Total Recall is a a hardcoreband from Italy.
They relay make my day when I fist listen to
them. They have recently been in Paris and
played and now they was so kind to answer some
questions from me for an interview. Mars-2022
Please tell me a little bit history of the
group?
-Total Recall is a band formed by hardcore and
metal veterans which are touring since more than
25 years in the scene. The band was formed
because of the loss of a mutual friend who
played with the band members for 20 and more
years in different bands and tours. After his
loss the decision was made to come back in the
scene putting together a band playing music in
his honor.
Please tell me a little about every member in
the group right now, age, family, work,
interests and something bad about everyone?
Earlier bands? Other bands on the side?
-Andrea “Ronda” Rondanini is over his mid 30’s
and he was the singer of the post hardcore band
Rise Above Dead. After living in London for
several years he relocated back to Milan and he
joined TR. He love metal music and horror
movies.
Stefano “Stef” Anderloni is in his 40’s and he
always played guitars in touring bands such as
K-again, Traces of You, Dying Trying and Face
your Enemy. He was a really close friend of
Massimo and after his loss he put up Total
Recall together with Luca. He loves hard music
in general mostly metal and all his subgenres we
consider him a living wikipedia on this matter.
Luca “Pigo” De Simone is in his mid 40’s
and after living for several years in Holland he
relocated to Milan. He played with Massimo for
more than 20 years and considered him like a
brother. After his loss he decided not to sing
anymore and to play his bass in TR. He always
played in touring bands such as K-again, Until
we Bleed, Samaritan and Embrace Destruction. He
loves metal and all his subgenres and basketball
Stefano “Bleed” Bigoni is in his mid 30’s
and he played in Rise Above Dead and Thunder
Brigade. He joined Total Recall as he knew
Massimo and a good part of the members for more
than 15 years. He loves metal music but also
country and blues, and he loves guitars.
Daniele “Danny” Calleri his in his 30’s
and he played in Mona Lisa Bay and in the last
line up of Embrace Destruction. He is from
Sicily but he relocated to Milan and joined TR
as he toured with Massimo in Embrace
Destruction. He loves metal music but also
hardcore, punk and post hardcore. He is a very
talented musician and he loves drums.
I can hear much different influences but mostly
hardcore and metal? Favorites from the past?
-That’s indeed correct. Not to mention the basic
influences (considered our age) like Metallica,
Slayer, Pantera and so on we would say Machine
Head, Hatebreed, Korn, Will Haven, Norma Jean,
Kyuss.
Total Recall are you satisfied with the name?
How did it came up? Why nothing in
Italian? You weren’t afraid that some other band
would be named like this? Which is the best
bandname you know?
-Yes we are. It came up one day in the studio.
We were writing the material for the first album
and the sister of Massimo was there too. She
told us that the first movie she ever saw in a
movie teather was Total Recall and Massimo took
here there. It was a vivid and nice memory of
him. Then to us Total Recall sounded perfect as
a band name and the resti s history. We never
used Italian in any of our bands since 1998. We
didn’t make any research about Total Recall
names, probably there are other bands named like
this….we can only say “Hey you choose a great
name for your band”. Best band name we would not
know, but best title of a song ever was from a
support band during one of our tours and it was
Boiled in your own Piss
What´s the best thing with playing live? Have
you done any since the covid came? What is your
strength live
-The best thing is the connection you make with
the audience and the feeling that you have when
you are on a stage. When the covid was at it´s
peak we played no shows, now since last year we
are starting to catch up. Our strength is being
ourselves. What you see is what you get. We do
not put up an act we just come up on stage with
the intent of giving you something to remember.
And where is best to play? And the worst place?
Or is always a gig good?
-One of the best countries to play are for sure
Germany, Holland, Belgium, Czech Republic. But I
also have really good memories of the Swedish
part of the tour I made with Samaritan and First
Blood about 15 years ago (Pigo). There are no
worst places, a gig is a gig, travel across
Europe and not only to play your music and visit
new places is what count the most.
How is to play this sort of music in Italy right
now? Which types of bands do you have
concerts together with?
-Not really good. It never have been. This type
of aggressive low tuned hardcore metal never was
a thing in our country. But we do not really
care. We still play all the shows we can in
Italy and we enjoy them very much, and we share
stage with all sort of bands from punk to
classic metal to hardcore and crust. We find
this inclusive and we like it.
How would you describe your music in three words
to people who never have heard you?
-Aggressive emotional and loud
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle? Have it changed through
the years?
-We hope it’s a lifestyle more than music.
Probably it changed like allot of other genres
but the fact that is still there means that it
was not fashion.
Which song/album or group was it who took you
into punk/hardcore/metal and to play yourself?
-Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax back in early mid
80’s.
What shall a young guy do today to shock their
parents as the way we did when we were young?
They have already seen everything ;-)?
-They already do. They disconnect from real life
and loose themselves into tablets and
telephones. The kids of nowaday are like the
junkies in the 80’s. If you look carefully they
even have the same facial expression. I guess
its pretty shocking for their parents
How is it to live in Italy right now?
Politically? Fascists? And is is sorrow in
all the country today because of the defeat
yesterday in the qualification to World Cup?
-We never talked about politics as a choice even
though we have pretty clear ideas. To live in
Italy was tough since 1947 and it still is. We
are moving forward to a more inclusive way of
thinking and this is a good thing that new
generations need to cherish. It’s the second
time we do not qualify….we are pretty used to.
Is there any good bands from Italy right now?
Is the punkscene/ metalscene /hardcorescene big?
How is it in your hometown?
-In Italy the punk hardcore scene is pretty
solid, the metal scene is coming a bit back. We
think there are lots of really talented bands
that should try to play more shows outside of
the country.
What do you know about Sweden? Have you
been here sometime? What is typical Swedish?
-Not much. I (Pigo) played couple of shows in
Sweden during a tour in 2007 and I really liked
it. People were really friendly and polite,
never too intrusive. I was shocked when I saw
some fans coming over for a Samaritan festival
in Holland all the way from Sweden cause they
liked us there. It was genuine passion it
impressed me. We do not know what is typical
Swedish, we hope you do not need to carry
the weight of stereotypes like we do. You
know…Pizza…Mandolino….weird english accent and
so on.
Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
-Refused,At the Gates, Meshuggah, we could
already stop here don’t you think? Fact is that
there are many more. You need to cherish your
scene and the fact that your bands go
international.
Your lyrics, who does them and what influences
you? Never in italian? You didn´t have a
lyric sheet in your record?
-Andy writes all the lyrics and they are really
introspective. We never wrote in italian,
lyrically it does not fit. We did not put any
lyrics in the record its a choice Andy made and
we stand by it.
Please tell me a little about the following
songs
-Never again(how did you dare to name a song
like this if you think about that Discharge have
done it)
There are millions of titles that are repeated
over and over by millions of bands. As for the
name of the band we never look around to see if
someone else has the same title when we name a
song
-Knife-cut brain
Making a carpaccio of brain is what society is
doing since decades, and they are doing a pretty
good job on the masses. We still hope people
will wake up sooner or later.
-Zeitgeist paradise
Disinformation and mass media manipulation is
the most powerful weapon to control the masses.
Is there any subject that you never will write
anything about? Or isn´t anything sacred?
-Politics.
Politic and music, does it goes hand in hand?
Which is your most political song? Is it
important to get out your opinions in music? Or
is it OK to play music and not sing about
politics?
-We think that politics are obsolete cause they
are polluted by the elite. We believe more in a
common human conscience about inclusivity,
respect, freedom and equality. We are billions
they are a few.
Best political band/artist?
-We like bands who talk about society and how
media are manipulating the masses.
Do you think that music(lyrics and so on) can
change anyones life, I mean people who listens
to music? Do you have any example?
-When I was in Embrace Destruction we had a
definite message of freedom to share, and we
received several messages from many parts of the
world thanking us for what some people said were
informative lyrics. (Pigo)
Your favorite recordcover alltime? Who
does your recordcovers? And do you have
any good recordstores in your hometown?
-We cannot answer this one. There are way too
many. Our record cover is a rip off from
Carcass’s Surgical Steel and his made with all
the tool that Massimo used in his work. H e was
a carpenter. Milan was full of great record
stores. Lockdowns killed them one after the
other. It’s a real shame.
Is it important to get out physical records of
your stuff? Why or why not? Vinyl, CD, cassette,
what do you prefer if you could choose whatever
? The latest record came it on vinyl too?
-Yes it is. We come from an analogic era, we are
still attached to the physical product. We love
Vinyls, also for the quality of the sound. We
did not print our album in Vinyl yet, our record
label decided to do a first print in CD, we are
still confident to make a second print in Vinyl
before the second album will be released.
Please tell me a funny thing which have happened
during your career and under some gig?
-Oh man…..we have been touring since 1999…..we
have so many. Once in swden the guitar player
was wearing some weird hat on stage and he went
on fire. It was fun to have the feeling of what
Metallica can see when they put on the special
effects on stage. We put out the flames with
orange juice, the rest of the show was pretty
sticky.
How does your audience look like? Which people
do you miss on your concerts? Which is the
biggest band you ever have played together
with?
-They look nice, but we miss young kids at the
show. Millenials do not go to shows anymore but
hey…long live the old ones. With TR due the
Covid we did not played many shows yet so we do
not have a big name, but with the previous bands
we shared the stage with several like Walls of
Jericho, Parkway Drive, First Blood, Sick of it
All, Madball, Amen Ra, Aborted, Merauder,
Hatesphere, Caliban, Napalm Death and many more.
Please rank your five favoriterecords, five
favoriteconcerts and five most important things
in life?
(replied by Pigo)
Machine Head – Burn my Eyes
Hatebreed – Perseverance
Korn – Korn
Will Haven – Carpe Diem
Norma Jean – Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child
Machine Head
Korn
Metallica
Hatebreed
Pantera
Family
Friendship
Freedom
Health
Love
First, last and most expensive record ever
bought?
-Duran Duran – Rio
Frank Sinatra – The Best of
Yann Tiersen – Kerber
Is it boring with interviews? Is it much
interviews?
-No it´s never boring. We do quiet a few, also
thanks to our agency.
Do you care about reviews? Which is the most
peculiar you ever had, with this band or any
other band you have been to? Have you ever
changed anything after a bad review?
-No we don’t really care. When you put out an
album it’s not your anymore and people can think
what they want about your music. You need to
make the music you like, not the music you think
others will like.
Which bands do people compare you to, is it
boring that people compare you to other bands or
is it understandable?
-It is totally understandable. Lately they
compare us to Knocked Loose, Bodysnatcher,
Kublai Khan, all bands that we also listen to.
If you could choose five bands from the past and
the history and nowadays and both dead and
living bands to have a concert together with
your band. Which five have you been chosen?
-MC5
Iggy and the Stooges
NWA
Anthrax
Soundgarden
Is music a good way to get out frustration and
become a nicer person outside the music??
-We think that music can heal. To us it was a
great help in life in general.
Which is the most odd question you ever have got
in an interview?(Except this one)
-Does Pinapple belong with Pizza? Our reply was
a strong no.
Which is the question you want to have but you
never get. Please ask it and answer it?
-Mango? Why Mango? It´s good for your skin, its
good for your health….obviously if you eat it is
better.
Futureplans for the band?
-More shows, short runs tour , and to finish
writing the new material for the new album.
After 2 years of almost nothing we cannot wait
to get busy and busier.
For yourself?
-Remain together as a band and as friends.
Wisdomword?
-Carry on, never give up in general and not only
in music. Believe us…it’s worth it!
Something to add?
-Always Together. It’s more than a record.
One more question…. beerfavorite sort? If you
did a beer which sort would it be and what have
it been called?
-Non filtrata. Its super fresh and with tiny
bitter taste that make you enjoy the sun even
better.
TOTAL RECALL HC
"WOODEN SCARS" - EP 2020 Out
Now
"ALWAYS TOGETHER" - FL 2021 Out
Now
LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/totalrecallhc