the video came about:
“The idea for the MUG video evolved gradually” she says “with the creative
input of the group themselves and the actors and, above all, the collaboration
with Ilaria Vescovo – a young and talented artist. It was a very exciting
experience for me to give life to the images and ideas created in such a
collaborative way. I’m really pleased that the video is being appreciated because
I believe it is one of the videos I have directed that best represents my
style. Working on a video with an instrumental group also gave me the opportunity
to explore a type of language which is unconventional for Italian videos and
for this opportunity I’m very grateful to the group who left me very much to my
own interpretive freedom. But my greatest joy was, to be truthful, seeing their
first reaction to the video: I was pleased to have been able to move them with
my images as much as their music moves me.”
The band’s debut album “Lost Transmission”
is released on the 7th May with a release party scheduled for the 15th
May at Le Mura, Roma. I ask Emiliano Ra-B, the album producer, about working on
the album: “Working with MUG was fantastic” he says “I liked them from the first
time I heard them and I wanted to help them release an album. The work in the
studio was really challenging: all the stringed instruments were recorded in
stereo to make the most of the spatial effects the band uses. At the beginning
it was a little difficult to conceptualise everything (how to record each part,
what approach to use in the mix etc.) but once in the studio everything went
smoothly and the band were amazing, as if they were the most expert band ever
(he smiles). I am very satisfied with the result and to have produced this
album.”
The last word goes to Gabriele Cofanelli “The
album is the result of about a year’s hard work and we like it!” he concludes “but
the desire to start experimenting again is huge. Now we are trying to have as
much fun as possible and play as much as possible. However, in the meantime we
are working on new tracks and are searching for sounds we are missing...”
MUG are: Fab Mele, Ilenia Volpe, Gabriele
Cofanelli and Gabriele Trodella.
“Lost Transmission” is released on 7th May
in the meantime; here is the video for Memorie...
Monday, February 27, 2012
09: Massimo Danieli Soulshift (Padova)
I
first met Massimo Danieli at a friend’s wedding in June 2009: he sang 2 or 3 numbers in the church and then
I was lucky enough to have been seated at the same table as him for the
reception. I then, to my surprise, saw him perform an acoustic set with Yumiko
at the Sherwood Festival just one month later... but it was not to be until six
months after that I eventually saw him perform with Soulshift, his band and
even longer before I saw him as a solo artist. I asked him about the
relationship between his solo work, his work with Massimo Danieli Soulshift,
and with Yumiko...
“Massimo
Danieli Soulshift is a necessity and a therapy” he explains “a box of
photographs which has my name on it but includes anyone who plays in it, or is
near to me... the energy is the same for all sets, whether I am alone or with
others, electric or acoustic... for over a year now, I feel more akin to empty
minimal sounds, but often I am alone merely because of logistical reasons or
gig management requirements rather than through choice. By character (and
perhaps alignment of the stars) I have always been eclectic, attracted by
differences and loves of experimentation, and find that mixing elements, often
very different from each other, can give rise to unpredictable and magical
solutions. I believe in shared individuality and in the ability to mix the ego
of several elements to collectively enhance the effect. Here in Veneto, it’s not
for everyone – you need both the brain and the stomach to do it, and lots and
lots of confidence.
“The
musicians who play with Massimo Danieli Soulshift are first of all friends, people
who want to exchange ideas. Currently my only stable musical companion is
Davide Pigazzi, who is not only my bassist both live and in the studio, but
also helps me with arrangements and sorts out all the wrong ideas that go
through my head. Our historic drummer, Andrea Franceschi, left due to work
commitments and since then we’ve not had a fixed component – but we’ve played
with trusted friends who I respect very much: Davide Eulogi (who has played
both at concerts and played drums on “Love song for a vampire”) and Mauro
Violata who has supported us enthusiastically at recent concerts.
“Yumiko,
on the other hand, have been friends since adolescence. I was a drummer with Pippo
(Filippo Testolina, bass) in a funk rock band back in 1995 with David Battisti
(guitarist with Flypaper for Freaks and Milksnake) and also shared other
projects. Lars (Paolo Larese, voice and guitars) and Gianni (Gianni Gottardo,
drums) weaned me into “musical life” through dozens of concerts when I was only
fifteen years old. Three years ago, Yumiko’s long standing guitarist Cristian
Milani went to the States for a time so they asked me to stand in for him for a
few gigs. Even though I’m really only an arm-chair guitarist, I accepted.
Things went well enough, and when although Cristian returned, it was only
briefly and Yumiko were in the midst of writing new songs and there were gigs
to be done, so the guys asked me back and since then I’ve worked with them in
rehearsal, live gigs and writing arrangements. I feel at home with Yumiko, and
even though their sound crosses my own personal mood, it keeps me on my toes
and I can experiment in new worlds with good friends.”
I
know that Massimo rarely plays outside of the North-East of Italy so I ask him
about that and what the barriers are to “escaping” from that environment...
“Our
charming North-East is a cradle of ignorance” he says “productive, saturated
with offers, but where questions are increasingly scarce. It’s increasingly
difficult to break out of this vicious circle – you need to be aware of your
own identity, to be patient, and to adapt to situations which may not always be
pleasant, continuing on your own path. There are many barriers: perhaps the
main one being the lack of personality of people who no longer wish to listen
to unknown artists. Publicity has absolute sovereignty and to do it well you
must know how, and know how to sell, big time. Unfortunately, more and more,
music is a numbers game: how many follows have you got, how many friends have
you got in the right circles... This has changed the reasons why many musicians
play... I believe that to really enjoy music we need to take a step back, get
back in the garage and discover those addicted to playing, with no need for
tacit approval from the public.”
I’ve
witnessed a lot of “envy” between musicians here in Italy and I ask Macy whether
he too things it exist... “Absolutely yes!”
he says, “Envy is part of every human being, but in some it’s
particularly strong. If we look at both sides of the coin, envy can also be a
good reason to be encouraged to improve, but the fact is that too often it creeps
in and eventually destroys. I have the misfortune of not being competitive at
all, I do not play to win, I like to help when I can and I always do it willingly,
but often I find myself surrounded by lies and ‘convenient attitudes’.”
Recently
Macy sent me a recording of a cover of “Love Song For a Vampire” by Annie
Lennox and I found it haunting. I ask him why he chose to do that particular
song: “I love Annie Lenox” he tells me “I heard it first as a teenager. I
played it first in a band in 2002 which subsequently broke up, put it in a drawer,
but know that sooner or later it would see the light of day again. Last summer
we were asked to record a song for a charity compilation and the first song
that came to mind was this one. I’m a melancholic sentimentalist, and I
associate the song with happy events from my past. The compilation should be
out sometime early this year, but there are some problems and it’s currently
blocked. Of course, the song will be on our own album.”
The
album has been in production for over a year with half the tracks ready. Work
has stopped for some personal reasons, and also because Macy wanted to include
some new songs. Now that the songs are ready, the problems are more economical “I
don’t have the money to finish it” he says. It’s also the reason why the album
is self-produced: “There’s no money even to finish the recording,” he explains “let
alone pay for others to work on it.”
Macy
writes and sings in Italian, I ask if he considers that this perhaps reduces
his appeal to audiences outside of Italy: “I consider music to be everyone’s
second language” he says “and although the lyrics of a song are an important
part, I think those who know how to listen from the heart can enjoy it without understanding
a single word. My background is quite diverse, I grew up with rock, but I’ve
discovered other genres and consumed English language music by the truck load
while still enjoying many Italian artists. What I write represents me fully and
I couldn’t express myself other than in my own language. I also love Italian –
it has incredible potential: both communicative and musically. Sigur Ros
invented their own language for melodic purposes, I am more lazy, and although
Italian has many qualities, it’s also interesting to know it’s limits. I’m also
not capable of managing English… as you well know… but you never know, I might
even try some experiments, I could even try and sing in Kazakh!”
So
where is 2012 taking Massimo Danieli? “2012 will be a year of work” he says “2011
was a year of transition, Davide and I are working on our sound and we really
want to get back into playing. We want to finish the album, complete our
line-up and have fun. Personally, I need to get moving again, play outside of
the usual circles and collaborate more with artists less related to me musically.
We won’t stop: crisis or no crisis…
Contacts details and links for the Massimo Danieli Soulshift:
Contact address: macydanieli@gmail.com
Monday, February 20, 2012
08: Luminal (Roma)
Luminal
I had heard of long before I got to see or meet them: it was only in October
2011 that I finally got to see them live at the opening night of Heroes at Le
Mura in San Lorenzo. Even then, I don’t think we spoke until a future event. So
it goes. It happens.
The
band was formed in 2005 and was originally a five-piece group, but has been a
three-piece since 2011 losing its original drummer and bassist. In the original
line-up they toured a great deal around Italy clocking up an impressive number
of gigs each year. “Performing live is what makes a band!” says Carlo (vocals
and guitar) “Albums have lost their meaning – low quality mp3s listened to on
cheap headphones or computer speakers. Hardly anybody either wants or has time
to listen to an album so the quality of recording has also dropped. It’s
depressing and quite different from what we dreamed about when we first started
playing. Live performance is the last frontier to remain intact. It’s always
been the most pure and real way to convey your ideas – face to face with 1000s
of watts – what else could be better?” I couldn’t agree more.
Carlo
tells me that their live gigs in Rome tend to be the most attended, being their
home territory – and often some mad people in the crowd will be singing along.
Outside of Rome they encounter many different reactions from the public: “Until
you know the scene outside of your own city, anything can happen – for better
or worse. One of the most exciting things of going on tour is you never know
how it’s going to go or even if you’ll return home! It’s an absolute blast!
Over the years we’ve played to a minimum of five people – including the club
owner, and a maximum of two thousand at a spectacular festival. A crazy bunch
of twenty people in a small country pub can be worth three-hundred distracted
individuals in a city club. We’ve slept in pubs, country houses, inviting
B&Bs with caring owners, eaten cold pizza for lunch and dinner – we’re
still waiting for someone to organise a banquet of oysters and caviar for our
arrival at a club!”
I
imagine that playing in Germany last year was very different for an Italian
band but so far, Carlo explains, the band haven’t really performed that much outside
of Italy to make the comparison. However, he believes that there is more
interest in live music in other countries with more polite and attentive
audiences. “The average reaction was much stronger in Germany than in Italy” he
says “even though we sing in Italian, which is odd considering that nobody has
a clue what we’re singing.” The experience was one of discovery, an
extraordinary adventure he tells me and recommends that all bands should do it
“It’s not as difficult as it seems” he explains “and there are plenty of
surprises in store, in a positive sense.“
The
band has produced two albums: “Canzoni di Tattica e disciplina” [Songs of
Tactics and Discipline] (2008 Action Directe, produced by Cristiano Santini)
and “Io non Credo” [I don’t Believe] (May 2011, Action Directe, Cristiano
Santini). The second album is focused
around the theme of Italian unity – after six years in Italy, I have come to
realise that, at least in my opinion, Italy does not exist, nor Italians, Carlo
agrees: “Travelling extensively in Italy to promote our first album, we saw
this country from one extreme of the peninsula to the other. There is a
complete lack of national unity, unknown in the rest of Europe and in our
opinion it is this that underlies the profound problems of this country. If
these are not tackled from a common base, there’s no way to communicate and if
you don’t communicate well without common goals, it’s difficult to achieve
success. The failure of successive generations has resulted in an insecure
nation ready to jump on the bandwagon of a winner and destroy, without pity,
any attempt at rebellion. We’re cynics because we are alone. We don’t believe
in disunity, but it is the reality of our country. Nobody has been able to ‘make’
Italians – as D’Azeglio said, but they would exist if we had a little more
courage.”
Earlier
I mentioned Heroes, a common subject of discussion for Happy Mondays: Luminal
helped to create this project. “Heroes has become like our second home,” says
Carlo, “and we want it to be like that for anyone who likes rock in Rome. We
think it’s important because making music is a struggle even for those of
limitless talent. Rock risks going the same way as jazz, becoming something for
the privileged few, or infinite desperate: we are trying to make it viable and
accessible to everyone.” Inevitably, the concept of Heroes had divided opinions
– “Some people don’t believe in or don’t see the advantage of collaboration
with other musicians, and others simply can’t wait to be part of it.” The
evenings themselves have, however, been a success and more and more people come
to the concerts – “each one is better than the last.”
Sanremo
is a music festival in Italy which was, apparently, the inspiration for the
European Song Contest. Having said that, I need say no more about my opinion,
however I ask Carlo about it: “It’s the incarnation of our country” he says “We
are a country of old, ignorant people with bad taste and Sanremo is training
the next generation in the same way. The future is black indeed – perhaps the
internet can save us, in the sense that it’s easier to discover that elsewhere
life is different and that there are other things happening, even in your own
country away from RAI.” [RAI is one of the Italian TV companies]. “I watch it up to the point that I manage not
to vomit” continues Carlo “because it’s an experience of horror – and I expect
millions do in the same spirit, even if unconsciously. It’s one big massacring joke
in which the shortcomings of an entire people are exorcised. The songs are
unimportant, it’s more important to see if the presenters make a mistake with a
name or fall down the stairs. There is the constant anticipation to see if the
illusion of perfection that the festival tries to create will collapse.”
In spite of all this Carlo doesn’t believe that Sanremo itself ruins the music scene – “it’s a minimal disaster in comparison to the tragedy of a nation of zombies. We who have a better culture – including good concerts, albums, and books – unite to feel less alone, but we forget about the rest of the country – our parents, uncles and aunts – watching television, who in the meantime are drowning in an abyss of ignorance.” We also talk about X-Factor – the mind boggling disaster of a programme – which we both agree is even worse: “It creates monsters in a short time thanks to the promotion guaranteed by the TV, but when these kids are no longer a novelty or cannot stand on their own two feet they are abandoned. Sanremo is a romantic popular nationalistic ritual passed down over time but which has lost its original meaning and has become a ridiculous parade. X-Factor, on the other hand, is the personification of evil with respect to talented musicians in Italy. It means that nobody will invest in you and it condemns us all, in theory, to be indie – if it wasn’t for the fact that those with more money than you are “more indie” than you because they can afford press agents. In this way an unbridgeable divide is being created between these worlds: talent, indie rock corresponding to the old world of the big names – only that you need money in your pocket, and the melting pot of so many amazing artists – poor and/or incapable of self promotion. And then, thanks to the internet, there are the mediocre amateurs who are born and die each day clogging up everything and making it almost impossible to emerge. The situation, if you have not already understood, is very cheerful!”
Luminal are: Alessandra Perna (vocal and guitar on albums, vocals and bass live), Carlo Martinelli (vocals and guitar), and Alessandro Commisso (drums).
Contacts details and links for the Luminal:
Facebook www.facebook.com/weareluminal
Myspace www.myspace.com/quellocheresta
Soundcloud
www.soundcloud.com/luminal_band
Website www.luminalband.it
Contact address
bookingluminal@gmail.com
Luminal recommend these videos:
Alessandra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4byn2CIwec0
Perfect!
Carlo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJyvTNa960
If you have never seen it, or even if you've already seen it: Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads. And in return, pass me a link to The Who's tommy, I cannot find it online!
If you have never seen it, or even if you've already seen it: Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads. And in return, pass me a link to The Who's tommy, I cannot find it online!
Endless reasons!
Monday, February 13, 2012
07: iLenia voLpe (Roma)
It all started with a simple question:
“When are you coming to play in Padova” and a simple response: “I wish! What can I do to come and play
there?” That was five years ago... although
it seems longer. I was looking for good Italian music and came across Ilenia’s “Odori
non Chimici” [Odours not Chimicals] and the friendship started there... little
did I know then, that it would become a life changing one.
Ilenia’s musical career started long before
that first contact. Born in Rome on the 7th March 1979, she remembers being
captivated by her dad, Lido, sitting on the couch at home with a 12-string
guitar playing songs by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Giganti and
Modugno, and in the car to do the shopping: the same music on the stereo. There was no need for words, just music and
smiles.
“I remember the first time I picked up a
guitar,” she tells me “I thought ‘I will
never learn to do arpeggios, I suck.’ The truth is, I loved it to death and I
was annoyed as hell that I didn’t know how to play instantly.” Lido recalls
that she started to play when she was 11 years old “she used her right hand to
help her left to find the positions for chords,” he says “I remember that at 13
years old she used to take the guitar into the bathroom with her. I used to do
the same: like father, like daughter!”
At 14, Ilenia used to watch her dad and her
brother, Luca, playing and soon after that she wrote her first song. “I
remember that sometimes I used to
accompany Ilenia to one of the hills of the Olympic Village” recalls Samanta,
Ilenia’s younger sister “she was at High School then and she would always take
her inseparable guitar with her. Needless to say, she would play instead of
study! Ilenia used to play with me a lot when I was a child – a fantastic
memory for me are the pillow fights we had: we would pretend to be Bush and Bin
Laden and hit each other with our pillows!” At school she was quiet and shy: “I
really don't remember so much about Ilenia at school,” says Fabio, her
guitarist “I just remember her being pretty shy – would you believe it – and
quiet – incredible! I think it was a temporary personality that has slowly
given way to the new absolutely explosive one.”
Lido recalls that Ilenia sometimes came to
his gigs: “Ilenia and music are as one” he says “music is her life! She used to
come to my gigs with friends and look at me enviously because SHE wanted to be
on stage instead of me!” Later, Ilenia recalls sitting on the couch with her
dad and their guitars – but this time playing her songs and not those of the
Beatles – looks, smiles and talking… she says, herself, that these are details.
But they are intriguing ones and help us to understand who Ilenia Volpe is.
In 2006 Ilenia won her first award for
“Best Music” at the “Augusto Daolio” music awards for her song “Mondo
indistuttibile” [Indestructible World] which is also one of the tracks on her
album, Radical Chic Un Cazzo [Radica Chic, Fuck no!]. She played in many of the
clubs around Rome and indeed outside of Rome leading up to January 2008 when we
first met. I remember her asking me “What are you doing for New Year” and on
hearing that I had nothing organised telling me not to do anything “Come to
Rome” she said “I’m performing in January at Big Bang.” So I went, and we met.
I remember a fantastic concert and taking lots of photos and getting very
drunk. I also remember getting her to stop the car just a few hundred metres
from home so I could throw up… but, as she says herself, these are details!
Of those early days Ilenia says “I love to remember the beautiful fantastic people I have met along the way. The bad memories I try to transform into moment of relaxation and fun.” However, in 2009 she made a drastic decision to stop performing which would lead to an absence from the stage for over a year “Even today I don’t know how to explain what happened,” she tells me “I just remember feeling scared, very scared. I was scared I would I would no longer even have music. Distancing myself from the stage inevitably distanced me from the underground music scene: I no longer wanted to go and see live bands nor even play the guitar at home. In that period I just hung out with my closest friends and met new ones. Perhaps it was a little like recovering lost time.” During that period she was asked to guest on Moltheni’s album “Ingrediente novus” [New Ingredients], the track in question being “In centro all'orgoglio” [At the centre of Pride] “It was a great experience” she tells me “but did not in any way affect my final decision to return to playing. Now, when I think about it again, perhaps it was not a decision I made but a new state of mind.” She started playing again on the 23rd June 2010 at the Circolo degli Artisti, Roma, opening for Lillies on Mars: “It was an indescribable emotional experience. It took my breath away.”
The musicians who play with Ilenia are:
Roberto Fasciani (bass), Fabio Staffieri (guitar) and Dario Mattia (drums).
“They are three amazing guys, each completely different from the other but with
one common characteristic: sensitivity. I also love the fact that they don’t
usually go to other gigs, except when they are playing themselves in some club
or other: it makes them totally ‘pure’ and spontaneous.” So how did the
collaborations come about?
“Back in 2009 I was working in a music school,”
explains Dario “when one day I was walking aimlessly around the school holding
two drumsticks in my hand when suddenly I heard a voice shouting ‘DRUMMER!’ I
turned around and saw a man pointing at me. I said ‘Yes, I am’ and with a smile
on his face the man told me that his daughter had a band and was looking for a
drummer and then asked me if I would like to play in her band. I thought it was
a wonderful way to start a band, so I said “Ok!” Three years have now passed by
and I’m still playing with her. The greatest thing about playing with Ilenia is
that her personal and musical lives are not split – you can tell the way she is
feeling by the way she sings, and vice versa. Perhaps these are her greatest
assets: simplicity and transparency.”
Fabio started working with Ilenia a couple
of years ago, but as already mentioned, he has known her for a long time as
they went to school together. “I lost contact with her though,” he says, “and then we made contact again 20
years later thanks to a very popular social network! We found out that we were
both musicians and after a short audition which ended with the explosion of my
amp – no joke – we started working together. It’s a really good rock story,
isn’t it?!” He laughs. “Anyway, Ilenia is a really kind boss. We have a lot of
fun together and I’m sure that will continue for a long time to come.”
Roberto is the new boy and has only been
playing with Ilenia for a year and a half. “Fabio is on old friend of mine” he
explains” and he contacted me to ask if I wanted to try out with them. Of
course I agreed because I had already met Ilenia and had seen her play at a
concert a year before – the last one before the famous year of absence. We got
on together immediately – something that’s not always easy to find when you
play with new people – we all felt something good – chemistry, or whatever you
want to call it – it helps a lot given that our energy is then transmitted to
other people leaving them with thoughts, memories and emotions. There’s no
explanation for something like this, it just happens, and then the music comes
freely and pure and this makes a great difference. We’re all very lucky to have
found each other!”
Towards the end of 2010 Ilenia was asked to
provide vocals to several tracks on the new album by Operaja Criminale. “Andrea
contacted me to ask if I would record voice on their new project” she explains,
“he sent me some of the songs to listen to and I accepted the offer
immediately. The resulting collaboration is a great success.” It was during those recordings that she
finally met Giorgio Canali: “I had a great feeling with him immediately,” she
continues “either intentionally or not, he knew how to manage my indiscipline
perfectly, feeding it with a very ‘anarchic’ recording method. It’s not easy to
find someone who doesn’t want to change you.”
A proposal was made for Giorgio to produce
Ilenia’s first album, and in February 2011 the group found themselves in the
studio at Bassano where I was also lucky enough to be present to take photos. “Giorgio’s a legendary figure in the
underground music scene in Italy” says Fabio “I was excited because we were
going to record the album together. Often bands record separately and music is
beginning to lose its humanity. I think we have produced something full of passion,
humanity and sweat: I just call it Rock’n’Roll!” Dario tells me that things
weren’t quite as he expected them to be either, he was used to a different type
of producer: “It wasn’t difficult to get into Giorgio’s mood though,” he says
“we would go into the studio and basically do what we wanted. Ilenia really
couldn’t have found a better producer. And then after recording: Mezzo e mezzo
[a drink typical of a bar in Bassano] and Gin and Tonics!” Roberto agrees that
it was a great experience: “I’d never recorded live,” he says “but now I think
everyone should do it: the music comes out better! Giorgio should be an example
to everyone: he values you and helps to bring
out your best without interfering. At worst, he would say: ‘it came out
badly or ‘you can do better or sometimes ‘questa fa cagaaaare!’ [this sucks!]”
he says laughing.
The resulting album, Ilenia’s first, is
entitled Radical Chic Un Cazzo and comes out on the 24th February 2012 (Disco
Dada). It opens with the fantastic “Gli incubi di un tubetto di crema
arancione” [Nightmares about a tube of orange cream], followed by the first
single and video to be released from the album “La mia professoressa di
italiano” [My Italian teacher] (13th February) and the
aforementioned “Mondo indistruttibile” [Indestructible world].
The fourth track “Indicazioni per il centro
commercial” is famously inspired by a dream about Kurt Cobain: “I’m in my car
on the Rome ring road” she says “looking for a shopping centre. As happens
often, I get lost, so stop to ask directions from some guy at the petrol pumps.
The guy answers in a broad Roman dialect ‘A ‘na certa gira a destra’ – angry at
the uselessness of the reply, I move off. However, looking back in the rear
view mirror I realise that the guy is none other than Kurt Cobain.” The
resulting track is simply stupendous.
“Prendendo un
caffè con Mozart” [Having Coffee with Mozart] comes next, and then Ilenia’s
cover of “Direzioni diverse” [Different Directions] by the Italian group Il
Teatro Degli Orrori – a brave decision to include it knowing that die-hard
Teatro fans will either love it or hate it. In fact the track has already
received some fierce criticism as well as well- deserved praise. The innovation
of Ilenia’s version yet respecting the original is surely what producing a
cover is about – not blind copying.
“La crocifinzione” [a word composed from ‘crucifixion’ and ‘fiction’] is one of my favourites on the album, starting with Ilenia’s melodic voice and gentle guitar but exploding midway through, much like Direzioni diverse. It was written for a collaboration with the author Michele Monina who wrote to Ilenia some time ago to ask her to participate in his multimedia project “Anatomia femminile” [Female anatomy] with each songwriter assigned a particular part of the body. “I was assigned the belly” Ilenia explains “and the song talks about abortion: but it does so in a brutal way, cruel and sometimes sarcastically.”
“La crocifinzione” [a word composed from ‘crucifixion’ and ‘fiction’] is one of my favourites on the album, starting with Ilenia’s melodic voice and gentle guitar but exploding midway through, much like Direzioni diverse. It was written for a collaboration with the author Michele Monina who wrote to Ilenia some time ago to ask her to participate in his multimedia project “Anatomia femminile” [Female anatomy] with each songwriter assigned a particular part of the body. “I was assigned the belly” Ilenia explains “and the song talks about abortion: but it does so in a brutal way, cruel and sometimes sarcastically.”
The other
tracks leading up to the finale are “Le nostre vergogne” [Our shame] – an old
favourite, “Il giorno della neve” [The snowy day] - a wonderful instrumental
which gives me goose pimples every time I hear it and “Fiction” – the second
cover on the album – a powerful tribute to Umberto Palazzo’s Santo Niente. And
then there Is the finale itself: “La Preghiera” [The prayer] which Ilenia wrote
with Steve Dal Col, guitarist with Giorgio Canali and Frigidaire Tango. I
originally has some doubts about the version of this song included on the
album, but on first hearing the complete album it was clear that the right
decision had been made. It is almost as if everything which has gone before has
been leading up to this. “Steve’s version is much rawer and is in-line with the
mood of the album. I love his sound, often characterised by the use of the
e.bow.” I cannot help but agree.
So far, the
album has received mostly good reviews in the Italian music press – except for
one, which describes Ilenia as an Italian “riot post girl” (sic) – the fact
that the author probably doesn’t even appreciate the humour of his bad English
being somewhat ironic. “It’s great fun to read the reviews because for a moment
I can see the album through someone else’s eyes” says Ilenia. “The story of the
riot girl makes me laugh,” she continues “because it’s absurd that in music, as
in many other fields, there is a distinction between men and women. It’s a
little like when you read the newspapers and they write ‘Rumanian man kills
daughter of Italian businessman’ - pure madness. From this we can deduce that a
female singer who screams is a ‘riot girl’ yet a man who screams is a ‘singer
who screams’ – in my opinion, a musician is a musician is a musician.
Fullstop.” I couldn’t agree more with Ilenia on this – sadly “al femminile”
[female] seems to be added to anything and everything when a woman is involved
here in Italy – art ‘al femminile’, photography ‘al femminile’ and rock ‘al
femminile’ being just some of the many culprits.
Working on the video for La mia
professoressa di italiano was a great experience for all involved, it would
seem. Dario, or “clapperboard man” certainly agrees: “Ilenia is able to create
perfect teams and the perfect mood – perhaps she doesn’t know how she does it,
but she does. Making the video was an amazing experience and we had a lot of
fun. Lots of people made themselves and their skills available for the day. As
‘clapperboard man’ for the day, I got to work close to the camera – so now I
have a second skill if nothing else comes from Ilenia’s album” he says
laughing.
Samanta plays a typical nerd that each
class has: “Really not nice – in fact my total opposite” she says “It was great
fun. The best part was that I also got to wear my ballet shoes after all this
time. I experienced a lot of emotions all at once and it was fantastic shooting
a video with my sister: very Rock’n’Roll!”
“The team were extraordinary,” continues Ilenia
“captained by Luca Nestola, the video director, and coordinated by Elena
Muratore, production director. It was a fantastic atmosphere inspired by
friends and friends of friends. It was only the dogs and cats and dishwashers
that were missing to create the perfect family atmosphere.” She laughs. The
video is released on the 13th February.
Of course, Ilenia’s musical activities do
not stop with her own project. She has recently collaborated with Davide
Vettori and Tommaso Mantelli: “An amazing experience! They are both adorable
people with incredible talent. I don’t know when the album will be released but
I hope soon!” Additionally, she is one of the two guitarists with the Rome based
MUG who also have an album to be released in May this year. I asked Ilenia how
she manages to find time for everything: “I reduce my sleep time so I have time
for everything” she laughs “I will always find time for music, friends and
family in my life… but my current job, I hope not!”
I said at the beginning of the article that
meeting Ilenia was a life changing event for me. I believe that whole
heartedly. Without her inspiration I would not have found my passion for
photography. She is without a doubt my muse and my inspiration and I would not
be where I am today without her unwavering support and encouragement. I will
however, leave the final words of this article to Lido:
“Ilenia has learned a lot over the years
from a musical view point – she is now much better on the guitar than her
father and has become more and more determined, confident and…. Rocckeroll!”
(Laughs) “I would just add one final thing: Over the last few years she has
lost a lot of my guitar cables, microphones, and even a case with all my
materials for my evenings… but so far, luckily, not my Fender!!”
Contacts details and links for the Ilenia Volpe:
facebook: www.facebook.com/ileniavolpe
soundcloud:www.soundcloud.com/ileniavolpe
youtube: www.youtube.com/ileniavolpe
myspace: www.myspace.com/ileniavolpe
blog: www.ileniavolpe.blogspot.com
blog: www.ileniavolpeblog.blogspot.com
website: www.ileniavolpe.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/ileniavolpe
blog: www.ileniavolpe.blogspot.com
blog: www.ileniavolpeblog.blogspot.com
website: www.ileniavolpe.com
Ilenia Volpe recommends this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1vxJb6MQ34
"it's the best song I have ever listened to"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1vxJb6MQ34
"it's the best song I have ever listened to"
Monday, February 6, 2012
06: Lemmings (Roma)
My first meeting with the Lemmings was on
MySpace long before I got the opportunity to see them perform live. I “discovered”
them via Ilenia Volpe: at that time she was also playing guitar in an all
female group, The Thelmas, with Annalisa “babysan” Laterza, who was then the
bassist for the Lemmings. I’ve now seen them live three times: once in 2009 and
twice in 2011, and never been disappointed.
The group started in 2007 but the current
formation is fairly recent, just over a year of playing together, with two
changes of bassist and one change of guitarist in their five year history. Famously,
as their song “Non suono indie” [I don’t play indie] declares, they are not an
“indie” band, so I ask Emiliano what they do play: “Certainly not indie!” he
confirms “I think categorising music is always a bit ‘forced’ – it makes life
easier for journalists and critics, perhaps, but most bands are not reflected
fully in these definitions. Currently we play something that fits between
singer/songwriter and garage punk! I don’t think that a real category exists
for us, fortunately – it would probably be something horrid.”
The band have released two albums so far: “Lemmings”
(December 2009) and “Teoria Del Piano Zero” [Ground Zero Theory]( November
2011). The singles from the first album
“Pret à Porter” [Ready to Wear], “Mai” [Never] and
“Non Suono Indie“ were played on many of the Italian network and independent
radio stations. “Mai” went on to win the award for best independent music video
at the Rome Independent Video Awards 2009 and was subsequently played in
rotation on the major music channels in Italy.
" Teoria Del Piano Zero " is, on the other hand, a
concept album that revolves around the
concepts of destruction and
rebirth: “We’ve tried to summarise in music our idea of what needs to be reconsidered
and reconstructed in our current
society” explains Emiliano “In our opinion, society is destined to an inevitable implosion! We need
only prepare ourselves for what is to follow.” The album has been received well
by both critics and public alike, but it is more difficult to listen to and
much darker than “Lemmings” Emiliano tells me. He’s sure that there are those
who will continue to prefer the old Lemmings’ style – “more danceable and fun”
– but he says that’s quite inevitable.
Luna, is the
other vocalist in the group and has directed several of the band’s videos. I
ask her how she got into this role. “I started making videos in 2007,” she says
“One day, after listening to a song by a group of my friends, I felt the need
to express myself through images and create a video. It wasn’t a logical thing
to do: I had never done it before, but since then I’ve never stopped making it
my job. In the future I’d like to direct a feature film – who wouldn’t – because
even though I love making music videos, the crisis in the world music industry
has greatly reduced investment. Music videos have ever decreasing budgets, and
even though this limitation creates an incentive to find innovative solutions,
it’s quite possible that in the future music will find an even cheaper way to
promote itself.”
And is Luna any
different behind the camera than in front of a microphone? “I’m always happy to
work with Luna,” says Emiliano smiling “she’s my favourite video director. She
doesn’t change that much behind the lens, actually, just maybe she smokes a
little more…”
Emiliano has also
been responsible for producing the last two Piotta albums – the latest of which
will be released in April. “We first worked together – even though we didn’t
realise it until later – on a song for Sanremo [an Italian music festival]
“Ladro di te” [Your thief] in 2004 and then again on other occasions. But we
then decided to work together full time on the album “S(u)ono Diverso” [I
am/play different(ly)].”
Emiliano believes
that the music scene in Rome and in Italy in general is pretty strong at the
moment but that it’s not easy for groups to get the visibility they deserve.
“This is due to a number of factors,” he explains “the most important of these
is the bad habit of putting their own interests and those of their friends
before the validity of the music they are offering. It probably wouldn’t be
abnormal if it was just the musicians, but it’s a different story when it’s
also the few independent media channels, journalists, promoters and producers.
It has become a difficult situation to manage.” Although Lemmings are not part
of the Heroes project here in Rome Emiliano believes it to be an interesting
project and says it is one of many such initiatives here.
The second single
from the new album “Hiroshima” has recently been released and the band are
waiting to see how it is received – so far the indications are good. “We have
also begun working with a booking agency in Bologna” says Emiliano “and we
really hope that works out for us. In the longer term I really don’t know what
the future holds, but my hope is that our music reaches as many people as
possible.” I have to confess that I hope that too, and perhaps in my own small
way - writing articles in English about interesting Italian bands and musicians
- I’m helping to achieve just that.
Lemmings are: Emiliano Ra-B (Vocals), Luna
Gualano (Vocals), Giuseppe "Foga" Coglitore (drums), Marco La Fratta
(guitar), Francesco Fioravanti (guitar), and Luca Amendola (bass).
Contacts details and links for the Lemmings:
facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lemmings/118828245561
facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/LemmingsPage
myspace (yes, it still exists): http://www.myspace.com/thelemmings
soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/officiallemmings
website (under construction): www.lemmingsofficial.com
facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/LemmingsPage
myspace (yes, it still exists): http://www.myspace.com/thelemmings
soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/officiallemmings
website (under construction): www.lemmingsofficial.com
The Lemmings recommended these videos:
Francesco: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PECk9A-07Pw
When I was twelve I watched this video hundreds of times on an old video cassette... one of the first groups I loved.
Marco: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJTfMOzuH28
I don't think that there is a video that has moved me more than this. I cried from the first second... to see them all after almost 25 years, with wrinkles and grey hair, playing on stage - even if a little "rusty" and "awkward" - with millions of people singing with them in every corner of the world was a well deserved tribute for a band that changed music history as well as changing my life! And seeing them still today with Richard Wright alive is a continual heart thumper...
Giuseppe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj_qwnM8LNA
... because I still don't believe it...
Luca: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YCGtT_FRYg
... because it's an experience ...
Luna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D-_upwJxp8
... because in life we must be lucid ...
Ra.B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFIbUZaAyLM
... because I would like just one tenth of his genius...
When I was twelve I watched this video hundreds of times on an old video cassette... one of the first groups I loved.
Marco: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJTfMOzuH28
I don't think that there is a video that has moved me more than this. I cried from the first second... to see them all after almost 25 years, with wrinkles and grey hair, playing on stage - even if a little "rusty" and "awkward" - with millions of people singing with them in every corner of the world was a well deserved tribute for a band that changed music history as well as changing my life! And seeing them still today with Richard Wright alive is a continual heart thumper...
Giuseppe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj_qwnM8LNA
... because I still don't believe it...
Luca: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YCGtT_FRYg
... because it's an experience ...
Luna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D-_upwJxp8
... because in life we must be lucid ...
Ra.B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFIbUZaAyLM
... because I would like just one tenth of his genius...
Monday, January 30, 2012
05: romina salvadori (venezia)
Romina Salvadori. Romina Salvadori. Romina Salvadori. This name should mean something to everyone. Romina Salvadori is an artist with an outstanding voice: perhaps the voice of an angel. I remember I first met her at the Sherwood Festival in Padova: she asked me if I knew The Cocteau Twins, not personally, of course. Since then she has become a good friend and willingly agreed to perform at the closure of my “Scream” exhibition in Padova in September 2011.
Romina’s musical career stretches back to the late 1980s. She was first the singer with Antinomia from 1989 until 1996 and then went on to front estAsia from 1996 to 2000 having some notable success with the album “Stasi” (Polydor/ Dischi del Mulo, produced by Roberto Vernetti) which sold over 10,000 copies: a 140 date tour followed: “Without a doubt this period was the most important of my career so far” she says “They were years in which I performed a lot: in many venues and with public attention.” In 2001 she fronted Coma Berenices and then in 2003 formed RAN with whom she performed until their split in 2008.
She has had countless collaborations: “In the course of the years I have collaborated with many colleagues,” she says “Joe dei La Crus, Alessandro Grazian, Giancarlo Onorato and others: it’s always a pleasure to work with good musicians and close friends”. Additionally she has created music for two short films by Tiberio Grego: I Cannot Change, and The Heart of Things. With all these things I ask her why she isn’t performing every week somewhere, “I have realised that my music is not accessible to everyone,” she says “and in particular I don’t follow the fashion of younger generations.”
Currently she has two parallel projects: the first of these focuses on the improvisation of sound and voice, “it is particularly suitable for performances related to visual art,“ she tells me “I am working with Medriema on this project – they’re experts in electronic improvisation.” The second project is centred around her own songs: “I am working on this with Stefano Pivato, who was also part of estAsia: we got together again after many years working on our own projects; then also with Fulvio Renzi, violinist and two young musicians who are passionate about the project: Giulio Farigliosi on synths and Davide Eulogi on drums.”
Fulvio A.T. Renzi and Romina have collaborated on other projects. “Fulvio is a great violinist, unconventional, eclectic and passionate,” she says “It's a pleasure to sing with him even if sometimes it’s not easy because the violin is also a voice and sometimes it’s in unison with mine and sometimes not. Two years ago we recorded ‘The Invisible Teachers‘ in an isolated forest in the Roman hills. It’s like a soundtrack for the book by Igor Sibaldi. We recorded our improvisation at night. It was emotional and exciting.”
Romina performed over a period of two years with the dance company RBR from Verona. The collaboration started after seeing one of their shows. She was impressed by their skills, the set design, and the music chosen for the performance, so she approached the director-choreographer to listen to her songs to see if they could be an inspiration for a future show. “He fell in love with R.O.M.A.” she tells me “and from there the adventure began. I created the background music for the show ‘4’ with Stefano and Massimiliano (also ex-estAsia) and followed the group’s performances, singing in major theatres. They were two very enjoyable years.”
A further interesting collaboration, “Are You Ready?” resulted from contact with the writer Federico Romano: “he contacted me because, together with Dublino Indurance, he was creating, a compilation of songs by female artists as a presentation for his latest novel “Il bambino del mai” (“The Child of Never”). I heard the music and I created the melody and lyrics in a day. There is something just magical about that song. The song was so well liked that we also made a video.”
Surprisingly (to me), Romina has been asked to perform at the Wave Gotik Traffen goth festival in Germany this year: it seems an unlikely place for her to perform as her music could certainly not be described as “goth”. She explains that she sent a link to her website to the organisers a while ago and some time later they responded asking her to be a guest there: “Although the festival has always been famous for dark-goth music it has changed over the last few years,” she says “and now brings together all types of music, so it’s not really a surprise for me. I’m confident that the German audiences will show interest in me and my music.”
By nature, Romina is shy and introverted so I asked her how easy it is for her to perform in public: “Each time is a personal challenge,” she confesses “but if I know that my voice can strike and move even just one person, then it’s right for me to come out of my private world.” If you have not already seen Romina on stage, then you have the opportunity to see her in Germany at the Wave Gotik Traffen festival or later this year in Italy following the release of her solo CD (no current release date), “perhaps also at another event outside Italy in May” she says but declines to say more “to avoid bad luck!” And in five years where does she see herself? Well, I won’t say for the same reason.
Contacts details and links for Romina Salvadori:
Romina’s musical career stretches back to the late 1980s. She was first the singer with Antinomia from 1989 until 1996 and then went on to front estAsia from 1996 to 2000 having some notable success with the album “Stasi” (Polydor/ Dischi del Mulo, produced by Roberto Vernetti) which sold over 10,000 copies: a 140 date tour followed: “Without a doubt this period was the most important of my career so far” she says “They were years in which I performed a lot: in many venues and with public attention.” In 2001 she fronted Coma Berenices and then in 2003 formed RAN with whom she performed until their split in 2008.
She has had countless collaborations: “In the course of the years I have collaborated with many colleagues,” she says “Joe dei La Crus, Alessandro Grazian, Giancarlo Onorato and others: it’s always a pleasure to work with good musicians and close friends”. Additionally she has created music for two short films by Tiberio Grego: I Cannot Change, and The Heart of Things. With all these things I ask her why she isn’t performing every week somewhere, “I have realised that my music is not accessible to everyone,” she says “and in particular I don’t follow the fashion of younger generations.”
Currently she has two parallel projects: the first of these focuses on the improvisation of sound and voice, “it is particularly suitable for performances related to visual art,“ she tells me “I am working with Medriema on this project – they’re experts in electronic improvisation.” The second project is centred around her own songs: “I am working on this with Stefano Pivato, who was also part of estAsia: we got together again after many years working on our own projects; then also with Fulvio Renzi, violinist and two young musicians who are passionate about the project: Giulio Farigliosi on synths and Davide Eulogi on drums.”
Fulvio A.T. Renzi and Romina have collaborated on other projects. “Fulvio is a great violinist, unconventional, eclectic and passionate,” she says “It's a pleasure to sing with him even if sometimes it’s not easy because the violin is also a voice and sometimes it’s in unison with mine and sometimes not. Two years ago we recorded ‘The Invisible Teachers‘ in an isolated forest in the Roman hills. It’s like a soundtrack for the book by Igor Sibaldi. We recorded our improvisation at night. It was emotional and exciting.”
Romina performed over a period of two years with the dance company RBR from Verona. The collaboration started after seeing one of their shows. She was impressed by their skills, the set design, and the music chosen for the performance, so she approached the director-choreographer to listen to her songs to see if they could be an inspiration for a future show. “He fell in love with R.O.M.A.” she tells me “and from there the adventure began. I created the background music for the show ‘4’ with Stefano and Massimiliano (also ex-estAsia) and followed the group’s performances, singing in major theatres. They were two very enjoyable years.”
A further interesting collaboration, “Are You Ready?” resulted from contact with the writer Federico Romano: “he contacted me because, together with Dublino Indurance, he was creating, a compilation of songs by female artists as a presentation for his latest novel “Il bambino del mai” (“The Child of Never”). I heard the music and I created the melody and lyrics in a day. There is something just magical about that song. The song was so well liked that we also made a video.”
Surprisingly (to me), Romina has been asked to perform at the Wave Gotik Traffen goth festival in Germany this year: it seems an unlikely place for her to perform as her music could certainly not be described as “goth”. She explains that she sent a link to her website to the organisers a while ago and some time later they responded asking her to be a guest there: “Although the festival has always been famous for dark-goth music it has changed over the last few years,” she says “and now brings together all types of music, so it’s not really a surprise for me. I’m confident that the German audiences will show interest in me and my music.”
By nature, Romina is shy and introverted so I asked her how easy it is for her to perform in public: “Each time is a personal challenge,” she confesses “but if I know that my voice can strike and move even just one person, then it’s right for me to come out of my private world.” If you have not already seen Romina on stage, then you have the opportunity to see her in Germany at the Wave Gotik Traffen festival or later this year in Italy following the release of her solo CD (no current release date), “perhaps also at another event outside Italy in May” she says but declines to say more “to avoid bad luck!” And in five years where does she see herself? Well, I won’t say for the same reason.
Contacts details and links for Romina Salvadori:
website: http://www.rominasalvadori.com/
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