Discover Gingerly: Marco Castello and life behind expectations
For fans of Lucio Battisti, Lucio Dalla, and Mac DeMarco.
Questo articolo è disponibile anche in italiano.
On the cover of his debut album, “Contenta Tu”, released on February 5th by 42 Records and Bubbles Records, Marco Castello appears astride the wreck of an abandoned scooter in the sea, with his beloved Syracuse in the background. It is a quote from the title track of the album, but in a certain sense, it also represents the mood of the singer-songwriter in the last two years, the overall period he had to wait to see his work finally published, between bureaucratic delays and causes of force due to the pandemic. But although it has been some time since he wrote and recorded it, with support from Erlend Øye of Kings of Convenience, his first album was received with great enthusiasm. And it could have not been otherwise, because those of Marco Castello are songs full of passionate love for the music of the great Italian songwriters and the black rhythms of the 70s, which tell with simplicity and spontaneity about his adolescence, the love for his land and his first experiences as a musician. We talked about it in a short telephone interview, which I invite you to read below, with the usual premise of pressing play and listening gingerly!
- How are you doing?
I’m doing great, thanks!
- It took two years for your album to come out, and I guess it was pretty frustrating to wait that long. Compared to when you first recorded it, how many things have changed in your life?
So many that I listen to some things on the album and I say to myself: “oh my God, no! Why did I say this?!”.
- Like what?
I prefer not to tell you, otherwise I draw attention to it and I don’t want you to notice. But there are many things that I would have done differently, both musically and in terms of lyrics, many choices I would have taken another way. In any case, I’m glad that the album is a glimpse of that period, even though it’s out now.
- If it’s of any consolation, it has aged very well!
Thank God! In the past two years, I’ve seen a lot of other songs coming out and I happened to think: “I said it too in this song and now it will seem that I copied it…”, or I heard the same reference or a similar theme. This was a bit frustrating because at times I was scared that some things that I was proud of could pass as something already said by someone else. But for now, it doesn’t seem to be a real threat!
- But what is the first song you wrote for the album, and when did you write it?
It’s Villaggio. I wrote it in September 2017, it was the first-ever and it was actually born to be ironic about Italian indie in general. The fact of talking so much about Syracuse and naming specific places was a bit of a wink at the last ten years tendency of Indie artists to always put names of cities. Then, it actually intrigued me to a level beyond satire and I continued.
- Among other things, your love for Lucio Battisti, Lucio Dalla and Pino Daniele is very strong and audible.
Actually, I’ve never listened to Pino Daniele! But I am very happy to be associated with him. I am aware of my influences from Lucio Battisti and Lucio Dalla, but besides the well-known hits, I had never listened closely to Pino Daniele until recently. I understand that on a musical level there is something that can lead there because he too liked black music, the groove, the funk of 70s music which inspired me.
- And what was the process of integrating Lucio Battisti and Lucio Dalla’s sounds into your music? Was it instinctive?
As for the sounds, it really depends more on the fact that we recorded in a studio [the Butterama Studio in Berlin] where there were mostly 70s instruments, the same ones they used. As for my way of singing, I have always listened to Battisti since I was very young, so I think there is a sort of imprinting that automatically makes me sing that way.
- But did you play every instrument on it?
No, on the record I played drums and some guitars. Then on the bass there is Lorenzo Pisoni and on the keyboards Leonardo Varsalona.
- And since you are a multi-instrumentalist, what is your main instrument?
To be honest, I no longer feel like a multi-instrumentalist, because I mostly play the guitar now. And I don’t even feel like calling myself a guitarist, because I don’t know the technique, I’m self-taught, but it’s actually the instrument I play the most. I have fun playing drums and I would have liked the trumpet to be my main instrument, but it didn’t go so well …
- I read you studied Jazz.
Yes, I majored in Jazz trumpet.
- Then come on, you can’t say you don’t know how to play it!
Yes, but it was a bit of a mixed experience, in fact I practically stopped playing it.
- And what made you choose to major in Jazz?
It all started from the fact that the trumpet was the only instrument I had ever played in my life. I had started playing it in the municipal band and I was already taking lessons there, while I learned to play other instruments at home, on my own. Perhaps this is the very reason it gave me more pleasure to play others instruments, as I did not feel that sense of duty that I had for the trumpet. Then, a bit by chance, I enrolled in the conservatory, because I wanted to do architecture at the Polytechnic, but on the day of the test they realized I hadn’t paid the enrollment fee or something like that, and so I stayed in Milan and since I have always listened to Jazz, I have always liked the trumpet and I had already studied it, I took the test at the Civica, I went in and said: “ok, cool, then I’ll do this. “
- In the title track you say that Syracuse is “beautiful but stupid and wants to look like something that sucks”. Tell me a little about this bond of love and hate with your city.
These lyrics, in particular, arise simply from the fact that I see a lot of beauty in natural and still uncontaminated things. Instead, the political, commercial and social tendency is to aspire to things that disgust me, that are basically those of postcard-cities things made only for tourists, where the whole coast is an eternal resort and you stop looking for the quality in products, since tourists take on everything, and everything becomes a showcase, the authentic inhabitants no longer exist and they are all at the service of those who come and pay for something bad. In my opinion, this is a bit of a decline Or at least, I see it that way, but for most people, it’s a great ambition and great hope.
- But have you ever thought of leaving Syracuse and moving permanently somewhere else?
No, absolutely. I’ve been to many places, but Syracuse has always remained my favourite. For some time I was persuaded by Milan because I had a very happy time there and obviously if you want to make music or art in general, it gives you have a lot more chances. But every time I went back to Syracuse, I felt that this bond with Milan was melting more and more, as I realized the difference. For instance, when I leave my home in Syracuse, I am immediately surrounded by nature, I see the sea, the climate is beautiful, the light is beautiful… and I need these things, as I would suffer a lot not being able to leave the house because it rains, and there’s a grey sky. It’s something that I reckon can have a great influence on people’s mood.
- Let’s go back in time for a bit. Do you remember what was the first record that hit you when you first listened to it, the one that made you say: “ok, I want to play that too”?
It changes according to the instrument, actually. For the trumpet, when I was 10 years old — and I was already copying the songs on the piano by ear or playing my father’s percussion — one day I listened to an album by Roy Paci and I said: “ok, I want to play the trumpet”. For the drums, on the other hand, my sister had a cassette with Dookie by Green Day on one side and Blink-182’s Enema of the State on the other. That cassette, which I knew and know by heart, made me want to learn to play the drums.
- Well, it’s Travis Barker…
Exactly! As a child, at the age of thirteen, I had Travis Barker on my Msn profile image. I wanted to become like him! Then I remember I listened a lot to a record that someone had given to my sister, which is Capo Horn by Jovanotti. I liked it very much because it was good hip hop, and in my opinion, that was a very happy period for Jovanotti. And then many others, Battisti, De André… for a while I listened to a lot of folk music, like the Modena City Ramblers and other bands that made Celtic-y music with violins and accordions. I had a metal period with The Horizon and Lamb of God. My longest and most in-depth period was with reggae, it lasted all through high school, I even had dreadlocks!
- On the album, is there a song you feel most fond of?
It changes according to the period. Until before we released it, Dopamine was one of my favourites, as it was also the last one I wrote and therefore the one I felt most similar to the way I feel now. I wrote it in January 2019. But then, after we released it, I don’t know… maybe because I listened to it so many times… my feelings changed. But anyway, it depends on the periods. It’s as if you’d asked me if I prefer mum or dad!
- You’re right. Have you written any new songs already?
Yes!
- On the style of this album or not?
A little, but I’m trying to doing it better!
- This is the typical self-critical tendency of the artist! Any plans for the near future?
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to make plans. The only thing I could aspire to are concerts and they can’t be done. We have to wait and hope for the best!
- Last question: can you recommend three emerging artists who, in your opinion, deserve to be listened gingerly, both Italian and foreign?
In the last two or three years, I was really struck by Khruangbin. I also loved Pufuleti, who I discovered during the first lockdown. He is a Sicilian/German rapper, I haven’t really figured his story out, but I was really intrigued by him, as he grew up in Germany but speaks Sicilian, because his grandpa spoke to him in Sicilian. Everything from his production and lyrics to his flow excited me! And then also, I’d say Tutti Fenomeni, Lucio Corsi, Giorgio Poi… but there are so many, you’ll be spoilt for choice!
