Interview KHYMERA
HardRock80
http://www.hardrock80.com/

Hi Daniele. First of all, i want to thank you for offering a moment of your precious time to HardRock 80.com. It is an honour for us to have this opportunity to ask you a few questions.
D :Thanks a lot, you're so kind ! :)

1. Some of you guys play in several bands. Is it difficult to gather everyone in order to write, rehearse, record ? Or do you communicate by the Web ?
D : Yeah ! The web is absolutely crucial for a band like we are, being in different parts of Eruope…hehe
We worked in distance, and the team includes also Tom and James Martin brother who penned the whole songs of this new album.

2. Who writes the most in the band KHYMERA ?
D:The song writing has been done entirely by the James and tom Martin brothers from UK, so basically they handled the lyrics writing process, what I did is only an arrangements of the songs here and there, some small changes but nothing major I wanted that the songs would have remained with the same identity, since I also am a writer and i know how can disturb to change things here and there on other's song structure and lyrics.
This is a decision that we made, since we wanted to have very good songs of this style, and the Martins are really oustanding writers.

3. I do think that "The greatest wonder" is the best KHYMERA album so far. Do you feel the same and why ? What are the differences between this album and the other two ? Which is your favourite song on this record ?
D :Thank you very much ! Year I belive this is a good album also. The first one was more heavy and powerfull, the second more reaight hard rock, but this one is for sure a true Melodic rock album an all senses…I think that this is the more appropriate album for this kind of line up and the songwriting has really delivered the right songs this time to create a good meliodic rock AOR album.

4. Are you going to tour this time in order to promote the new album ?
D :Hopefully we are working on that , I hope that something real will happen soon !

5. What about your other projects ( TwinSpirits, Empty Tremor...) ? Do you plan to write some new material for these groups ?
D : I've left Empty Tremor, It's been a difficult choice, but I had so many projects going on in my musical life lately and I just had to decide what to do, since I had no time for everything.
I felt my collaboration with Empty Tremor was arrived at the end and that was more interested in other musical plans, and I decided then to concentrate on my own music basically since I really like the writing process more the all the other aspects, and let the guys of Empty Tremor go on for their path...best of luck to them!
After this passed 2007 in fact, with the the last Genius episode release in February by Frontiers, and the release titled 'The Music That Will Heal The World' in June by Lion Music, I have a new 'very progressive' instrumental album titled "The Cosmic Year" under the moniker of COSMICS scheduled for 18 April 2008 on Lion Music, with Virgil Donati on Drums, Tommy Ermolli at the guitars, and Rufus Philpot on bass , So as you can see I' like to keep me busy.
As for Twinspirits we are touring Italy at the moment, after the release of our Video of the song FIRE, and we are already working on the production of the new album that is completely written.

6. Where do you find the inspiration to write for all these bands ?!
D :Basically I love music and making music, that's the main deal ! J The inspiration comes from the inside and it's difficult to explain where it's generated.
It's very natural and instinctive, it's always been there in my soul since ever.

7. You obviously received a classical training as far as piano is concerned. Who are your favourite composers and what are your favourite classical pieces of music ?
D : I definitely love Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy and many more….I like a lot Paganini and my favourite classics are symphonies of Beethoven and Chopin piano conpositions basically, but it would be difficult to mention all the classical composition that I like ! J

8. After studying classical music, who or what drove you to turn towards rock /metal music ?
D :It's been something that happened when I was a teenager, I combined the classical influences with the power of the rock music, starting with the usual classics like AC/DC, Van Halen, and then lately all 80's monsters like malmsteen, Steve Vai, and of course in early 90' Dream Theater that really influenced me the most I have to say.
So basically classical music has been the start, and growing I found out that I needed more power to express my inner musical ideas, and so rock and prog rock came to my attention.

9. And who are your modern days heroes in the rock music ?
D :To me one heroes is really Jason Becker, his strength and inspiration has been huge to me. I really consider him a hero.

10. Some great singers came to sing on your albums (especially Genius). Who would you dream to have as a guest singer on a next Genius album ?
D :Of course James La Brie. I tried to contact him for episode 3, but he was so busy at that moment and passed.I really would love to have him on the Genius rock opera albums, since Dream Theater has been a great influence for me….but it didn't happen.
But I'm really happy, since I had the chance of getting so many great singers on the cast !

11. What do Tommy Ermolli and Dario Ciccioni do when they don't play for you ? Do they have other bands ?
D :Dario plays in many other bands at the moment, he's very active drummer, Tommy is still studing for the school, so basically he's focusing on Khymera and Twinspirits, and his solo stuffs at the moment.

12. I know you're not the right person to answer this but do you know if Dennis Ward has plans for a new Pink Cream 69 album soon ?
D :I really don't know, we didn't speak about this issue, you should ask him I think ! :)

13. Are you going to shoot a video clip ? There are songs (like "Fight For Yesterday") who really could make their way on the radio or TV.
D : Let's see what will happen, anything is possible, it will depend on how the market will welcome the release of course !

14. What was the first rock/metal record that you bought when you were a kid ?
D :The first rock/metal record has been For those about to rock of AC/DC….I still remember his Gold cover, just amazing ! I also remember one of the first rock records I bought was from Kiss - Creatures of the night….again an amazing album !

15. Is there a kind of music that you hate ; that you can't hear more than 3 minutes ? Why ?
D :Well, commercial music is not for me, but I don't hate any kind of music basically…

16. You must travel a lot but where is your home ? In Italy ? And what is your family situation ?
D :I'm single and I live in northern Italy, near Bologna…I'm a very free soul…hehe J

17. As an Italian guy, do you like football ? And, if so, which teams do you support ?
D :When I was younger, I used to support Yuventus, but nowadays I really don't follow a lot the football sport…I'm not on that anymore…sorry ! J

18. You're an artist; but have you ever thought of expressing yourself through another form of art (writing, painting...) ? Or are you just too busy with your music ?
D : Well, music and writing lyrics has alwyas been the main focus for me, I never had the need of making something else artistically…

19. Are they any French bands/artists whose music you know and appreciate ?
D :Of course ! I like a lot Patrik Rondat ! and of course jean michelle jarre.

20. Se io scrivo qualche parole in italiano, puoi dire qualcosa in francese per i visitori di HardRock 80.com ? (lol)
D : Bonjour! Merci beaucoup pour votre soutien! Haha :)