Interview with Gianluca (guitars)
Q>>
Hi Gianluca, it's been quite a while since the last interview you did with us…
From an artistic viewpoint, did a lot of things change in your mind since then?
A>> Hi Arnaud, I am glad to be back talking to you. Well, many things
have changed here. The artistic point of view is basically a mirror of my life.
Don't forget of course that going on playing, practising, getting experience,
learning new stuff, attending music schools and having other musical projects
that allow you to try different styles are all things that help you and make
you change your tastes, your influences, your way of playing. And, as I was
saying, Greyswan's music is an important part of my life. It's a way out, an
escape. I need to recognize in those songs my thoughts, my bad moments, my wishes,
my dreams and hopes... a mirror of everyone's life, I would say. My life is
similar to many other people's. Greyswan is my way to face all this. Other people
could find the same in other stuff, both arts and simple daily things. Composing
and playing a song could have the same meaning for me than reading a book or
painting or simply going for a walk may have for someone else. If one day I
feel too much pressure around the band, it will mean that I'm done with it.
I'd rather quit than go on against my feelings....
Q>> I see
you re-recorded "Sleepless Night" and put it on the new album. Why
that one particularly?
A>> Because it was the one we liked the most from our promo CD and people
seemed to like it as well. We could record all new songs, but first we wanted
to spread "Sleepless Night" more and we wanted it to become an album
song instead of just a demo song. That's why we re-arranged it; same songs but
new sounds and new stuff behind...Well, I can't hide from you that besides that,
another reason was that we were curious about the result, so that we could compare
old and new phases of a process. It's important to test yourself; it's a good
way to learn from mistakes and to improve.
Q>> The production
is different than the one I actually expected… But it's really nice, very
defined and homogeneous… How did you work in the studio to obtain such
a nice sound?
A>> Well, on one hand we have been lucky; on the other hand we have worked
really hard. We spent four months on the album; we found two very good studios.
Professional musicians teaching at my music school helped us a lot with sound
and mixing. Everyone in the band made big efforts, considering that if we had
had a higher budget we could have done much better. All in all we are always
talking about an underground band and an indie label, so we can say that the
production is steps above our expectations. I'm one of those people who don't
like to play safe. If I have a chance, I wanna take it and make my advantage
out of it. The label gave us complete artistic and musical freedom, so we chose
to record in a professional studio, which produced some very important work
in Italy in many musical styles but more in the Rock/Metal style. It was a challenge;
we mixed the album in a Rock way, emphasizing the groove behind the songs, with
bass and drum lines leading everything. The voice has been mixed a bit lower
than usual, as if it was a normal instrument, whose melodies had to entertwine
with the guitars'. The homogeneity you noticed (and I am glad you did) comes
from similar guitar sounds (lead guitar and rhythm guitar sounds are almost
alike because the two guitars together create a chord and give it the voicing...
I would say that sometimes it's hard to say which is the "lead" guitar
and which is not...) and the many arrangements (even if hardly hearable, there
are loops, keyboards, backing vocals, hammonds, mellotrons and synths in general
almost everyhwere). But above all we had the possibility to work without pressure;
we went to the studio once a week, so that we had time to listen to everything
we did and to make changes or simply to check sounds and levels in different
stereo systems. Well, we took our responsability. Greyswan don't like to be
still, stagnant. People have to expect nothing from Greyswan but feelings and
emotions. We honestly don't care about music styles.
Q>> I see
you've been in Genova as well as in Turin… I suppose you made very conscious
choices…
A>> Yes, 'cause both are very far away from where we live. But both recording
and mastering are very important. And the trip to get there was worthwhile...
From a personal point of view, it was a great experience.
Q>> "Thought
- Tormented Minds" is a "heavy" title. I mean, it certainly carries
a deep, sad significance… Can you tell me more about it?
A>> The concept behind the album is a journey through our feelings...
a journey through human beings' feelings. Sadness, desperation, grief, a wish
to go away, desires, hopes and dreams. "Thought - Tormented Minds"
is the point of departure of this trip, "hope", as you can read on
the back cover of the album, is the final destination. Our life experiences
have been translated in music and words in an abstract way, to give listeners
the ability to recognize themselves into our songs. And to tell them that there
must be an outlet somewhere out there. We don't pretend to be who we are not:
although in many ways our music may sound dark, I think there is some space
left in it for light of some sort too.
Q>> Your
singer Oscar did again a very good job. Yet, it seems that you guys all wanted
to preserve some of his very personal nature by leaving it rather "clean"
technically speaking… Is that exact?
A>> Exactly, and from a technical point of view Oscar worked with the
guy of the studio to reach this goal. If you compare for exemple "Sleepless
Night" promo version and the same song in the album, you will notice how
much clearer it is right now and how kinda closed and dull it was in the old
work. It didn't even sound like his voice before. Anyway, the most important
thing for me was the need to pass on emotions, the pathos, to match vocals with
the rest of the music.
Q>> Who's
the main writer for the music? Is it you?
A>> Yes, but to give a song a complete shape I need everyone else's support.
I always try to explain the idea and the meaning behind a song to my bandmates
and we always work on each track for a long while. I play guitar in the band
and a song takes more than a guitar part to be fully composed; even if the latter
is good, alone - without the other instruments - it means absolutely nothing.
Q>> Gothic
bands seem to exalt the Italian public. Maybe not as much as Power/Symphonic
Metal, but … Do you have a lot of fans over there?
A>> Ok, let me count them...Besides girlfriends, a couple of friends and
my brother, I dont think so...eh-eh. Well, I have no idea; I don't like to talk
about fans since I don't think that way. I'd rather talk about people who enjoy
our music, I mean, people who really understand the meaning behind Greyswan's
music. And I am aware that many could consider our music boring yet listenable
'cause it's melodic stuff. But it's a kinda deep melody, with a background to
live and to feel, not only to listen to.
Q>> How did
you end up working with The Lull for the graphic part of the album? Are you
satisfied with his job?
A>> The Lull is a friend of mine from France. I asked him if he wanted
to help us with the artwork and he agreed. I was really pleased and I must say
that the booklet concept and images are the result of his hard work for us;
I just explained him what I wanted to pass on with our music, I made him read
our lyrics and at the end I think he found the perfect way to represnt all this.
Great job! We are very satisfied and I think this guy deserves some consideration
for this kind of work. Anyone who could be interested can have a look at our
new website www.greyswan.com (on which the images are taken from the artwork
of the album) and contact us or him directly at the.lull@lybertysurf.fr .
Q>> What
are your plans at the moment? Playing live maybe?
A>> We are working on the promotion of the album. At the moment someone
is busy with other stuff and we are working on new songs too. Maybe we'll play
some gigs, but not an entire tour. Not for the time being...who knows what the
future will bring...
Q>> Something
you'd like to add?...
A>> Nothing but thanks. Yes, thanks again for the place you gave us, it's
been a pleasure and I hope to talk to you soon.
RNO