!!!: We Still See Punk-Funk As a Fad
Author: Benedetta Skrufff
Thursday, July 1, 2004
While the jury's still out on whether punk-funk does actually crossover into the mainstream, !!!'s future looks increasingly self assured, with new album Louden Up Now,. Firmly establishing them as leading lights of America's dance/ live fusion bands. Benedetta Skrufff caught up with guitarist and usual spokesman Marion Andreoni this week 12 months after he last chatted to Skrufff.
Skrufff: Chatting to Skrufff last year you said, "We started out thinking that going on tour was the greatest thing ever" one year on do you still see it that way-
Mario Andreoni (!!!): "Well, we've been touring since 1997 so we go back a long way, but yes, it's been getting more exciting with time though throughout last year our tours have become more sporadic, nothing longer than a week, which has been a bit of a drag. However, we're about to embark on a proper tour imminently, which of course will be more stimulating also because our record has just been released."
Skrufff: What's been the reaction to the album so far-
Mario Andreoni (!!!): "It has just came out in the US, the reviews have been across the board, some people love it some hate it, but from my part I prefer not to keep up with that shit too much."
Skrufff: It's best not to sometimes…
Mario Andreoni (!!!): "That's what I mean. These days we're considered trendy, but we've been doing this for so long, I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. For now it's just great to have the opportunity to make records, touring and just enjoying these exciting times."
Skrufff: Last year you seemed to have very low expectations ("I don't see us, or this whole punk-funk thing becoming a worldwide sensation like grunge did"): have your expectations changed since then-
Mario Andreoni (!!!): "I still see punk-funk as a fad, I mean that when the media creates something, it doesn't leave an awful lot of hope for people to break out of that niche. With grunge though, the advent of bands like Nirvana sparked numerous other similar bands, whereas bands who incorporate dance music into their sound, seem to come from different perspectives. We're early in our development yet and for the future we just hope to continue making good records. I certainly wouldn't want to be associated with any sort of dance-punk or funk- punk movement, since I feel that we're much more than that. We just love music, we love playing and we'd just like to leave it like that. I still hope it's not going to become a worldwide phenomenon, because that'll be the death of it."
Skrufff: How easy is it to stay grounded when you're getting loads of hype/ celebrities at gigs- Have you been courted by many unexpected celebs, at the Coachella Festival for example-
Mario Andreoni (!!!): "It's funny but sometimes things just happen, like with Tricky who was spotted in the audience at 93 Feet East in London. He was DJing opposite in a bar opposite, Nic spotted him and invited him to our show… I don't feel like we're a celebrity band and don't think we're ever going to become like that. We've played at the Coachella Festival which was full of big bands, all of that was interesting, but they're just people and I guess we've never thought it would have ever happened to us. We used to make up these celebrity guest lists just for the hell of it in the past, not that these people would have ever shown up. I still don't think we've really been effected by it, if anything we're still in a bit of a daze, though I think it's rewarding when other musicians come to your gigs and appreciate what you do."
Skrufff: On this subject, do you a Tags