Interview with Ufomammut

Spring-Summer Tour

1.Hello guyz and thank you for doing this! Very happy to meet you :) Let’s start with the beginning how was Ufomammut born?

Urlo: It was the end of last Century, Poia and I had a band called Judy Corda and when our drummer left, we decided to move on with a new project.
We started in working at new songs with Tavor first, then with Gara and finally, when the first album was written, in 1999, Vita joined the band.
We were friends since a while and we started as friends doing music together.
Poia and me play together since about 30 years now…

2.How do you see your music?

Urlo: A part of my life, something I need to do, like breathing.
It’s also an evolution, a way of create, of express myself.

Poia: is a visceral expression, part conscious, part not conscious. A connection between brain – nerves – hand – stomach and skin…( I didn’t mention heart, because we don’t perceive emotion with that overrated muscle)

Creating music is different than listening to it.

3.Soon you’ll start touring in Europe how does it feel after 2 years of Pandemic? Romania will be on the list in the near future too?

Levre: I think it will be really exciting! It will also be a bit strange to be returning to live activity after all that has happened and is still happening in the world. The pandemic has revolutionized our lives and the way we travel and conceive the tour. For me it will be even more thrilling as it will be my very first tour as Ufomammut drummer. I really can’t wait.

Urlo: Yes, I’m very excited.
It’s something I was really missing.
When I was back on stage last couple of weeks, it was amazing.
I felt like blood was running again into my veins.

Poia: actually, we are on the road right now, towards the second venue of our tour.
I feel good and happy. Is the comeback of a ritual that has never been forgotten.
Concerning Romania, we are still thinking about our future concerts, but surely we would love to be there playing again.

Photo by Davide Pontiggia

4.What can you tell us about the latest album?

Levre: Fenice is everything we aspired to as musicians: to be reborn after a dark period. And I think we managed to transpose our emotions into music. The album was conceived after the first lockdown, so in the pandemic period. After months without musical rehearsals and after many difficulties we were finally able to meet in person to start composing new music.

The result is a long track divided into 6 movements lasting about 38 minutes which was originally supposed to be released as an EP and which we then decided to release as an LP album.

5.Who is in charge with the lyrics?

Urlo: Me.
Well, there’s not a rule, but I love to write and it comes natural to me to take care of the lyrics of the band.

6. I guess we all feel out of ideas when it comes to music and we end up listening the same playlist. What bands are your favorites? Do you have a playlist you want to share with us?

Levre: actually I really like to wander if we talk about music. I think that (thanks to my personal curiosity) I have always managed, even in the past, not to limit myself to listening to one genre only and all this has formed me a lot also as a musician. Although it might seem strange, I am very fond of House, Techno, Electronic and EBM and I also collect many records of that genre.

Regarding my favorite bands, I must definitely include Slayer, Pantera, The Melvins, Death, Meshuggah and The Beatles: each of this band has influenced me a lot from a musical point of view. Playing the drums, from an early age I have always learned a lot from the drummers of these bands and I have always seen them as semi-gods from which to learn as much as possible.

In the Heavy scene my lifelong idols are Dave Lobardo, Vinnie Paul, Gene Hoglan and Thomas Haake.

Urlo: I listen to different music and I’m very curious too.
I don’t listen a lot to the music I play, honestly.
I love The Beatles and Pink Floyd and I consider them the main influences in my life, especially the way McCartney and Waters play bass.
Then I listen to a lot of different stuff, trying not to be crystalized in a genre.

Poia: if you need some names, on the tour van at the moment we are listening to Beastie Boys, Kraftwerk, the Beatles, Kae Tempest, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tommy Guerrero

Photo by by FrancescaDeFranceschiManzoni

7.Do you see a change in world since 2020? Does the pandemic affected you as well?

Levre: surely! I noticed that due to the pandemic (and especially the lockdowns) some facets of my character have changed, perhaps in a better way. I also noticed some differences in the interpersonal relationships between each of us, and between me and some friends.

Thank god none of my close relatives have been sick from Covid-19 (and this is already a great fortune), so my insecurities have increased a bit from a business point of view: I am also an Audio Technician and Sound Designer and I work mainly in the Entertainment world mostly in theaters in Italy and this job sector has had a profound crisis due to restrictions and the closure of some theaters and theater production centers.

Urlo: The World was involving day after day and the pandemic, despite being a real dark moment in our lives, should have teached us to love what we have, to stop and give ourselves to nature, without being always the same crazy people.
But once out of it (well… let’s cross fingers), we are wrst than before, with wars and pollution going crazy, alwyas fighting for some old crap.
We never learn, never.
Personally I’ve learnt we live only once and we need to do our best to do what we love, paying attention to the World around us.

Poia: pandemic has been a weird interlude moment…we are now little by little back to human usual stupidity…the changes that are affecting the planet depend on other factors. Ignorance, arrogance, narrow mindedness, selfish behavior ,profit logic and fear of people that are different from us, are still here.

8.Thank you so much for this interview! It was a pleasure to talk to you. Hope to see you in Romania soon! Last words belong to you..

Levre: thank you! I really enjoyed your questions. I really hope to come to Romania too to play some good concerts and meet some fans there!
Urlo: Thank You and we hope to come to Romania again soon!
Poia: thanks a lot for this written conversation! Answering to questions is a way to explore better who we are now.

Ufomammut are on tour currently, so make sure you catch them on the road!