HARDLINE (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for dedicating us part of your time. What’s currently keeping you busy? How are you feeling on the release of your new album?
Hi! We’re all feeling very good about it. It came out naturally and the result we achieved talks a lot about the status of us as a band.
– Your new “Danger Zone” has already hit the press so, have you already got some feedback? How is it being so far?
As all Hardline albums there’s that marvellous debut to match everytime so the comparison gets to Double Eclipse for every reviewer. But the reaction has been very very good I gotta say. Everybody says it’s the best Hardline records after the debut so we’re all pleased indeed.
– And what does the album’s name make reference to?
Simply how the world has turned more into a dangerous zone than the paradise on earth we should live in.
– This has been your first album with HARDLINE. How did you get to join the band? How did everything arise?
I will never thank enough Serafino Perugino of Frontiers Records. He made the connection between me and Johnny. He had a vision and put us in touch and that’s how it started. I began writing songs and Johnny ended up liking a lot my way of working and than I built up the band calling my friends and collegues Anna Portalupi, Francesco Jovino and Thorsten Koehne.
– After the release of “Leaving the End Open” it seemed like HARDLINE was going to take some time until their next opus again but, surprisingly, this new effort has been released only 3 years later. I read your compositions had something to do with this as Gioeli fell in love with them. How are you feeling about it?
It’s just great. You grow up listening to an artist and you end working with him creating such an amazing album.It couldn’t have gone better. Really. Yes, Hardline was frozen, but as I told you, Serafino made us connect and I gotta say he was damn write. Me and Johnny share music, friendship and a lot of mutual respect. That’s the basis of our connection first.
– So this being said, what do you think have you brought to HARDLINE?
Honestly? I just brought what the band needed. I am not the kind of musician I walk in a situation and take control of everything. I just wanted to do everything for the good of the band respecting their history and legacy but also reminding myself of why I was in: to create music that ha to be forever. We wanted to do something to be proud of. A milestone.
– The rest of the line-up is new as well, in fact I’ve read Gioeli is a really demanding guy and due to this he changes his line-up a lot so, how has been working with him?
Well I went the easy way. When I needed to re-create the band I just named musicians I knew a lot and worked with loving them as musicians and human beings first. I wanted just a terrific team and a good bunch of people. Johnny demanding? Yes, but I’m probably even more demanding. Two perfectionists like that in a band? Ouch, that’s not so good lol!
– I’ve read you both have a really god chemistry working together so, do you already have any ideas for a next record?
Nothing is already written, but yes, there’s gonna be a new album and we will start writing very soon.
In music you never know. We’re all very busy, but yes. I do hope this lasts long. We all want to.
– In fact the whole new line-up is European so, was this choice totally up to Gioeli?
It was a mutual decision of Johnny, the label and myself.
– This is a proof that the Melodic Rock scene en Europe is quite strong since some years ago but, how do you see it as an insider? As you are deeply involved into the European music scene, both as producer, musician and songwriter.
Well, yes. In the last few years there’s been a sort of revival for our beloved genre. AOR has become again a genre that doesn’t only mean «Uncool Rock» or «Rock For Girls».
– You’ve featured a cover for Philip Bardowell’s «Never too Late for Love». How did you come up with this idea?
Serafino liked the idea of having me and Johnny reworking this. But I gotta correct you. Philip didn’t write the song, so we just made our own version of this marvellous song. Like Hot Cherie, it’s another version of a song written by an author who gives his song to different artists.
– I’d dare say this effort is more classical HARDLINE. As producer, was this something you were striving for?
Well, every production is a struggle in some way. But I am a very focused producer so I really knew where I wanted to go since the beginning. I wanted to make a classic Hardline album, nothing more, nothing less. And actually, make a GOOD classic Hardline album indeed.
– On this new “Danger Zone” tunes like the title-track brought me back to “II” or even “Double Eclipse” but, how could you describe this opus in just 3 words?
Deep, powerful, soulful.
Obviously. The eclipsed moon in our new cover artwork is there by purpose to remind of our debut.
– Finally, what does the future have in store for HARDLINE? What are the you near-future plans (not necessarily only with HARDLINE)?
Wow. It may take 500 lines to say what I am about to do next lol:-) With Hardline we will start checking if we have the chance to tour next fall, which would be killer! And as I told you, we’re starting somewhen this year to think about the next album. As far Alessandro Del Vecchio goes, I’m producing the new album of Issa, doing the new Lionville, new Edge Of Forever, writing and playing on the new Russell Allen solo record and touring as always with my bands. There are some secret news that will be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay tuned:-)
– That’s been everything from my side, thanks once more. You can now add some final words if you want.
Thanks a lot for interviewing us. We will never thank people like you enough for the support and the chance to talk about our music. See ya on the road!
