DN:Talk about "Frenzy of Ecstasy" Where did you get the name and what is the inspiration behind the album. Does it have a special message?

I didn't really have a particular inspiration when I’ve wrote this album, but I’ve had the idea in my head to create an album for some years. It was a lengthy process to find out the right tracks. I’m usually very fussy, because I think that this is the most important part of the work, I don’t like to put in useless pieces only to fill an empty time. I eliminate most of my pieces before I end them, because I think you can hear immediately if a piece has something nice to say or not. I think I have to express something and I think Steve Vai has noticed that too, otherwise he would not be interested in my work!“ Frenzy of Ecstasy” has jazz, nu-metal to high-romantic classical musical influences, which is evident in my guitar playing. Why I named it Frenzy of Ecstasy ? Good question... the name sounds nice to me. Maybe everyone can find a meaning to these two apparently opposed concepts !


DN:Talk a little about the musicians in your band. Who are they and tell us a little about them.

They are all young talented Italian musicians and session men. Riccardo Quagliato, drummer. He’s a great drummer and he was very important in giving the right direction to all pieces ! Federico Solazzo at keyboard. He gave to my songs an original jazzy touch, also during the most metal pieces ! Davide Antonio Pio is the youngest guy, he helped me with the electronic parts and during the arrangements of the album ! Bassist: Rony Aglietti, Luca Aspidistria, Mauro Catellani : they are pop session men. Even if mine isn’t a pop album, I preferred to have this kind of bass players, because they have much more control. Also Dario Ciccioni, who was in the Studio for another recording, played the drums on “Apocalypse Ape “.


DN: Who are the producers of the album? Who engineered/mixed it?

I entirely composed and produced my album by myself and it was recorded at the NFRS Studios in the city of Rovigo, where I live in. It was mixed by Ugo Bolzoni. His experience ranges from Jazz played by Enrico Rava to the pop music of Eros Ramazzotti. He is very mind-opened towards all music genre. Since some years he has opened his own studio and he specializes in drums registering, without the need of sample.


DN: Do you have any future projects you are working on? Any future Goals?

Yes! I’m just recording these days an album with my new “pop-fusion” group, called TREMO. I’m also planning to make a new DVD, based on my personal style of playing the guitar and on my approach to the instrument. Among my next projects, I’ve in mind to promote my album playing my songs live, and to realize transcriptions of my pieces together with the backing tracks available on Internet. I’m also writing new songs, which are the natural development of my first CD.


DN: How was creating Frenzy of Ecstasy in the studio? Was it a fun experience ?

The first step of the work was done at my home, together with Davide Antonio Pio who, as already told you, takes care of the electronic part and the different grooves on which the drummer Ricki Quagliato has played on it. I have personally followed all the musicians during the recordings of all parts; this was fun but also a very hard work ! The realization of short tracks "Piccions" and "Scarecrow´s Dance" was much more complicated then the other pieces! During the recording of these two tracks, Elaine Jackson visited us in the studio (choralist of Italian pop singer ZUCCHERO) who entretained us with her sympathy. Her smile inspired me and so she participated in the album!