Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Italian hardcore act Feldspar are preparing to release a new record on their new label, TTK Records. But first, frontman Riccardo Zamurri joined us for the latest of our Roll of the Dice interview series. Check it out now!
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! Congrats on your signing to TTK! What should our readers know about Feldspar, your history and your sound?
Hello and thank you for the interview, we are very excited to begin promoting the album. Feldspar is born in Rome, Italy, just a stone’s throw away from the Vatican, literally. We are a band that, due to the countless experiences from which it originates, is difficult to categorize. Without a doubt, it’s safe to define it as a hardcore project, in fact, given the nature of our lyrics, I would even call it millennialist hardcore :).
Let’s talk a little bit about the upcoming record and how it came into existence. What was going on at the time that helped kickstart and inspire the songwriting process?
The heart of the album writing process matured with the idea of telling the story of Rome and its new ruins, the contemporary and metaphoric ones. Not the old ones that everyone falls in love with.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
I would say that every five years or so, an album comes out that then becomes the fuel for writing new material. I could mention the first album that comes to mind: HELLO BASTARDS by LIFETIME. It’s salvific music.
What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences with the band so far? What’s been the most unexpected? The weirdest?
The most memorable day was when Nick Terry, the renowned producer ( Ian Brown/Stone roses, The Libertines, Peaches, Turbonegro, Klevertak, etc ), agreed to work with us.
The most unexpected was Andrew joining the band, another guitarist and a historic member of a cult Italian hardcore band.
The strangest was the compliments from our mayor 🙂
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?
Zu, a Rome-based experimental rock band that has collaborated with everyone, not least Mike Patton, but still doesn’t have the recognition it deserves, is mesmerizing.
What’s next for Feldspar?
We have an infinity of appointments, but the next one is the release of the ‘Cobblestones’ video, which is also our manifesto. It represents us in every frame, just as it represents our city and its scene.
Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
Feldspar is a collective of artists with a band at its core, but its production goes beyond just music and extends into photography, videomaking, and visual arts in general. So, follow us not only with your ears but also with your eyes.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/