IDOLS ARE DEAD

WEBSITE: www.myspace.com/idolsrdead
COUNTRY: Italy STYLE: Rock / Metal / Idol

WHEN THE BAND FIRST STARTED WAS IT A BIT OF A STRUGGLE TO FIND YOUR “SOUND” OR DID THE BAND GET TOGETHER VERY WELL FROM THE START?

MANA (VOCALS): I can tell you it was not difficult because we were all pretty sure in doing something heavier than our past projects (we were in Nu Metal Bands) so it was all starting well! We are all into Bands like Metallica etc… and everything has been very natural and spontaneous for day one.

THE BAND HAS RECEIVED GREAT MEDIA ATTENTION AND ALBUM REVIEWS EVER SINCE THE ALBUM “MEAN” HAS BEEN RELEASED. WERE YOU SURPRISED AT FIRST OR DID YOU KNOW YOU HAD A GOOD QUALITY ALBUM AND THAT IT WOULD GET THE DESERVED ATTENTION?

I’m sure an artist is always sure to have a great Album in his hands when it’s ready and done. I think it has been the same for us. From the very first time we have heard the Album finished we thought it was very good! You know, it has good thrashy tunes mixed with this touch of hard rock and it is also well produced… said that I have to admit also that I often listen great records worldwide so I’m sure we have made the necessary to be at least competitive and I can easily say we have achieved this propose!

About the reviews we have received I’m glad to tell you that 90% of them have been great and most of all the ones coming from the U.S. … We’re very proud of that cos we think it’s the most important market in our genre!

WHERE DOES THE STRONG “OLD SCHOOL”, HARD ROCK INFLUENCE IN YOUR MUSIC COME FROM AND WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE BAND TO WRITE MUSIC THAT WOULD APPEAL TO FANS OF ROCK AND METAL?

I’m always happy to receive this kind of question cos it means that our intention to mix Thrash and Hard Rock has been understood he he… As I said before these influences are all coming from the 5 of us. We’re all over 30 and we have grown listening to Metallica and Slayer but also Motley Crue and Skid Row just to name a few. “Mean” is the perfect mix of all these Bands/influences. And it came after hours of jams in dirty and smelly rehearsal rooms…

DOES HAVING A SOUND THAT IS APPEALING TO A WIDE VARIETY OF AUDIENCES HELP NOW ESPECIALLY THAT THE BAND IT TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR IT SELF IN THE US?

Yes, I think it’s important. I’m sure wider is the audience bigger are the chances to gain more fans you know. Even in the reviews we have received we have often read it is an important point to let IAD name grow in the scene! I hope we can have appeal for both Hard Rock and Thrash fans… I’m repeat I’m happy you have notice that yourself!

HOW LONG ARE YOU PLANNING TO STAY IN THE US, AND ARE YOU HOPING TO OPEN MORE “DOORS” ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC SO THAT YOU HAVE MORE OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO TOURING?

I think it will be a couple of weeks. We were supposed to tour this fall but we were forced to postpone because of serious problems we had few weeks ago.

We’re now scheduled to have it in march/april 2010. Our managers Alex and Rick are working very hard to find the best tour situation we can have. We can’t thank them enough for all their efforts!

And yes, to have both Europe and America as places to tour in is very cool! Hope to come in South Africa also one day :)

MANY BANDS THESE DAYS HAVE ALBUMS THAT ARE SOMETIMES VERY OVER PRODUCED, BUT LISTENING TO YOUR ALBUM, CAN ONE SAY THE BAND WAS REALLY AIMING FOR THAT “RAW” ROCK SOUND WHILE RECORDING “MEAN”?

Of course we can say it! I mean, we are doing this thrash/hard rock style that absolutely need to be so raw… I can’t image “Mean” having this Linkin Park sound he he… it’d be too clean in this case… sometimes raw and dirty is better!

WHAT GEAR AND GUITAR TUNINGS DOES THE BAND CURRENTLY USE, AND DO YOU GUYS STILL HAVE THAT ONE INSTRUMENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY?

Oops… I’m not so good in telling you about our guitar tunings. I know we have a lower tuning on the guitar but I sincerely don’t know the exact note… about the gear I’m sure Ico and Alley (our guitarists) have the guitars they have dreamt about cos they’re Schecter endorsers (the same of Avenged Sevenfold) and they loved these guitars even before they obtained the endorsement deal!

HAS THE BAND BEEN WORKING ON NEW MATERIAL AS OF LATE AND HOW ARE YOU HOPING TO BUILD ON THE “SOUND” YOU CREATED WITH THE SONGS ON “MEAN” WITH FUTURE RELEASES?

Yes we’re working on new songs and I think you have used a perfect definition when you’re saying “build on the sound you have created in Mean” because is what we’re aiming for!

You know, we like to consider “Mean” as the first attempt in create this Thrash & Roll style so we hope to develop the second record in this way and to be as natural as possible in doing it!

WOULD YOU GUYS EVER CONSIDER RECORDING OR PERFORMING ITALIAN VERSIONS OF YOUR SONGS?

No! Italian really sucks in Metal! English is perfect he he…

LISTENING TO YOUR ALBUM ONE JUST CAN’T HELP TO IMAGINE HOW GOOD THEY SOUND LIVE. HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE PLAYING LIVE IN THIS BAND WITH THE OTHER BANDS THAT YOU HAVE PERFORMED IN OVER THE YEARS?

I think we’re better live with IAD than our past Bands. I say that because we don’t need samples this time. You know, we used to have Nu Metal bands for years and we did need DJ’s and samples all the time to create the sound we had on the records and it was not always so simple!

With IAD we have much more impact on kids and the adrenaline is much more free to do its important part on stage :)

THE BAND HAS SHARED STAGES WITH MANY GREAT BANDS SO FAR; NO MATTER HOW MANY SHOWS THE BAND HAS PLAYED, IS IT ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO DREAM “BIGGER” AND SET NEW GOALS FOR YOURSELVES?

Yes Man! I think it’s the most important! If you haven’t big dreams to achieve you better quit tomorrow… even if we know it’s extremely difficult we can’t stop dreaming about ourselves on the Ozzfest stage one day…

If you’re sure your music is good you have to have these dreams! Or at least it’s what I personally think…

DO YOU HAVE ANY LIVE SHOWS COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE THAT YOU ARE EXITED ABOUT?

Yes! We have a few here in Italy this fall… they’re all in the best clubs we have in the country so we’re pretty exited for sure! And we obviously can’t wait to have this U.S. Tour!!! It will be incredible!

ANY COMMENTS; THINGS FANS SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR OR PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO THANK?

We naturally would like to thank YOU for this chance! Very nice questions Bro! and once again thanks sooo much to our Managers Alex Gilbert and Rick Fortier for their efforts and dedication!

Cheerzzzz…
Mana