Known as the musical version of beat poet Allen Ginsberg, Dorian Gray Sound and Vision will perform at this year’s Rock the South Festival, while graphic artist Paolo Bacillieri creates his work on the spot. Ramona Depares interviews vocalist Davide Catinari.

More than simply a music or artistic group, Dorian Gray is described as ‘sound and vision’ – how do you describe the concept? And how was the idea born – why did you decide to team up your music with visual art?

I honestly think that, in most of today’s music, there is hardly present the mystery, the charm of imagination, the ability to push the boundaries between concert and performance. Our relationship with the drawings represents this need and this has made it more closely the relationship between our music and images

Why Dorian Gray – how do you link to Oscar Wilde’s creation?

Dorian Gray was the title of a song when the band was not yet called so. We loved the sound of the name and what it stands for, because Dorian Gray’s is a condition that belongs to everyone. Everyone wants to stop time, to stay young forever, like Dorian Gray. But immortality is quite another story... just ask John Lennon, Kurt Cobain or Jim Morrison.

You first debuted Dorian Gray Sound and Vision in 2013 with the artist Ausonia. How has the project grown since then?

Sound and Vision keeps on growing continuously, both in intensity and in the development of the senses. We are really excited to the work with the different authors involved in the project, because this makes it possible to never repeat the same show. Each performance is different from the last and from the next one. Each time we go on stage, none of us knows exactly what will happen. But we all know that something will happen.

What made you decide specifically to collaborate with graphic novel artists, as opposed to other genres?

The graphic novel and the music are very similar in nature. In both cases, storytelling is more important than the description. That’s why it’s important keep the visionary side of things, because we can see the same things in a different way.

How do you choose which artists to work with? Do you look for particular characteristics?

Imagination, attraction to danger and the right touch of madness.

For your performance in Malta you will be working with Paolo Bacillieri, not for the first time. What attracts you to Paolo’s style?

Paolo is like an artist from the future that lives in our time. His talent won us over immediately. His world is full of extreme characters, absolutely condemned to be themselves. That’s life.

Art should be something that brings us far from safety, far from the comfortable world of induced needs that we build around us every day

How does the creative process work? Is it all spontaneous, or do musicians and artist discuss what direction they want to go beforehand?

No discussions, I would say. Each performance is absolutely free form. We change the track list every night, according to the mood.

You are known as the nihilistic rockers from the 1990s and your lyrics are quite existentialist in nature. Do you still feel that there is an audience for this art that goes against the system, or has everyone got too comfortable?

Art should be something that bring us far from safety, far from the comfortable world of induced needs that we build around us every day. I think there is still an audience for those who take the risk of being themselves and to put the result on stage. Otherwise life is just a habit, and the habit is not music, but just trade.

The style of your lyrics has been compared to the poetry of beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Do you agree with this? Do you hold a fondness for Ginsberg?

It was really an honour to be compared to Ginsberg, although my style is, perhaps, a bit more gothic. Probably, the focus on consciousness is a reference that made me love his work, but my mood is far from that of the beat generation. It is more focused on the individual’s change, rather than on the transformation of society.

The lyrics are quite dark in nature. What is it that motivates you and what issues are important to you and to the band?

The important things are the things of every day. It seems a trivial concept, but it’s so hard to get deep into our daily path. The music is what makes the difference, together with what we can, or can not, express.

What has been the highlight of Dorian Gray’s career so far?

The Chinese Tour in September 1992 was an amazing experience. We were the first European band in China and we played in Peking, Shanghai and Suzhou, in theatres, sport arenas and massive halls. I guess there’s still a video clip on the web in memory of that trip. The tour took place a mere three years after the revolt of Tiananmen and I remember there were many cops hidden in the audience.

You are set to release a new album later this year. What can you tell us about it?

The new album is called Moonage Mantra and will be released in October. We collaborated with many guests on this record, including Blaine Reininger from Tuxedomoon.

The sound of the album is a cross between electronic, blues, sound-track music, night sounds and psychedelic artifacts. There are two different souls in Moonage Mantra, but schizophrenia is a typical feature of Dorian Gray and his alter ego, that we called Golem in Love.

What can we expect from your performance in Malta?

We come from an island and know the warmth of the islanders, so we are really happy to play in Malta. See you!

Dorian Gray Sound and Vision perform on Saturday at Rock the South Festival at Zion Reggae Bar, Marsascala. The festival runs on Friday, Saturday and next Sunday. Tickets are available online.

https://shop.trackagescheme.com/event/rock-south-2016-5th-year-anniversary/

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