Italian Band Plays Psychedelic Rock Better than American Bands Play Psychedelic Rock
April 6th, 2005
By Archived Story
I was in Know Name Records the other day when Chris, the fabled store’s most statically visible employee, pointed out a new CD. He said it was psychedelic – which was good. He also said it was recorded recently, which was strange. Because in the realm of psychedelic rock, you can only crawl so far past the late 1960s before you reach absolute shit. But this CD was not absolute shit. And though it may have sprung from the proverbial musical asshole of the acid-rock time continuum, it does not smell like it. Rather, it smells like it came out of Syd Barrett’s pre-“I’m an orange and that’s why I’m locked up here” phase. Which is as golden-great as it gets. The album is called Valende. Recently, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Marco Fasolo spoke with The Wake, with a very heavy Italian accent, from a tour van in Canada.
The Wake: Do you actually consider yourself psychedelic rock?
Marco: Yeah, we may say that – psychedelic band – yeah, that’s okay with me.
The Wake: Do you use a lot of psychedelic drugs?
Marco: A lot of people that – I don’ t know. No. We are just stupid person, that’s all. [laughs]
The Wake: So how do you make such good psychedelic music if you’re not using psychedelic drugs?
Marco: Yeah, because I think that because we need to make the music, because we like to make music – it’s a part of us. I don’t know why we can do that without taking drugs.
The Wake: Do you have a favorite band?
Marco: Oh, my favorite band . . . I don’ t know. There’s a lot of acts that I like. I like The Beatles for the pop songs, and I like Buddy Holly for the pop songs – but I don’t really have a favorite band.
The Wake: You have an Italian accent, but it doesn’t come through on record – is that a conscious decision?
Marco: When talking about my accent, I don’t know what to say. I didn’t make a decision about it – it’s just the way I think about music.
The Wake: So you’re in Canada, eh?
Marco: Yeah, we’re approaching Montreal.
The Wake: How is it?
Marco: Well, it’s dark right now – a lot of trees and a very long highway.
The Wake: What kind of response are you hoping for with your U.S. shows?
Marco: Well we did a couple of shows in New York – I think people will come.
Purchase Valende at Know Name Records. The band will be coming through town.
