Hair Straightening Gel

INTERVIEWS - SIMONA GRETCHEN, speaking for Distortions by Ricardo Martillos


Dopo l'esaustivo articolo di

Ricardo Martillos su "Gretchen Think Too Strong"

, our partner has met and interviewed for

Distortions Simona Gretchen . This account of a long and frank conversation with the artist. Interview

I wanted to thank Simona advance for your kindness and hospitality, and I am convinced that the readers of Distortions, after this interview, will be able to know you better.

Faenza is, to quote the great Frank Sinatra, a small town, being born there, has expanded as your desire to escape from the typical monotony of the country, in short, to quote one of your best songs, Alpha Overture, to put an end to this boredom more than mortal?

I think it is important to uproot regardless of whether you born in a small or a big city. If you do really well you can get to the point, one day, to continue to be aware of sleep elsewhere. Just do not forget to look out as often as possible.

You mentioned frequently among your influences Nico, Patti Smith, PJ Harvey on women, you do not find that level of consideration and music on there is always a bit 'typical male in attributing the injury less than merit so-called weaker sex?

If there was we would have only one more reason to roll up our sleeves. I try to worry about what I do before worrying about what he might think.

How about this mini-invasion of women in recent years (I quote in no particular order: Tying Tiffany, Meg, Beatrice Antolini, Martha Collica, Petrina, etc.)? I personally find this very positive desire to overcome some stupid ideological barriers, and what about initiatives as that of
Women for

Abruzzo, approves and I think this is sincere or do you think is always used as a propaganda vehicle and stop?

I like women who know what they want and know how to handle themselves. I personally know only one of the women I mention, so I will not merit! But I'm certainly in good company. Even if I did not understand, perhaps, ideological barriers that we are talking about. If I exist, the best thing I can do is act, not to reiterate that I exist. If not end up talking more, act less and sooner or later I'm bored alone. In other words, if I do something good and meaningful that got to do if you are a woman, an immigrant, or a transvestite an Elvis impersonator?


Speaking of CSI, I noticed in some guitar passages of the disc, see Alpha Overture, affinity with the style of playing scratched by Giorgio Canali, an artist who imagine esteem, but more that I wanted him to tell me two words carried on the mystical as well as policy Giovanni Lindo Ferretti, which has sent a crisis and displaced much of its (large) audience of fans and faithful, and not just the line ... say that I do not know what I think would be euphemistic. Really. The mystical place that I know a little 'got to do better with a little politics. I am very puzzled about Ferretti But I do not like to judge, as I said before, those who do not know personally. If one day I will parasse willing to explain it before, its mystical place, I'd be happy to hear. Giorgio Canali

instead, even though I no trade took thirty words in two years, I always send good vibrations.

The first thing that struck me in your disk, as well as highly original lyrics, not common to our own artists, is your very special item, you declare, and I believe you, it does not consider a real singer, but this should not necessarily be considered a fault, and often in the past large certain shortcomings have made the personality of the artists, have often branded, what about Simon?

Verissimo, a singer is something very far from what I feel to be me today. Only very recently I started to do something to improve breathing and use of the voice. And if I'm doing it just because I think I found someone who could help me to go beyond certain limits (which could hardly otherwise than by itself). I think, agree with you as I sense that the important thing is to have personality and never lose the technique is only half said that you can use, but only after taking a minimum of consciousness you.

About the texts of your songs, what is in them as autobiographical and how much of a fantasy, that is dictated by your dreams and above all from your personal reading, you read much? And which authors do you prefer? All my lyrics are autobiographical, or relate to people very close to me. The dream, which may be another important source of inspiration, it has to do with anything but the pure fantasy, I fear, I try not to ever ignore my dreams, when I remember. I read a lot, lately less than I'd like. Especially novels and essays, I came to poetry more tardi, nella lettura privata. Quanto agli autori preferiti, è sempre una domanda difficile. Ma come ho detto spesso sono molto affezionata a

Dürrenmatt, Ellis, Palahniuk, Conrad, Cohen

, per esempio. Difficile che le proprie letture non entrino, implicitamente o meno, in quel che si scrive.

Cosa mi dici del fenomeno Internet? Lo trovi più positivo o negativo il fatto che esista? Pensi che la eccessiva, incontrollata e selvaggia distribuzione di musica nella rete possa dare giovamento ad artisti emergenti come te o pensi che senza il web la tua musica resterebbe ancora di più confinata nei soliti circuiti underground?
Una parola sola: positivo. Come di ogni cosa o innovazione, di internet si paga il prezzo. Ma è una delle migliori innovazioni che abbiamo conosciuto, rispetto a innumerevoli altre che ci hanno solo reso più ingenui e alienati di prima. Non vedo alcun problema nel fatto che la mia musica circoli in rete e che più persone di quante abbiano comprato un album la possano ascoltare; fra l’altro conosco un mucchio di persone che hanno comprato il mio disco proprio grazie al fatto che la mia musica fosse anche lì.


Ti ritieni perfettamente a tuo agio come figlia della Generazione Anni Zero, ovvero se potessi rinascere a quale epoca storica, intendo musicalmente, idealmente I'd like to be owned and politically?


I feel perfectly at ease. If I then click to choose another decade under the Seventies: A Decade dense that we have seen all, musically, politically, socially. How important was it for you and Nicola Manzan (Bologna Violenta) for your input and your success in the music lla India Italy? I was very impressed in an interview that I read on the net these words: "So the hell the other day I saw it on megaupload that there were 15,000 downloads of my album, which I do not know whether they are true, but people then want the disc! And so there still believe the majors say they do not sell more records, the majors do not sell because they produce more hard discs of shit! ' And 'This is also your thoughts and you feel to share it with Nicola?

Working with Nicola can undeniably

give you more visibility, it would be strange not to happen, with all he has done in recent years and all the major projects was the protagonist or to which he participated. The fact remains that I do not ask an artist to play a song or make do with me thinking (it would be very sad) how many more fans will take me la cosa. Spero lui lo sappia (e pure voi!). Quanto alla sua affermazione … sì, credo proprio di essere d’accordo.

Come appartenente al mondo universitario, trovi similitudini tra il movimento studentesco attuale e quello storico e immortale del '68, o pensi che sia solo un fuoco di paglia, cioè le ultime generazioni in fondo sono troppo distratte da telefonini, playstation, internet, sballi e impasticcamenti vari per pensare davvero a sovvertire l'ordine costituito?

Penso solo che l’idea di sovvertire l’ordine costituito di oggi non possa essere per molti versi assimilabile a quello che poteva animare il movimento then.

does not mean that this is better or worse than the other, substantive proceedings seems to be the last thing we need is real. I just think there are differences that we can not ignore today the anger part by individuals who are reacting to how they can make a mockery of that can no longer tolerate. The protest is more anarchic, less immediate and perhaps more spontaneous. It probably has not, at the base than the other, a real desire for change: This is an instinctive reaction, almost animalistic. As if we had been sedated for years and suddenly there we were waking up from slumber and there we were pissed as hell with those who did not tell us the truth. Fire straw? No, I think, rather, that we are facing something very unpredictable and, for this reason, it deserves perhaps more attention.

I have asked several times such as Italian groups have impressed you lately, I will say to sum up: Little Shop of Horrors, Bologna Violenta, Zen Circus, speaking more generally outside our borders bands of the last decade which you feel to advise readers to distortions, which you have most impressed and influenced perhaps?

I Radiohead, The Liars

, bands that you reconfirm unrivaled in time as the Swans
or Melvins, despite the passing years, the trend of the last minutes and the inability of many to evolve after a couple of records. Looking back the best Italian artists, or those most esteemed by critics and audiences have always chosen to sing in Italian, and I quote De Andrè, De Gregori, Battiato between
soloists; Area, Nomads, CCCP / CSI / PGR not to mention PFM and BMS, between groups. Do you think for a songwriter, singer or if you prefer, the key is to be understood primarily for its lyrics, and this seems to me that you understand both your case, rather than for their music? depends on what you get: a disk as "Gretchen thinks too much"
is certainly what is happening: the texts play a major role and the specific gravity that can sometimes take leave in the shade purely musical discourse, this is an album of songwriting, as atypical, it is normal for this to happen. But Simon is not really a singer Gretchen (or, better said, do not want to be just that), and perhaps already by the new single a few more will start to notice that the possible paths are many, and perhaps a disk d ' not sufficient to frame a debut author.
If I had, although with difficulty, to quote an album, a solo album, particularly representative of your style and you could not do without, what comes to mind? Reply instinct ...
"To Bring You My Love" PJ Harvey of . But not because it represents my style or pattern to be reproduced in any way, but because for me it was a basic disk, which helped me better understand what I wanted to achieve musically and how.

How thin the line between the desire to become known to a wider audience, with the risk of over-commercialization, such as looking for the hit single, and the duty and want to maintain artistic integrity without betraying your musical style?
I have quite clear ideas on the subject. I'm not here to make up the numbers, we believe those who believe and those that do not make do. If you betray your artistic integrity not even deserve the title of artist.
Your wonderful CD - I had not even told you? - "Gretchen thinks too strong, albeit confined to an indie-underground circuit, he met with acclaim everywhere, just open the web to view: it has achieved among others the prestigious Out of Pile, reserved for the best debut of the Italian record 2009/2010 season. In this regard, dear Simon, what scares you the perspective of the famous second feature, namely the need to repeat and convince yourself first, but also your audience (we leave aside the criticism for once)? Feel a lot of pressure on you or you think you do not have to prove anything to anyone?
scares me having to convince myself, for what I have in mind for a new disc will not be easy. I do not attempt to predict the reactions that might occur in any public or critics. When you write you test yourself, not the public, as well as when you're on stage. The result is the thread for which the current passes, a counselor and criticism, sometimes benevolent at times treacherous, including learning how to decipher i messaggi. Fra parentesi, questo non significa affatto che pensi di non dover dimostrare niente a nessuno (il fatto è che non è questo che mi preoccupa in primis, al limite!): temo la presunzione anche più di quanto tema l’ingenuità.


Nel brano Bianca in fondo al mare, uno dei miei preferiti dell'album, quel passaggio in cui canti 'ricordami di santificare le feste, il padre e la madre' c'e una chiara citazione ed omaggio al maestro Faber di La Buona Novella con Il Testamento di Tito, quanto è stato importante per te il suo insegnamento musicale ma soprattutto letterario? Non credo di saper spiegare a parole quanto sia stato importante.

of sympathy for BC will not ask for anything, perhaps others have done already, but I wanted to explain to me about yesterday when you say, indeed repeat 'my stomach tightens seconds', with all

my imagination did not catch the meaning, the sentence is very beautiful but enigmatic, what about Simon?
I could write a book. In summary, I will only say that the stomach is what you might call my weak point. And nothing like the nausea which cohabit almost daily for several years has given me a clear idea of \u200b\u200bthe little time we have available and how easy it is to use it badly.
Questo, più o meno, voleva dire, per me, quella frase, nel contesto del brano.
Di per sé, poi, è frutto di un’uscita (non lucidissima) di un amico durante una nostra conversazione (non lucidissima) sull’argomento. Aveva colto talmente nel segno che gli dissi che l’avrei scritta, e pare che io l’abbia fatto sul serio, alla fine.
Penso che Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine ovvero i grandi poeti maledetti abbiano attinenza col tuo modo di scrivere; già altri nel mondo del rock ci hanno fatto riferimento: Jim Morrison, oltre che Patti Smith e Nick Cave, giusto per citarne tre; ma quanto sono stati importanti anche per te? Non so se abbiano bearing on my writing, but certainly I read them and left me a lot. What I was more in-depth Baudelaire; few can affect the brain and stomach at the same time (so much because we were also at issue just now ...) with the same elegance and violence together.




I know that I love Radiohead, well you're the one, besides myself seen them twice live, on tour for OK Computer (the best record in 20 years at least) and Hail To The Thief , the band considers them essential in recent years, the only one who really brought something new. I wanted to know if you heard their latest things these days is out of the last King of The Limb; you say, they are always your ideal point of reference?
Radiohead I am a living monument of contemporary music consumer. There is little to say and much to listen to, even things in the past, I've just had the pleasure to hear.

include your future plans I have spoken of a single vinyl record collector since I can not but appreciate the choice, indeed the two choices, since there is a cover of the Velvet Undergound (among other things even your favorite band, if I understood correctly), while for the new disk instead we should wait a bit 'more I guess? Yes, the single ( And Twenty Three
, complete with a cover of Venus In Fur

annexed s) will be released in May, it seems. The recordings have seen the collaboration of Paul Mongardi (Zeus!, The Genius ) on drums and the artistic production of Lorenzo Montana.
admit that I can not wait to come out, I am very pleased with the work that was done well (recent news) that the seven-inch will be a co-production of Disco Dada and props. The next record I'd rather not talk about, especially since right now I'm giving shape something that until now I had seen only in a theoretical / formal. Need a little 'patience, me first! I would have concluded, I wanted to emphasize the fact that I have made no small effort to "flush out" other questions that you had not already done so: of course, the other I just shunned to avoid sterile repetition, so thanks for your usual Simona high availability, and I hope that after this interview also by virtue of your name is more familiar to our readers and listeners, I also personally do not only compliments for your beautiful music but also for the sympathy and intelligence is not common a girl of your age. Thank you. E a Distorsioni ! Intervista a cura di
Ricardo Martillos
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