INTERVIEW: Royal Bravada — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Royal Bravada

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THIS is a busy time for the chaps of Royal Bravada.

Luke and Albi talk to me about their latest track, Lullaby, and what we can expect from a new E.P. I learn more about their Italian roots and the music that inspires the band. They chat about touring plans and all the stuff they have planned for next year; whether there will be some new videos released down the line – and what it was like filming the shoot for Lullaby.

I find out about their start and what they have planned for Christmas; what advice they would give to new songwriters – and how their recent music has altered and shifted from their earliest days.

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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?

Albi: Hey! We’re pumped up. This is quite of a special week for us: we release our first-ever UK video premiere for our new single, Lullaby - from the Peace E.P., which will be released song-by-song in the next few months.

SO, yeah; it’s going pretty fuc*ing well.

For those new to your work; can you introduce yourself, please?

We’re Royal Bravada. We are four Italians, walking a thin line between being badass vicious rascals and gentle lovers. We do what we love most which is music. One of our favourite bands would probably say that we “ain’t nothing to fuck with”…

But we can also be very sweet at times.

Luke: I am Luke. Where’s the bar?

Lullaby is the new track from the band. What is the tale behind it?

Albi: When you first listen to the song; it’s a love song. But is it really?! Truth is; it’s an emotional ode to happiness in the small things. No matter what happens to you, what really matters is living the moment; right here and now.

If you have that wider view, things will start falling into their right place and your focus will clear up. That feeling of accomplishment (call it love?) will come to you like a sweet lullaby.

Luke: Lullaby talks about a beautiful love - which is also a complete mess. Love can hurt you so bad - but it’s also the only way you can redeem yourself.

Humans are complicated, after all.

The video looks like it was fun to film! What was the experience like?!

I adore when you shoot a video-clip - there’s always that pervasive sense of ‘this is going bananas!’ and ‘We’ll never gonna make it!’ That night, the gods were also sending messages to us in the form of unexpected showers and cold wind. Three times we had to stop; cover all the gear and wait for the storms to pass…

Albi: It was intense. With any low-budget video, you have to make; it work and be ready to improvise or you’re lost! All the fire you see is real: no post-production or digital stuff. Sometimes people don’t realise how much time, planning and effort there is behind video-clips.

When we finished it was past 4 A.M. - and we opened a crate of the best beer. It was actually s*it Italian beer, but it tasted good.

My god, it was good.

Can we expect more material from the band down the line?

Lullaby is the first single extracted from our new E.P., Peace. We have at least three more releases from this E.P. that will crowd our schedule for the next few months. Then we are pretty much constantly producing new songs. At the moment; we are working on two new thunderous tracks - as well as tweaking the acoustic showcase of Peace.

You’ll hear from us, soon.

How did you guys get together? Did you know one another before 2012’s Black Bones E.P.?

Luke: Let’s say we could recognize each other in a crowd. We use to go to the same venues in Milan and Monza (our hometown). We were first-row at the same gigs…stuff like that.

Albi: Yeah - and going after the same girls at times. Then one day we came together in the rehearsal-room and after a couple of hours playing; we knew we were meant to spend a looong time together.

We are like brothers now. We love and hate each other so much.

How has your music changed since the earliest days? Do you think you have grown and strengthened?

Albi: I think that, with Peace and Lullaby, we reached our best so far in terms of composition and sound. We are always open to exploring new stuff but one thing we never did is closing ourselves into one genre.

We go with the flow a lot.

Luke: It’s always been very spontaneous and intuitive. It still is - but the emotions behind the songs are more matured now. Deeper and more complex...

What kind of music did you all grow up surrounded by? Do you all have similar tastes?

Some names are paramount for all of us (Nirvana, David Bowie; Pink Floyd, Queens of the Stone Age, Franz Ferdinand and AM) but, then again, in general; we all have our own taste. I like Biffy Clyro and hearing children’s choirs in songs for example…that’s normal, no?!

Albi: I like Psychedelic music in general but, also, Stoner-Rock; Blues, Hip-Hop; Grime and Techno. The good thing is that we never fight about music genres or influences.

I guess we’re a democracy...

Your music has got a great response from radio and the media. Does that give you drive and the determination to keep rising and aiming high?

I’d like to be high.

Luke: Where’s the bar again?

Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?

At this moment; I am listening to UGO from Dead Pirates. I don’t know them but this track is a bomb.

Albi: The best emerging bands I have seen lately are Swedish Death Candy, BO NINGEN and 10,000 Russos.

If you each had to select the one album that means the most to you; which would they be and why?

Luke: Space Oddity by David Bowie

Because that’s the only record you can play and completely detach from the outside world: It’s just you and nothing else.

"Ground Control to Major Tom…"

Albi: The one album that changed my mind is Song for the Deaf by Q.o.t.S.A.

I went to their latest London gig on 21/11 (me too - Sam) and I almost cried when they ended the show with Song for the Dead. Listen to it right now!

What advice would you give to artists coming through right now?

It will sound cheesy but please don’t try to be cool: just be yourself and be true.

Luke: Just have as much fun as you can!

What tour dates do you have approaching? Where can we see you play?

We are planning a U.K. tour and another Italian tour - both for early-2018. Hopefully, we will go and play in Japan again next summer.

Albi: We have put a little bit of Milan/London/Tokyo in every song from the Peace E.P. These are the cities where our hearts hang.

Christmas is not too far away. Do you all have plans already - or will you be busy working?

You mean: busy eating! Yes; we will be busy…

Luke: …yet busy recording our new pre-productions of two/three new songs. Never stops!

What are your ambitions for the coming year? World domination among

Albi: To be completely frank; we just want to travel the world with our music. We want to do it and do things our way - and, hopefully, work with amazing people for our next record. Then, we will produce and release at least two/three more videos, I reckon.

Luke: Let’s go to the bar, already…!

Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).

Luke: Arcade Fire – No Cars Go