TRAKS MAGAZINE #6

No.6 - november 2016
omosumo
starting
from us
denis the night
erica romeo
klee project
demeb
welkin
REVIEWS INTERVIEWS NEWS
www.musictraks.com

contents
4
Interview
omosumo
starting
from us
interview
ru fus
birthh
26
28
8
12
Interview
denis the night
& the panic
party: No plans
on the table
Interview
Erica romeo:
overcoming
the drawbacks
VIDEOS
interview
give vent
interview
mirko
filacchioni
interview
Foschia
29
30
32
34
16
interview
klee project
20
22
review
the welkin
reviews
TRAKS MAGAZINE
www.musictraks.com
24
interview
demeb
Editor in Chief:
Fabio Alcini
info@musictraks.com

interview
Omosumo
we wanted
to start
from us
Omosumo publish a new, self-titled album,
released on November 11. After the curious
and remarkable case of Surfin ‘Gaza, this time
the group talks about exodus, gives more space
and weight to the lyrics, puts a mysterious
“Mother Blue” on the cover and goes into
electronic plains of great impact.
“Surfin ‘Gaza” was born from an encounter
between Arabs and Israelis on surfboards.
What is the concept of new album?
The record speaks of an exodus: part of the
population decides to leave this place in the
face of another condition. Abandoning any
type of unit, starting from the concept of
time, the division of space, of each measure
4 5
and sub-measure, the meter, the liter, until
you come to love.
You have chosen to sing every verse in Italian
and it seems that the lyrics have gained
importance in the balance. Why?

interview
We thought this record was to enjoy unity
even in language and we liked to do it with
our own. There is special attention not only
in the writing of the texts, where we tried
more than ever to leave nothing to chance,
but there are also different sizes of text. We
connected all visually. While “Blue Mother”,
the cow on the cover, is our Ark, the other
texts through symbolically size. There are
land texts, texts by half and texts of the sky.
All connected not only from the concept of
exodus to an unknown size, but symbolically
connected the one with the other. You’ll know
by looking at the inside of the disc, which is
also symbolically explained everything. Part
of the symbols that are in close connection
with the texts, were also issued prior to our
Facebook page. The lyrics speak of feelings
and memories that are related to what you
want to leave, emptied of everything to let fill
the new, without pretending to bring along
and beyond their past experience, because
that does not count, or at least , not so much
to have the claim to assert necessarily something.
so ready to know how to listen.
You searched for the isolation in country
houses uninhabited for the work on the album.
Can you explain why?
Many times we return to the countryside as a
place where we can enjoy some introspection
and moments of improvisation placeless and
timeless. The campaign brings us into a new
world and more and does not force us to
schedules or meetings that can divert your
attention on things. The few distractions we
had were a couple of horses or two three sheep,
two dogs, a few chickens. And this withdrawal
size has a great influence on
our concentration. He has affected a
lot.
How is it born “Sui tramonti di
Seth”, the most ambitious song of
the entire album?
Sui tramonti di Seth is a song that
has undergone several evolutions.
We went back again and again and
in several directions, until we have
found the right one that has led us to
synthesize the rhythmic language in
one way and the instrumental in two
key moments both primitive, with
an evocative aspect, shamanic and
full of omens.
I am well aware that you have declared
a need for “deratization” in
today’s musical world... but I have
to ask you: who are Italian independent artists
that you value the most?
When we decided to start writing, we felt the
need to lock ourselves in us to go beyond
what we knew to do. It looks and it is an ambitious
project. We wanted to stay away from
the conditioning of listenings and we did not
want that the usual European singer in vogue
telling us what it was the last sound trend to
use to get you to say from Italian people that
it was is cool because it sounded “European”.
We wanted to start from us, from what we do
and what we would have written beyond what
is routine. We closed to confess what we wanted
to write, and with the tools we had. Many
sounds are the result of research and a craft
reasoning. Some are born well by mistake.
For the rest, we are not very happy with the
Italian scene, and we do not believe we can
talk about a real independent scene.
6

interview
denis the
night & the
panic party
No plans
on the table
Denis The Night & The Panic Party can
always reserve some good surprise. Many of
them contained in a work like Cosmic Youth,
first LP, which comes after very prestigious
experiences on international stages such as
Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, ​Indie
Music Week in Manchester, Liverpool Sound
City. We did an interviewed with them.
Behind you there are eps, international
experiences of great prestige, but now here
it comes lp...
We had this record ready for a while, to be
honest, but we preferred to launch side pills
and outputs, remixes, featuring, resulting
from our artistic encounters and make lo_fi
versions, if anything, even of the same tracks,
waiting for someone to start to wait a bit for
this work. The concerts and international
outputs are growing, someone wants a lp of
Denis in the house really?! There it is! Meanwhile,
we are already ‘beginning to work
on the new album. What will be will decide
as things happen. No plans on the table, as
always!
8 9
Taking into account that you were never
still in recent times, what kind of birth and
growth have had the songs on this album?
In fact, the songs on this first album are the
result of a long work process, rather uneven
and definitely creative. In the sense that none
of us thought at first to conceive an album.
When there was going to write a song, we
wrote. And we wrote using the tools at that
time, that given day, we had available. Then it
happened - at times - to create wacky drafts
between synthesizers, strictly lo-fi filters and
pedals (we were almost always surrounded
by cables, wires, electrical sockets hanging
out in the room) to give birth to a melodic or
rhythmic cell to be developed; other times,
however, everything started from a bass or
guitar as of Lorraine and Bodyguard. In every
season we can say, a couple of songs, and
perhaps in the tracks that you perceive.
Why did you choose “Androgynous Love”
as the first track and as a single?
It is the song that resembles more to us. It
does not take itself too seriously, however,
has all the credentials to be taken very seriously.
Rhythmically and melodically it is quite
eye-catching, seems to pop but it’s not, it looks
funky but not quite, a bit 90s, but only in
part. Let’s say that it is probably the song most
of the beach disco party, and listened to the
evening by the sea with beer and cocktail in
hand makes her curvaceous figure.
How is it born “Lorraine”?
Two versions were designed. On the record
there is of course the official version, the first
born. On the web and in our previous ep you
can hear a soft version, electronics, intimate
and minimal. Lorraine from Cosmic Youth
came to light an autumn morning two years
ago, from a bass to which we sticked a guitar
riff and an improvisation vocoder. “Wow”

was our exclamation! Then we played immediately
an electronic drum track and an acoustic
drum track and then, incomplete, without
voice melody, we left it in the drawer for more
than a month without knowing how to complete
it. We wrote other things in the meantime,
no longer thinking of those overlapping
riffs until months ago. One morning, however,
listening again after so long, it seemed
clear that the vocoder improvised in faux English
sang something. ‘Lorraine’ was the word
that always seemed to repeat at some point
of the tour. The rest, came spinning: melody,
lyrics, and final floor of tune recorded at
home ... looking back, we did not put the pink
bow after birth :)!
After great and important festivals in Barcelona,
​Manchester, Liverpool, you have
also performed at the Paris Festival MaMa:
how is it gone and how it was your exhibition?
We did not have any
expectations, but we worked
so hard on the show
and we gave everything in
that live. It went very well:
we were greeted warmly by
the organization of Mama,
from the local art director
in which we played (Bus
Palladium) and where
we’ll probably return, by
the French person who,
we had already met at the
concert held last year at
L’International (the first
Parisian club that believed
in the project from the beginning).
Can you tell the instruments
you used to play on
this record?
interview
There are not many secrets regarding the instruments
used, we simply entrusted to machines
and tools we had already, instruments
even with a very low cost, in short, we have
given priority to all the little analog devices is
to generate sounds for other filter it. Another
important role was that of the computer that
has allowed us to leverage the power and ubiquity
of digital software for more sound experiments.
For new compositions, we’re dipping
there, we will have new better quality equipment
and most sought after so you can still
experience more editing sounds.
Who are the Italians independent artists
that you value more right now?
Without too many reasons beyond the pleasure
of listening, Niagara, Verdena, Martello,
Two Monkeys, Bruuuno Belva, Motta, Colapesce,
Gli Ebrei, Marta sui Tubi, Zolle, Go!-
Zilla.

Erica romeo
overcoming
the drawbacks
12
Erica Romeo comes back with a new ep,
Beyond the nettles burn, an expression for
strength and tenacity, expliacted in six songs
full of electronic and melody.
Let’s start with the title of the ep, which I
believe deserves an explanation ...
“Beyond the nettles burn” is a phrase taken
from the lyrics of “Daisy”, three track ep
number. Figuratively “burn nettle” is intended
to indicate the drawbacks of life (English
is wonderful) and it is the common thread
that binds all of the songs on this album. Go
beyond the drawbacks, with strength and determination
to overcome them and live them
as a test that has as its ultimate objective the
inner growth and not simply passing the test
itself. Burning nettle that I inadvertently had
as a child during my walks in the mountains,
taught me how to look good to put your feet,
but most did not prevent me from reaching
the top. Although the burning could discourage
me the joy of being able to live fully my
mountains, it gave me the strength to which
the children are often capable, who unlike
many adults are getting ready to mutate into a
pout smile. A curiosity: in the title I decided
to put the plural “Nettles burn”, because after
all, as my friend British-Roman Thomas says,
“life is more a thicket than a single twig.”
With the previous “White Fever” you faced
an electronic turning point that changed
your music. This ep instead it seems to address
a consolidation speech. How did you
approach the workings of the ep?
When I did finish “White Fever” I felt that something
appeared incomplete, but that record
was to get out at all costs, even at the risk of
sounding premature. I needed a confrontation
with the public and critics, to better understand
the things of me that until then had
not matured. It was the best choice I could do.
13
“Beyond the nettles burn” was born with
“Daisy” and “Blue Moon”, the last two songs
that I composed with the guitar: after them I
am dedicated to the keyboard and it was love
at first note. The transition seemed very smooth
and natural, as if I had finally found my
way after many years of wandering between
songwriting, folk and rock.
It seems to me that there is often a contrast
between some lyrics and the same ep title,
expressing difficulties and clutch situations,
with sounds often ethereal or even happy.
From what moments and inspirations are
born the songs on the album?
As I mentioned earlier, “Beyond the Nettles
burn” is a concept album: each song tells an
aspect of my life, although the pivotal point of
all is the same, namely to overcome the obstacles
that life puts in front, whether it’s live
moments of joy, sadness, hope or disappointment
that this has taught me is to know how
to live each moment as a gift to be thankful
for and to know how to treasure. As a child,
although I had a particular family situation,
and even as a teenager dealing with the sudden
loss of my father, I always kept in my heart
the desire to smile. I suffered, I admit, but
over the years I have learned to make sense of
everything, even the negative things, always
learning. And this is what I express in Beyond
the Nettles burn.
In “White Fever” you were talking about Indians,
Bonnie & Clyde... Here it seems that
the approach is more personal...
“White Fever” contains lyrics for me very
important, that not only talks about Indians
and invasion, but that wants to question some
dramatic inconsistencies of the Western system.
It’s a side of me still alive and well, although
for this album I preferred a seemingly
more personal approach. I say “apparently”

interview
because it is not an autobiographical description
of episodes of real life, what images and
stories that allow me to express a thought that
is always linked to the concept of the ep.
About the team of musicians, how important
was the fellowship for this new ep?
I actually only confirmed the bassist Andrea
Cocilovo, which in previous work had recorded
the drums and that since last September
with me in live. He has added his brother
Daniel, who in addition to playing keyboards
dealt with arrangement of some songs in
“Beyond the Nettles Burn”. The harmony with
the Cocilovo Bros is very deep and is based
on mutual personal and professional respect.
Technically they are the best musicians I’ve
ever played, so I consider myself very lucky
to have beside two professionals who believe
and invest in the project.
For the production of Federico Altamura:
it has adopted the same approach, or has
anything changed?
The difference in production there was for
two reasons: there has been much inter-play
between Daniel and Federico, who oversaw
the sounds of all the songs, and this has created
a kind of heterogeneity among the songs.
Also thanks to crowdfunding we had a larger
budget that has granted us more freedom:
for example, I decided to do the master with
Massimo Caso, an important name in the Italian
music scene.
Why did you choose “You’re gonna go” as a
calling card of the disc?
“You’re gonna go” is great. It has a beat you
can’t escape, you have to move your foot to
force things, and then it’s the first electronic
song I wrote with the keyboard. The chorus
opens dramatically, sounds are beautiful, the
song is catchy. I think it’s a bomb.
“Blue Moon” reminds me of the 90s trip
hop scene, Morcheeba and company ... Do
you find yourself there?
Ear caught! Yes, it’s true: it reminds me of
Zero 7, band I know little, but I appreciate,
and trip hop. It’s a genre that I have always
listened to and I never thought that a guitar
track / voice as “Blue Moon” could become
what it is now. About Daniele and Federico,
but above all by Andrea and his bass lines: it
is thanks to him that we decided to include
the song in ep, because before his speech, it
did not convince us at 100%.
During the last interview I had asked of you
in your dislikes indie world ... This time we
change a little: who do you value the most
among your colleagues?
Yes, you have been very bad and I had joked,
because I don’t dislike anybody (lie), and even
if they did not I would be certainly to flaunt
on the web... I’m thinking of those who truly
appreciate and there are lots of names: between
many immediately come to mind Lara
Groove, which is a band of Milan really tough
and it deserves a better chance; I really like
the Ligurian songwriter Chiara Ragnini, which
is good and at the same time humble and
gentile.Another group who would wish to
lead the way are the Slowtide, talented band
from Novara.
Two consecutive ep: Do you join the club of
those who think that the lp is old stuff? Or
in your future projects is an “extended” job?
You’re right when you say that, because it is
almost more common the ep than the lp. I’ll
tell you, there was an argument about this
choice, but a necessity: to do an ep is cheaper
and it can be more compact in sound. Soon I
do not know what I will do, a lot depends on
this ep... Cross your fingers for me!
14

interview
Klee project
Experienced musicians, with important collaborations
and militancy in their résumé,
one day they decided to join forces and play
a solid rock. But with the help of an rchestra.
So can be described premises and sensations
evoked by Klee Project, a project set up by
Roberto Sterpetti & Enrico “Erk” Scutti, with
the help and collaboration of Marco Sfogli,
Lorenzo Poli and Antonio Aronne, with symphonic
orchestra directed by Francis Santucci
and other collaborators here and there. The
album is called The Long Way and we have
put a few questions to Sterpetti and Scutti.
Can you tell how did the “Klee Project” is
born? Do the name has something to do
with the painter?
Everything comes to the desire to express
something that represents us from the musical
point of view, but also from the staff, who
brings in music a variety of feelings and experiences
without the obligation to follow any
cliché or market influences. The reference to
the moniker clearly goes to Paul Klee, a painter
who has made the greatest contribution to
a new painting with a great, rich and varied
artistic personality, being also an excellent
violinist and a lover of classical music.
Can you explain the reasons of playing with
the orchestra?
The fact of not having path obligations allowed
us to roam the arrangement factor in
a very open way, by putting in place all the
knowledge that we have accumulated both in
our artistic path. In particular I was always
been fascinated by the symphonic orchestrations
and I do not deny that I wanted to
become a conductor. My way of thinking is
very special then, just consider the fact that in
adolescence I only listened to Beethoven and
then I found myself listening (by my neighbour),
AC / DC, Saxon, Iron Maiden...
In your traditional hard rock sounds, synthetic
sounds and orchestral recordings are
mixed in many pieces. Was it difficult to
find a proper balance between the various
“sources”?
In fact it was not easy to produce such a rich
of elements and sound album. Often we had
to make choices and take out the arrangements
to which we were bound in pre-production,
to create the right sound levels and
to get our music to a wide audience that
would love it in all its facets. The gratifying
thing is that even people away from rock can
appreciate our songs, because rich in elements
that do not recall a single genre.
How is it born “The Prisoner”?
It is the first song written for the Klee Project.
Created almost by chance, we wanted to write
a song in Evanescence and Avenged Seven-
16 17

fold style, and we combined the elements that
we liked in particular: the power of metal,
electronics and symphonic atmospheres. We
were so pleased by the result that we decided
to follow up writing the album.
Can you describe your concerts? What are
the next dates that will see you involved?
First of all we hope to reach as many people
as possible. For the moment we have no due
dates. It’s definitely a bold choice, but it makes
sense. We wanted to focus our efforts in
communicating a musical message through
social media, with video clips, photos and
everything that revolves around the musicians
of Klee Project, in order to create a
community of followers and fans who follow
us in the future, live .
Who is or who are the Italians independent
artists that you value the most right now
and why?
Destrage, Anewrage, Celeb Car Crash, Brain
Distillers Corporation friends and bands
that we value because in their respective genres
are defining a captivating sound without
compromising quality. This is the same goal
as we do.
Can you name three songs, Italian or foreign,
that did have influenced you the most?
More than the songs we could speak of bands
that influenced our sound. Artists like Nickelback,
Alter Bridge, Shinedown, Foo Fighters,
but also bands like Depeche Mode, Genesis,
Marillion, Def Leppard joined electronic
components and orchestrations have sought
our matrix. The whole thing was very spontaneous
and we have written with heart and
passion jet everything we wanted to express,
without limits.
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18
24

eview
Dark highlights the vocal quality and
still relies once again on the electrical
patterns. Tiny Things confirms
previous sensations and even some
propension for melody. The closure
is very substantial, with Nightmare
(All my sins), between the noisiest
of the ep. The ep will be appreciated
by metal fans. Some extra variables,
for next works, would be a welcome
addition for the band.
The Welkin
With roots sinking to 1998, Welkin are a
rock band from Treviso with many years and
many concerts behind. But not very many
records: numerous lineup changes and the
normal difficulties that a band can meet on
its path has delayed their publications. Comes
out these days The Silent Way, a record
of six tracks that condenses the ancestry of
the metal band, not denying the classical age,
but trying to develop it taking into account
the more contemporary sounds.
The work opens with Turn to me, announcing
immediately some nostalgia for the
metal that was, though married, as mentioned,
with rhythms and sounds much closer
to contemporary to alternative. It continues
with a robust and concrete My Enemy, who
does not mind some guitar solo at the end,
in an overall noisy context. Rough and a little
dirty is Edge of Life, a pace not exaggerated
but with guitar always protagonist, and with
a bit of Van Halen sound. Crossing in the
20

gran rivera
“pensavo meglio/
pensavo peggio”
Gran Rivera publish
an lp on two
different legs. First
one, Pensavo meglio
released in
mid-September, then
Pensavo peggio,
due out in mid-December.Alubm
is composed of a total of
eight tracks, reworked and recorded in
almost two years, chronicling the life in
Milan after 30 years of age. Pensavo meglio
comes after Aventador, band’s debut,
in 2013, which was followed by a long
tour across Italy. This double-ep opens so
noisy with Mi hai lasciato al superkmarket:
relational problems are made explicit
thanks to a good bass line and a powerful
sound. A symbol of the post-30 in Milan is
Commozione in Circonvallazione, a song
that triest tell about the city starting from
the basement and the house facades. In
fondo al Naviglio non c’è niente chooses
synth pop roads but always fast and rhythmic,
with drumming takinga good share
of attention. Uova sode ends the first ep
with rhythms and approaches that bring to
mind the first Foo Fighters. But the lyrics
nails to the floor of the house, between waste
to throw and relationships with some
problems that a noisy guitar can’t resolve.
Se inizia a vent’anni finisce opens with
noise from the bar, immediately pressed
reviews
by bombastic sound, fast rhythms and
despicable football references. Luigi confirms
that in second part the intention is
the one of beating and to accelerate. Mai
stati Capaci brings moments of reflection,
slower rhythms, memories of the Nineties.
Se qualcuno potesse chiamarmi un taxi
lists a number of possibilities. The song is
slightly depressed although, but even in
this case there are powerful acceleration
and a little healthy noise. A lot of energy
but also a bit of irony are present in the
Gran Rivera tracks, often well written and
always pleasant. Breaking in two the album
has the effect to keep the lights on on
the disc for a longer period. But also the
average quality of the songs, beyond the
marketing operations, deserves attention
and interest.
piers faccini
“i dreamed an island”
Multi-instrumentalist and also painter,
Piers Faccini released his new album I
Dreamed An Island. Sixth album for a
solo career by Italian-French,
came out
for Beating Drum /
Ponderosa Music &
Art / Music Master,
the new work comes
two years after Between
Dogs And Wolves.
Sung in English, French, Italian and Arabic
dialect, the album is a passionate celebration
of cultural diversity and pluralism.
In Faccini record several stringed instruments
are played, including a custom guitar
by the addition of mini-keys to play in
the major tones. The lp opens with a step
already important: To Be Sky is a clear
statement of intent and a consistent track
with apparent ethnic folk contamination
already present but not predominant. There
moves on oriental steps with Drone,
with a mixture of spiced tools but soft. A
little more lively rhythmic idea comes with
Bring Down The Wall, again with some
idea of ​the East in the background but also
more Western folk sensations. The piece
comes to life with new personalities and
also mixes some rock-blues idea (you can
come up with Pino Daniele, a bit for singing,
a little for certain rhythmic choices
and mixing).
Cloak of Blue is part of the softest and linear
areas, wrapped, as often in the album,
in colorful fabrics d’Arabie distant. The
Many Were More comes in slightly more
pointed shape but not exceed either in
rhythm or in volumes. There is something
Hispanic in the initial guitar of Judith, who
then takes a leisurely pace but with a well
exposed emotional side. Shadows surround
Beloved, with voice in evidence. We
jump to Sicily with Anima, full of life ballad
sung in dialect and suitable to dance.
Comets sits on more muffled rhythms, leaning
on a songwriting a bit more traditional
but with some sound variable always
present. Last track is Oiseau, soft ballad
between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance,
with a large intake of stringed instruments.
Very rich of emotions Piers
Faccini record is also very “hot”, for colors
and sound selections, but also for high-level
production choices. Faccini confirms its
quality of songwriter with great taste.
Julian Mente
“Non c’è proprio
niente da ridere”
New lp for Julian Mente: Non c’è proprio
niente da ridere brings together emocore,
punk, noise, wave. Start is not quiet:
Mentre lei dorme reminds of some 90s
rock, peppered with liberal doses of vigor
and rancor. Terra-cielo slightly lowers the
rate but not the level
of aggression. Stare
bene oggi welcomes
large doses of melancholy
in its tissue. In
dark alleys we can
found Se solo tutti
noi, punctuated by
eerie silvery sounds.
Strange rhythms the ones of Il tasto Off,
which changes the face a few times. Tons
of good feelings are burned in the bonfire
lit by Le belle giornate. It also happens
some little softening, such as the one at the
beginning of Maledico. Particularly heavy
Se chiudi gli occhi, and no possibility of
misunderstanding in Porno, followed by a
quieter Farfalle nello stomaco: no stops
to meditate, but the song is almost a ballad,
at least by the standards of the band.
Lo squallore disgraziato starts softly, but
soon it becomes angry. Ottomila closes
with poorly controlled explosions of rage
to follow. A really interesting album.
22 23

interview
Well, here the story gets to be 18+, but we can
say that the Father is like the bee who lands
on the flower which is the Mother and so was
born “Il Rap jazzcore dell’anarchico Pinelli”.
Who is or who are the Italians independent
artists that you value more right now and
why?
First and foremost Mauro Mariotti who is
also a friend, then also the other type Lightpole
friends, Little Pieces of Marmelade,
the Meatball Explosion then really boh ... why
is “why NOT ?!”
You can name three songs, Italian or foreign,
that have influenced you the most?
For me that woodpecker skins one for all is
“Ho Fatto la Cacca” by Mauro Pelosi (most
for lyrics actually, although the music rocks
very much) then I quote “Gateway 5/4” of
Don Ellis and the mythical “The Revolution
Will Not Be Televised “by Gil Scott-Heron;
for me, slamming chords, there is “Beasts of
Leather” of Splatterpink, then also “Tommy
the Cat” of Primus and the rainbow “Oh! Battagliero!”
of CCCP Fedeli alla Linea.
Demeb
supposed growth
Demeb is a (absolutely mad) jazzcore duo
whose second lp is Rebubblica, new record
of six tracks (available at the website and
contacting demeb.org the band at floppy@
demeb.org). After the release of the previous
Urban Flowers, the duo confirms to be fool
and ironic as before. We interviewed them to
talk about their new work.
What differences there have been in working
to the new album, compared to “Urban
Flowers”?
The record comes from the usual story of the
Concept (which is so dear to us) then work
on this and that cut that, it turned out that the
“lp” became “ep”. Then if you go listening, the
difference is in our supposed growth and better
technology available (including tools and
all the rest of the network).
What were the main difficulties you encountered
in making the disc, if there were?
Not many big difficulties, apart from the
usual going mad at 6th or 7th hour of work;
then you know, the Moretti beer helps to
overcome even the most gloomy days!
How did is born “Il Rap Jazzcore dell’anarchico
Pinelli”?
24

interview
tacked on the history of Pacciani, which I
consider unresolved and still full of mysteries
that hardly now be unveiled.
How “Remember Grace” was born?
Musically as almost all my compositions, that
is, with acoustic guitar, text instead briefly
narrates the encounter in a dream with the
soul of a girl of the past in spite of its protagonist
one of the first murders in Tuscany that
had much media hype, and that happened in
village of Toiano in the Fifties.
Can you tell the main instrument you used
to play on this record?
I use acoustic guitars Takamine at 6:12 strings,
Fender Jaguar, vintage Stratocaster and
Gibson 60Tribute for the electric guitars, various
effects pedal boss, marshall Valvestate
for amplifier and Fender Precision bass, for
drums Tama model and Shure series for microphones.
) Who is or who are the Italians independent
artists you admire most in this moment
and why?
I know little of Italian scene, I appreciate
good bands like the roster of Ghostrecordlabel
like Day After Rules or The Instable Collective
and I think Cromosauri, the Tuscan
post-grunge band, are very valid.
Ru Fus
Ru Fus (ex Zen Cirucs, The Bugz, Reverberati)
is Emiliano Valente, with friends and
collaborators. His new album is called In Fabula:
twelve tracks of noise rock with grunge
contamination, an expression of power and
anger of which we asked to their author.
I would like to understand what are the
conditions with which you have accomplished
“In Fabula”, and also the meaning of
the cover of the album.
The premises were simply continuing the
good work of the debut released in late 2014
to work on the pieces that then an exit of
debut I had begun to sketch, give it a final
shape to create an album that was another
step forward both in terms Musically that the
narrative; the cover does not have a particular
value, as they are simply a lover of visual
representations of desolation, abandonment
and things like that I felt this “fantastic” building
which is located in my town the ideal for
this kind of a bit ‘albums to which speaks a
little ‘how to talk about it.
Why a track named after Pacciani and what
inspired you in the person of (likely) Monster
of Florence?
I am very fond of many facets of the human
mind and the nature of serial killers in particular
has always struck me. When I felt the
inspiration to talk about it in a song I then
26

tour
videos
afterhours
se io fossi il giudice
birthh
click and see
Born in the Woods is the tour with which
BIRTHH, born Alice Bisi, carries around
her debut album released last March 18 for
WWNBB . After the successful tour that has
seen her perform in more than 30 concerts,
including the prestigious American tour, started
with her participation to SXSW Festival in
Texas, appointments continue with the young
Tuscan singer-songwriter who will play in
trio with Lorenzo Borgatti and Massimo Borghi.
Artist of the month on MTV New Generation
with the video for “Queen of Failureland”,
BIRTHH has enchtanted audience with
her rich, but at the same time delicate, voice,
and her remarkable maturity both in writing
and in the composition, despite young age.
The tour also includes some European stages
including France, Germany and Luxembourg.
11/16/2016 - PERUGIA - 100dieci
11/19/2016 - BOLOGNA - Covo
11/20/2016 - S.TA MARIA A VICO (CE) -
SMAV
11/26/2016 - VANNES (FRANCE) - Echonova
11/28/2016 - KOLN (D) - Underground
11/30/2016 - Fuerstenwalde (D) - Club Im
Park
12/01/2016 - CHEMNITZ (D) - Odradek’s
Nest
12/02/2016 - LEIPZIG (D) - Wärmehalle
12/05/2016 - DORTMUND (D) - FZW
12/06/2016 - LUXEMBOURG - Rotondes
07/12/2016 - PARIS (F) - Ciao gnari
nico sambo
america
isterica
pyjamarama
antidoto
abbracci
nucleari
prenditi cura
di me
Cato
African boys
28 29

interview
Give Vent
Days Like Years is the first lp of Marcello Donadelli
aka Give Vent: a compelling folk, contemporary
and alive, divided in eight tracks.
Can you tell your story to date and explain
why you chose a name like “Give Vent”?
Give Vent was born in 2012 during a forced
break from the “You Vs Everything” (my
previous midwest-emocore project) due to a
change of formation. At that time I had some
pieces that were not suited to the sounds of
“You”, were much more personal and intimate,
and they needed a different dimension. I’ve
always written with acoustic guitar, then it
came a little by itself thinking to take them in
solitary in a folk context. Very slowly I started
doing some small live in my area, and by the
time I molded more and more of “Give Vent”
mood. At the end of 2014 almost all of the
songs were changed and I realized that I was
ready to collect them on an lp. Earlier that
year (2015) I wrote to Ivan Tonelli of Stop
Studio I had met a few months earlier and
with Andrea Muccoli in the heat of July we
made this record. The choice of “Give Vent” is
the approach of live and intimacy of the pieces.
When I started to arrange, I realized that
I tended to be a bit extreme and to exteriorize
a lot with voice and guitar. I liked it. The exorcising.
The blow off steam. Everything was
going in that direction and to give a name to
this project, I wanted something that sounded
like a “name” as “Frank Turner” or “Ben
Marwood”, for understanding, and eventually
“Give Vent” contained a bit of all this.
Alongside classic songs “by songwriter” I
found some curious and angrier songs: for
example, can you tell us how it was born
“More than a Self Destruction”?
“Self ” is placed between the first and the second
production of Give Vent, the one that
got to the record. Its first version was slow,
with arpeggio and rather melancholic, very
different than today’s version. The song
perhaps had its punk character also in the
first version, it was probably just “dress” to be
unsuitable. “Self ” is about to remain stranded
in those habits, ways and thoughts that come
from being with one person, and that sometimes,
it is precisely the kind of things that
eventually lead to the collapse of a relationship.
Those are the gestures that do not belong
to you at all, and that after the break you
promise to eliminate, although sometimes
you realize that is not so simple. “Self ” is the
reminder to stop the self-destruction.
Another of the songs that have intrigued me
is “Ashes”: what is its genesis?
The “Ashes” lyrics arrived after yet another
project where I had spent a lot of time. When
it was finished, regardless of the commitment
or the will, it left me a sense of emptiness given
by the knowledge that it was all over. It’s
a bit as the realization of the next day. Generally
it tells much about Give Vent, how
some songs are born, why and my own way of
dealing with certain situations and exorcise.
“Ashes” temporally was written after “Self ”
(first version) and it is probably the moment
I found the strongest dimension of the idea of ​
how Give Vent sounds.
30

interview
at some point in my career I felt the need
to do something more, so I joined the Rock
Guitar Academy of Donato Begotti, which I
attended for three years under the guidance
of Piero Marras, a great person and a great
guitar player. I finished this path I left all the
projects I had in my feet and I devoted myself
to my solo project, being a guitarist my choice
fell on a project of instrumental rock and here
comes my EP entitled “In Guitar We Trust”
How are born the songs of your ep?
They are all designed in different ways and
times, but all from the desire to experiment
with a new sound. I tried to combine my guitar
with percussion, wind instruments and a
Japanese instrument called the shamisen. “My
Hero” is the oldest, is a song, which also had
lyrics, a project never started I rearranged.
Then there’s “Do not Give Up”, more recent
but still from a few years ago, an instrumental
song born from the solo I had composed for a
Metal project, “De-Fate” is more recent, born
by a riff from
a song by a
Pop / Rock
project, while
“New Way”
is the song
which started
it all. After
participating
in the master
class of Steve
Vai, an amazing
experience, I had one of my “attacks” of
inspiration, and following the advice of Steve
Vai “New Way” was born.
What are your musical references?
I like to take inspiration from everything, but
the guitarists who have most influenced me
are definitely Jimmy Page for his riff, Eddie
Van Halen for his genius, Zakk Wylde for its
power, Steve Vai for his feeling with the tool
and Joe Satriani for its musicality.
mirko filacchioni
Mirko Filacchioni plays guitar and he is clearly
passionate about the sound of his instrument,
as evidenced by the four tracks ep that
he recently did publish, In Guitar We Trust.
We put a few questions to Mirko.
Can you tell your story?
I was born in Rome and I’m a guitarist, or
at least I try. I started playing guitar at 12
years, self-taught, having learned the first
songs of groups of Hard Rock 70’s, which is
my passion. But immediately I got into the
composition and soon those groups became
projects of unreleased music. I went from
Metal projects to Rock and Pop projects,
this gave me the opportunity to test my skills
and my knowledge of the instrument, but
32

interview
foschia
No album (for now), no ep, a page on Soundcloud,
images, by Jack Venturelli, with clear
references to cartoons of the early twentieth
century: the Foschia project stands out for
some unique characteristics. Founded by
Matt Revol along with Serra and Graziano
Ranieri, Foschia are searching for a winning
mix of soft songwriting, Sparklehorse style,
and some engraved hip hop. We interviewed
Matt Revol.
Can you tell your story here?
I have always been fond of music, especially
listening. Then, at 14/15 years, I discovered
the guitar, then piano. I studied both but soon
I give up, because I was only ever interested
in writing my music. So I devoted myself to a
bit of harmony theory, that I didn’t complete
too. Today, for many years, I write my pieces.
You have not made an ep or an lp, but
many “disconnected” songs. Can you
explain why?
My lp page is an lp in constant evolution, in
fact, never put twice the same piece, like an
album to which you add new pieces as a kind
of diary. All very instinctive, following my
“desires” and inspiration, I do not have stakes.
A song can be a demo, one more polished,
one rap, then a pop one etc etc.
Your songwriting alloy “classic” songwriting
and frequent hip hop interventions:
how and why did you decide to create dialogue
between these two forms of music?
Let’s say that when you talk to me is still
more pop. I do not feel tied to rap even though
I love it when it is used and mixed with
the other gender, as Gorillaz or even Kanye
West in recent works do, so why not. I have
not made big decisions about, or rather lately
have many more demo without rap... I’m
on the instinct, without major performance
anxiety or large thinkings. Everything comes
really very natural.
Can you tell us something about who collaborates
in your songs? How did you involved
them in your tracks?
My main collaborator is Serra, MC of Modena,
which is also my city. I met him many
years ago after hearing
some of his
songs and I involved
him slowly, he got
in the game and has
adapted to a shape
much less rap than
pop. The project
was born with him.
Then, there are
Anne and Ludovica,
two singers with
whom I recorded a
few pieces and collaborated
on various
melodies and texts,
Graziano Ranieri,
sound engineer and
friend and finally
Antonio, very good
guitar player with
whom I recorded
the guitars for several
pieces. These
are the main contributors
and with
whom work more
often. Then there
are others more “occasional”.
Who is or who are the Italians independent
artists who esteems more right now?
I do not know whether they are independent,
but I like “La rappresentante di lista”
Can you name three songs, Italian or foreign,
that have influenced you the most?
I would say, if I can go with albums, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
of Sparklehorse,
Blur’s Think Tank and Sgt.Pepper of
Beatles.
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