“British songs” It is the new single of Marco Ligabue: a real tribute to Brit popa musical nostalgia that will take you to a journey back in time, between the vibrant routes of London. The song tells an era of youth and freedom, with sounds that evoke the carefree, rebellion and sweet melancholy of English music. Marco describes it as a real “Postcard from London”with references to Elton John and the unmistakable energy of the Brit Pop.
D. “British songs” is a ballad that smells of memories and freedoms. What inspired you to write it and what does London represent for you today and yesterday?
R. London has always been a symbol of opening, dreams and musical revolutions. When I was a boy, every song that came from there had a magical aura.
“British songs” was born from those afternoons spent dreaming with open eyes, with headphones in the head and the idea that somewhere in the world someone was changing music – and perhaps even a little life. Today London has changed, like all of us, but remains that mythical place that knows of freedom and discovery.
D. In the song Citi The Eco of Elton John and the Brit Pop scratch. Which British artists have marked your musical training more?
A. Certainly Elton John was among the first to make me understand how much a melody could enter the heart, but then the Beatles, the Oasis, the Clashes arrived … everyone taught me something different. From the Beatles I took the love for simple but profound writing, from the Oasis the energy and the attitude, from the Clash the courage to say things as they are. It is a mix that I still carry on me, every time I write or climb on a stage.
D. Production is direct, instinctive, almost played “belly”. What was it like working in the studio with your nephew Lenny on drums and your historic band?
R. It was exciting, because when you play with people you know well, who share your language and your story, a magic happens. Having Lenny on the battery was a circle that closes and opens at the same time. Seeing him there, to bring his energy and his vision, gave me a new push. It's nice to see how music unites generations, without the need for too many words.
Q. In a hyperconnex era, where everything flows fast, do you think nostalgia is a form of rebellion?
R. Absolutely yes. Sometimes remember where we come from is the most powerful way to stay human. We live in a time when everything is continuously updated, but nostalgia is not just looking back: it is also keeping the things that matter alive. Real emotions, those that make you vibrate inside, never go out of fashion. And after all, writing a song is also an act of resistance at the speed of the world.
D. You are back from a 2024 rich in live. How is your relationship with the public renew at each concert?
A. Each concert is different, even if maybe you play the same songs. The audience changes, the air changes, the sky changes over the head. I always try to get naked, to really be present, and this creates a contact that goes beyond music. Receiving energy from the public and returning it multiplied is one of the most beautiful things that exist. For me to play live is never a routine: it is always a new beginning.
D. In parallel to music, you also brought the showcase to tour tied to your book “Greet me your brother”. What kind of connection do you feel between writing and music?
R. Writing a book was a different journey, but with the same engine: telling stories, emotions, lived life. The music is more immediate, it comes direct, while writing makes you dig more deeply, requires you to stop. But in the end the soul is the same. When I brought on tour “Greet me your brother”, I felt that people wanted to listen, to share, even outside the songs. And this gave me a new force.
A. Next projects: can we expect a new album or other surprises in the coming months?
R. I am working on new songs, some already ready, others in the writing phase. I still don't know if they will end up in an album or take other paths, but one thing is certain: I can't stand still. I need to create, to express myself. And surely some surprises will arrive in the coming months … maybe even something unexpected. And then I'm on tour … I wait for you to my shows.
D. Last question, but a must: what is the English song that changed your life?
R. There would be many, but if I have to choose one, I would say “Where the Streets Have No Name” of the U2.
It is one of those songs that has no time, that continues to talk to you even after a thousand plays. He taught me that art can be done and saying something important at the same time. Whenever I feel it, it reminds me why I chose the music.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
