Rising Stars: SPLEEN (interview)
SPLEEN ARE: Samuele Riccucci – Guitar and Vocals, Matteo Innocenti – Drums and Backing Vocals, Olmo Fantini – Guitar and Backing Vocals, Alberto Sanna – Bass
Spleen are a fierce and feisty Italian four-piece. Earlier this year they signed with renowned rock label Contempo Records and are now fully fired up and set to unleash a darkly charged collection of music and live dates- and maybe raise a little Hell whilst having a good time! The band released their own take on the iconic track “Making Plans For Nigel” to some acclaim late last year. The track is taken from their upcoming, yet-to-be-titled debut album – set to land in early 2025.
We had a chat with the band after their recent gig dates in London:
Tell us about your cover of XTC’s Making Plans For Nigel’ – what made you decide to cover that particular track?
“Making Plans for Nigel” is undoubtedly a fantastic track with an unmistakable sound that still feels fresh after all these years. Our version is definitely reimagined, although we tried not to stray too far from the mood of the original.
Do you know if members of XTC have heard your version?
It seems they’ve heard it and liked it… believe us, this is mind-blowing for us! We never would have expected it…
You’ve just played the Hope & Anchor and the Spice of Life venues in London- what was that like? What was the reaction?
Stepping into the Hope and Anchor feels like walking into a museum… some of the greatest artists have played here, and the idea of performing in such a place is truly thrilling. The audience was amazing: there was a large group of people who came all the way from Florence to support us, and that was incredible! The English crowd is also incredibly warm; they make you feel so good on stage that you never want to leave…
Are UK fans different to Italian ones?
Maybe they’re more familiar with our type of music, but other than that, we didn’t notice any major differences.
What’s the best part about performing live for you guys? How do you gear up for your gigs?
One of the best parts is when we come down from the stage after the concert to meet the fans; it’s always great to greet them and have a chat. In addition to our instruments, we also pay a lot of attention to the visual side of things, so we’ve often brought props like mannequins, objects, posters, or things to throw into the crowd…
Any wild or memorable moments from past gigs that you’d like to tell us about?
At our last concert in Florence, we heard the crowd singing our “What’s Behind the Sun” really loud for the first time. They knew the lyrics so well, and there were so many of them… it was amazing. Another incredible moment happened at The Spice of Life when Roman Jugg from The Damned came up to us after the show to compliment us!
It was truly emotional.
Incidentally, did you get a chance to look around London and do some sight-seeing, culture, pubs etc?
Yes, absolutely. We got around a lot, and all the pubs were really cool. We had the chance to talk to people about music, and we noticed that there are far more venues to play compared to back home.
What are your thoughts on London and the UK?
We’d definitely love to return to London soon and maybe explore more of the UK…
What’s your approach to writing songs as a band?
Lately, the songs have been coming together quite spontaneously during rehearsals, with great chemistry among the members. The lyrics are mainly written by our lead singer.
tell us about your forthcoming album – when is it out and what can fans expect to hear?
We hope to release it in 2025. We want it to feel like a concept album, not just a collection of everything we’ve done so far. We’d like to experiment with new sounds, maybe darker and heavier ones.
Any new gigs planned for 2025?
We have some important festivals lined up, but we can’t reveal anything yet… follow us on social media because we’ll be announcing something soon.
What legacy do you hope to leave in the rock world, and what’s next on the horizon for Spleen?
It might be too early to talk about legacy… for now, we want to experiment a lot, try new things, and do plenty of live shows.
Facebook competition to win one of three 7″ inch vinyl promos of the latest single, their cover of the XTC classic ’Making Plans For Nigel’.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
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