Antonio Forcione will return to Nottingham on 24 September - Photo via Facebook
Hello, what have you been up to today?
Hello - I have been preparing for my next duo performance with the very talented singer-songwriter Sarah Jane Morris which will take place in Salina, Scicily on 20 September.
What is the first song you learned to play on guitar?
Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix
Did you feel much pressure when you were hailed as 'the Jimi Hendrix of the acoustic guitar'?
More honoured and bemused than pressurised. Definitely an honour to see my name next to such a giant icon like Jimi Hendrix.
Why is it the acoustic guitar and not the electric guitar that you have gravitated towards?
I enjoyed playing the electric guitar during my teens but I have always had a particular attraction towards the acoustic sound. The acoustic guitar inspired me to explore perhaps a less mainstream music and find my own voice.
What keeps you inspired as a musician?
I find inspiration everywhere. Listening to music from various cultures, travelling and meeting people, surrounding myself with people I can learn from. Not to mention the emotional milestones in our lives that make us feel deeply, and consequently, create.
For those reading this who may not have heard of you before, how would you describe your music?
That’s always been a difficult one. I started out as a drummer but an intolerant neighbour hijacked me to play the guitar instead. Or so the story goes. Nonetheless, my love of rhythm could not be quelled and I have transferred it to the guitar. I tend to prefer to play my music rather than describe it; it flows from the subconscious, from the cultural influences I have picked up on life’s road. The major influences are Spanish, blues, Brazilian, Africa, jazz, soul, folk...and now I am sure you are more confused than I am!
What are you trying to do when you reinterpret a song or piece of music?
I tend to choose songs that inspire me or have some kind of link with my past. Songs have to tell a worthwhile story which is worth telling and then re-telling with a personal interpretation that we can all relate to in some way.
What are you trying to communicate with your own songs?
I like to think that the music and stories that particularly move me will move listerners in the same way. And judging from the reaction of some of my wonderful audiences, I feel they are moved by my music and this is greatly inspiring to me.
You moved to London in 1983. How much of a culture shock for you was that and how much has London and the UK changed since then?
I arrived with very little money, poor English, but an incredible enthusiasm for music and life. It was a culture shock in some ways, but England opened many doors. There is a wonderful freedom here to be who you are, and I was familiar with much of the English music and its culture through that music. The first years were tough but inspiring too, and the feeling that I could carry on sustaining myself through the music I was playing was a dream come true in England, which would have been much more difficult in italy.
You've performed all over the world, but what have been your favourite stages to play on and why?
I have had the fortune to play in venues of all sizes, some huge ones such as the Madrid Stadium and Wembley Arena, and smaller more intimate ones where the audience and I are at one. My favourite type of venue would be a theatre with a 300-800 capacity, or the very small one that has the intimacy of sitting around the fire in my house. I cannot name one particular one as that wouldn’t be fair.
Can you remember much about your previous visits to Nottingham or does touring life tend to become a blur or hotels and dressing rooms?
Each place is different and while the hotel and dressing room will be a blur, the venue is generally memorable, especially because of the audience reaction. I have always enjoyed performing in Nottingham as the audience is particulalry welcoming and enthusiastic. I am really looking forward to my next visit at the Nottingham Arts Theatre.
What can we expect from your show in Nottingham?
I will perform a set I haven’t played before as I will be playing songs from some of my favorite singers: Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Sting, John Lennon, as well as some of my old favorites. Really looking forward to it.
Antonio Forcione performs at the Nottingham Arts Theatre on Thursday 24 September 2015. Click here for tickets.
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