The singer-songwriter presents his album of versions entitled “Discover”
Sugar lives submerged in notes. When he hears a song he likes, he notes it. The archive is the desks and shelves of his recording studio and the table in the living room at home. The pandemic must have served to bring order: “I’m fine at home but I can’t stand to watch the grass grow. If I stay still after a while I get two mar … ». Thus, after the acoustic version of «DOC», here is «Discover», a second album recorded in the pandemic, the first of a cover in his career.
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«I have selected about 500 songs. I started sentimentally since I was playing in dance halls and we were doing prog: Genesis, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull. From there an excursus starts that follows two strands: the great Italian melody and the love for soul, r & b, blues, gospel … ».
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«Blues or not blues, soul or not soul … ‘The Scientist’ is a beautiful song».
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As for the new version of «DOC» he chose to stay on acoustic sounds …
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“The mood is the same, it’s a moment in which I find over-productions tedious”.
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In addition to the participation of Bono, Elisa and Mahmood there is the voice of Fabrizio De André on “I saw Nina fly”. How was it born?
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«I had made it, on the advice of Dori Ghezzi who felt something suitable for me inside, at the tribute to Faber in Genoa in 2000. Here Fabrizio is like a warm wind that comes behind me: I got excited».
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Bono participates in “Canta la vita”, the Italian version of the song that the rock star did as a tribute to our country, the first to be bent by Covid. What value does it have today that the no vaxes protest?
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“Bono was as generous as ever. He sent me 10 different tracks and he also wanted to do the choirs. I adapted that song for the Earth Day concert at the Colosseum. In the summer of 2020 with Sting I made a song that hoped for the arrival of September as the end of the pandemic because even then we couldn’t take it anymore … Now it’s getting too much. Everyone does what they want, but the only way to stop it is to get vaccinated. Although I fear that my friend Clapton, with whom I have a concert next year in Berlin, will not do it ».
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In a pandemic, how far away did the government seem to you from the problems of the music world?
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«I would like to give to those of the Ministry of Culture a tibia of a Roman legionary found in Paestum. So they would go on TV to show themselves cultured. They don’t give a damn about popular culture: it’s evident ».
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Yet another cross with Bono. Both voices the lion from the cartoon «Sing 2». How was this film debut?
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“The character is a rock legend who retired after the death of his beloved. He treats everyone badly, he is a curmudgeon, but he has a soft heart. I see myself again ».
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“Not today. I thought about it between the 80s and 90s. I was depressed. But things happened, the worldwide success of “Without a Woman” and the call from Brian May inviting me to the Freddie Mercury tribute, that cheered me up. As if someone from above said it wasn’t the time. ‘
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In the video of “Follow You Follow Me”, cover of Genesis, he is not afraid to show himself with eyeglasses …
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“Life goes on. Why should I hide the rush of time? I’m not Brad Pitt who has to be careful. ‘
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Your pen was behind the launch of Elisa and Bocelli … which young man would you write for today?
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«On this record I wanted to do Rolling Stones’ Honky Tonk Women with Måneskin, but they didn’t have time. I could write for them. They filled a void, the rock was too watered down and they brought it back to being transgressive. Now they have to be careful not to get overwhelmed by the pressure ».
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November 16, 2021 (change November 16, 2021 | 21:43)
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