Dragonja - Ministers The full interview with Federico Dragonja of Ministers, exit to the Corriere Umbria today, Friday, Dec. 3.
Urban Tomorrow night, less than two months the release of their new album Out , the ministers coming. A career fulminant theirs. From Milan to indie icon of Italian rock - a rock of almost main-stream - in a few years. Considering how little time has passed from their beginnings when they were put under contract by a major label like Universal, a case almost unique in our country. Federico Dragonja, guitarist and the group mind, you know.
"The merit is competition, "he says. "We have always believed very much in what we were doing, and we put up a great beginning to emerge. But the trouble is that the situation of the Italian rock is alarming. For this we got to Universal so soon. "
It seems that you take it for granted that being published by a major label for a band that comes from the underground, is a point of arrival. Do you think that you can not do good things with independent label?
"In America or Britain, there are many independent labels with weight and money to invest, with great talent and ability. There, a major label may not necessarily be a point of arrival. In Italy it's different. Just think that the Italian law for the record label does not even exist as a legal entity. Then, I can talk about our case. Initially we had even established our own label. Then, two months after the first disc, the proposals have come from Sony and Universal. At the end we chose the Universal and we are satisfied. They liked the fact that our main interest were the songs, apart from the attitudes or political stances. We went well because after half a year of struggle we got the contract we wanted. "
mean?
"Right of veto over everything. From the cover photo, from advertising to news. And the best part is that this law have never been called upon to exercise it. "
Ministers are in the middle ages by X-Factor. What do you think of the talent show and who goes there?
"I state that I do not own a television, so my opinion is certainly incomplete. That said, the good news is that the talent show may have put the public in relation to the less superficial aspects of music, what's behind a song, with technical issues. On the other hand, there is always this respect the authority of the elders who can not work. If the boys formed on old music, you can not draw from a lot. The authors of reference, then, are bad. This is the problem of Italian pop music, which, unlike the English or American is by no means cured. I love well-done pop, I love Robbie Williams, Simply Red, I think that even Toxic by Britney Spears is a piece from fear. But in Italy there is no cure. Except in part Tiziano Ferro: To listen to songs with the rest almost bases midi with lyrics botched. It's bad pop that hurts not pop in him. "
Turning on the internet if there is to come across sites that fans of Ministers recommended to listen to artists such as teeth, the lights of the power plant or Baustelle. But do you really got to do something with them?
"Look, with teeth and lights are great friends first. Join us for dinner, see you often. In general, we share with them a certain way of seeing things. We all want to grow up, singing in Italian, we are very ambitious .... "
a minute. A flash in August 2009, Festival Roccolo, San Giustino. On stage, the first tooth, then you. They were not exactly those nice words you said during your respective concerts. You are now friends or was it staged?
"Of course it was staged. That evening we had a great time! The people took us seriously, and we have even more fun. Fantastic. "
We close out the musical fence, nor like the types of Universal. Would you get us on top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in support of the protests against the reform of university Gelmini?
"But We are not famous enough to be useful. I believe that everyone should begin to engage in its small way, in its territory. Here in Milan we play often for free when it comes to supporting causes we believe is right: the Conchetta, the streets, everywhere. In general we like the projects from the bottom, so we refused Grillo and others. Large containers are good for nothing, do not educate people to a direct relationship with reality. What is the make a transfer with your eyes closed? That said, the events of recent days are sacrosanct. But even in individual faculties there are many little things that do not go. My idea is that you should start from there, strive to address the problems for everyone, the first getting to protest a reform plan that is already in the Senate. "
