Editor’s Note: Madness To Creation certainly appreciates sitting down with Italian singer-songwriter Gab De La Vega to discuss his forthcoming album entitled “Between Space and Time”, along with the music scene in Italy and mental health awareness. Gab also released the music video for “Perfect Texture”, which is an amazing song that you should check out. Fans can find Gab De La Vega at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/gabdelavegamusic
www.instagram.com/gabdelavegaxvx
Madness To Creation: “Beyond Space and Time” is due out January 24th. What was the most challenging and rewarding aspects of creating this album?
Gab: It is my first full length effort with full band arrangement. Even if I had already tried the full band thing with the single “I Want Nothing” in 2017, this was the first time with a whole album. It was definitely a challenge, I’ve come out of my comfort zone to write these songs and I feel it was totally worth it.
I got to experiment a lot in the studio and the whole process helped me grow and see my music and my songwriting in a different way.
It can be hard to figure out what direction you want to give to your songs when they have to sound like a full band product but it’s only you writing them, but working with Simone Piccinelli helped me understand how to enjoy the songwriting process and the time spent in the studio. There’s always something to learn.
Madness To Creation: Take us into the music video for “Perfect Texture”, what is the song talking about and most fun part about making music videos?
Gab: It’s about the superficiality of our perceptions. We live in a world where it’s easy to pretend things are different than they really are and it’s easy to mistake what’s in front of us. For example, it’s easy to take a quick glance at a person’s life through the lenses of social media and think they are having the greatest of lives, when in fact they are not as shiny as they look.
It’s a dangerous game which leads to loneliness, social anxiety, fear of judgment and gets us involved in a perpetual chase for easy distraction and interactions based on instant gratification.
The song is about taking our lives back, our true lives, with flaws and virtues and sharing them with the world for what they are. Real connections, real interactions, real emotions to be shared.
It was fun to film both the scenes in Canada, the ones with the DeLorean, and the ones in Italy with the band. It was fun to play with the car, such a cool toy! The look of the people on the road when driving to the location was priceless!
Filming with the band was also cool, I liked working on the room set up, it was a fun afternoon.
Madness To Creation: I have to ask. The Delorean from Back To The Future was in the video, what’s your favorite scene or quote from Back To the Future?
Gab: Oh, this is a tough one! There are so many good ones! What about the scene when Marty goes back in time and wears the hazmat suit and plays Van Halen to pretend being an alien from outer space?
One funny quote I’ve mentioned just recently when talking about the movie with a friend is “Tell me, future boy… who’s President of the United States in 1985?” – “Ronald Reagan.” – “Ronald Reagan!? The actor!?” – Once again history somehow repeats and truth is stranger than fiction: “Donald Trump?! From The Apprentice?!”
Madness To Creation: Take us into the Italian music scene, and the release show upcoming. How is it different from playing in the States?
Gab: My release party is going to be at Lio Bar, in my hometown Brescia, on February 8th. It’s quite a small venue but everyone knows it. It’s going to be fun. It’s a small temple for alternative music in town and some now well known bands played their first shows and tours there.
Italy has a great underground scene in every genre; unfortunately mass music doesn’t leave much room to rock and alternative sounds in general. But it’s possible to find great shows and bands, some of them would deserve better. That’s probably one of the main differences between Italy and the US. Rock music is well rooted in the American culture, the US is in fact one of the main contributors to the genre, but not only this one.
So even if you are not a rock music maniac, you’ve definitely been exposed to it to a certain extent at some point in your life, while it’s still considered as an “alternative” / “underground” genre in Italy.
Luckily we have many dedicated musicians, promoters and people working in music that work hard to ensure alternative music its audience and its room and playing in Italy is definitely an experience I recommend to all US musicians.
When I played the US I loved how people were excited about me being on tour across the East Coast. They were very supportive and encouraging. For a small artist at his first experience in a Country with such a great musical culture, it was one of the greatest feelings.
Madness To Creation: What does 2020 look like as a whole for Gab De La Vega?
Gab: I’m glad you’ve included this question in this interview. This new album definitely takes mental health into account in its lyrics. From the opening track “Phoenix From The Flames” to “YYZ”, from “Perfect Texture” to “Rosary Of Days”… Almost every song brings some reference to what life can be when things get hard. I’m not immune to the hardships of life, no one is. So here’s my advice: talk to friends and family, don’t be afraid to be judged by them or to look weak. Seek help, talk to a therapist if you need someone to help you figure it out. Being confused, lost, stuck, afraid, sad or even depressed is something that can happen to anyone in life. Health is important, even (and especially) mental health.
This helps me a lot when things get hard and I start feeling overwhelmed: “one step at a time”. That’s how it works. Music (well, society in general…) has somehow being neglecting mental health for a long time and it’s good to know that many musicians are being outspoken about it nowadays. Let’s talk about, let’s work on it, let’s make it something as important as it really is in our daily lives!
Madness To Creation: What New Year’s Resolutions do you have?
Gab: Get better at everything that matters to me. Get rid of what makes me feel miserable and use my time and my life for something worth living for. I know, it’s hard, but that’s how New Year’s Resolutions work, right?
Madness To Creation: What else would you like to add about the album or where people can find you on the Internet?
Gab: Check out “Beyond Space And Time”, it’s coming out on all digital platforms, vinyl and CD (via Epidemic Records and Backbite Records) on January 24th. If anyone likes any of the songs, please play a cover and put the video on YouTube, that would be awesome!
My contacts are
and https://www.instagram.com/gabdelavegaxvx – Get in touch with me or Flix Agency for shows, tours and other cool stuff!
And there you have it! “Between Space and Time” will be released on January 24th via Epidemic Records and on Saturday, February 8th, Gab De La Vega has his release party gig at Lio Bar in Brescia, Italy. Tickets and further information can be found via Songkick here.
