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For the people who are
not known with KeeN, could you please give us a short
introduction about your band.
Kevin (keys): Keen is an electro-metal band from
Italy. It consists in the right mix of melodies and
aggressiveness, electronic noises and cutting guitar
riffs all crowned by a penetrating voice.
How did things get started with KeeN?
Kevin: Well, I joined the band some years later,
so since I wasn't there yet I'm not really able to
answer this question.
What are your main influences? And how would you
describe your music?
Kevin: >Our biggest inspirations are surely
Rammstein! Next to them, some of the more important
bands like Metallica, Marilyn Manson, Deathstars,
Pantera, Oomph!, and many many others…
Your first release, called 'Love With Bile', was
released in 2003. Looking back on that release, what do
you think are the better and the lesser points of it?
Kevin: I wasn’t in the band when that CD was
made, because I joined the band in 2005, but after I
listened to the songs of ‘Love With Bile’ I immidiately
understood that the guys I play with now, had taken the
right way, because they were playing what I like the
most.
With this demo, you participated on the so-called 'I.TIM
TOUR FESTIVAL' in 2003 and 2004. According to your
biography, the first succes of KeeN came here. What
exactly is the 'I.TIM TOUR FESTIVAL', and how important
do you think it has been for your further carreer?
Kevin: The Italian I-tim tour was the major thing
that people could do at that time to promote their band,
so reaching the second national position for two years
in a row was very important, because even if you don’t
win, people get to know you all over the country, and
you may consider this an important starting point for a
band’s career!
2005 brought us a new KeeN EP called 'Dying Life',
which totally surprised me. What are, in your opinion,
the major changes between 'Love With Bile' and 'Dying
Life', and how do you look back on the 'Dying Life' EP
nowadays?
Kevin: Dying Life is the first EP I recorded with
Keen. It was a great experience because it containts
some old stuff thats brought together with new stuff
which in the end came out in a very interesting way. But
we consider it as a growing period of the band, due to
the natural transition after the line up change.
The 'Dying Life' EP was a huge success when it comes
to the press department: it recieved a 'top demo'
classification 14 times. But, what did the other people
(audience, other bands, etc.) think about the release?
Kevin: We are very proud of what we’ve reached
with that cd. The unexpected success forced us to work
harder in shorter time, and offered our fans something
completely new and interesting. We’re always at work and
don’t want our fans to feel bored
Nowadays, you have your first full-lenght out called
'Dramas in Formaldehyde'. Since our review was one of
the first, I can't really compare our review with
different other press. But, what do you think of the
album yourself?
Kevin: We love this record because it was born in
a particular period of the band when all seems to be “stuck”,
and we had a lot of new stuff but not again a contract
with a label. All the feelings and rages of that period
are inside this cd and I really think that in that way
´Dramas…´ is the most “true” Keen album. We can say that
the evolved sound of ´Dramas ...´ is closer than ever to
what we really feel.
What can somebody who buys the album blindly expect
of it?
Kevin: We offer them 8 songs, each one made with
passion and rage and it’s the best Keen cd ever done, a
train in a box!
What is your favourite song of 'Dramas in
Formaldehyde' and why? And what is your all-time
favourite KeeN song?
Kevin: I love all 'Dramas ...' songs because each
one is different from the other, and each one makes me
feel a different emotion. I think that if people want to
have an idea of what Keen is doing now, they have to
listen “Dead In Vain” and “Stuntman”. There’s not really
an all-time favourite song for me, I love all Keen works.
Now lets talk about your live show. According to the
live pictures, you seem to have a quite powerful one.
What can a stranger expect when he visits a KeeN live
show?
Kevin: We always try to offer more than ´just´ a
concert... A real show with many lights and special
effects. We think that it’s important to satisfy not
only the ears of our audience, but also their eyes! If
you come to our concert, you have to have fun!
You already managed to become openers on an Italian
Marilyn Manson tour date. How was it to share the stage
with someone like him? Did he gave you any good
feedback?
Kevin: It was a great experience to work with
professional staff people and sound engineer on the
Manson’s stage. We will never forget it. It was also
ecstating to share with him 15.000 crying guys inside
the “MAZDA-PALACE”. Then Manson told us that he likes
our music and he has all our songs on his I-Pod, and
that was great! We respect him and all his works! He is
a very good artist.
Talking about the Marilyn Manson show, I've heard
some terrible rumours about the audience at your gig,
they were throwing rocks to the stage and stuff...
Kevin: It’s the Italian way to share love with
you... Ahah!
Many Italian talented industrial acts try to find
their luck out of Italy, because they had terrible
experiences with the local scene over there. What are
your personal experiences, next to the thing on the
Marilyn Manson gig?
Kevin: You know, Italian love song dominate our
country. Maybe people are not yet prepared to our
music... and the metal-rock act is always
underestimated.
What can we expect of KeeN in the year 2007?
Kevin: The only thing we can do is work harder
and harder. And we are sure that in this way we will
reach a label deal very soon!
The interview ends here, thank you for your time
answering my questions. If you have some final words to
add, you can do it here.
Kevin: Stay tuned! And if you feel an earthquake
under your feet, maybe KeeN is coming!
Interview by: Gerardo (March 2007) |
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