If there is one thing that time cannot tarnish, it is the authenticity of the Emilian way to rock. More than forty years after their debut, i Rats they return to make their voices heard with “What will remain of these 20 years”a powerful single born from a spontaneous meeting far from market logic with a friend and early fan: Nek. A song that photographs the confusion of a hyper-connected but profoundly distant generation, anticipating the long-awaited new album “Mala Tempora”.
On the eve of the big concert/release party of Saturday 21 November in the historic Vox Club in Nonantolawe had a chat with the band led by Wilko Zanni.
“What will remain of these 20 years” was born as a spontaneous collaboration, without market strategies. In a period in which many featurings seem to be constructed on the table, how important was it that this meeting was born simply from mutual respect?
A. It was fundamental. Given precisely the genuineness and spontaneity that – we believe – distinguish us Emilians. Many times the featuring is already thought of during the writing phase of the piece, which is adapted to the characteristics of the performers. In this case, it was the opposite. Only after completing the recording of the song, written with Andrea Amati, did we realize how perfect it was for a very talented and versatile guest like Nek. The nice thing is that he himself, when he listened to it, had the same feeling. Therefore, the result is nothing more than a natural consequence of what we all (us and Filippo) had been waiting for for a long time: the opportunity to share something on a musical level, in addition to the things we do with friends.
Nek said he has been a Rats fan since the beginning. When you played the song to him, did you immediately have the feeling that it was the right voice or was it a surprise to see how much he recognized it?
A. As said in the answer to the previous question, the feeling was clear and immediate and your reaction to listening to the song did nothing but confirm it.
The video clip alternates urban images and recording studios, describing a very contemporary feeling of loss. How important was it that the visual part also conveyed this atmosphere?
A. Giving visual support to the words of a song without being obvious and didactic is very difficult. Given the first comments on the video clip, it is undeniable that the work of Gianluca Magnoni – who directed it – fully succeeded in its aim. It's a video in which we completely recognize ourselves and which adds the perfect atmosphere to the song in the images outside of ours.
If in the '90s you sang the energy of “Indiani Padani”, what kind of confusion or discomfort do you describe in these 1920s?
A. Perfect question. That album tells the stories we lived in our twenties, made up of sharing, of moments spent chasing true emotions, even physically tangible. Of waits that today we would define as interminable, of very extended times. Therefore, it is natural for us to find ourselves disoriented in an era in which after a second we know what happened on the other side of the world but at the same time, sometimes, we do not realize what is happening to those next to us. Because all this hyper-connection is ultimately tearing us apart. We feel happier (but also safer) interacting virtually.
You've been through punk, major labels, breakup and big comebacks. What is the thing that has remained most intact from 1979 to today?
A. The need to be ourselves in each of these situations. The serenity with which we have faced – and continue to face – all the events that have occurred and continue to occur. Simply because, in all of this, friendship and mutual respect reign supreme.
After over forty years of career you still continue to release new music. What drives you today to write new songs instead of living only on your historical repertoire?
A. The unchanged need and urgency to communicate, to affirm a point of view or simply tell stories that belong to us.
On Saturday 21 November you will play at the historic Vox in Nonantola. How do you summarize more than 40 years of career in a single lineup?
A. Obviously, the backbone of the setlist will be represented by the new album that we will present on that occasion. Then, it will be a matter of choosing – in addition to the inevitable classics – the pieces that come closest to the atmospheres of “Mala Tempora” (which will be released in those days). In any case, we are sure that most of those who come will be satisfied with the choices made.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
