Artist: Stamina
Orgin: Salerno, Italien
Genre: Melodic Metal / Hard Rock
Label: My Kingdom Music
Link: http://www.staminaband.net
Bandmember:
Vocals – Jacopo DiDomenico
Guitar– Luca Sellitto
Bass – Lorenzo Zarone
Keyboard – Andrea Barone
Drums – Enrico Canu (nicht auf diesem Album vertreten)
Time For Metal / Incarnata:
Hello Stamina,
First of all: thank you very much for taking your time answering our questions.
I also did the review of your album Perseverance, and it just blew me away. Even if I would have been in a bad mood before, this would have been gone immediately after the first tones. My favourite song is Breaking Another String, which really made me jump around in my flat. Do you have to be in a certain mood to write such songs, or do you consider that as a kind of job, where you give your best everyday, like other people are going to the office or driving busses to earn their money? Are there any special inspirations for the songs on the new album?
Luca / Stamina:
Thank you very much for your kind words. Breaking another string is my favourite track too and, probably, the track which better displays all the elements of our sound. I cannot consider art as a kind of job, even if I’d appreciate very much to make a living only on this band alone. Inspiration is the key to write good stuff, so it’s not about being in a certain mood or another, but it’s all about being inspired and true to yourself…feeling the “fire” within, you know. So many different things inspired my lyrics on the new album: love, hate, joy, anger, sadness, pride, nostalgy…whatever!
Time For Metal / Incarnata:
The headliner of my review was „Like a big cup of ice with much cream“, because, while hearing Perseverance, I had the vision of summer, nice weather, sitting in an ice cream parlor. I hope that’s not to far away from the real meaning of the album 😉 Do you get translations of the reviews or do you only read the rating and that’s it? And are you sometimes astonished about some comparisons or different kinds of view of the reviewers?
Luca / Stamina:
I usually try to translate all the reviews, using online translators, but sometimes the quality of the translation is a little bit disappointing. So, although I understand the general meaning of most reviews, I don’t understand every single word if it’s not in Italian or English. Every reviewer has got his personal point of view and sees different things in our music. You say you have the vision of summer and nice weather when you listen to us?? Well, it’s ok, but I probably see autumn and winter is some of the songs ahahah. I only get pissed off when the reviewers write reviews without even listening to the entire album, or simply copying the info sheet that the label sent them. It’s such a foolish and unprofessional way of dealing with art.
Time For Metal / Incarnata:
In the information from the record company I read that the drummer Enrico Canu is not on this album, but there were two other drummers that did the job. Same is for the singer Jacopo Di Domenico, who sang only one track. What are the reasons for this?
Luca / Stamina:
We didn’t have a complete line-up when we started recording this album in November 2012, so we had to hire various session men and we also took the situation as a chance to invite various special guest singers, including: Göran Edman (ex Yngwie malmsteen, John Norum band etc.); Nils Molin (Dynazty); Maria McTurk (Royal Hunt) and others. Drummer Enrico Canu and singerJacopo DiDomenico became official members after we had finished recording, so now we have a steady line-up and we’re looking forward to touring again.
Time For Metal / Incarnata:
The digital version of Perseverance was released via Power Prog Records, the physical version followed via My Kingdom Music. Is there any special reason for this split?
Luca / Stamina:
Not really, it just happened. We first received the offer from German label Power Prog Recordsfor the digital release. Götz Morgenschweis, the label’s owner, offered us a decent deal, so we decided to sign almost on the spot. But we also still wanted the cd format release, you know…with the booklet, the artwork, the photos, the “real” thing. Various independent labels, both Italian and foreign, approached us, but we turned all the offers down, due to inappropriate (in our opinion) deal conditions. Fortunately, Francesco Palumbo from My Kingdom Music records offered us a good deal for the physical cd release and we got signed to his label. We are happy of having this good team working with us to keep Stamina alive, including the two aforementioned labels, our manager Michael Raitzin at Majestic Entertainment and my publisher Wormholedeath.
Time For Metal / Incarnata:
On your facebook page you give a very special answer to the question of your influences. „Every kind of GOOD music. It MUST be melodic, it MUST be well played, it MUST communicate something“. I think it’s very hard to meet all your claims, and it seems, that you have high requirements also on your own music. But what about all these young bands, that are struggling so hard? Maybe they are not that melodic or don’t have a special message, but don’t you think, you can get also some fresh perceptions from them?
Luca / Stamina:
Well, I’ve got to admit that I don’t listen to a lot of “new” bands , but most of the very few that I had the chance to hear didn’t catch my attention. I like some stuff by Nils Molin’s band Dynazty, but I still mostly listen to my old heroes. I like music to be deep, passionate and strong…It doesn’t matter if it’s classical, jazz, heavy metal or whatever. It must be art, it can’t be meaningless.Yngwie Malmsteen, Royal Hunt, Europe, Symphony X, J.S. Bach, Chopin, Paganini,John Coltrane, Allan Holdsworth etc. etc. that’s intense and passionate music, that’s the way art should always be.
Time For Metal / Incarnata:
I also read that your record company is working on some dates for concerts. Are there any progresses and maybe a chance for some concerts in Germany?
Luca / Stamina:
We will probably start the first leg of the tour in May, playing some shows in Italy and Spain. We are also trying to arrange a second leg of the tour for September/October, including dates in Germany and other Countries, but nothing is official yet. So, keep an eye on our official webpages for tour announcement soon to come: http://www.facebook.com/staminaitalianband orhttp://www.staminaband.net Francesco from My Kingdom music is working as our tour manager and we are very grateful to him for his efforts to promote us and arranging live shows all around Europe.
Time For Metal / Incarnata:
So that’s it. Is there any personal message from your side to our readers?
Thanks again for this interview.
Luca / Stamina:
Thanks to you! We invite all the readers of Time for Metal to visit our official webpages I mentioned above and to watch our videoclip for the song Higher.
Our new album Perseverance is distributed in Germany by Soulfood, so they can easily purchase
it if they really want to support us! Hope to see you all on the road! Rock on!