**Η παρακάτω συνέντευξη πραγματοποιήθηκε από τον Μανώλη Μ. και είναι εξολοκλήρου στα Αγγλικά.**
Hello Simone! I admit, I am new to this band but everything I’ve heard so far I’m really liking, especially your last single “Inferno”. Thank you for your music!
You are welcome! You make me feel in heaven …
Let us begin by asking first, how and when did Casagrande started?
After playing in some bands and seeing my ideas often rejected , in 1999 I decided to try to record all my songs. This project faced many stops during the years and I finally unexpectedly released the homonymous album with Soman Records.
What made you so passionate about music and the music industry? Why do you play music?
When I was a teenager and looking for a lifestyle to stand out, being a metalhead seemed the cheapest. My family wasn’t that rich for other groups. Actually, I have no wife and children so I still find time for music.
What’s the overall reaction to “Casagrande,” so far?
Well, I got really positive feedback in the majority of the recent reviews, also a significant increase in the number of followers on social media. Especially on Facebook and Youtube.
What do you hope the listener experiences when they listen to the band?
An absolute state of calm and relaxation…(Joking). My hope is to convey a positive message even through heavy riffs and up-tempos.
About being on stage…have you ever had to deal with performance anxiety?
This question reminds me of something not really related to playing on a stage which I am not performing regularly…ah, ah. But in both cases, I don’t have that problem. It arises when I have to record a solo…
What is your songwriting process like? Where does your inspiration come from personally?
It may start from a guitar riff or a sentence part of already written lyrics. I usually take inspiration from some personal experience or historical event, social issue and I try to find what musically melts on it. Some of my songs were born jamming with a band and transformed during the years. For the next songs, I am also trying to start from drums midi parts, then I compose the bass lines, the guitars, and finally the vocals. This is unusual, but I think it’s the best way to make it sound real.
What’s the band’s biggest problem you’ve had to face and overcome so far?
I think is the will to continue. Even if very slowly I never gave up…
Well, can you tell us about the new album “Casagrande”. You seem that you enjoyed the recordings a lot, right?
If you mean that the recordings have been mostly done by myself, I can agree about the “enjoyed”. To be brutally honest I couldn’t have afforded such a thing with a professional sound engineer. I am not that rich…
What do all of you like to do when not performing or practicing? What’s your world like outside of music? Any hobbies or fun stuff?
Any hobbies or fun stuff? I work in retail for a living. I think music is a hobby, but now I am also into virtual reality. As we often can move for home I enjoy playing with a visor. (I do not mention the brand model to avoid free advertising).
What are the band’s immediate plans for 2021?
To continue promoting the record, maybe shooting a new video. Working on new songs...
I want to thank you for taking the time out of your extremely busy schedule to speak with us today. Do you have any last words or messages that you would like to share with everyone out there?
The pleasure is mine, well I think we will face another tough year. 2021 will be worse than in 2020? Probably, but who am I to suggest to others how to cope with the pandemic? I just think that freedom comes first…thanks.
