...::: Some questions from 2008 :::...

* I have heard on the radio that you don't wear watches. Why?

I seem to have a pretty difficult relationship with watches, batteries, mobiles, recently car batteries as well. I am pretty sure it's due to my aura. I owned several watches, even expensive ones. After about a month they were all dead. I argue with my mobile as well... it's often dead and it's new! I keep changing mobiles, laptop batteries... mobiles and laptops I am quite happy to argue with, but watches... I am late anyway so why bother?

* "The 5 Monsters" sounds really scary! I noticed there's very little or no effect in your voice in some tracks. This makes it sharp and makes me shiver. Compared to "All the Colors of death" and other albums of Blooding Mask, this new one sounds more experimental. What has changed?

Time changes many things. We all evolve and music grows with every artist. This is the first album I have been recording by taking my time and enjoying myself. I had all my time to meditate, compose, record, review each single track. It has also been the first album ever recorded in total peace of mind, happiness and freedom. I have dreamt to feel like this for a whole life. A suffering spirit is never as powerful as a free one!

* Are you embarassed if people email you to tell that they masturbate when they see your pics?

Nope. Frankly it amuses me.

* How do you feel about driving a car on the wrong side of the road?

LOL, I feel more comfortable driving on the left side... maybe because I am mainly left-handed I guess. I find British cars comfortable. I haven't been driving in Italy for a while. If I find someone brave enough to borrow his car, I'll give it a try and see how I feel :)

 

...::: Some questions from 2007 :::...

*I see that since Blooding Mask has got its first CD out in 1994, only 3 albums have been released so far. I have read that "The 5 Monsters" has been due for releasing for quite a long time. Can you please explain why it takes so long to get albums released? I know you own your recording studio now, so I wonder what causes this delay.

That's a good question. The answer is not simple. Blooding Mask has never been simply a music band or a music project. The strong esoteric component of it requires time, concentration, experiments, meditation... it isn't just music to sit, compose record and then release. I will always be grateful to I.A.P. for being patient and understanding with me. I am not the sort of person that sticks to deadlines when it's about composing. You can't force a composition or a performance, when it's about constructing a song. It's a different subject if we talk about gig related deadlines, but when it's about composing, unless your aim is just to have your record released for sales only, you need time. You need to be satisfied about the finished product. Also I am now involved in animal rights campaigns which takes some time as well. This doesn't mean that I love my music less... it's totally the opposite. It's because music is a part of me that I need to give it the right time it deserves to keep growing.

* What do you think about the size zero media scare?

I think that there have been several misunderstandings. Some actresses/musicians are simply naturally thin. I don't think it's nice to throw shame on size zero because it isn't just about suffering for eating disorder... many women are simply that thin naturally. I personally don't see any problem with being naturally thin or rounded. As long as the person is a reasonable size eating normally and exercising as needed, I think it's nice to have a variety of shapes. I have never been thin, I mean I have been only once because I haven't been feeling good, but it hasn't lasted. I do plenty of exercise, my muscles are strong, I eat everything, including chocolate and alcohol (in moderation) and I feel great. I wouldn't like to be thin simply because it wouldn't be me. If I was, my huge breasts would constrict me to walk with sticks :))))). I just say that I am a woman with pretty shy bones!

* I see you love dogs. What about cats?

I love all animals. Insects and rats are not amongst my favs I have to say, but I wouldn't harm them. I just get my husband to keep them away from me :) Cats unfortunately give me allergy, I think they're lovely but I can't stroke them unless I want to start sneezing. One day I slept at a friend's place and her cat silently slept on my pillow. I woke up struggling to breathe and my face was as swallen as a pig's! I could barely open my eyes and my nose was rounded, really like a pig's nose! It took a whole day to go back to normal... Lots of friends had a laugh at me because it seems a bit unusual that a sort of witch has got a cat allergy but hey... I go better along with Anubis rather than Basted and I am not afraid to say it! ;)

* I saw you interviewed Marilyn Manson on the Italian National TV Channel Italia 1. How does he look like?

He's lovely. A very nice man. There were several kids with me and he's been wonderful with them :)

* You haven't been writing for a while. Is there any novel on the way?

I have started writing one last year but due to the huge amount of things I am doing, I don't think I will stand any chance to see it completed in a couple of years from now.

* I have read that you don't like rap/hip hop music. Is there a specific reason why you don't?

I find terribly annoying to listen to someone talking and talking on music. It feels like when in my childhood I used to listen to the music and my parents came along to bother about the volume of my stereo... tremendously annoying! That's the reason why I don't like it. There's nothing racist in this. Everybody who knows me knows that I am not racist at all, in fact I have friends in any country, of any age, colour and religion. That's for sure! (In fact this applies to Eminem as well :))

* Can you name some Italian singers or bands you like?

(not in order of importance) I adore Didi (Spinnin'Gift), his voice and presence is unique! I adore Luigi Mennella, Recondita Stirpe, Malombra, Egida Aurea, Ianva, there's loads, and the more I have the chance to listen to new music, the happier I am!

* Would you move back to Italy?

I don't think I will. I love to spend some time every year and I am planning to visit it more often, but I am not planning to relocate.

* I was pleased to see you are on Myspace now. What do yout think of it?

It's ok. I guess it's like everywhere you go... there's loads of people there just to spam, time wasters, but there are really nice people as well! I had the chance to bump into people I haven't seen for a while, to know new interesting musicians and artists, lovely people... as long as you keep your eyes open it's always good to know new people. If the worse comes to the worse you can still delete the ones you don't like from your contacts and keep the good ones ;)

* When I see some videos of yours?

Soon, very soon. I.A.P. is now working on videos as well and we are planning some new videos to be released with "The 5 Monsters".

 

...::: Some questions from 2006 :::...

 

* I've read that you do some painting in your spare time. Could we see something?

Probably. I'd like to start again, as soon as I have some time. It's a sensorial and meditative form of painting, but nothing properly art gallery level... I'm just a beginner... daughter of painters, but still a beginner.

 

* When the pics of the month appear late, who's the one to blame and why?

Only me. Most of the times is just because I am busy but then I catch up with the arrears quite nicely ;)

 

* You've been living regularly in the UK for about 5 years now. Have you ever thought to move to another country?

It would be a bit premature for me to think about this. New Zealand seems to have a particular influence in my future ideas. My husband seems to share this feeling with me therefore there are chances we might have a wonder and see what's on.

 

* I read in your website that you only eat organic. I know the reasons but don;t you think it;s an expensive choice?

No, I don't. I'd rather believe that I am healthier now and that the quality of my life is priceless. Just think about how much time and money you waste being ill. You can most of the time get rid of the need for doctors, medicines and time waste. I personally think I am spending the same amount of money but getting the most of it back, and my skin is the confirmation that I am doing the right thing.

 

* Have you got any children?

No, but I might be considering adoption in the future. It's still a bit early though. To tell the absolute truth, I have 2 step children and 2 step grandchildren anyway, all beautiful and in good health... On top of that I have a mastiff puppy and for the moment I believe they're enough :D

 

* I saw you years ago in several gigs and I can see you now. Did you sign any contract with the devil, did you have plastic surgery or how the hell are you now better than 10 years ago?

None of this, I swear. I am 100% natural. I only eat organic, exercise regularly, do plenty of meditation, I live as I want to live and I give and get plenty of love, that's all.

 

* one wish for 2006...

Well, I'd love to earn (or win) a huge enormity of money and spend a long time travelling in very simple clothes, to visit charities, animal rescues, places where there are people who dedicate their lives to save others, check what they really need and the day after park several lorries with all they need... like some sort of crazy santa. I'd love it. I'd love to see their faces. I'd love to see them happy, because despite there's plenty of selfish feelings around, there are still so many people willing to give more.

 

* Have you ever really hated someone?

Yes, but not very often, which is a good thing because when I hate, I HATE.

 

* Do you believe in reincarnation?

I do indeed. I even discovered who I was in my previous couple of lives and some memories are still alive.

 

* When I read on the news that you were on holiday with you husband, did it mean that you've remarried?

Yes.

 

* I have a very "classic" question: do you believe in friendship between a man and a woman?

I do. I have several male friends and I don't have any problems with them. Actually, I used to go better along with blokes than ladies. My ideal is the male gay friend... I just go sooo well along with them :)

 

* I'vre read on your website that you live in England. Is there any other country you'd love to live?

I'd love to give a try to New Zealand. I have so many positive feelings about it...

 

* Have you ever betrayed your partner/husband?

No. If things go wrong then I try to sort things out, but if there's someone else to inspire me, then it means that my feelings are no longer genuine, therefore I leave.

 

* Have you ever wished you were a bloke?

Yes, for a few days every month...

 

* Would you say you're more a warrior or a wizard?

Mmmmm... both.

...::: Some questions from 2005 :::...

 

* What's the stupidest question ever asked to you?

It was "what's the heaviest between 100Kg of stones and 100Kg of flour?"

 

* Who do you think is the most beautiful woman on Earth?

Monica Bellucci

 

* I love your calendar. When did you start being a model?

My calendar started as a joke and is still there because we like it as much as many of you do. I cannot see myself as a model There are in fact times when I can't be bothered to be photographed and that's when the pics appear later :) I feel ok with myself, but I think that everybody should do his/her job and I am not a model.

 

* I saw that there are some nude pics in your calendar, so why is it that there's always something to stop the nude be nude?

It's called artistical nude, which is different from the anatomy manuals;)

 

* Are you uptight before gigging?

Just a little. Thank Rah the times when I was surrounded by the wrong people are far behind. I'm ok now.

 

* 5 names of your favorite actors and actresses.

Uhm... John Cleese, Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Giovanni Ribisi, Alan Rickman. I also like Holly Hunter, Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, the actress who plays the role of the second woman sentenced to death in Equilibrium (can't think of her name but she's great!), Rachel Weisz.

 

* Is there an hystorical person you wish you could go back in time to know?

Ramses the great, Akhenaten, Tuthmosis 3, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Leonardo Da Vinci, Mozart... Oh I could go on for ages... I'd better stop!

 

* What's "Lylium" about?

It's been composed a long time ago, roundabout in 1994, but what it says really happened... The main refrain says "What's that noise trying to say?", and it's about a noise... a sort of background sound that you can hear if you pay the right attention. The Earth is not just ground, but an ALIVE planet, and it pulses and breathes. Unfortunately we are not doing a great job as human beings, and new eruptions, accidents, earthquakes, and most of all "sickness and aggressiveness" will keep coming over... Lylium is a sort of hymn of the Earth, and a way to say, "please don't keep on abusing  me this way because enough is enough!"

 

* I know it's a long question, but can you give me a good advice to improve my voice?

It's definitely a delicate question, but I can give you some good suggestions: first of all, always keep in mind that the way you breathe is at the basis of how long you'll be able to sing, how good you will be and how safe it is. Imagine your body as a piano keyboard: basically, when you sing low tones, you have to breath with your belly and the only way to do is to start concentrating on that area, by breathing with a hand on it, to feel when it's working properly. When you sing medium tones (like most commercial songs), you need to breath with your diaphragm (same test to be applied), and the higher you sing, the upper areas are interested; then you will breath concentrating on your lungs when the tones are very high. PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR THROAT!!! It must always be soft and exclusively used to let the air blow to your head. The real secret is in the facial cavities use, to give the right power to your voice with the minimum efford. If you use your throath, it's strenuous and most of all dangerous because it can very often damage your vocal strings and you might be operated in a few years. Your facial cavities need to be trained instead and most of all your mouth: if you train yourself in breathing with the right area and singing with your mouth closed, you'll play sounds like a mosquito, but it will open your facial cavities; this should be the start to all your lessons; when you really sing your mouth should be like a big O, where the sides should never open like in a smile and look like trying to join themselves horizontally instead. Self confidence and will power make all the rest. A good teacher is always useful, especially when coming from the classical education because he can understand what kind of breathing you need, depending on your own voice, and help you to improve.

 

* What are the five  most useless things and the most useful?

I think that the first group is easier and  represented by the menstrual periods, cloning, war, Pop idols and rubbish like that, and some current videogames. The second group... mind, computers, CDs, obviously money and a comfortable bed.

 

* Why don't you agree with the cloning?

Because I think that the money given for research purposes should be spent better... I personally think that the cloning is a bullshit because it's useless, other than the personal earnings of the people directly involved. There are still so many serious sicknesses in need of a cure... that's more important for me. I agree with a famous quotation from the "Matrix" movie when one of the men in black says that human beings are like parassites, because they keep multiplying and once they've been squeezing the resources where they live, they just move and start doing the same again without respecting the Earth and themselves. There are already too many human beings on this planet and new lives are coming, but at the very least we might suppose that they all were born because wanted (I hope for most them anyway), and what do they want? To create even some more people, and even without considering eventual problems or malfunctions they might have in the future... The real contact with nature is extinguishing... as far as I'm concerned, cloning is against nature and represents a real evil.

Besides, we spent years and years to study the best and safest way to contraception, to be able to make love with no children being involved afterwards, and what do they want now? To have babies without sexual intercourses, (the best bit) ... isn't this a bullshit then?

 

* The worst invention of the millennium is...

The last 90's and 2000's pop music, because it's music for non musicians, songs for non singers. There are too many syliconized teenagers everywhere on the tv and they can't really work out their natural need to grow up at the pop or rock stars level. A child can drive a toy, not a car, and I confess that beyond every moralism, I find most music vidos or transmissions just look like stuff for pedofiles... is it possile to wish to watch live gigs with people that can't play, only because the TV says they're number one? (supposing that the charts are genuine and not simple adverts...). Once upon a time, the soubrettes used to be soubrettes, the deejays used to be deejays and musicians used to be musicians... now what's called singers are soubrettes or deejays. The current songs are no longer well arranged. The 80's still kick because at the time, pop music was arranged and performed by musicians and you could hear it. What was at the time the percentage of bad songs, is now the one of the good ones... minimal. Now, you can hear loads of crap on the radio just made with samples and no arrangements at all, nasal voices of chickens, and only rarely some well done ones, and they even use the same sounds!!! And then, all those dance covers... what a crap! Not enough creativity to make new hits? Deejays should be deejays again... Even Madonna studied to improve her singing skills after she became a star, to do a good job... this should be an example to turn the current rabbish into new good commercial stuff. Despite all this, I still know that people are not so stupid as the TV tries to display them. Even the demos we receive show that there are good and creative bands around... and THAT makes me very happy!

 

* Who are the artists you'd love to work with?

Apart from my musicians, that I really adore, there are some several artist I'd like to compose a song with... but certainly David Bowie and Trent Reznor are the first names I can think straight about!

Peter Gabriel I wouldn't mind... he also lives half an hour driving from my place... I might just  pop in there with a cup of tea to corrupt him ;-) !

 

* Do you think that "Perverse Spring" may have a bad effect on the teenagers, and maybe encourage them to use drugs or commit murders like in the story?"

Apart from the fact that it's displaid that it's an adult story, I absolutely don't! We always display that this is a sarcastic comment to the bad sides of lives, and if you carefully read the story, you understand it's a warning, more than an encouragement. Second, because I've been a teenager and the fact that I knew a lot of people who died from drugs at the time, didn't kill me but opened my eyes instead. I don't think that teenagers are stupid and repression never brought anything good. Everybody know the drugs effects, like smoke and alcohol, but if they do it's for their own choice and not because they saw Christiane F or because they listen to some heavy metal songs... Actually, if you don't want to use any drug, then don't even go to the dentist... People that don't know the difference between use and abuse, and most of all that don't know how far they can go, normally have some more serious problems behind, problems that are too easily connected to bad novels or films or songs. I'd rather check in their family first... Actually, it's even well known that the more you apply censorships to something, then the more that something is wanted. We applied the parental advisory for a purely legal warning, because there are explicit lyrics that might be offensive for someone (with obvious reasons to feel offended which is supposed to be his own problem). Besides... before someone says that my story is insane, please check films like Shining, Clockwork Orange, and things like that... maybe "Perverse Spring" will look like Alice in Wonderland afterwords... Alice Cooper, maybe ;-)