Dear readers, we are pleased to offer you in this article an interview with an Italian band playing Experimental/Jazz Prog Rock. We welcome Klidas.
Hello, how are you?
“Hello, everything’s going well, thanks for asking. We are seeing the results of the release of this first record at this time and are very satisfied with it.“
Your sound incorporates elements of Jazz, Prog and Experimental Rock, where does your passion for these sounds come from?
“We grew up listening to these genres and many other kinds of music. Each member of the band brings to our narrative what they feel, in a completely natural way and without preconceptions.“
Your new album “No harmony” was released on june 02, 2023 how would you describe this work?
“It is an album that weighs like a boulder, representing the closing of an almost 10-year-long period of building, growth, change, and research.“
6 long, mostly instrumental tracks, how does the creative process of your music take place?
“The creative process begins with a melodic/rhythmic idea from a band member, which is later developed into writing through layering in the staff. It is difficult to determine where the real initial inspiration for each track comes from; we are influenced by reading, movies, and everyday experiences.“
Your sound is intense and elaborate, will there be a chance to hear it live?
“We usually play as much live as possible when we have the opportunity. On July 30 we will be playing in Italy at a festival called Serravalle Rock, in the middle of a fortress. It will definitely be an evocative experience.“
The album also contains some nice graphics, what would you like to tell us about them and the artist who created them?
“Yes, the graphics were designed by Alberto (keyboardist) and represents the sculptures of Paolo Mazzuferi. We grew up around these works, as some of the band members have a family relationship with the artist: our first rehearsal room was the first studio where these sculptures were created and literally surrounded the instruments. We have always been fascinated by their aesthetics, the result of an important study of a geometric and mathematical kind, in a field that combines projective geometry and algebra.“
The band was formed in 2014, how has your sound evolved since then?
“Our sound is constantly evolving: we have changed lineups several times over time, and we are very malleable in that respect. Over the course of these 10 years, we have focused on these early songs that have changed several times; now we are experiencing another very significant change and have rearranged the entire album with our new line-up to be able to present it live in an ever-changing way.“
You are a band with several years of experience, what advice would you give to young artists approaching music with more sophisticated sounds?
“The only advice we can give is not to censor yourself and express in music everything you feel, not to submit to rules imposed by the music market. Afterward in order to grow as a project I think it is very important to look for a team of people who really believe in it and to find the right supporters: in our case, Bird’s Robe has been a fundamental help.“
Music is constantly evolving, how do you see your genre in the future?
“This is true, and listening to contemporary music only influences us in a positive way. We are always writing new material in a very natural way, as it has always been, and aspects are coming out on the one hand much more punk and electronic and on the other hand very ambient, with much more lyrically focused and very introspective work.“
Do you have other passions or artistic activities outside music?
“Surely we all share a passion for reading and movies, plus everyone has their own personal passions, for example, Alberto (keyboardist) has a passion for speleology and Giorgio (drummer) for painting.“
How do you see the modern Prog Jazz and Experimental music scene in Italy?
“People tend to associate Italy with this type of music for the scene present in the 60s; unfortunately, today we do not know similar realities in our country, with a few small exceptions.“
I would like to thank the Klidas for the interview and wish them all the best for the continuation of their artistic careers, as well as Bird’s Robe Collective and Creative Eclipse PR for their long-lasting and solid collaboration with my webzine.
“We thank you very much for your time, looking forward to meeting you in the future.“
Read our Review of their new album here: [Review] Klidas – No Harmony
Purchase the album on Bandcamp: https://klidas.bandcamp.com/album/no-harmony
Lineup:
Emanuele Bury / Guitar, Voice
Francesco Coacci / Bass, Voice
Samuele De Santis / Saxophone
Alberto Marchegiani / Keyboard, Synth
Giorgio Staffolani / Drums
