ItalianHow did I meet Ferruccio?
I was in a bookstore and I was looking for a specific book. I asked the bookseller, a funny little lanky boy, wearing a shapeless sweater, so we started an infinite conversation about literary tastes, favorite authors, recent readings, favorite genres. I did not found the book I was looking for but I ended out with a lot of new discoveries. This is Ferruccio: if the book you are looking for is not there, and there is not even for order, he is capable of lending it to you taking it from his personal library. This spontaneous and sincere generosity is perhaps his secret weapon, his very own super power that allows him to gather around his projects a lot of friends and acquaintances.
Like when, caught by the fever for the retro British style, has prompted a growing number of devoted cyclists to participate in riding a bicycle through the streets of Pescara or to play strange games into the park (one example, the launch of the cucumber sandwich) or to compete acrobatic mustache competitions (of course I say all this just so I could boast of having won one of the editions).
At Ferruccio and Emanuela’s home we find a fantastic brunch of muffins, pancakes with maple syrup and British-style tea. Ferruccio, with the inevitable self-ironic spirit, answers our questions sprawled on the couch nonchalantly plucking the strings of his beloved banjolele.
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You are universally recognized as one of the leaders of the Tweed World Culture, tell us how was born the idea of the Tweed Ride Pescara.
The idea of the Tweed Ride is related to my uncle. Among other things, coincidentally, today, Saturday, May 13th, it would have been his birthday. My uncle died a year ago and I accompanied him throughout the disease every day going to visit him in the hospital. Since I have not a car – I do not have the license and do not want it – I used to go by bike. I was breaking at 1 o’clock am from the library, I’ ve been taking the bike and I did a little walk to the hospital, and then return. After a couple of weeks I realized that that length of time spent from the library to the hospital, I freed my mind, it was almost a mantra in motion: the bike knew the road and went without saying, so my head was free for about 15 minutes. And I felt better. I searched in Google something that would put the bike in connection with a state of tranquility, wellbeing, and among the many links that were left, it appeared the one that put together my two passions: cycling + England = Tweed Run . This is an event, invented in 2009, combining british spirit and love for bike. Actually, is inspired by ‘ Eroica ,this race in Tuscany recovering vintage bike and dusty paths, but setting it in an urban context. With our Tweed Ride we brought this idea in Italy, on the sea of Pescara, thus closing the circle. I wrote in August of a couple of years ago to the inventor of the Tweed Run, saying that I liked a lot and that I wanted to do it here. He seemed very snooty and, moreover, pointed out that there was a copyright issue. He advised me to realize the idea but to change its name. We used Ride Instead of Run and so was born the Tweed Ride Pescara. In the first edition we counted to be a dozen, but in the end we were more than 40, an unexpected result.
Apart from the Eroica, was there something similar in Italy?
We were the first so that, after the site , many have begun to write inviting us to do it elsewhere. Not long ago they made a Tweed Ride in Catania, others ther will be around Italy.
Where will you go?
In September we will go between Verona and Brescia with an event tied to the initiatives of a museum of vintage fashion. And I hope to do another one in San Benedetto with our Marches friends who came to ride with us at the Tweed Ride in November last year.
Did you expect such success?
When at the first edition we have seen coming all these people we were amazed. The truth is that we have some fantastic friends, totally crazy, that help us to make these bizarre events. Without them nothing would happen.
How many of you were at the second edition?
We were 65 while in the third peaking more than 90, among members and people aggregates after. The nice thing is that we discovered the existence of so many people who selfbuilded bikes, who love vintage, that want to put themself playing without being ashamed, because it is a game at the end. Now, one thing I always struggle to explain to various groups of “bike lovers” in Pescara is that we basically have fun.
It’s not a competition, although there are contests and prizes.
It’s simply the joy of cycling in a somewhat eccentric way. People who came understand it and enjoy it, others somehow seems to be against, let’s say they are not in harmony with this spirit.
Isn’t it curious that there is all this desire to prepare clothing, to customize bikes, to masquerade?
This is the game, the need to get away from our life a litttle suffocating us. The best thing is when people came after the caravan because they were on the bike that Sunday and wore jeans and shirt and the next time they came dressed in retro style. Basically, I think it’s a side effect of the crisis.
Do you think this is a nostalgic attitude, lack of a golden era over? Nostalgia of what since our generation has never experienced certain things ?
Speak for yourself, I’m vintage. You may not have lived, but maybe I was a lord in another life…
I understand it just looking at you…
I am a zen Lord, my life slips on me and I let slide nobly.
This zen process is always more gross up, so you really got into this vintage style so that it becomes a real life style?
I do not dress this way too often, but in the end is fun. The fact is that I have to bring the tweed in the world, at least I have to try in Italy …
Are you the ambassador of tweed, the evangelist of woolen fabric, preacher of the herringbone?
Yes, yes indeed! and then, I’m lucky to have next to me Emanuela who, they said, seems a true auxiliary of the 40s, then the vintage surrounds us in every way.
You are a perfect couple, a Zen Lord and his auxiliary …
After all, the important thing is that people enjoy themself. So, even those like me who sometimes is a bit ‘depressed, spends a day with a smile. Think about it, if you look at the photos of those days, people are always smiling. Beyond what can happen around at that time people are happy, and that’s just because in the end, you can always find a bicycle, an old jacket of your grandfather or grandmother.
What is the Decalogue of the Perfect tweedman?
1. Have fun.
2. Respect other people.
3. Be consistent with yourself.
4. A certain courtesy in life.
5. As rule of style for a man his mustache or beard, but only if kept well, the tie and, in general a certain sobriety. The sandals are always prohibited. For women, a good hairstyle, but generally a gentleman to the fairer sex can not say anything …
Among the things you have done, what is left over in your mind?
One among all, the first edition of “Anarcho Tweed Ball”. It was an incredible feeling to see over 100 people all dressed from hat to ’40s British gangster, there was even the newsboy with a fake belly and newspapers.
Isn’t it also a way for people to dress up, transform themselves…
I would not say dress up, I’d rather say express yourself. Within us there are many people, someone maybe wakes up and goes to work and would like to kill those who buy Moccia books and instead must give it to him with a smile … It is also right that you can relax for a moment, so decide to play for an evening being a newsboy or a gangsters. It is also a way to to get better.
We have said that your life’s mission is to spread the tweed, but in real life you work in a library, how reconciling the two things?
Even that is a mission.
And would it be?
Do not be a seller of books, but a bookseller.
Sorry, what’s the difference?
It is an objection which makes me even my owner, for him we have to sell books, but I can not do that … is stronger than me. When I can, but 80% of the time I can not, and I see that the person in front of me as a person with a head not only a customer, I try to make him discover a different world, a wider one. My problem is that I am an idealist. As Neil Young says: ” I’m dreaming man, yes, that’s my problem . ”
When you need to relax mentally, or looking for inspiration for a project, what do you do?
On Sundays I allow myself the luxury of slippers, it does not matter if it’s winter or summer. For me it is very relaxing to stay barefoot, shoes are another constriction of life. I relax, watch a movie, eating pistachios, eating mostly … Another thing that restores me is trying exotic mixes. When I cook I do crazy things like the bananas chicken, the suicide-carbonara and, as a young man, the maxi-onion stew with apples and pork. Basically I eat and I see Fringe.
What are the web sites that you like to see?
I have a series of folders of favorite topics including tweed, banjo, Neal Young, literature, Beat generation (my first love) and recently also the swing …
Magazines?
The Chap is a satirical magazine for gentlemen who makes fun of everyone. I discovered it through a number of English friends of the tweed scene. Every Christmas Emanuela gives me a subscription.
What books do you have on the nightstand?
On the table there is a world: John Barth’s The floating, which I began to read six years ago by bus and I got to page 32, phenomenal, the ubiquitous Donald duck, of which I have the complete collection of Carl Banks , I read it when I am depressed, is really a blessing; a book about whiskey, which I drink excessively and then there is “The Gentleman”, an elegance manual, two books by PG Wodhouse, Hats off to Jeeves, Jeeves never disappoints. In this regard, we reveal the world premiere of my project to create a drink and call Jeeves Tonic. For the uninitiated, all Wodhouse books begin with the landlord that sleeps in bed, get up comfortably around noon, the bell rings and Jeeves brings its tonic, which would be gin and tonic, it is never mentioned but that is. Then, The Odessa File by Frederic Forsythe, of which I also read another excellent book, The Phantom of Manhattan, set in New York, the Morlock Night by KW Jeter, pure steam punk set in Victorian England, Trout Fishing in America, by Brautigan, and to close, “The last bus to Woodstock”, the first book in a series of detective novels by Colin Dexter, and here we return to England, which would be the forerunner of Inspector Barnaby.
What is the last book you make discover to a client of your library?
“The largest Ape Man of the Pleistocene” by Roy Lewis. It is a wonderful book that describes the generational clash between this old monkey, anchored to tradition, his son and his grandchildren. The person to whom I recommended it went back to me very happy.
Television?
I like the convoluted series of Twin Peaks, X-Files up to Fringe. But even the British comedy from Monty Python to the Mighty Boosh via Black Books !
Cinema?
I do not go to the cinema a lot but I have wonderful memories of when I went there with my father, together we have seen Blade Runner, the entire Star Wars saga … I remember the first film ever on Spider-Man, starring the same actor of Ralph Supermaxihero, there were three in the room. Everything stems from the fact that my father was fond of Marvel Comics. He kept them under the bed and at night I was taking them and browse.
But are there movies that you love more than others?
I tell you three movies among all to see: the first is Blues Brothers, who remastered and re-propose later this month, Blade Runner and, then, any movie with high levels of testosterone, from Rambo to The Expandables.
Let’s not go deeper, let’s fly over this subject. Music?
My musical tastes range so much, and are linked to important people who I have been close to. Up to two years I was directing classical music in front of the family stereo, so I’m told. Then, when my mother was pregnant with my sister and could not attend to me, I went to live with my grandparents where there was my uncle, and he listened to blues, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin …After Dad died, my cousin, who was much older than me, took me a little ‘under his wing and, as he played the saxophone and the flute in a jazz quartet, made me even closer to that kind of music.
Now what are you listening?
Now we hear swing and we try to dance with it. However, my new myth is Mister B. The Gentleman Rhymer , the inventor of Chap Hop, a mix between hip hop and swing played the banjolele.
Cities where you would live?
More than in the city I would live in the countryside.
What are the things that you would like to work for improving yourself?
Being quite fatalistic, I do things very roughly, I do not go behind the form. I think that if you do something with your heart then you succeed doing it well. However, you need organization that I sometimes miss, because I just do not have the time, I do all these things at night …
A project for the future?
In short, I’d like to make more and more beautiful tweeds events, looking a bit farther, trying to go beyond the Abruzzo. In the long run, I would like to create a center, a physical place where you can take tea, have choice of books, buying your preferred tobacco for your pipe or a vintage dress, all while you wait for your bike being fixed in the inside workshop .
Instead, a concern for the future?
In general, they I am concerned about health: I have seen what it means getting sick and it terrifies me.
Would you give us names of people you would like us to know?
The first one is the Roscio, my friend, the painter Christian Serafini. He has an amazing world inside, a person to know absolutely. He is the artist behind the mural of Flaiano and Pescara Jazz. Another person is Alessia Fatone, she has a laboratory that creates glass objects called Il vetro in testa .It is a very good story because she was struck by a small trip to Murano, she believed in her dream and was able to set up a laboratory on the Pescara hills. Then, I would say Enrico De Laurentis, a guy who makes objects and wooden toys for children and, finally, Vincenzo de Novellis, the manufacturer of the bicycle that you see in the photos of our tweed ride.
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