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What are the fields where your work takes place?
Everything starts with music.
I have always been willing to be a musician but my father thought that one could not just live with music, maybe he was wrong or maybe not, I can not say, and so he has always pushed me to work in some way with my sister, or at least to devote myself to more “serious” activities. She studied at the italian mint, where she learned to make jewelry – silver centrepieces, dishes – and at one point she had a big work by the Vatican for a baptismal font. We both worked in a laboratory divided into halves: in one there was me trying to make music, in the other one there was my sister who, aided by my parents, hammered constantly. It was a disaster because the more I raised my volume the stronger they were pounding.
Those were not two activities that could easily live together …
It was a real war! In the italian mint my sister learned to make investment casting jewelry and so I tried by myself. Through some friends of mine came the request for a pin, which I had never done before, and it was my first piece sold.
Were you already a musician?
I had not signed yet with Gianni Maroccolo in CSI, I was still a wasting time musician, I used just to give a few music lessons to kids. As time passed I discovered that around gold and jewels there was a hidden world related to recycling. I made some investment casting sketches that jewelry store then merged to create the jewelry with gold of doubtful provenance. Once happened to me a necklace that weighed a pound and a half, practically every piece was an ingot, and then I knew I had to get out of that circle. Actually I also understood that for the unknown craftman it is difficult to stay in a market where it’s easier to sell branded jewelery.
Then it happened to me to be with a girl, a real torture. She insisted that I had to let the machining of metals to dedicate myself to wood. She even wrote it in long letters with fountain pens. In all of this the only thing that really interested me were fountain pens so I started to make lathe models that I donated to her. One day, passing in front of a stationery store, she saw a fountain pen that costed 280,000 lire. When she told me I started looking at pens in a different way, and so I went to the same shop to sell my pens at 200,000 lire, without success. It didn’t put me off so I went into another shop where I sold those pens at that crazy price and so I started producing fountain pens endlessly. Then I decided to go to Milan to sell these things on the basis of an address of an architect given to me by the first purchaser. I took a wooden bag, I put there some copper pieces. I entered this road but there was not the person I was looking for, because it was not the right road, but I red on a plate “architect” and I ringed: “Hi, I’m Marco Mazzei and I sell these pens.” He saw and buyed them. I was incredulous and so stoked that I keeped going around in Milan until the atelier of Romeo Gigli, where, even there, I sold! Something incredible was happening. Back in Pescara, I went to the first store where looking better I found that the pen, from which everything started, costed 28.000 lire, not 280.000, in short, it was all a misunderstanding … After this experience, I continued to create jewels and objects made of wood, in which also I inserted silver elements or precious stones, warking also on wall and table clocks. In the meantime I signed my first recording contract, but my father, who understood that I had the gift to sell anything, convinced me to join craftwork and music in this way: as per contract I had to go around doing concerts, and it was all expenses paid by the label, I could take with me the things that I produced in the laboratory trying to place them in various shops that I found around.
So, you were a musician, a craftsman and representative. But what did you produced?
My father offered me to make a framed mirror and I didn’t wanted to – It sucked! There’s nothing more kitsch than a mirror – but he insisted and, as I have always been a victim of others’ ideas, from my father to girlfriends, I made this mirror and took it to Reggio Emilia, where I had a concert. I entered the bar of the main road asking what was the most expensive shop in town and they suggested me a furniture shop called Toschi. I have to open a parenthesis: Toschi was and still is a main reference in northern Italy to the most important companies, it is a kind of trend setters, but I did not know that. I went ther and after a short negotiation, Toschi bought it for 600.000 lire: it was another miraculous thing that happened. When I got home it became clear that my new road would be mirrors making and so I began to start a new job, the production of mirrors under my father who rightly had caught sight on a road, a future for me (although I always wanted to be a musician). So I started making mirrors which I was proposing during concerts.
At Viterbo, again during a concert, I met two brothers. At the first meeting in their store, in front of mirrors, one told me that sucked, and I though he was right, because they were damaged in the car during transport, and the other brother said that those were beautiful, so he won and started to sell those and even with some frequency. His brother, realizing that sold well proposed to sell them in Russia where he had business contacts, and I agreed. He managed to sell two to a guy in Moscow who actually wanted to know me. I took the plunge and proposed to do a concert too. He agreed immediately and arrange such a thing as only the Russians can do, kitsch carried to extremes. After the concert this character, who I later discovered to be a big mobster, invited me to go in his room: an open work brothel. We were there, me and Marco Pizii , whom I used to play with. Our penis became very small, we were terrified, there was a herd of sitted men and naked women who sat down on everyone. At the first opportunity we ran away causing the wrath of the Russian tycoon as we dared refuse what for him was a gift … Thanks to the mediation of the Viterbo guy – I never knew what he said to calm him- we were back in good relationships and instead of paying us a prostitute he hired a very prepared tour guide to make the tour of Moscow.
After Moscow things changed a lot, because I acquired the knowledge that this work could become profitable, and more, from this first experience, I began to have many contacts with companies that exhibited in Milan and from then I sell all over the world. There are two other meetings that have been central to my work with mirrors: one was with Marcello Zaccagnini because he gave me confidence with the opportunity to do a wonderful job for his villa. Furthermore, it is he who introduced me to a legend of music, Ennio Morricone. Marcello is a victim of my phone calls of doubts and difficulties in the world of art and commerce. A true friend and adviser, as well as my mother Anna. Another important meeting was with Massimo Giletti, with whom I have constant cooperation, and who helps me to spread my name. A wonderful person I met thanks to Marcello Zaccagnini.So this is the story of my mirrors.
How did you live your double soul of a musician and a craftsman?
I wondered for a long time what I was actually, what path I should follow. Since the market was full of ups and down, and requests were random, I wondered if it was becase as being an artist temporarily loaned to crafts or because I were a craftsman who could not do that job. The person who could answer in the most sincere way was my uncle.
A kind of an oracle?
Yes. When I went to him he told me that he could not answer my question but that he knew who could give me the right answer: Pope John Paul II.
Did you go to the Pope?
It’s a long story, I only say that my uncle was part of an association that organizes meetings around themes that address various aspects of culture and religion and I attended one of these seminars on the relationship between religion and music. The fact is that, through this association, I attended a meeting with the pope. Theoretically it is served to me, not because he answered my question – I have not had the opportunity to speak directly to him, I was there as a spectator – but for the energy they he had. As being not a believer I sensed something very powerful, electrical. I did not became catholic for this, but when I got home I told myself I had to do simply what I had in my head, without asking myself too much if I were an artist or a craftsman. This experience was the engine of everything I’ve done from then on, beginning from Microgalleria and exhibitions to installations.
In all this, however, you have not talked about your music career. Had it a parallel path to the craftsman/artist, or better, a craftsman and artist?
Music for me is still a vehicle to sell mirrors at higher prices, it is the mean by which I can come into contact with famous people, people who can afford to spend.
This is the story: after signing with CSI, my band broke up, however Maroccolo asked me to stay with him as an arranger for working on many projects. In his study happened to be more or less visible people , I could meet Rais, Renga, people with whom I had dinner, knewing each other, between one thing and another, I let see my mirrors that then I sold. Also thanks to Gianni Maroccolo I went to work with Lorenzo Jovanotti thanks to him I met many musicians, all shift workers for all the most important italian musicians, and they all spoke at the end of my mirrors, a kind of word of mouth that worked out of traditional channels.
How did you come to CSI?
I started with this premise: being a musician, or something different, in a small town is a winning thing. If you do the alternative guy in a big city, you’re a loser but if you do it in a small town you are recognizable. As I wanted to make music I did not focused on pop or rock, but on ambient music, a genre that no one practiced then and a very few people knew. I could afford to do the weirdest things and make them listen in clubs were they used to play rock. I was arriving with eight keyboards -as a kind of Jean Michel Jarre in Pescara – and I did a really heavy music, a stratospheric pain in the ass. The single, which I had to make myself recognizable to the people, was entitled “Disturbances” and lasted 20 interminable minutes. I broke the balls so much with this story of ambient music that at some point began to spread the word that I was good. I knew, through a boy who worked in a record store, that a group, that was about to sign a contract with CSI, needed a keyboard player and with them I started to prepare some demos. That was the beginning of all my music.
What was the name the group?
Divine Toys. Then Maroccolo had the idea of removing “Toys” so we went around with this name that sounded very equivocal…
You have also worked with other groups and individually?
After this first experience Maroccolo proposed to me and Marco Pizii – the Rramigliéte Blonda -, to produce an album but it never saw the light because of the crisis affecting the entire music industry. I produced together with Marco Pizii at least 80 pieces (I am very fast because, if within two days the song isn’t there it means it does not work) – but nothing come out of this. On the other hand Maroccolo advised us to participate in a competition for radio RAI whose prize was the participation to Fiberfib, the International Festival of Benicassim, near Valencia, and we won. Now, perhaps, the FIB has lost some visibility, but at the time close to the dressing room we had Blur, Placebo, Radiohead and Moby.
And you sold some mirror?
Nah, there I was so little, I was scared … it was great, but we won a lot of other stuff, we went to play to Jamming Festival too.
Has this been translated into a commercial success?
My career in music has always been marginal. The music is really difficult, you are not in charts or sell many copies, but we set the place and made sure that people know about us, and in fact the journalists wrote a lot. I think that the strong impression was the fact that we had the consciousness that what we were doing was a winning thing. Even for the more expensive mirrors, I sold them when I proved that I had no need to sell. This is my attitude.
What kind of training have you had, and has it been helpful to you?
The training always took place on the field, no one, as to say, taught me to make music or taught me to shape the wax. I am totally a self taught in every respect.
Among other things, we still have not talked about your latest art installations.
Those born in the ease with which electronic music, thanks to some software, can add sounds, videos and events together. In this was a big aid the contribution of Andrea Gabriele, a musician with whom I have designed an installation in Milan during the Salone del Mobile, in which there where a drop, falling into a tub full of water, and sound activated video.
With Andrea I just signed a record deal for a dance project called EASE. Soon you’ll hear of us again!
Another thing I find as an art installation is my Microgalleria. A small room, a deposit on the ground floor of a few square meters where artists exhibit in a friendly way for just two hours. (The buffet is done on the open floor of my Ape Piaggio ). Here, I think Microgalleria is in itself an art project, as well as the artists I host.
Compared to all your fields of action, what are the projects or works that you care more about?
I must start saying that I don’t use to listen to music, even my music. Once out, I do not listen to the record any more, because to produce it I have had to listen to it over and over again, and because I am not attached to what I do. Therefore it is unlikely that there is something I did in the past that I care about in a particular way. Perhaps, thinking of it, I am very fond about the sculpture that I put in the garden dell’Aurum (a portrait), which was desired by the town. It gave me a great feeling because it is something that eventually becomes “almost always”. There is another thing that I am bound to, but it is an experience, a moment that I experienced: when I stepped on stage at the May Day. It was then that I realized the importance of the public during a performance. In Spain, during the Placebo concert, I felt a similar feeling but as a spectator who was on stage. I felt that thing that I can only define as “the wind”, a pressure that comes from the public, an energy, a power that collides with an equally powerful force that comes from music.
When I took the stage and entered Giovanni Lindo Ferretti, a person who was impressive, almost like the pope, there was a bang and I felt a crazy energy. I had to play the first note of a very low sound and the enjoyment was very strong because I had the opportunity to meet with the amplification what was coming from the public. The volume of the amplification was so loud that it moved me forward, and I can assure you, I felt the beauty of the world. I completely lost my mind and for the rest of the concert I went to jump like crazy.
Now let’s close with a little ‘series of questions. When you need inspiration, what do you do?
I think I have a technique refined over time. First of all, I play and do things only if I have a real goal: I’ll never make jam sessions or fucking around. The respect I have for the important things is so total that does not make me fucking around. When I do something, for being good, I have to stop, focus, and at some point, feel that it is time to act. This is for me inspiration. It’s a little researching, letting your eyes wander until it locates the tiny, glittering ball and, when found, it’s done.
Web bookmarks?
Create Digital Music and Galileo
Magazines?
No one.
Books?
I do not read much, the book that I liked the most is “The Master and Margarita” by Bulgakov.
TV?
The Simpsons and TG3 Leonardo
Cinema?
The last one by Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”, I loved it, another one is “This must be the place” by Paolo Sorrentino. If I think of older films, my absolute favorite one is the Le Mari de la coiffeuse (The Hairdresser’s Husband) by Patrice Leconte.
Music?
The entire side of German music, those of Morr Music, bands like Lali Puna, and then Al Bano, the embodiment of the true Italian song.
Cities where you would live?
I really liked Oslo, Barcelona too, but I do not know I would live there. Even though I saw little, I choose Oslo for one reason: the artists have a lot of space and fundings.
To do your job what are the qualities that serve? What you have and what would you lack?
I think I have good taste, a good balance. I feel when something works and when not, when the size, the relationships are the right ones. Also, I think to be “pop”. Not that is pop what I do, but somehow I can understand what people like (even if I do not know how). I can say that hardly anyone came out of here without what he wanted, I always “cheated” in the sense that I always sensed that people was looking for.
A quality that you miss?
I would like to achieve this balance even in art. I’m not an artist, I am an artisan, but installations made me realize that they can fit well into the art channel. In music, I mean pop music, it’s different: I do not think that the musician is an artist, I do not think that pop music is art.
What is for you, crafts?
Maybe someone will beat me after saying the following things: making music includes a great job of finishing, the continues research to find to right chord to reach the refrain. These are arrangements techniques, mechanisms that let you loose a lot of the original inspiration, that glittering ball I was talking about. For this reason I say that I do not trust musicians in general, at least the average ones. I also had a fight with Lorenzo [Jovanotti], because basically, I have recognized him and he recognized me. When I have a business with someone, I know if he is doing an honest job or he is a bitch. Many musicians, of course, not all are whores, and when I see them all stiff, I know it’s only appearance. When you’re a musician, and you are faced with the necessity to reach a certain number of listeners, you take shortcuts, compromises that do not make you be more yourself. In art, however, even when I am faced with established artists, serious, I feel a kind of sincerity that I don’t find in musicians.
What would you do in your future?
I’d love to return doing big concerts.
Instead, a concern?
A few days ago I went close to falling into a deep depression, then I came out, but at that moment I felt down. I was sailing, and, at some point, I realized that I had strayed too far from shore. That sense of insecurity and anxiety was, in fact, a reflection of what I’m feeling in life. I realized that my whole way of life, my possessions and my expenses – a motorcycle, an Ape Piaggio, a car, three rents – these are based solely on the production of mirrors and, if anything goes wrong in the future, I will find myself to the ground. I have always lived with the idea that if something will go wrong I’ll be playing piano bar. As I sing well, I have a nice extension, I’ll play this way, but I realized that as an output valve is no longer enough.
What brought you out from this rush of depression?
It made me go back on track watching the number of orders that I have to do, so I understood that I have at least another year’s autonomy.
Would you give the names of people you’d like us to know?
Surely Andrea Gabriele, Enzo De Leonibus, and then Ezio Budini of “Teatro immediato“. Another one that would be interesting to know, and it is not well known despite having done great things, is Lorenzo Tommasini, aka Moka. He does the sound engineer, he is in the province of Arezzo and is very good. He worked with the biggest, and it is thanks to him that I did the music for the inauguration of the stadium where they’ll hold the Euro 2012 in Ukraine.
LINKS:
http://www.marcomazzei.org/
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Photo by Pippo Marino
slideshow on flickr
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