Interviews: ALLUME

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Heavy Rock band ALLUME from Italy. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it, or did it just come out like that?

The band name came out during a brainstorming session while we were at a pub. We’re four people with very strong personalities and opinions, so finding a compromise is not always easy. We needed a short name with a strong impact. “Allume” was exactly what we were looking for, and everyone immediately agreed on it. We also like it because it recalls the heavy and rocky sound of the genre we chose to play.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Maybe we didn’t consciously choose it, but in a way, the genre chose us. It was already in all of our minds and hands, influenced both by the music we listen to and by what naturally came out of our instruments while improvising in the studio. However, the person who pushed the band the most toward these sounds was Nicola M., our bassist, who is a huge enthusiast of the genre and all its subgenres.

3.⁠ ⁠Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Yes, we already knew each other before the band was formed, and in fact, we share a long friendship. Ours originally started as a local friendship: Mario and Nicola C. have known each other for many years because we’re both from Arezzo, while Nicola M. and Marco are from the surrounding area. Through a series of completely random coincidences, our musical paths crossed as well. Before, the friendships were more “one-to-one”; now they have become a real group friendship.

4.⁠ ⁠Each band member's favourite band?

That’s an impossible question, just like asking someone to choose their favourite movie. We can say that each of us has a broad musical background and tends to prefer different genres. To give you an idea: from Mississippi Delta blues to punk-hardcore, passing through the many shades of rock and, unexpectedly, even a bit of hip hop. Post-Stoner, understood as a blending of genres, is probably the meeting point of all our musical tastes. This freedom from strict categorisation allows us to experiment with our music and blend together the influences we enjoy the most.

5.⁠ ⁠Who or what inspires you to write songs?

For the past few years, the main creative and lyrical mind behind the band has been Marco Buzzini, a member who has been fundamental to Allume’s artistic growth. His lyrics are cryptic and introspective: they are inspired by reality, but they express distorted, dreamlike, and poetic images of many themes related to contemporary life. His ideas are always so convincing that the rest of us usually focus more on the vocal lines and the overall structure of the lyrics rather than changing the words themselves, which are the result of Marco’s deep reflections and constant introspection.

6.⁠ ⁠Where was your last gig?

Our last show was at a small independent event called “Suonaccy” in Arezzo, near the city centre. That’s one of the situations we feel most comfortable in.

7.⁠ ⁠Where would you like to act?

We definitely prefer playing in small clubs or independent events, as we mentioned before, but we would also love to take part in bigger rock festivals, especially summer festivals, even though the logistics behind festivals are more complicated than club shows. To be honest, one of our dreams is to play at festivals abroad.

8.⁠ ⁠Whom would you like to feature with?

We would love to collaborate with every band we’ve shared the stage with. Sometimes beautiful friendships and collaborations can grow from those experiences. Through “show exchanges”, we often get the opportunity to play more, meet new audiences, and experience new environments that help us grow as a band.

9. Whom not?

We don’t like collaborating with dishonest people who fail to respect agreements, nor with bands that don’t respect shared timing and spaces. Fortunately, these have only been isolated situations, but they have happened occasionally. We hope they won’t happen again.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

I don’t think any of us has ever really suffered from stage fright, mainly because we still haven’t played in a truly huge setting with a massive audience. It’s possible that the more emotional members of the band might experience it in the future, but experience will certainly help. To beginners, we would say that sometimes the idea of being afraid is stronger than the fear itself.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

The list would honestly be endless. Even with this question, we often prefer not to answer directly: instead, we like asking the people who listen to our music. Sometimes they give answers that are incredibly accurate, while other times they hear influences that don’t actually exist. That’s something we find really fascinating.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

At the moment, we can’t remember any particularly bizarre requests, but we’re looking forward to one happening so that we’ll finally have a funny story to tell.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Our fans are the lifeblood of our music. Their constant support pushes us to improve every single day: improving our live performances, our interaction with the audience, and the content we share with them. We truly receive an incredible amount of support.

14. What do you think of our site?

It’s very well curated and professionally made, and it can be an important showcase for bands. We’re really happy about this collaboration.

15. Something to add?

Listen to our new single, "La Stessa Idea." It's one of the first results of all these years of work, now available online, and it's also one of the songs that best represents both us and our upcoming album.

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