Zucchero Interview

INTERVIEW WITH ZUCCHERO FROM TheCelebrityCafe.com ARCHIVES

DM) You've played with numerous popular English-speaking artists (Sting, Bono, Sheryl Crow) and have received their recognition and praise but Italian music doesn't seem to have caught on in the American market. Why do you think that is?

Z) I think that the times are changing. I think that people are more open now. The Americans are more open to, for example, Italian music. There are more chances for us in America now. And we are trying to do our best. I released this album in Italian and in English for this reason. I think that it's something that could be different. It could be a new sound. Because it's Italian. Not because it's just in Italian, but it's not the typical Italian songs of opera and folk, but it's pop/rock.

DM) In a lot of your songs, you use English lyrics too.

Z) Yes, sometimes. I do it for the same reason. Because otherwise the radio in England or America will not play your music unless it's sung in English. That's the main reason, because honestly it's not easy to translate from Italian to English. Sometimes it's ok, but sometimes it's very difficult because you lose the poetry. You lose the harmony and the deep meaning of the lyrics sometimes because it's not easy to translate into another language. I personally prefer to sing in my own language but the radio in England and America won't play the music if it's not in English. But I also have great co-writers like Bono, Elvis Costello, Paul Buchannan and Sting.

DM) When did you first meet Bono?

Z) I think it was in 1992. I wrote a song for me and Pavoratti called Miserere and that was the first time that Pavoratti sung with a non-opera artists. Bono liked the song so he wanted to do the English lyrics. So there are two versions… one in English, and one in Italian, with exactly the same melodies. And then we met up with each other almost every year. The last album I recorded was in his studio in Dublin, and we did Net Aid together. We have been very close for a long time.

DM) You have a number of close relationships with a number of famous musicians.

Z) I'm proud of that because you have to understand that it's not easyfor a European continental artist to get the respect from an American orEnglish artist. Successful names like Clapton, Ray Charles, Miles Davis… I think it's because my music is not typical Italian songs. It's a little bit different. I have a lot of influences coming from the blues, soul, gospel and Italian melodies. It's a mixture of things that they find interesting.

DM) But that's not typical for children to hear the blues and soul when growing up in Italy?

Z) No, I don't know why I did. It's not typical in Italy to listen to such music. It's not usual, but I grew up with this kind of music and I immediately discovered that it was my favorite type of music.

DM) Have you ever had a chance to play or record with any of those blues or soul artists?

Z) Yes, in 1989 I recorded an album in Memphis with the Memphis Horns and numerous Memphis and New Orleans artists. With Eric Clapton for example, we did a big tour in Europe in 1991. And we're still in touch. Every summer we go on holidays together. Or with Sting, he's my neighbor here in Tuscany. And I know Paul Young from recording the song, "Senza a Donna" which was a big hit in Europe and America. We are very, very good friends. We can talk not only about music, but we talk about life and this is the most important thing.

DM) What do you mean?

Z) Talking about more then music, but talking about life. Because everybody has something to say… different experiences and if you are friends you can help each other from these experiences.

DM) So what do you do when you're not recording? What is a typical day for you like?

Z) Now that we've finished a tour one week ago, I'm at home now and I still try to have a normal life. Nothing strange, nothing unusual. I love to stay with my friends or go fishing, or playing football sometimes. To stay with my family. Fortunately, I live in a beautiful area, Tuscany, and the weather is very nice and sunny. I try to clean myself here, of the pressure.

DM) Is it still possible to have a "normal" life?

Z) It takes time. We did a tour for almost 1 year and when you come back home, it takestime to relax, to reset yourself in a normal life.