THERE 'IN ITALY TO TASTE BE Roberto Freak Antoni (1994) 
'The secret of the agitator is to become as stupid as his audience so that they believe to be smart like him' (Karl Kraus) MM - So, Roberto, replay: how, when and why were born Skiantos? From what input and what needs have been forged? Roberto "Freak" Antoni - Well, then here directly from the central train station in Bologna say to you that Skiantos were born in the mid 70s. The first record dates back to 77 but the experiments Skiantos began some years earlier. Then we were called 'Freak Antoni and Dementia Praecox', in a moment of delirium and self-gratification over exaggerated the group took my name associated with dementia praecox, because stavamo appunto ragionando su questo fenomeno e questa caratteristica della demenza e di ciò che può essere demenziale. E bene o male l'aggettivo 'demenziale' ce lo siamo inventato noi, è una piccola invenzione degli Skiantos.
Oggi si parla tanto di demenziale, secondo me anche molto a sproposito, perché si tende spesso ad identificarlo soprattutto con la goliardia mentre in realtà il demenziale non si limita certo a questo; è anche il piacere del non sense, il gusto dell'assurdo. E penso che i nostri primi esperimenti fossero davvero molto interessanti, abbastanza radicali.
Avvennero nella mia cantina, ove ero solito radunare amici, compagni di classe, conoscenze varie per iniziare a comporre canzoni assurde dettate dalla hard and fast rule, precise, very determined that there was talk of love in a sloppy second characteristic typical of those canons classic Italian song. So get involved exclude or break the sentimental romance and all the general and melassume mielume free, requires us to compose songs about spaghetti, examining everything with great stuff ... but not to deny a spiritual impetus and dialectic that was how our need, but to oppose strongly against the rhetoric of the period, against the indifference canzonettaro the Italian musical world, tied to the usual rhymes, the usual themes ... obviously for me to speak inappropriately in music, because the so-called music leggera italiana è invece molto, molto pesante!
Ti ripasso il microfono qui dalla stazione ferroviaria di Bologna centrale!
MM - Cosa ricordi dell'allucinato, beckettiano esordio in cui davanti ad un'allibita platea cucinaste degli spaghetti e ve ne abbuffaste? RFA - Ne ho un ottimo ricordo, è stata una bella provocazione, è stata una serata all'insegna del rifiuto musicale, della negazione di quella musica intesa come accozzaglia di stereotipi musicali, dal rock più facile alla banalità della canzone tutta amore e cuore... Per il nostro esordio, piuttosto che tuffarci nella mischia producendo musica, magari altrettanto stupida e banale, noi decidemmo di fare una spaghettata sul stage.
The famous 'spaghetti-performance' would be, in its small way, a form of protest against a show, enforcement, dispute some of musical frivolity.
On other occasions, they also bring a refrigerator on the stage from which extracts of foods and also pulled noodles of fishing to the public, spewing from the stage or catapults ... Our performance was more elaborate on the other hand the preparation, through real stove, a pot of spaghetti with lots of water, salt and cook spaghetti made. Lacked the sauce, a sauce was prepared that nobody has ever had the opportunity to listen, or rather hear, in terms of taste and culinary, no one could then listening to music, because after a verbal confrontation with the audience, the audience got the shit in the form of cow dung, collected the day before - as he was later told - in local stables.
was an interesting evening in every way and remember with pleasure and affection.
MM - Beyond the high rate provocative, intended to aim at particular demonstrations of such an action? RFA - Overview was much more fun to do things of that type rather than sweat on his musical studies, as well as in front of some trivial theater is more fun to do ... If the scene should be in the boredom and banality best to make her squirm and think of something else.
[see anche http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeOcLb7fsLc ]
MM - L'uso di strumenti giocattolo con i quali avete iniziato a proporvi on stage fingendo di suonare alludeva alla miseria cultural-musicale vigente o, più in profondità, era un'ennesima dimostrazione cageana dell'espressività e della musicalità del silenzio? RFA - No, era semplicemente un modo per dire che anche con strumenti giocattolo si potevano fare interventi musicali interessanti o provocatori. Quell'idea era stata adottata per arrivare a esprimere una sonorità ed un'attitudine infantili, supportate da certi testi in rima baciata, da asilo che noi sceglievamo di fare proprio per ingigantire la grevità della canzonetta and the seriousness of the Italian scene. So the toy instruments could be designed to emphasize the stupidity of certain musical situations.
MM - What are your memories of the Metropolitan Center Scream? What were the expectations and the atmosphere of that period? RFA - Scream Metropolitan Center was the first name of Gaznevada, who were then, if you will, a big disappointment because at first seemed the criminals of Italian rock, seemed to those who could do in the places slices common rock and roll with new proposals very, very different and definitely alternatives, then actually turned out to be just like a little fashionistas' stupid. The
expectations were very similar to those of British punk in Italy and is emulated and followed that move. But we had from our irony, the insane which aimed at a small revolution, to reverse things in music, to ensure that pop music could also become interesting not only to Jackson canzonaccie idiotic and so on.
MM - you pass through the 80 experiencing first hand experience of the end of 70, what did it mean for you the riot-musical aesthetic of the first punk and new wave movement after the defeat of 77, broken up by emergency legislation and the so-called "heroine status? RFA - The punk movement was a very innovative ed interessante, senza dubbio l'avvenimento più degno di nota della seconda metà degli anni 70 e, come ripercussione, anche l'esperimento più originale nei primi anni 80.
Negli anni 80 ci sono stati parecchi cambiamenti e secondo me è fondamentalmente vera l'immagine che vuole gli anni 80 come la decade del riflusso, nel senso che rispetto allo scoppio di creatività degli anni 70, gli anni 80 sono stati decisamente anni di ripiegamento su sè stessi.
La fine dei 70 è stata l'era dell'esplosione, della ricerca, dell'innovazione e della sperimentazione; sono gli anni della rottura con gli equilibri preconfezionati del sistema piccolo borghese della società in cui si viveva allora; erano appunto gli anni del punk-rock with its ideology of 'no future!'. I must say that the demented approach it, perhaps inappropriately, of course the sense that there is a temporal connotation very strong and we are born more or less the same period.
But punk has its roots on quest'apocalittica ideology of 'no future!', A nihilism of the bottom of this safe feeling that there was no possible future rosy. And compared to the 60's punk overturned all: there is no future, do not tell us lies, we do not have opportunities on the horizon etc. Over time, this nihilism has been very dangerous and harmful, because then the true and deep nihilism can only lead to a dead end, you do not più sbocchi né prospettive e ti rimane solo il suicidio - come nel caso di Sid Viscious, Ian Curtis o Kurt Cobain.
Voglio dire che l'esasperazione nichilista non va oltre l'annullamento di sè stessi.
Il rock demenziale, un po' figlio del movimento studentesco e della scoperta dell'ironia come Nuovo Linguaggio, ha sempre avuto dalla sua parte anche l'uso della comicità e dell'umorismo come carta vetrata, come grimaldello per forzare una realtà certamente negativa e priva di prospettiva come il punk giustamente faceva notare.
Il rock demenziale aveva nell'ironia e nell'umorismo la capacità di rispondere a questa noia e a questa forte disperazione, nel senso che l'ironia e l'autoironia rilanciavano la voglia di resistere. E parlo di resistenza ferrea, pura, alla difficoltà del vivere, all'angoscia del quotidiano e alla mancanza di prospettive e di valori nel mondo piccolo borghese: ebbene, l'impulso sardonico diede una grande spinta.
Noi oggi leggiamo Cuore, ma prima c'è stato Tango e prima ancora non bisogna mai dimenticare Il Male, che è stata la rivista antesignana, che per prima ebbe il coraggio di adottare uno stile satirico molto radicale, molto forte, molto risoluto, decisamente alla carta vetrata.
Noi siamo figli del Male, perché abbiamo trasposto l'ironia sarcastica, il sarcasmo velenoso, al vetriolo, di quella rivista nella musica rock.
MM - Skiantos e tutte le altre esperienze legate alla fatidica Bologna wave of 77 had also aim to subvert the canonical relationship between artist and audience, and to disturb the liability of a cheering audience of crap for inaction. " As you can see today the public: the more shrewd, more responsive, more bored or naive way? The Skiantos still manage to offend the audience? RFA - We pulled the vegetables to the public to say that the public itself was not to be anchored and secured in its role as a passive spectator and inert, so that the applause that the whistle still make you a passive spectator.
So we wanted to strike up a game that would allow us to bridge the gap between artist and audience, for this march tiravamo vegetables and blunt objects - but still very provocative, insulting the audience booed. The game was now very misunderstood, so we stopped doing that, because every good game is short, but mainly it was our interest to amend and remove certain structures in our live act.
I must say that in some ways the public today seems more shrewd, he saw and heard many things, has already experienced several situations - speaking of the most attentive audience - and it is also often bored because of the frequent feeling of having already seen and heard everything. It should also be added that the new audience of younger generations, sometimes I feel estremista della normalità, mi sembra che abbia deciso di fare della normalità il proprio logo, il proprio modo di essere, il proprio marchio distintivo, spingendola talvolta all'estremo.
Noto che in realtà, rispetto agli Skiantos, c'è una platea molto particolare; un pubblico che decide di venire a vedere e sentire gli Skiantos è comunque un pubblico che fa una scelta molto radicale e particolare, ed è sempre una fascia di persone particolarmente sveglie.
Il pubblico medio, generale, mi sembra invece - ahimè! - estremista della normalità, oggi più di allora.
MM - Le vostre prime performances presentarono soluzioni davvero deliziose e molto orticanti all'interno dei dogmi dello scenario spectacular Italian; your entr'actes were really nasty, disrespectful and clearly printed Dada-Situationist. But today I find much more condescending toward the audience, it seems that the initial bitterness and ferocity are gradually crystallized ironic, perhaps because it has reached a certain complicity between what you and the other party. What made you opt for such a turn? Why this radical change in progress? RFA - Because the next step, moving forward on this road, was shot in public, spit on him without pretense, the next move was amplified speakers slam on people, whip the public to the letter. Means passing from one level to a very literal imagery, real, even violent, which does not belong to us, and then get to the launch of blunt objects and materially injure the public, but in fact we were interested in finding new forms of provocation, and we were we are looking for other avenues.
Maybe there were times "more refined" of provocation, in which we have chosen the most elegant formulas, and then we went to a cross dall'insulto more literary, made by my reciting a series of comic poems demented with the absurd to leverage a more literary, in some way. We switched to sublimate from a certain point of view our violence because the beautiful the game is that it does not become repetitive ...
Continuing on that road, the first repetition and boredom of it then there would have given no choice but to throw objects more and more fierce, more and more heavy and dangerous, and baste a real war.
MM - This change came also from a musical point of view: you are more technically cured, the lyrics are less and less light-hearted and ironic, however, more demented tout-court, it seems that you have decided to abjure works such as 'Kinotto' , 'Inascoltable' and 'Mono tone' ... What happened? RFA - For years people told us: 'Ok, you're funny, you're funny, but do not know how to play then we do not take seriously, we do not give credit because you can never tell if you're stupid if you're joking or serious. "
Of all this there are always beaten us, but to a certain point in the sense that at some point in our history has also increased the need to demonstrate that we, as tattered, it was a game aware that we We played at a very low level - which by our standards were high, but that would be intentionally low in the eyes of others - because of a conscious choice, which was to use a metaphor, and the general public has always taken the e has always misunderstood the speech Skiantos, has always taken unable for the real, while our game was really an inability to pretend to show that the naive, if honest and devoid of artistic ambitions, produces something more interesting than the professor.
Sometimes the ungrammatical is deeper than the polished and dell'impeccabile, Godard also said it compared to the movies, I repeat Truffaut.
short, it seems to me that we have been part of that category of artists who has ever tried to intentionally from a poor level to exchange and disrupt things, but also at the same time possessing the ability and technique to make the others. Over the years it has grown we also need to demonstrate possession of a technical considerevole, almeno per noi, per i nostri livelli; è cresciuta la voglia di creare prodotti più raffinati e dare al pubblico la consapevolezza che il cavallo da noi cavalcato non era poi così zoppo e che possedevamo le chiavi del gioco.
Con l'andare del tempo si cresce e si sviluppa la voglia di ricercare altri canali, altre esperienze, cresce il bisogno di non ripetersi e di percorrere sentieri più eleganti.
Se però hai presente il nostro ultimo disco,
Saluti da Cortina , noterai che c'è stato un ritorno alla ruvidità sonora e tematica dei primi tempi.
A noi interessa soprattutto trovare una formula che ci permetta di esprimere al meglio le nostre potenzialità e che allo stesso tempo sia fedele our strings in tune with our deep stimulating challenge. It is about finding new revenue and new releases, we now more than ever, we can not and do not want to ride what we have already made, supported and practiced.
We want new, and perhaps this is past time for finishing, excessive arrangement, to too much care, but it was still part of our research, the most professional sounding tracks officer was wanted.
We are tired of always being considered the beggars of the situation and we wanted to demonstrate the means and willingness to offer more musical richness. Somehow we wanted to give a kind of slap moral to those who regularly get me wrong, and there claimed, or pretended to support us but in reality are moving towards other artists and showed other preferences.
When you are very provocative people believe that you do not know anything else. Instead, we had all the cards in order, but the public sympathized equally with the regularly Skiantos then betraying and deserting at a time of products handled, refined, technically flawless. Even Skiantos could offer them, and they did.
MM - Lately peeps have done some texts that deep down I reek of rhetoric and moralism, on the understanding that these are personal impressions rather than categorical judgments, we are still safe that Skiantos, acrobats from the craziness over the arts and the parties are being progressively camouflaged by judges or demagogues? RFA - We always do what we feel to do. I remain of the view that are less suitable to criticize me. I can only honestly say with full honesty, what we like, things in which we recognize.
Of course we are not perfect or infallible, nor free from any kind of rhetoric and it is possible that sometimes we have slipped. The Skiantos have beautiful that no link ever - or almost - the finger at anyone or anything, just do a speech for those who know and understand and accept what we like to express che abbiamo nella testa e nel cuore.
Non abbiamo però delle velleità di messaggio, di pistolotto retorico, di penetrazione subliminale, di grande espansione. Non vogliamo parlare alle folle, c'interessa esprimere pareri o sentimenti che caratterizzano un certo periodo della nostra vita, fermo restando che magari fra dieci anni la possiamo pensare esattamente al contrario.
MM - "Noi fingevamo di essere idioti e loro ci consideravano idioti effettivi; è stata una dura battaglia. Alla fine hanno vinto loro". Con queste parole hai dichiarato nei primi anni 80 - e lo hai ribadito poco fa - dove vi hanno portato le sabbie mobili dell'equivoco, di quel fraintendimento che il mettersi in gioco inevitabilmente - e necessariamente - Entails. Three decades away the Skiantos have taken revenge? What happens today between you and them? What kind of reports are there? RFA - Their reactions are always very interesting, we are always in a research phase and we find that the music affects a certain type of rock very harsh, radical and corrosive. Currently, the relationship with the public good, to our shows are young people, young people who obviously have known the Skiantos by older siblings or parents, and who know by heart the songs.
is repeated but the ceremony always dell'elogio Skiantos for the first hour, I think of the Skiantos now have many more things da dire nonché molta più lucidità degli Skiantos di un tempo, hanno ancora una loro ragione d'essere, una loro forza comunicativa, una loro precisa validità ed è per questo che continuiamo e si va avanti comunque.
Il rapporto col pubblico è oggi molto dialettico, sempre molto intenso; non a caso molti osservatori e molti giornalisti affermano che il live act è la nostra facciata migliore, la più interessante. Detto questo, non me la sento però di cantare vittoria e di parlare di rivincita; a tutt'oggi siamo molto equivocati. E' incredibile quanto il pubblico medio sia sconfortante, decerebrato, microcefalo, poco informato, poco attento, poco spiritoso e molto permaloso, sempre meno disponibile allo scherzo, all'autoironia, irony in general ... with time so I do not think the earnest Skiantos bet on which are the favorites to win this battle.
MM - you name from the early willingness to make provocative and gnashing of your foundation: Skiantos phonetically and conceptually indicates the rupture and collision. There is more concussion in humor or in anger? RFA - It can cause even using humor very fine and not too much between the lines. Take a song like 'I prefer to die': it is very radical in its presentation of otherness and opposition, opposition that results in suicidal mania, but between the lines, with a certain savoir faire, he says things very provocative ... obviously we had to resort to this kind of provocation and become ... [thinks for a bit 'on] ... not even more immediate and less direct, but to go deeper into the importance of the texts, for example, to write something more thoughtful, perhaps less direct but more thought, more thought, and not just "I'll break your face, you vomit in your mouth, you guts "...
When you do this for years, you will then want to change pages.
MM - What drew you to art references such as Dadaism, surrealism, art brut, even on the poems that doth every performance? RFA - Lots; the current ones I loved and studied a lot in school. I did DAMS and I often say this about the artistic avant-garde of the early '900, and futurism, dada and surrealism as a nineteenth-century legacy of the past few decades.
I was greatly fascinated by their being very innovative, I have been very attentive to their linguistic violence, their expressive scissor kick. I tried, after such strong interest, in my own way to transpose these characteristics in the work Skiantos. Obviously the way I do because I believe that an artist has an obligation to be original in some way and to store information, images and insights of art and then reworked in their own way, according to the filters its sensitivity, otherwise it is a copyist of many, certainly not real artist ... Here, I think that Skiantos have made this effort to render all their artistic tensions of the early twentieth century, elaborating such avant-garde through contemporary culture, which goes through the pop art of the sixties ...
MM - And you have also experienced the situation, if I remember correctly ... RFA - On our way yes we recorded the first albums on Cramps label, so-called "alternative" of 70 years in Milan, who had the art director Gianni Sassi who was an activist situationist knew Yoko Ono many members of that movement which we have done part, through him.
We had pleasant contacts and enjoy this cultural shock with which we stood in line.
And I must say that everything has since been redesigned with a sensitivity Skiantos very, very much our contemporary, as it always has to be in the arts, the artist takes signals 1000 and then to revise them to propose their own signal, and the original exclusive.
MM - Standing in terms of relations with the public, on stage you always tend to denigrate and ridicule the fans especially the myth of rock star with his luggage-type of relationships that can arise between huge fanatic and exalted and capricious star: I see a lot as a kind of exorcism against the star system, as a desire to dampen, if not outstanding, idolatries disproportionate in your / your concerns ... RFA - Absolutely. And I always do, because this is the essence of Skiantos; if there was this message that passes I do not think we would have more reason to exist in the sense that Skiantos want to demolish their stardom in all its forms, they want to understand that the artist is not a man like everyone else, which is absolutely not the case to idolize anyone.
Punk put him in this light, always pushing things to excess, however, so much spitting and destroying everything. I think it's only fair, however, undermine the foundations of idolatry, the artist which is god because he is on stage or have recorded an album ... Certainly, there is in the artist, the very fact of proposing something and to oppose boldly at first and unclothed, a factor that makes it special, something special, something extra, but not for this is be justified idolatry. We
before, during and after a gig we have a very direct relationship, mediated very little with our audience, we want to talk about on par with our people, we want to break decisively with all their myths and rituals, with the rites and myths rites, myths, practices with a classic rock concert, but declared that it is a game made with the knowledge and consent to be there to play.
MM - Despite your attempts to smooth such fanaticism, you happen to still have a problem with someone who puts you above everyone and everything? RFA - No, fortunately. I think, I think ... I hope to always be shiny rather than to the dangers of stardom, I do not feel quite like a rock star nor do I believe the false myths of stardom.
If the artist has something special, such a characteristic must not expire on the idolatrous dialectic, in any case or in any form. Especially since the artist is often more fragile than a human being generally much more scared and anxious than the average human beings. So
essere artisti non è sempre un vantaggio, è spesso molto scomodo ed imbarazzante; si tratta di uomini dai tanti difetti, dalle tante ansie, dai tanti handicap psichici - nel senso di difficoltà comunicative -, dalle tante paranoie... fondamentalmente sono esseri umani come tutti gli altri. Non è detto che l'etichetta "artista" sia una valida ragione per essere messi su un piedistallo: se mi ci mettono, io lo lascio il momento dopo.
Io
detesto ogni forma d'idolatria.
MM - A tuo avviso cosa genera l'impulso secondo il quale una buona maggioranza del pubblico ha più bisogno di dei che di persone? RFA - Deriva dalle frustrazioni personali e dal fatto che il pubblico ha bisogno di pensare che chi sta sul palco si diverte maggiormente e conduce chissà quale vita più intensa ed interessante. C'è bisogno di avere un punto di riferimento e "un personaggio" è il bersaglio primo, perché l'artista suggerisce un modo di vivere diverso.
C'è bisogno di avere informazioni diverse dalla noia del quotidiano, stimoli che esulino dal tedium vitae, c'è bisogno di evadere: da qui la necessità di credere che l'artista sia una divinità e non un uomo. E tutti ne sono tristemente illusi, è ciò a cui tutti pensano: le alternative, i sentieri alternativi, altre strade rispetto alla piattezza deprimente del day by day, strade che molti si credono impossibilitati a percorrere con le proprie gambe.
MM - "Esplorare il lato comico del tragico e quello tragico del comico": puoi approfondire questo concetto per chi magari non l'avesse ben compreso leggendolo nel tuo libro 'Non c'è gusto in Italia ad essere intelligenti'? Credi sempre che l'humor implichi necessariamente la tragedia e viceversa? E ancora: credi che l'ironia sia un passe par tout oppure ci sono soglie che a tuo avviso non possono essere valicate? RFA - L'umorismo è fondamentale per resistere alla noia, alla depressione e alle angosce della vita. Credo che l'ironia e la comicità, quando vere, quando autentiche, siano davvero importanti. Tragedia e comicità sono solo la testa e la croce of the same coin. In life there are very serious tragedies, however, put together by very strong hilarious moments, brief moments, maybe, but with great humor that helps us not to succumb to the crisis. Sure, you can not always laugh at it, there are tragedies that such existence would become to be cynical laugh, limestone dell'impietosità the pedal to the extreme.
MM - The cynicism, however, in its way, is nothing but a form of comedy ... RFA - Cynicism is a form of comedy sometimes healthy, sacrosanct, which allows you to survive, but they are not always convinced that in life one could or should laugh, but if you can laugh at themselves cynicism is purified. Here, the irony is a basic exercise of demolition of their ego, allows you to make the right distance from your superstructure, with your arrogance, by your false certainties and false information that maybe your shop criteria as absolute and undisputable , and please you with your superstimarti even your flaws. The irony is serious self-criticism, I think there is a great need for everyone. Laugh at himself is an examination of conscience, so I am very fond of the comedy in all its nuances.
And let us not forget that the comic is a great exorcist to help ward off the sadness and the rigors of daily life and above all: I am more than convinced that the comic sia davvero preziosa, unica e rara.
MM - Con essa si è liberi di fare e dire ogni cosa oppure ci sono delle zone che devono rimanere off-limits per tutti? RFA - No, non ci sono dei veri tabù, anzi direi che la comicità serve a ridere di essi. Con l'ironia ci si può sbizzarrire in ogni campo, anche se a volte nella vita - e qui dipende dalla sensibilità individuale - ci sono momenti in cui è estremamente difficile ridere ed è quasi impossibile far suscitare il sorriso. Però pregiudizialmente non penso all'intoccabile, all'invalicabile: ogni cosa è passibile di derisione.
MM - Credi sia davvero uno sbagliato e consunto cliché l'assioma "l'arte nasce suffering "? RFA - Even if it was written it 'handbook for young artists' do not think so really. Indeed, I think it is more than established that the best artistic intuition implied by the suffering, but not all: there are 1000 faces , 1000 ... the art aspects of the problem may arise primarily from the pain, but not limited to, born from 1000 stimuli, intuition, from an innate personal capacity by a particular observation, by the findings, even a certain capacity aptitude to recognize the absurdity of life. He was born 1000 and then more excuses.
The suffering must not be used as a pretext and romantic stereotype to say that the artist must sempre e comunque essere confinato necessariamente nella tristezza, nella povertà, nelle angustie e nelle ambasce, nella difficoltà e nelle lacrime.
Non credo che l'artista debba per forza esser tenuto nelle paranoie, nell'angoscia e nella miseria per produrre meglio o per essere più prolifico.
MM - E' allora che si trasforma in luogo comune... RFA - Certo, soprattutto se spinto all'eccesso. Non per questo si può però negare che anche da un'estrema sofferenza e dalle difficoltà possa nascere il genio.
MM - Nella creatività poni una netta linea demarcatoria tra il buono e il cattivo gusto o credi che quello che fai stia al di là delle regole, del lecito and the offense, the goodness and badness, prohibitions and obligations? SAB - Well, art is extremely difficult to mark the boundaries, in the creative sphere is all true as it is all false, then art is extremely subjective and unlikely to fix the limits of the codes and regulations. There is objectivity in the sense that there is always the principles, tastes, and the solutions that are or may seem more general, but in principle be determined on a very individual and personal. Then, in general, there are many insights in which more or less recognize and demonstrate that art is something objective, but basically art is always a subjective matter, both for authors and for users.
Of course it is a question left open-discussion, which will never resolve: the art index as objective or subjective is a dispute over which they beat their heads high - and are still exchanging opinions and insults - aesthetes, philosophers, spin doctors, critics and artists from around the world and of all time.
MM - It 's harder or easier now, laugh and make others laugh? RFA - I do not know how to respond, because I believe that there is never a problem today than yesterday or "easier / less likely" based on a question of talent, intuition, predispositions to laugh and who wants to provoke.
If a person is talented and hilarious perspective of things is often a shield to defend himself from the anxieties and taedium vitae. There is a famous Jewish humor, where the Jews of the United States for years have learned to laugh at their misfortunes, and in particular, in recent decades, has developed along this type of comedy called Jewish leaders of that great stuff.
I can think of the Marx Brothers, they did highlight the funny side and paradoxical existence ... everything depends on the fact that people are brought and prepared to capture the nuances spirit, I do not think either of these periods of social arrangements, the qualifications of character, manner of individuals see things, the way to bring out the humor with themselves, regardless of era.
MM - What are the mechanisms that have oxidized much of the spontaneity and authenticity and irony that tend to distort more and more the pleasure of laughter and humor? RFA - Television shows ... all those pre-recorded laughter, the audience paid to laugh and make painful sciapo what should be a source of amusement.
Television has many merits and advantages but also many many flaws, including the recurrent, incurable, to flatten down, generalize ... based on the duty to appeal to a range more possibile vasta di audience il mass media banalizza, sceglie deliberatamente di essere anche stupido, volgare, gregario... a volte arriva perfino a compiacersene. Per cui anche la comicità peggiora, si uniforma verso il basso, diventa più barzellettiera; dico questo senza aver nulla contro le barzellette, che spesso sono esilaranti.
Per far ridere molto spesso si ricorre allo strumento e al meccanismo più facile.
MM - "Italiano Ridens" denuncia l'insofferenza verso l'epidemia parolacciara e verso quella volgarità giostrata al solo fine d'incrementare l'audience; è però curioso ricordare che voi stessi avete spesso e molto volentieri fatto ricorso al verbo e al gesto offensivo e grossolano... RFA - Of course, we always strive to be a type of humor that sometimes wants to be provocative and necessarily falls back on the most trivial deeds, but we are from another planet and do not wish nor do we have no charm, no television usufruiamo support, do not have the ball audience to worry about.
MM - Do you think the bad word has a precise penalty, given its vitality and elegance of its own within a creative context? RFA - depends on how you use it, how the systems, how and why it can be liberating. Like any weapon, even the bad word is double-edged, sometimes is useful, sometimes it is criminal.
A joke may serve to clarify things, as can be grim and free. The university boys
joke laugh following the example of "cazzofigaculotettemerda" is a winner, considering that the Italians are found to be a people so repressed by laughing as he hears a so-called dirty word ... die laughing to hear words like 'fuck' or as 'rottoinculo' or 'blow job' ... the fault of Christianity. There has repressed to the point that just a bit 'of foul language to lash the hilarity ...
MM - Returning to the theme of suffering, what's really autobiographical in some of your poems that, in my opinion, are much more steeped in spleen ed opaca malinconia che di umorismo? Parlo ad esempio di 'Nostalgia della miseria', 'Fate piano', 'Non voglio più', 'Gelati'... RFA - Si... devo dire che tu hai giustamente colto la tristezza e la depressione di queste liriche mentre parte del grosso pubblico ha molta difficoltà a capire che molto spesso gli Skiantos fanno sul serio parlando anche di dolore e di disperazione.
Questo perché l'immagine generale contro la quale gli Skiantos vogliono combattere è quella di ridanciani ad oltranza, degli Skiantos visti come clown, come jolly, come buffoni di corte e del popolo legati in maniera immarcescibile ed eterna in questo ruolo, ed è per questo che si cercano nuove strade, per riprendere le tue scorse domande sul perché del nostro drastico cambiamento...
E' vero, siamo molto fraintesi e spesso parliamo anche di tragedie come in 'Frontale' o 'Preferisco morire'; a volte le nostre canzoni sono storie che parlano di drammi molto forti, molto pesanti come ad esempio in 'Riformato', che è la storia di una persona esaurita che si fa esonerare dal servizio militare perché dietro vive tragedie da psicopatico che mi riguardano personalmente, nel senso che io mi sento psicolabile non di rado e, anzi, lo sono sicuramente.
Si, devo dire che non sbagli nell'osservare la componente autobiografica di certe canzoni che partono da sensazioni ed emozioni strettamente personali e hanno poco o niente a che vedere con laughter.
MM - Do you think therefore that there should be a break between what is and what you do? RFA - No need to be or become prisoners of their character, no? But art and life are in genuine cases, intersected much - if not next -; must then be distinct because it can be dangerous for the artist to be confused with his character that sometimes is necessary to take a good distance good for psychic survival.
It is certainly true to say that art and life are intimately connected, strongly intertwined. E 'useless and stupid to talk about things that do not know. If you treat certain issues in the songs you really have to experience them in or rapportartici very seriously, it is essential to sustained them, have entered into them. Often it is natural to store in the art and propose their own experience perhaps sublimated, very filtered, modified and retracted, is typical of many contemporary artists ... the rest is just the lives of those whispered suggestions and insights as always exploitable on the artistic.
MM - I can not help but wonder what's in Freak Roberto and Roberto's in the Freak? This is the same entity? RFA - I would say that such images and such personalities overlap: Freak enters Roberto and Roberto Freak passes. They are two people intimately and inextricably related. Although, I repeat, there is often the distances to be taken: I do not want to live the character Freak second artistic stereotypes, and then when you need it I'm away ... but Freak and Roberto are certainly united in good times and bad until death do us part.
MM - On the basis of this statement let me know if you've ever concocted especially scornful jokes, bizarre, horrible ... below with the anecdotes! RFA - I do not remember jokes made particularly noteworthy. I recognize in the universe ironic, but I'm not a joker, I'm not the type who plans to tutt'andare jokes. If I have to and if I want, I like impromptu abandon intuition, inspiration of the moment.
MM - Curious, because by themselves the Skiantos were one of the more left-handed shots played in the Italian musical world ... RFA - In this sense I agree with you, but I'm not a militant of the joke, not the joker of the company, I do not lose any sleep over pranks invent or to choose the victims, who knows what congegnerie build ... Again, I like to let me go, let things be, if they come on their own. The
Skiantos were instead a joke program, a project defined and precisely where they wanted to play, however, stand by, between the lines, notes very serious. Much more serious, in our opinion, the shoot of certain singers or certain alleged poets who claim to be terribly solemn and end up being solemnly pathetic.
MM - The birth of Skiantos immediately opened a gap in the tens - if not hundreds - of other groups linked to dementia - I think the most calculating and genuine vocation for fashion or the desire to transcend the musical aspect - and today has more than an attempt at imitation, from which suspicious. flatters you or do you regret that groups such as Elio e le Storie Tese, slyly echoing and recycling - if not unduly possession - ideas and attitudes coined by now you have reached the peak? SAB - Well, yes, we are naturally very jealous and annoyed But it also makes us very proud and we are pleased in the sense that the proof is obvious, clear, incontrovertible and indisputable that our intuitions could have, as we have always thought the bottom, front too widely in some way , successful, an official recognition after the event, reflected a consensus, because I think the insane, the continually deride idols, rock stars, the audience, the recording industry, the relationship between them is something that concerns the younger generation, who always want to crush the sacred cows of their fathers, the great historical figures and heroes of parents and older siblings.
And in this sense, the crazy rock happens to bean, because it is inherently irreverent; desecrates every time the new myth ... that's why the new generations still tend to ride the fashion of the insane at this point is considered out of fashion, relying on irony and sarcasm are outside the trend, the laughter is outside the ages precisely because universal language, everlasting, accessible.
Captain Jack are the only proof that the insane can pay. We were the first ones, who have broken the ice and of course we can not but be very envious of them reap the handful of what our orchard was, of what has been our effort to break; but on the other hand, there is also pleased to see that the idea worked and it is - consentitemelo, consentimelo - the idea Skiantos.
whatever one may say Captain Jack's demented inventors were the Skiantos and ahiloro!, They make crazy rock!
MM - Among the dozens of groups emerged in this last decade and early 1990 will see someone in particular that has catalyzed more your pleasure and your interest? RFA - Yes, and it must be said that the same Captain Jack have their songs very beautiful, others do not go beyond the student spirit and are rather poor in content. But there are other artists best, I really like such an intelligent and Marco Carena refined humor, I like Oedipus and his complex, little-known but interesting group of Prato. Like the Eighth Pavilion Livorno, I also liked some things Pitura Freska. In Rome, it should be noted
Sandro Oliva and the Blue Pampurios, another group known as the most active years ago that the experiments very idiotic Zappa but definitely intriguing.
There is a group of drawings Stefano, Volante Group, which has the infiltration idiotic - though not too many - I know a group called Blood Bari which operates on the same plane.
There are in abundance throughout Italy, all or almost unknown, but not unworthy of note. Ben
are irony, self-irony and humor, and I think they will hold them more and more illuminating of the banality of the song from the hit parade of traditional Italian music.
MM - Outside the demented but who / what did you like most? RFA-The first I really liked Sergio Caputo; do not understand why then he is - let me say no offense and with the utmost sympathy and utmost respect - convoluted. Perhaps it is collided with reality, too difficult and problematic, but his first recordings in my opinion are absolutely brilliant. I am the author of the literal part, as you know I take care of the lyrics so I am particularly attentive to the words. And brilliant texts
in Italy I'm not sure missed, Battisti and Mogol only thinks about all ...
[Freak if we did not understand or have joked that seriously, given his fierce criticism of the song, author's note]
some things I liked a lot of Elvis, not to mention some new rock bands that have baked solutions egregious .. .
I think you're waking up the Italian music scene.
MM - The Skiantos have never been a cage for you: you set up the Vortex, you had a space in a television program [Mister Fantasy, author's note], you have often moved in private [between his work as a soloist producer and the box of five 45 rpm - now unavailable - "The irrepressible Freak Antoni"], you 've moved parallel to creative experiences such as the sporadic involvement in other groups and journalism [writing articles for magazines and Selene Frigidaire, author's note], thus fully confirming the importance of not becoming a disc that is enchanted. In that perspective should be considered Pollock: they are a completely separate, or is it an extension of your sarcastic track-crazy? RFA - This is an experiment in its own right. The Pollock is a group of friends born of common passion for the arts, especially painting, photography and sculpture.
They were born on the train, during a return trip from Turin, where we had seen together an exhibition of Keith Ering, an American graffittista; parallelamente eravamo reduci da una mostra fotografica di Alessandro Rivola, che aveva fatto un allestimento che perseguiva un discorso rivolto alla massificazione, con un parallelo che vedeva l'uomo molto simile al pollo d'allevamento nella società contemporanea.
Quindi, partendo dall'emblema del pollo che ricorda molto l'essere umano inserito nel sociale con i suoi obblighi, i suoi doveri e i suoi diritti minimi rispetto agli obblighi e ai doveri che ha, e coniugando il tutto con l'assonanza del nome dell'action painter americano, abbiamo costituito un gruppo che si chiamava Pollock e che proponeva dell'action-music.
E' stata un'esperienza molto più vicina all'artistico, al figurativo, totalmente slegata da altri projects and the playful, which still goes on, regardless of my cooperation.
MM - What happened to Whirlpool and other groups that you formed in the last decade? RFA - Some have gone forward, others are stuck. Beppe flutters and Vortices were a very impromptu experiment, which was stopped a short time. Astro Vitelli was the pseudonym of the poet and that is instead a character that I developed because I once worked in the comedy or cabaret with formula if you prefer old-fashioned, outdated, a bit 'out of date - but if you want to use, for convenience - and especially writing, is still something I like to deepen.
I do every day, I keep in constant practice, I need to stop thinking, to give them order and to have a mindset more square, to reorder things and to better articulate and punctuate the stages of my life and my thoughts.
MM - What do you think of the many self-administered centers / There have flourished in recent years? Above all, for you that somehow you are a self-made man, what do you think the model of self-management as a new means of production and alternative to the general market? Do you think it possible the union of a public sphere and a private in a model that ousted the party system and institutional associations? E 'can, in your opinion, join - rather than alienate - the time for private life and that of work in a "new political project"? RFA - I think that squats are the only major real news in recent years, I think in terms of collective social proposal are important for the ideas, possibilities and perspectives are always worth turning out.
I think that squats are the reality of communication more active, more intense and attractive these days, I hope and believe that they have a future if they can organize the minimum, of course, freeing herself from all those business models that are now very fashion. Their hope for a more efficient organization in order to be increasingly valuable as the center severity of the cultural centers of industry can really be expanded and have a socializing function really important for the future.
MM - Have you recently contributed to a CD document to dust off the air and atmosphere of the Resistance. He still makes sense today to talk about it or is it just a sterile nostalgia? not believe that to restore things is ridiculous, besides an anachronism? Now it is full of pseudo-movements and other castes who worship moldy again fossils such as counter-ideological, anarchism ... Yourself in 'I am against!' scoffed at the antagonist, the extremist, the factious, the dissociated .... RFA - No, no! It is not sterile nostalgia, not with regard me.Non Forget that the Resistance has a definite value, certainly had a meaning. Then it is true that there is the rhetoric of resistance, boring and useless as any rhetoric, however, for if the resistance has a value be placed in his having been at the forefront and proud defender of values \u200b\u200bthat are, for me, very important. This time I mean it in a broad sense, close all'accezione given to him by the journal Heart, human resistance to the new fascism, neo-Nazism, intolerance to reinvigorate, to boredom and degradation of life, overcome with a good dose of humor. I wish once again to highlight the humor might be a cosmic form of resistance.
In 'I am against!' There is a position that if you want to review the current ideal follow the logic of 'Largo ahead, do', which expresses a radical position individual, individualistic. About the impatience expressed by you, it is true that people too often involves unnecessary and s'autointrappola in matters of rhetoric, however, does not mean that only these targets towards which converge their forces. Personally I
other dislikes, and which, like every other feeling, even hatred is relative, everyone chooses his own target.
MM - Da 'Inascoltable' a 'Greetings from Cortina' what is the job to which you feel most attached to, you feel more near you? RFA - Difficult to say, because I could slip into the rhetoric and say, paraphrasing a line of the great Eduardo, the discs are like children! Of course, a joke, but of course I have experienced first hand each and every record I know the inner life, its many aspects and the same background, so I always different and always a special bond with each job.
I am very fond of 'Mono tone' and 'Kinotto' but also 'There is no taste in Italy to be smart' because it marks our collected in the mid-80s, after a period of crisis when we were still four years and there has sawn a little 'legs: we have accumulated cobwebs the public and we forgot to put back together when we were 84, we had to start over from scratch with all the work necessary. But since we continue to produce, to be there, and apart from 'I Spread the cream', which was openly and deliberately commercial resort operation, there was nothing important.
So our second onset is an important memory, there are also some songs on an LP very little known, 'Too much risk for one man', whom I love very much and think of the masterpieces in miniature. And then I can not nourish affection for 'Greetings from Cortina', because I find that both the onset of our third album, where we are approached again to the music scene radical dei nostri primi album ed è un ritorno alla voglia di avere una comunicazione molto diretta benché alcuni testi siano piuttosto articolati e non solo abbandonati al vomito e alla caccola.
'Saluti da Cortina' mi ha molto coinvolto, questa marcia indietro è una svolta singolare e bella della nostra storia, non posso non sentirmici legato.
MM - Invece dal punto di vista editoriale quali dei libri da te pubblicati è il prediletto che salveresti in caso d'incendio? [Roberto è autore dei seguenti libri: 'Percorso dei cuori solitari', 'Stagioni del rock demenziale', '6 e non più di 6', 'Vademecum del giovane artista', 'Non c'è gusto in Italia ad essere intelligenti', 'Manuale di survival of drug addicts' and 'shovel of culture', author's note] RFA - are certainly very close, and as hard as that book, 'There is no taste ...' because they both feature two important moments of my career. The book collects ten years of live performances with cabaret formula, in the guise of a poet, then save this, I would like that very immodest gesture ... But I'd hate to leave the flames 'handbook for young artists', because in its essence is a serious book, which between half-jokingly - but especially in a serious way - it puts you and raises questions about what it means to make art and an artist with all the implications inherent in the so-called trade dell'artista.
E' un tomo impegnato, a modo suo, che raccoglie molti appunti accumulati da anni;ci ho lavorato molti mesi per pormi seriamente di fronte a problematiche legate a tale mondo.
MM - 'Percorso dei cuori solitari' è l'unico tuo libro rimasto tutt'oggi nell'ombra e non ancora ristampato; di cosa ti sei occupato in quel saggio? Che tematiche hai affrontato? RFA - E' un libro dedicato ai Beatles, un mini saggio nei generis nel quale si prendono le canzoni dei Beatles da un punto di vista letterario-poetico. Vi è un excursus dai primi testi fino a quelli precedenti il loro scioglimento del 70, c'è tutta la loro produzione criticata con occhio letterario, passando per tanti linguaggi, senza soffermarsi di certo su una critica sociologica, politica o psicoanalitica ma affrontando il tutto secondo personali punti di vista.
MM - 'Manuale di sopravvivenza per tossicodipendenti' ha sollevato grandi polveroni; ha collezionato accuse di apologia di reato e di stimolare curiosità e iniziazione all'esperienza delle droghe pesanti. Ancora una volta il tuo uso dell'ironia è stato scambiato per qualcos'altro ben lungi dall'essere satira impegnata o incondizionato sberleffo. Come ti discolpi da ciò? Cos'hai da controbattere a quanti hanno trovato, trovano e troveranno il tuo libro "deviante"? RFA - Non c'è molto da dire se non constatare per l'ennesima volta quanto purtroppo non ci sia alcun gusto in Italia a provare ad essere intelligenti. Il libro è dichiaratamente contro qualsiasi apologia di reato, accusarlo d'istigare all'uso della droga o sostenere giustificata l'assunzione in quel libro, che si propone a partire dal titolo come un manuale di sopravvivenza e di sostegno, vuol dire non aver letto una sola pagina o essere in mala fede.
Basta sfogliarne poche pagine per capire che si tratta di un volume per il contenimento del danno, è un libro che fa il tifo per il tossicomane che vuole sbarazzarsi della dipendenza, che è l'aspetto più allucinante e drammatico dell'intossicazione da alcaloidi; quindi è un libro che tenta, in positivo e senza compiacimenti di sorta, di dare una mano a chi has serious problems with toxic substances, it is indeed intended to encourage their use. You want, without hypocrisy, noting that there are certain substances and will not be easily removed, the more I think a policy like this, definitely prohibition and in favor of the black market, big mafia interests and the crime that holds the ' monopoly and manages the entire drug trafficking.
I think we can say it all in this book, except as apologetic towards heroin.
MM - Some time ago, Perry Farrell claimed that a lack of culture and education on drugs, comparing the use of fire and the discovery of its positive features - light, heating, kitchen - and bad - arson, pyromania, burns ... RFA - I totally agree. As it happens, Western civilization has the same terror that feeds into the powders for alcohol, tobacco and drugs, substances that are "known". The so-called toxic substances are so demonized by Western ignorance ongoing problems. Farrell's statement makes no half-fold: the man has always sought recreational drug, especially in the East that certain drugs are more prevalent alcohol, in the West is the exact opposite.
I think there are gaps in education, culture and habits of errors.
Heroin shakes ... Certainly, the heroin is dangerous e deve spaventare, però il terrore che ne abbiamo dovrebbe essere pari a quello dell'abuso di alcolici; come mai invece questa paura viene a mancare? Perché l'alcool viene venduto liberamente e tranquillamente in qualsiasi bar?
Come mai una persona è libera di bere fino a scoppiare mentre non appena ha un grammo d'hascisc o 100 mg di eroina viene sbattuta al fresco per settimane?
Perché una persona è libera di fumare tre e più pacchetti di sigarette al giorno sapendo che "nuoce gravemente alla salute", come ipocritamente avvisano in ogni pacchetto, e sapendo che si è passibili di cancro?
Perché si può morire d'infarto per il troppo caffè e non si può essere altrettanto liberi di consumare other alkaloids in small quantities for recreational purposes?
course, I will say that there is an addiction ... but also from its nicotine, alcohol and even in the long run results in serious disorders such as cirrhosis and delirium tremens. Institutionalize
criminalize certain drugs and others do not is completely up.
MM - Do you think the usefulness of some psychotropic substances such as hallucinogens, such as carriers for the soul searching? RFA - Yes, if taken in the right measure or under medical supervision or an expert or a veteran. For example, a trip with lysergic acid alone is not recommended especially if you are novice, beginner ... would be better evitare l'uso dell'acido, che in taluni casi procura danni irreversibili e comunque brucia una gran quantità di cellule cerebrali.
Ma se proprio una persona deve decidere in piena coscienza ed in assoluta libertà di fare uso di LSD, PCP, mescalina e compagnia, è bene che sia accompagnato da una persona esperta, autorevole sul campo.
Si tratta di sostanze interessanti, capaci di fare eruttare il tuo inconscio e le tue paure e desideri repressi, comunque comportano una buona spanna di rischio e vanno usate con parsimonia , prese con le molle, occorre sapere perché si prendono, farne un uso attento.
Sarebbe buona norma limitarsi nelle dosi, andare per gradi, non bruciare le tappe... tutto questo naturalmente se una persona not resist the curiosity and fascination with certain experiences.
MM - Skiantos In ten years will still be here, ready to bury us with a joke or a song? RFA - I hope so, but it becomes increasingly difficult. In this regard we are planning to organize a campaign of survival for rare species such as Skiantos to defend and protect. Then a voice is not approved, different, outside the box, prompting you to save Skiantos, endangered species, rare animals in this desert approval. We are developing a BankAccount
post to which to send their tenders a Skiantomat to ensure the survival of such animals Skiantos endangered.
Finally I would add that my famous battle cry "luck is a luck but bad luck sees us very well" has been modified and integrated with "also takes aim and hits the mark in the dark!
E 'to be considered as the official motto of the completed Skiantos Fan Club, which obviously does not exist as a joke but we have always said being realizzazzione: It is important that Skiantos can always have the opportunity to make more records, so I ask to the general public to support them: the Skiantos hooray!
(1994-95)
