Cavolo e' davvero parecchio che non scrivo! In realta' non e' che mi sia successo qualcosa di veramente importante, ma un paio di cose vale la pena ricordarle:
- Io e Luigi siamo stati a vedere Desperately seeking Susan e Rent a Londra nel weekend del 16-17-18 Novembre...e' stato bello, e' sempre bello tornare a Londra, rivedere Manu e Chiara, e godersi qualche spettacolo nuovo. Nonostante le insistenze di Luigi non ho proprio voluto andare a vedere di nuovo Wicked e cosi', dietro consiglio di Manu, siamo andati a vedere DSS che e' stato carino, molto anni '80 e poi le canzoni dei Blondie sono sempre belle! Rent e' stato molto bello, sapendo che c'erano state parecchie modifiche agli arrangiamenti avevo paura di cosa avrei trovato, invece ho apprezzato molte delle scelte fatte...certo i chitarroni mi sono un po' mancati.
- Sembra che io sia diventato popolare...in neanche una settimana ho avuto quattro proposte per nuovi gruppi! La fregatura? La maggior parte erano per suonare le tastiere! Ora, so bene che i tastieristi sono merce rara, ma mi chiedo a che livello di disperazione sono arrivati molti, al punto di chiederlo a me (che, se non fosse abbastanza chiaro, NON SONO UN TASTIERISTA!) Comunque, per ora ne ho accettata solo una, un gruppo acustico con Lino Verdicchio, Lello Miele e Giampaolo Costantini dove, finalmente, posso suonare solo la chitarra senza preoccuparmi di altro. Vedremo come andra' a finire.
Whew, long time no see!! Not that something really big happened to me but a couple of things are worth mentioning.
- Me and Luigi went back to London to see "Desperately seeking Susan" and "Rent" in the 16th-17th-18th of November weekend...it has been great, it's always good to see Manu and Chiara again and enjoy some new shows. Despite Luigi whining about it, I really didn't want to go see Wicked again so we settled for DSS that was good, very eighties and Blondie's songs rock as usual! Rent was very good, I was a little afraid knowing that there had been many changes in the orchestration but I ended up appreciating most of the choices made...well I missed big distorted guitars a little..oh well!
- It seems that I'm becoming popular...in less than a week I had four invitations to join new bands! The trouble? Most of them wanted me to play keyboards! Now I know that keyboard players are very rare these days but I'm wondering how desperate a musician can get, to the point of asking me (me NOT BEING A KEYBOARD PLAYER!) However, for now, I only accepted one, an acoustic band with Lino Verdicchio, Lello Miele and Giampaolo Costantini where, at last, I will be able to play guitar without worrying about anything else. We'll see what happens next.
Un diario bilingue delle mie esperienze di vita.
A bilingual diary of my experiences in life.
domenica, dicembre 02, 2007
giovedì, settembre 20, 2007
Turn it on again!
E ci siamo, primo post sul blog dopo la fine delle vacanze! Non ricordo un rientro al "travaglio usato" piu' duro di questo...le vacanze sono state belle piene, stancanti (la settimana a casa e il mio trasferimento in mansarda) ed eccitanti (la musical week londinese, 8 spettacoli in 6 giorni!) e oltre a questo c'e' stato anche il matrimonio di Laura, per "chiudere in bellezza". Ora e' ricominciata la solita routine, nel bene e nel male, il lavoro, il tennis, i concerti dei Clistere al limone (ne abbiamo gia' fatti due, ed altri due sono previsti per ottobre) e quella sgradevole sensazione di non avere tempo di fare nulla. In verita' io vorrei tornare a registrare qualcosa, ho tanti progetti sospesi e non ho intenzione di rinunciarci ma, al momento, l'unico mio pensiero e' "quand'e' il prossimo week end lungo???"
And here we are, first blog post since the end of the holidays! I can't remember a comeback as rough as this one...the holidays have been very busy, tiring (the week home, moving in the attic) and exciting (the musical week in London, 8 shows in 6 days!) and also Laura's wedding to end them "happily". Now the usual routine is on again, good things and bad things, work, tennis, gigs with Clistere al limone (we already played live twice, and two more gigs are planned for October) and that unpleasant sensation of running out of time for everything I plan to do. Honestly I would like to start recording something again, I have so many projects on hold and I don't want to give 'em up but, right now, my only obsession is "when will the next long week end come???"
And here we are, first blog post since the end of the holidays! I can't remember a comeback as rough as this one...the holidays have been very busy, tiring (the week home, moving in the attic) and exciting (the musical week in London, 8 shows in 6 days!) and also Laura's wedding to end them "happily". Now the usual routine is on again, good things and bad things, work, tennis, gigs with Clistere al limone (we already played live twice, and two more gigs are planned for October) and that unpleasant sensation of running out of time for everything I plan to do. Honestly I would like to start recording something again, I have so many projects on hold and I don't want to give 'em up but, right now, my only obsession is "when will the next long week end come???"
lunedì, luglio 23, 2007
A full month...
Questo Luglio e' stato incredibilmente pieno...e non e' ancora finito! Una bella serata con i "Clistere al limone" il 7 al "Mirage" (anche ripresa con un paio di videocamere) con la graditissima sorpresa di avere Alessandra tra il pubblico (direttamente da Los Angeles!), una fantastica settimana di vacanza in Calabria interamente dedicata al tennis (il Tennis Village al Villaggio Sabbie Bianche dall'8 al 13), il Telecomcerto dei Genesis a Roma il 14, i lavori a casa (mi sto trasferendo in mansarda!), un incontro con Laura dopo mesi, un'altra serata con i "Clistere al limone" giusto ieri allo "Chalet Hafa Cafe'" e oggi mi hanno pure dato un aumento al lavoro!! Speriamo che il trend positivo duri!
This July has been incredibly busy...and it's not over yet! A great live gig with "Clistere al limone" on the 7th at "Mirage" (that has also been captured on film with a couple of camcorders) with the great surprise of having Alessandra in the audience (straight from Los Angeles!), a fantastic, week long holiday entirely devoted to tennis (the Tennis Village at Villaggio Sabbie Bianche from 8th to 13th), the Telecomcerto in Rome with Genesis on 14th, working at home (I'm moving in the attic!), finally meeting Laura after many months, another live gig with "Clistere al limone" just yesterday at "Chalet Hafa Cafe'" and today I also had a raise at work!! Let the good times roll, I say!
This July has been incredibly busy...and it's not over yet! A great live gig with "Clistere al limone" on the 7th at "Mirage" (that has also been captured on film with a couple of camcorders) with the great surprise of having Alessandra in the audience (straight from Los Angeles!), a fantastic, week long holiday entirely devoted to tennis (the Tennis Village at Villaggio Sabbie Bianche from 8th to 13th), the Telecomcerto in Rome with Genesis on 14th, working at home (I'm moving in the attic!), finally meeting Laura after many months, another live gig with "Clistere al limone" just yesterday at "Chalet Hafa Cafe'" and today I also had a raise at work!! Let the good times roll, I say!
martedì, giugno 12, 2007
Tennis...I love this game!
Tennis...adoro questo sport! Ormai e' piu' di un anno che gioco regolarmente e sta diventando un'ossessione. Non credevo che avrei trovato un altro sport che mi appassionasse tanto quanto la pallavolo, a piu' di 30 anni poi! Eppure e' cosi', non vedo l'ora di giocare di nuovo e solo i vari piccoli dolori al ginocchio o alla spalla mi impediscono di giocare tutti i giorni. A parte la questione fisica (sono dimagrito di piu' di 20 Kg dall'anno scorso) e' anche molto efficace come antistress, giocare mi rilassa e mi carica al tempo stesso.
Tennis...I love this game! It's been a year I'm playing regularly and it's becoming an obsession. I can't believe I'd find another sport as exciting for me as volleyball, let alone at (more than) 30 years old! It happened, though, I always look forward to play again and only because of little knee or shoulder aches I don't play everyday. Apart from the physical improvement (I lost 20 Kilos since last year) it's also very effective as stress relief as playing tennis makes me relax and excites me at the same time.
Tennis...I love this game! It's been a year I'm playing regularly and it's becoming an obsession. I can't believe I'd find another sport as exciting for me as volleyball, let alone at (more than) 30 years old! It happened, though, I always look forward to play again and only because of little knee or shoulder aches I don't play everyday. Apart from the physical improvement (I lost 20 Kilos since last year) it's also very effective as stress relief as playing tennis makes me relax and excites me at the same time.
sabato, marzo 24, 2007
Making movies!
Mercoledi' scorso ho recitato in un film! Il mio amico Bruno di Marcello mi ha chiesto se volevo recitare un paio di battute in Inglese in questo film. Il mio ruolo era quello di un medico legale ed e' stato uno stress imparare le battute direttamente sul set e cercare disperatamente di ricordarsele mentre giravo. Non ho idea di come sia venuta la scena, immagino che lo sapro' quando il film uscira' (se non mi tagliano). Comunque e' stato molto divertente, c'era una bella atmosfera e gente Italiana, Tedesca, Inglese e Americana sia nel cast che nella crew...ho poi scoperto che alcuni attori del film (Joe Zaso, Raine Brown ed Eileen Daly) sono delle celebrita' nell'ambiente dei film horror e thriller indipendenti. Anche Leandro Guerrini (l'unico attore italiano che ho incontrato) mi ha colpito per la sua bravura. Per me Eileen Daly in particolare e' stata preziosa, mi ha aiutato a memorizzare le battute e, insieme ad Alex Birrell, a correggere la pronuncia oltre ad avermi aiutato a calmarmi sul set visto che ero abbastanza nervoso! Ora non vedo l'ora che esca il film (sia che io ci sia sia che non) anche se mi hanno gia' detto chi e' l'assassino :(
Last Wednesday I was in a movie! My good friend Bruno di Marcello asked me if I wanted to deliver a couple of lines in English in this movie. I was cast as the coroner and it has been hard for me to learn the lines directly on the set and desperately trying to remember them while I was shooting. I have no idea about the result of my efforts, I guess I will know when the movie comes out (if they don't edit me out). Anyway it was good fun, good vibrations on the set and Italian, English, American and German people both in the cast and in the crew...I then discovered that some of the actors involed (Joe Zaso, Raine Brown ed Eileen Daly) are kind of famous in the indie horror and thriller movie business. Also I found Leandro Guerrini (the only Italian actor I met) to be very talented. For me Eileen Daly in particular has been precious, helping me to memorize the lines and, together with Alex Birrell, to correct the pronunciation not to mention helping me to calm down on the set as I was fairly nervous! Now I'm looking forward to see the movie (whether I'm in it or not) despite the fact they already told me who the killer is :(
Last Wednesday I was in a movie! My good friend Bruno di Marcello asked me if I wanted to deliver a couple of lines in English in this movie. I was cast as the coroner and it has been hard for me to learn the lines directly on the set and desperately trying to remember them while I was shooting. I have no idea about the result of my efforts, I guess I will know when the movie comes out (if they don't edit me out). Anyway it was good fun, good vibrations on the set and Italian, English, American and German people both in the cast and in the crew...I then discovered that some of the actors involed (Joe Zaso, Raine Brown ed Eileen Daly) are kind of famous in the indie horror and thriller movie business. Also I found Leandro Guerrini (the only Italian actor I met) to be very talented. For me Eileen Daly in particular has been precious, helping me to memorize the lines and, together with Alex Birrell, to correct the pronunciation not to mention helping me to calm down on the set as I was fairly nervous! Now I'm looking forward to see the movie (whether I'm in it or not) despite the fact they already told me who the killer is :(
giovedì, marzo 08, 2007
Almost done...
Sono passati sei mesi da quando suono con i Clistere al Limone e, finalmente, mi avvicino a terminare il repertorio...mi mancano ancora due canzoni e dovrei aver finito. Intanto continuo ad avere problemi di memoria, soprattutto alle tastiere mi capita ancora di avere delle amnesie improvvise dal vivo...che rabbia!! Ad ogni modo, con l'esercizio, sto lentamente acquisendo piu' padronanza anche se, finche' suonero' sulla JX-1 (che ha dei bellissimi suoni ottantini ma anche dei tasti che si bloccano) non potro' mai essere al 100%. Il fatto e' che la JV-30 e' in riparazione da circa un mese (problemi al pitch bend) e ancora non me la consegnano..accidenti!!
It's been six months since I play with Clistere al Limone and, eventually, I'm close to finish learning the whole setlist...I have only two songs to go. In the meantime I'm still having memory problems, expecially on keyboards suddenly my mind goes blank for a brief moment...damn!!! Anyway, with practice, I'm slowly improving my fluency even if I won't be at 100% as long as I use the JX-1 (that has some marvellous 80s sounds but also some keys that get stuck sometimes). Problem is that the JV-30 is been in servicing for a month (pitch bend problems) and they didn't give it back to me yet...sh*t!!
It's been six months since I play with Clistere al Limone and, eventually, I'm close to finish learning the whole setlist...I have only two songs to go. In the meantime I'm still having memory problems, expecially on keyboards suddenly my mind goes blank for a brief moment...damn!!! Anyway, with practice, I'm slowly improving my fluency even if I won't be at 100% as long as I use the JX-1 (that has some marvellous 80s sounds but also some keys that get stuck sometimes). Problem is that the JV-30 is been in servicing for a month (pitch bend problems) and they didn't give it back to me yet...sh*t!!
domenica, gennaio 28, 2007
Isolated earphones PWN!!!
Ieri ho fatto un'altra serata con i Clistere...un po' strana e scombinata in verita', ma utile perche' finalmente ho trovato la pace per quanto riguarda gli ascolti. Ho usato un mio mixer 8 canali per crearmi un mix nelle cuffie isolate JVC che ho comprato. Mi sono trovato benissimo, anche quando i volumi del gruppo sono cresciuti io ho sempre avuto la precisa cognizione di cio' che suonavo e cantavo. Tra l'altro il mio microfono riprendeva molto del suono esterno e quindi era come se avessi un volume indipendente per le tastiere e il resto del gruppo. Sono contento!
So yesterday I played in another gig with Clistere...a bit strange and messy to tell the truth, but very useful because I eventually settled my equipment regarding on stage monitoring. I used a 8 channel mixer to create a mix of what I was playing that went straight into my JVC isolated earphones. It was awesome, even when the decibels from the band raised higher I always had a perfect idea of what I was playing and singing. Furthermore my mike took enough of the external sound so it was like having an indipendent level for keyboards and the rest of the band. I AM happy!
So yesterday I played in another gig with Clistere...a bit strange and messy to tell the truth, but very useful because I eventually settled my equipment regarding on stage monitoring. I used a 8 channel mixer to create a mix of what I was playing that went straight into my JVC isolated earphones. It was awesome, even when the decibels from the band raised higher I always had a perfect idea of what I was playing and singing. Furthermore my mike took enough of the external sound so it was like having an indipendent level for keyboards and the rest of the band. I AM happy!
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