| Last Sigh:
You are currently doing two projects: Argine and Anima In Fiamme. Could tell us about the
music in both of these bands? Who is in each band and who plays what instruments? Ferruccio: Argine is an apocalyptic-folk band.
They have made, after 3 demos, a full length, "Mundana Humana Instrumentalis"
and a 7" "Marisa Allasio". This last, limited edition in transparent vinyl
made in 1500 copies, has the particularity that the title track is a cover of historic
Italian Dark-wave band named DIAFRAMMA, and it's sung by Federico Fiumani, leader of
Diaframma itself, even if the original version of the song (in "3 volte lacrime"
lp) was sung by Miro Sassolini. I've joined the group in Sept. 1998 and, since that date,
we have recorded some tracks for compilations and now we are working to finish the 2nd Lp
and to release a live album recorded in Rome on 5th Jan. 1999.
Argine's current line-up is: Corrado Videtta playing guitar and voice, Marco Consorte
guitar and voice, Alfredo Notarloberti violin, me on bass and keyboards, Carmen D'onofrio
voice, Raffaele Orilio playing percussions.
Anima In Fiame
Pasquale: About ANIMA IN FIAMME, our
group was formed in Jan.1998, after the split up of our former gothic band Nadir. But only
after six months spent making deeper the musical and cultural background of the band and
unusefully searching other good members, we started, in June, thinking as a real, concrete
band.
We have decided to remain a duo, with me on voice and guitar and Ferruccio playing
keyboards and violin. We have used collaborators to make recordings and we'll organize in
this way also for future concerts.
Our music is difficult to explain, because you can say we play classical music, especially
chamber music, but at the same time we are considered a dark, esoteric or industrial
group.
The reason is really simple. We have tried to compose classical music, not only as a
background or reference of our band, but classical music in a strict sense. We try to live
in a reality different from the outside world, to live as aesthetics trying to create
around us a refined and elegant atmosphere, deeply soaked in our cult of the Past
Centuries. From this, from our attempt to live in accordance with our aristocratic
culture, comes the classical part of our music.
The dark side of our music, the industrial and ritual influences, represents our inner
passions, the storms of soul that upset our existence.
Ferruccio Milanesi
Ferruccio: Since April I've joined as
keyboard/violin player also a great band from Messina, named ART INFERNO, that play really
well- orchestrated blackmetal, with wagnerian influences and love for claustrofobic and
horrorific atmospheres.
Last Sigh: Who is or will be or is distributing your work in the United
States and Europe so people can get copies of it? With what formats is your work
released/going to be or is currently released, CD, vinyl or? What do you have published so
far and where can people get it?
Pasquale: Despite the short existence of the band, we have participated
in four compilations issued not only in Italy but in all over the world: Oktagon, made by
an Italian label; TEN YEARS OF MADNESS, dcd for the russian Achtung Baby!, ON THE BRINK OF
INFINITY of American label Chthonic Streams; CHAIN D.L.K., compilation enclosed to the
italian homonymous magazine. We'll be out also on "Intimations of Immortality
Vol.5" made by Italian label Energeia. These compilations can be reached at label's
contacts or contacting us directly.
About our recordings, we are still estimating the proposals we have received, trying to
choose a label good both for the economical and distribution side, both for the cure for
particulars (number of copies, cure for the beauty of products, good booklet and so on).
So, till now, we don't know which label will release it and we are still contacting new
ones. As soon as we'll decide it, we'll give the news to magazines and place it on our web
site.
About the format, I think the format is not the most important thing. It could be a CD or
else, the only requirement is a good edition, both for graphics and copies number. We
would like also to release something on vinyl, maybe a particular edition.
Last Sigh: How long have you been involved with creating music and
playing so many instruments? Do you have any formal training in music, either in playing
or writing/composing, and vocals? Where and when?
Ferruccio: It's many years I've been involved in music, playing various
instruments in different bands. Now I'm studying violin and piano in an Academy of Music
and I would like to start soon studying composition.
Pasquale Scotti
Pasquale: I'm studying chant. Before we formed AIF I dedicated my time
above all in studying guitar, even if not seriously. When the Nadir project was born, in
1996, I've started singing. But only with ANIMA IN FIAMME I've dedicated all myself to
music and composition, and started making deeper my musical knowledge and my technical
preparation both in singing and playing.
Last Sigh: Italy is rich in culture and the arts. What or who influenced
you to be a musician? Was there anyone in particular in your past who
helped to guide you up until now? Is there anyone you would like to thank for your
interest in music -- family, friends or other musicians?
Pasquale: I don't know if something has forced me to become a musician.
It appears to me as a natural evolution. I have felt something new growing inside and a
need to compose and to create. I have always listened to music, expecially Cure and '80s
New-Wave/Dark, and probably it has in some way contributed to it. Yet, probably the
listening of Angelo Branduardi's music (italian contemporary musician, in some way he can
appear as a medieval minstrel) has approached me to medieval and folk music. About
persons, I think I have to thank only ourself as a group for what we have been able to
create and to obtain.
Ferruccio: I've always loved Art, expecially literature. I've felt since
I was really young I belong to a world different from my friends. I've to thank Decadent
and Romantic Art for their impulse and for having helped me in opening my eyes. When I
read a book of a Romantic or Decadent author, such as Goethe, Foscolo, Rimbaud,
Lautreamont, I saw in their pages a mirror of myself, and felt stronger of being probably
a member of a initiatic circle. About persons, I have to thank my family for having never
obstructed me,and Andrea Guerrini, my violin-teacher, who has let me enter the realm of
classical music.
Last Sigh: I found your music to be quite diverse. Some of it is *very*
classical, some of it is noisy, some is yet more ambient. You obviously have a great deal
of passion for your work. What, if anything, gives you inspiration to create? Who writes
the music for Anima In Fiamme? What the name means to those of us who don't know Italian?
Anima In Fiamme translates to "Burning Soul", is that correct? Can you tell what
inspired you to choose these names?
Ferruccio: As explained before, ANIMA IN FIAMME's music has different
souls that contribute to explain our feelings. Saying that our music is a mirror of us is
telling too little: our music is ourselves, the music is our deeper thoughts that speak
though the notes, it is ourselves in the attempt of reaching higher spheres of Knowledge.
Pasquale: I see ourselves as poets who celebrate passion and, though the
happiness and pain of days, change their ode's style according to emotions. Our composing
could be a day passionate, the day after could show only torment and sadness.
The name of the band, Anima In Fiamme (probably Soul On Fire), represents
the Romantic and intense way of living and devotion to Art. It shows the impetus that
livens us up and the sorrow that Creation involves.
Last Sigh: If you could work with one musician to create music, maybe
someone you have a great deal of respect for, living or deceased, who would that be and
why?
Ferruccio: In musical world maybe there are too many persons we would
like to work with. Probably great names of Dark/Gothic scene or also Industrial/Dark Folk
band as Fire+Ice, Sol Invictus, but it's only to mention someone...
Last Sigh: What music do you currently listen to in your leisure time?
What musicians or composers have had the greatest influence on you and your own work?
Pasquale: Obviously I listen to music similar to the one I compose, from
'80s Dark to Industrial and Martial music, but sometimes I also listen to softer music
and, on the opposite, other days I can hear the most brutal metal... We have to listen to
the highest number of genres and bands, to understand and learn anything new (even if this
means listening to commercial genres and bands with no value).
Ferruccio: I love listening to music, and in my life, except when I study
violin or our songs, I ALWAYS hear music, from Classic to Grind, passing for every genre
of Dark, Metal and Punk. But, if I have to choose, I can say I prefer music that shows
darker aspects of life, obscure and disturbing sounds .
Last Sigh: Do you ever perform live in Italy or Europe? If so, where and
when? What have you performed and with whom?
Pasquale: We have performed live, together, only as Nadir, and we are
waiting to make as soon as possible ANIMA IN FIAMME's concerts. An AIF concert would mix
together Gothic/Dark atmosphere, with its cure for particulars and the charm of chamber
music played by classic instruments.
Ferruccio: We are persons who love to make concerts, the magic atmosphere
that is created when you cure everything, lights, dressing, candles and, obviously, music.
I hope we'll soon play and it will happen often. As Argine I've played, unfortunately,
only one time out of Naples, in Rome with CAMERATA MEDIOLANENSE, and every other time we
had to make a concert in other places something has gone wrong and the concert has been
cancelled.
Last Sigh: Do you have any thoughts on the Year 2000 computer glitch?
Have you prepared for that event in any way?
Ferruccio/Pasquale: We don't know what to respond: we have stopped our
calendar to 1700!
Last Sigh: How do you feel about fans encoding music to MP3 format and
sharing entire CDs of pirated music across the Internet?
Pasquale: I appreciate the possibility that MP3 and Realaudio gives to
listen to music, new band and so on, but I don't agree with the possibility of copying
music, downloading entire songs or similar actions and the use of CD-R. I think an artist
has to be evaluated completely, looking how he plays, the graphic of his work, the
originality of edition and so on. A song on Internet is only a song in a long directory
with no personality of author.
Copying a CD on a tape is a thing I appreciate, when you can't find the original record or
you have no money to buy all you like. But I see tape as something temporary, till you can
find the album on CD or vinyl (or money to buy it), while CD-R is a deliberated copy made
to remain as it is.
Last Sigh: Is there any place on the web we can hear samples of your work
currently or will you be putting any clips up in the future?
Ferruccio: Everybody can find our sample on our website Anima In Fiamme or on Vibration of Doom
magazine http://members.spree.com/vibrations
that has asked us to put on the site 3 entire songs in Real Audio.
Last Sigh: What is the last book you read and what is your favourite
film/ director? Are you interested in writing music for film or do you have any experience
in doing that?
Pasquale: I've really liked "Interview with the Vampyre" and
"Jane Eyre". One of my favourite films is "La Reine Margot" and
"The Hunger".
Ferruccio: I read nearly a book a day and they are too many to tell the
best one. I prefer reading writers of past centuries (above all XVIII-XIX century, but
also Medieval and ancient latin literature) and modern gothic authors as Ann Rice and
Clive Barker. About cinema, it's a wonderful form of Art, and we would be really happy to
make a soundtrack for a film. I would prefer a gothic film or in costume one, the genres I
prefer.
Last Sigh: Thank you for taking the time to send us your music and to do
this interview. Is there anything else you would like to express or mention?
Pasquale: We would thank you for the interest and time dedicated to us.
Ferruccio: I hope people interested in our music will listen to it and
contact us. I cannot help thanking you for the wonderful opportunity you have given to us.
Last Sigh: It was a pleasure working with you and hearing your music of
which I enjoy immensely. Thank you!
To contact Ferruccio or Pasquale:
Contacts For
ANIMA IN FIAMME
E-mail:
Ferruccio Milanesi
Visit:
Anima In Fiamme
Visit
Argine
Write to:
Ferruccio Milanesi
Via G. Jannelli 45/D
80131 Naples
Italy
&
Pasquale Scotti
Via Stella n.86
80135 Naples
Italy |
