Zippo interview with Davide Straccione

Interview:

Hi guys, how are you? What are you currently up to?

Hi man, we've recently been to London Desertfest, an amazing experience. Now we're getting ready for out next European tour in which we'll be visiting Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany and Italy. 11 gigs in 10 days.

You came together in 2004. How did that happen?

A bunch of guys were looking for a singer to form a stoner rock band, and I was free so I accepted. I was friend with the drummer at that time already, that's why I came into the band and how Zippo as we know it got started.

You combine very different styles of music. This is why I am curious what are some of your influences?

Influences are so many that making a list would be just boring. Our roots are deep in heavy psychedelic rock, metal, punk and progressive rock. Reviews tend describe our sound as something close to Mastodon, Baroness, or even Tool sometimes, but our aim is to be remembered to sound like ourselves.

You self-produced debut "Ode To Maximum" (2006), the following "The Road To Knowledge" (2009) are really outstanding. Would you like to tell us background from those two releases?

Each album of Zippo has had a different approach in the making. “Ode To Maximum”, as many debuts, contains a bunch of songs composed and arranged in a huge lapse of time, and you can hear the different styles on it, you can also hear two songs in Italian. We were young, but that album has the right flavour, and it feels like the beginning of something great. The following “The Road To Knowledge” is a concept album on Castaneda's “The Teachings Of Don Juan”, we achieved more personality with this work and we put a lot of efforts in the whole process. It was like doing a soundtrack.

You played a lot of shows and did a lot of touring in Europe. My friend told me you are really heavy and powerful live. I’m really looking forward to your concert at Klub Gromka in Ljubljana, where my

friend “KiborgSpužva Büking” booked a show. What can we expect, mostly new stuff from your latest release?

Your friends have good tastes in music then. We're so happy to have finally managed to come to Ljubljana after many years. Yes, we'll mainly focus on the new album for sure, but we'll play songs for each album.

Speaking about your latest one, Maktub. What can you tell me about it? The album is really the best so far in my opinion. The 7 Tracks have been shaped by Victor Love at Subsound Studio while mastering duties have been handled by James Plotkin (Khanate, Sunn O))), Isis). Intense, daring, and twisting; with very special guests such as Ben Ward (Orange Goblin) and Luca T. Mai (Zu). Would you like to tell a few words about producing this and how was working with Ben and Luca?

Thank you very much. “Maktub” is our favourite son and needed great godfathers like Ben and Luca. You know, I always like to say that music itself is the best way to make friends for a musician. We played with Orange Goblin before, as we did with Zu, so these collaborations came out kinda naturally, and we're really happy with the results.

Maktub is also released in limited edition, 300 hand numbered copies pressed on 180gr. 12" vinyl. It’s really nice you released your music also on vinyl!

Yes, the vinyl is finally out, you should see with your own eyes how pretty it looks. It is out now on Subsound Records in transparent blue colour with full printed innersleeve. It's good to give fans a choice, and vinyl is a timeless item. Grab your copy at our show!

Since you did a lot of touring with bands like Entombed, Crowbar, Orange Goblin, Witchcraft, Colour Haze, Karma To Burn, Sons Of Otis, Zu, Ufomammut, Solace, Brant Bjork And The Bros, Los Natas, Rotor, Cripple Bastards, Stonebride, and many more... What are some crazy stories you would like to share with us?

We were touring with our mates The Orange Man Theory in Greece in 2009, the tour was not going great and we were driving towards the last gig in Larisa. After 6 hours drive, we reached the venue but we were told our show had been canceled by the promoter (Kostas from Gca Concerts) that very day, and no one in the venue knew we were coming, as no one thought to inform us about it. With a whole tour gone wrong, no gig, no money, angry as hell, we found the best man on earth in the owner of Stage Club (his name was Kostas too) with whom we spent the whole night drinking in a bar at his own expenses. We only know what happened afterwards, one of the wildest nights ever. He also payed for our hotel rooms. Thank you mate, I hope I'll be able to return the favour one day. About the asshole that ruined our tour, I only have pity for his fucking miserable life.

Well, thank you very much for the interview and hope to see you soon in Ljubljana! Would you like to share anything else for It’s Psychedelic Baby readers?

Hope you'll get the chance to catch us live in Ljubljana or anywhere else in the next Zippo tour. Thank you my friend for the space, all the best!