Viking

Can you give us a short intro to your musical history?

Short? I made my first step on a stage at the age of 4. I was a dancer; this is what the nuns at school said I had to be. I liked dancing, but I never had much talent in this. The nuns chose me because I had the courage to kill myself in some acrobatics. In the meanwhile I started playing the recorder when I was 6, but I was completely indifferent to the thing, even because the level and the enthusiasm in playing that little brown object was quite low. The nuns made us sing for the church, but they never let me sing as soloist, only once to be mocked very well. I was hidden in a choir of 200 children. I decided to take piano lessons, but after one lesson the nun said I was too stupid to learn to play every kind of instrument and my mother cancelled my lessons. Later, when I was 11, I was called to write songs for a band at school. I was not so able to sing, so I wrote songs for others and I have always done it. I never took singing lessons. I learned to sing a bit, because I learned to breathe after an advanced course of recorder. Then I developed my passion for this instrument and taught myself to play the other instruments. I left my recorder courses when I was 12 because I had finished my money and I chose school to become an Engineer. Anyway I never quitted writing music. In 1997 I started writing nationalist music. I had stopped writing commercial stuff because I wanted to explore my true feelings. I think I was too young (15) and I had no referring points. I made a lot of mistakes. In 2000 I founded AshTree Records. All my releases until 2003 have been quite deluding. I think I started a new life in 2005 with "Gloucester Road" and "For Faith, Folk and Europe" and I wish to make always the best in future.

Why did you choose the name "Viking" ?

I tried to explain it in so many ways during the years, but now I would simply say in a few words: I represent the ambiguity and the uncertainty you would never like to see in Europe, the instability of Italy and I would even say "the infamous truth of existing race-mixing": yes, I’m a sort of monster. I represent the reality you would never love to see. We are all a bit "Viking" here in Europe.

Have you played many concerts? If so with which other musicians?

Sometimes my student life doesn’t allow me to play whenever I want, but I must say I have collected concerts anyway. I met different bands and artists in the past. I have recently played with Stigger and Sisco, Hobbit, Act of Violence, other Italian folk artists, the young Julmond, Quiescentia, Necropolis... and even Franco Califano.

Where would be your perfect place to play and with who?

I have already played in a perfect place recently. It was the Tube in London and I’ll be there again very soon, I hope. I tried the same in Rome and I had some unfriendly discussions with the gypsies. I’d like to busk in the tunnels without problems here in Rome, maybe, supported by a jazz band. Anyway, there are many perfect places, from monuments to aeroplanes, but the hearts of the people that have always supported me is absolutely the best place where my notes can vibrate.

A few of your songs are sung in Swedish, is this a big source for your musical influence and ideas?

It was so at the beginning, but now it’s not relevant. I got transformed during the years. When I started - I see now I was a child - I tried to tell that story behind the name of "Viking" with my immature means, so I tried the "far-away-land" way. Now I have re-discovered my closer world in Italy, close to me and my family, my grandmother’s house on the sea, my cousins and their eyes, so similar to mine, the pinewood and even if it seems like I talk about places far away from home (such as London’s tube or Battersea Power Station) in reality everything is symbolic and many songs, really many songs talk about my Italy. I restarted writing also in Italian as you can hear in my latest work and so on. I think I won’t write any more song in Northern languages... only if they are messages to friends or for very special occasions. It’s like I want to rescue myself from my past. Well, I’m not ashamed of what I did in the past, but I don’t want to be slave of it, especially if it is related to a more immature image of me. I have the right to say what I am day by day, so I’ll do it loud.

How would you describe your sound?

I’m a mix between Hot Butter and Jethro Tull.

Tell us about your past and future musical releases?

I have always released demos through the years and my first official album (that I would consider a first "higher level demo") was "Welcome to Scandinavia", a very confused childish album, about a hypothetical Viking, drawn away from home, who sings confused patriotic songs...but sings with the heart in the hands. My second official release was "Askungen". It was the period in which I "went round with the Jews" quite a lot, so I was quite disturbed by this oppressing situation. Anyway, I can say I have the anti-corps to stand some Jew and - with precaution - call him "friend". Unfortunately their meaning of "friendship" is something, which does not belong to the European traditional culture. In this album I tried to paint a Europe under the effects of the Jewish invasion... a Europe of losers, but conscious of defeat, so it has positive aims in future, such as finding identity and restoring the original beauty and majesty. Following "Askungen" was a full album in Italian "L’eco della Battaglia", in which I played some of the most beautiful Italian fascist songs and finally in 2005 I released "Gloucester Road", 13 songs for the damned... damned in Kensington, why not, the place is right for a damnation. "Gloucester Road" is a middle album, a borderline between my past and my future. It contains a lot of songs in Italian and a lot in English. Why Gloucester Road? It’s a place connected to the District Line and my mother, something personal. The album talks about ideals. Ideals are like trains, when they are too old they got to be upgraded. Let my thoughts live revolutionary days, London Trains. It is against mental constraints and the dead of the Ideal, replaced by left- or right- wing behaviour. It considers Left and Right as geographical conventions. In the meanwhile I released different songs on compilations ("B&H 4", "For Faith Folk and Europe", "Martyrdom vol.1" and others) and at the moment I’m working on a new album. I hope to release it next autumn.