Atleticodefina
5 Questions to Pasquale De Fina

Brief summary of the previous episode in the style of Debaser user Jo Lavigne_: Allr Psql D Fn is a fascinating Italian emerging mashup artist who has recently published his album which also includes 2 afterhours, so if you can, go and buy the disc because it’s so cool! : -]

I'd like to start by saying that this page is the result of a night of debauchery, among alcohol, naked women, and rock'n'roll. A sleepless night, full of hallucinations, lived to the fullest before the day gifts me with a bright sun and the interview ready to be sent. But no. Having nothing to do in the morning, I turned on the computer and sent 5 rather silly questions to Pasquale De Fina who, being available and courteous (or maybe he's also just dedicated to morning chilling), responded immediately. Enjoy. Actually, Engiov!

Giov Vend the de-interviewer:

1. Hi Pasquale, what do you see ten centimeters from your nose?

Unfortunately, my computer. I say unfortunately because I think it takes away the possibility of error in writing, especially musical writing. "Removes" the error as an unexpected and improbable variable. For my record, I had to use programs that certainly help in speed of work but take away any "positive unforeseen". Everything becomes stereotyped, the same, standard. For this, I tried to use it as little as possible.

2. How did the collaboration between you and the Afterhours come about and especially how was the album born? How long have you had this musical project in mind? Who are the artists that most influenced you during the creation of "Atleticodefina"? (these are actually 3 questions... here I cheated)

I have known Afterhours since their first album. We live in the same city and over the years there have been several moments of collaboration with them. I had been thinking for a long time about doing something with Giorgio Prette. This was the opportunity. It was very quick and simple. I let him hear the demo. He liked the tracks. He agreed to work and produce it together with me and Taketo Gohara... the truth is when I was writing the tracks, I was thinking (and imagining) Giorgio on drums, myself on guitars, and Taketo on the mixer/looper... this eased the fact that he agreed to play them!

It had been a long time, as I mentioned before, that I was thinking about a new type of collaboration, but in reality, the realization did not take long. Consider that I prepared the preproduction in just over two weeks, writing and arranging about twenty songs. The recordings took about another month, around the end of 2004, while for the last adjustments and mixing, we worked one week in the spring of this year. In short, all included, work of about two months, started exactly a year ago. When a story ends... a production begins.

I listen to a lot of music. I define myself as a musical cannibal. I love Neil Young, NIN, Paolo Conte, Julian Cope, Frank Zappa, Fabrizio De André and who knows how many others... surely I assimilate and something remains but when I take the guitar to write something... then... "I play what I am".

3. Is there any new Italian or foreign band that caught your attention lately?

I prefer not to wrong anyone and keep it to myself...

4. Let's talk two seconds about the catastrophic situation in Italy in the field of culture and art: tell me without filters what you think of the current government, the cuts of the budget for the artistic and cultural world, and De Fina’s athletic remedy to all this.

The new cut to the single fund will further strangle the "cultured" cultural world, that of opera houses and foundations. The problem, however, is deeper, cultural: I only know that, as long as we don't teach music to kids, as long as we don't transmit a musical culture, beyond tastes and genres, the musical world, our world will have more and more problems. By musical culture, I also mean simply buying more records and going to more concerts or maybe at least knowing who Jimi Hendrix or Beethoven was. That is, not stopping exclusively at what is heard in supermarkets or festivals.

5. Now just for us at Debaser.it, please reveal a secret about yourself that no one has known until today.

I love you. And now you know my secret!!!! Here it is. That's all.

Now go back home because it's c-c-cold!!!