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Koto is one
of the synonymous for instrumental Italo disco music ! In your songs
there is more music, less voices as we can hear. Why is it so ? Who is Koto ? And where did you take your name ?
The voice we can hear, for example in Jabdah, is
it yours or ...? |
Anfrando, I have one, I should say, delicate question for
you. As first on your web site we can see you have 6 songs but we all knows
for many others, under your name and with Michel Van Der Kuy production. In
your other web interview I noticed you were refusing, in some way, to answer
questions about your music and Van Der Kuy. Please, can you explain to me and
to others what happend in past ?
Dear Zeljko, at the moment I prefer not explain particular facts of this story
maybe in future when it will be the right moment, you and each other will be
informed.
You are great virtuous man on the synthisizer. Tell me something
about your machines ?
My instruments were TR 808-BASS LINE-SEQUENCER MC 500 ROLAND, OBERHEIM-KORG
LAMBDA and today i'm using VIRUS-NORDLEAD-SUPERNOVA (drums-sampler akay 3200-air
base 99).
Also something about your Studio. Your Studio probaly looks
like ''pure space'' :-) ?
Now, my studio is not so "pure space" as you could believe, it's professional
as I need it for my work, and all the "space" touch comes from my
head.
If you can tell me something about your co-operation with
some other artists ?
I didn't co-operate with other artists, I made re-makes of Vangelis ex. Pulstar
'83 published with Hipnosis and also this title, M.v.d.Kuy released it under
Koto with my arrangements he only copy it.
My standard question for all artists is, who is your best
italo artist and which song? This question has point only if you listen italo
disco music, some artists like Tom Hooker said to me that he doesn't like italo
!
In the past I surely listened to italo disco music and I really like the voice
of Tom Hooker, I also like Self Control and Dolce Vita but my preferred italian
artist is Vasco Rossi with Vita Spericolata.
Visitors, Chinese Revenage, Jabdah etc. Each song is real masterpiece, but Visitors
made so big success. Your favorite song(s) and what do you think why Visitors
was the most popular ?
My favourite is of course Visitors because it was the most popular song and
the most catchy.
How many hours do you need to make good song ? Can you recognize
in start which song will be success ?
It's impossible to fix a certain time it always take very long time, some days
I'm more creative some others less, this is normal. But I always felt immediately
when I had a very good idea, even if this is not a guarantee for success.
What musician need to make successful song ?
If we know this we all make successful music, unfortunately the music world
is like a lottery sometimes you'll win other not.
Today we barely hear instrumental songs. Why is that so
?
Because, unfortunately they have lower sales, and last but not least they are
more difficult to produce.
Did you have concerts ? Would you like to have more and
are you ready to have more ?
I did certainly many concerts in Europe, but not recently, but Ii would be really
happy to make new concerts in future.
Also something about video clip(s) you have ? I think it's
really pitty we, italo disco fans, couldn't enjoy in many italo disco clips.
You must know that video clip's is made when a song is already in the charts,
and so my video was produced in Munich for Formel Eins in 1986 for Jabdah, but
anyway we're working on something at present it'll be a surprise.
Something about italo disco music from your perspectives,
what do you think about it etc. ?
Unfortunately I'm not really informed on the recent italo dance music scene,
and so I won't give some opinion. I only think that italo dance of the '80's
was a mile stone for the music scene of these years and therefore I think some
song will return.
New Koto is almost here. Can you tell me more about it especially
when you decided to make new Koto the original. Was it sunny or rainy day, were
you happy in that moment :-) and what is your plans for today and in close future
and beyond ?
It was a stormy day and I was not very happy in this period, no, I was really
very angry when I decided STOP..... KOTO IS STILL ALIVE and so I worked hardly,
I met the guys of TMMC and we decided to co-operate for the new KOTO release.
In their studio I work with Beppe Barilli - Alex Nocera - Gigi Montanini and
their team. We hope to make many good productions together. At the moment i'm
not able to give you more infos.
I have read you will
keep italo disco sound in some of your new songs. Is that possible ? I am asking
you this because it seems to me that many producers promised old sound in new
songs but then nothing. I have feeling that new technology is responsibile in
some way for that. You can't make old sound with new technology. Am I wrong
or right ? What do you think about this ?
You're 100% right it's really very difficult making old sounds with the technology
of today, this is also the reason why someone pomise but at the end they don't
succeed. The problem is that the artist must be creative but he must be also
commercial and satisfy request from the record companies. But I try to make
music as I always made but I'm convinced that artists, market and audience must
accept that everything has going on also sounds and technologies.
What do you think about
today's disco scene in Europe (Eurodance) ? Do you have time to see what other
italo disco producers making ?
I repeat I'm not really up to date for what regards the today's disco scene,
also because I'm very busy with the KOTO STILL ALIVE project.
Can you tell me something
personal about you, if you have something interesting to share with us?
Maybe you could be interested in some info about myself : I was born in 1954
in Parma (Italy) Aquarius, married with Martina a German, unfortunately without
children but with a dog named Jessi. OK I think this is everything I can tell
you.
Internet for me is great
thing. For you ? Will be expanding of your web site ?
Certainly, Internet is at the moment my greatest way to promote the KOTO project
and my web site is supposed to be re-created very new and interesting.
OK Anfrando, I can't
tell you how happy I am because this interview. I wish you all the best with
your music, I know one thing, I and many others enjoyed a lot in your music,
still enjoying and will enjoy till the end of our lives :-) Thank you very much
you gave such a great happy to me and to many people and for the end your message
to italo disco fans ?
Well, Zeljko, many thanks for you interest, you made very true and intersting
questions, and I tried to answer as well as I can. a great C I A O TO ALL ITALO
DISCO FANS and thanks for your fidelity to the real KOTO, I hope to satisfy
you all.
ANFRANDO MAIOLA
©
Zeljko Vujkovic - 2004 |
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