San Diego Urban Magazine

11 Mar (New Exclusive Interview) Johnny Casini Talks Music With Imperial Hustle Magazine | @JohnnyCasini

Posted at 13:12h in Featured Interviews by Kareem Williams 0 Comments

(New Exclusive Interview) Johnny Casini Talks Music With Imperial Hustle Magazine

1. Breakdown your name and what is means?

My name is “Johnny Casini”. “Johnny” because this has always been my nickname and I decided to keep my surname “Casini” to maintain this sentimental link with my origins, my family, my lands and my feelings.

2. Lets Talks about “Dark Shadows of White Lies” for a minute. What is the concept behind the project?

All my songs, in general, were born from a simple acoustic guitar and my voice. I transcribed all my feelings and moods in music and lyrics with the aim to obtain in some cases a medicine that could help me on a moral and psychological level in others to enhance my positivity. These different sounds that you can hear in the final work are determined by my feelings and arrangements made in collaboration with amazing musicians: (Gus Robertson (Razorlight), Javier Weyler (Stereophonics), Michael Boddy (Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music) , Paddy Milner (Todd Sharpville, Tom Jones) and Yaron Stavi (Richard Galliano, Robert Wyatt, David Gilmour)) under the very important and decisive supervision of the Great Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music, David Gilmour, David Byrne, Brian Eno…) as my Producer. The origin of my inspiration for the songs is the negative aspect of the “White Lies” maintained over time that we hear or say during our lives.

3. How do you feel you have grown from start to finish of “Dark Shadows of White Lies?”

I have played in different clubs throughout Emilia Romagna, from Parma to Bologna and in northern Italy with some local bands. It happened that, when I was playing a successful concert with my band, I meet my nowadays manager, Claude Ismael (Youssou N’Dour, Kool & the Gang, Rita Marley, Barry White, Frank Zappa, The Cure …). From the beginning, a beautiful professional relationship was born, which later became a friendship. This allowed me, through his experience, his knowledge and his high professional level in the music business to meet and to work with the great producer Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music, David Gilmour, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Pink Floyd, Annie Lennox …). Working with professionals of this caliber allowed me to learn a lot of things: the recording studio attitude, how to compose a song in a better way, how to create the right sound and arrangement to a song, how to give a beautiful dynamic to a track. Claude Ismael has introduced me to the great Keri Lewis (Mint Condition, Toni Braxton.) in Los Angeles after the London period. Who is following me and perfecting me in my live performances and my interpretative skills, in order to become more confident on stage and in my live performances or behind the cameras. In this period I have had the opportunity to grow technically both with my instrument of composition that is the guitar and on my vocal abilities.

4. “Dark Sunglasses” is a very interesting record. What made you create a record like that and where were you at in life when you created “Dark Shadows of White Lies?”

The Town from which I come from “Correggio” and all the personal social situations as “family,” “Love,” “Life” and the society around me all that has affected my artistic creations a lot. Also, the years that I spent in London recording the songs in solitude away from my Family, love, and home gave me a lot to my music and myself as a Human Being and Artist. From the USA I have always had a very symbolic image that has also influenced me in my compositions. Living in “Emilia Romagna” Where there is the longest Italian river that is “Po” and a historical Roman street “Via Emilia”: I imagined being in a small version of the South of the United States. My imagination led me to see the “Via Emilia” as the “Route 66” and the “Po” as the “Mississippi.” Along these routes of communication in America and Italy, there are artistic and cultural realities that confirm this image of mine. England is my greatest artistic influence on a musical level. I’m a fan of the Britpop from the “Beatles” going through all the following decades up to recent bands like “Arctic Monkeys” and “Kasabian.” Thanks also to some of my family origins. Last but not least Italy. My life experiences, my heart, and my cultural education took place in Italy. These 3 elements mixed have determined my artistic composition strongly.

5. You have 86,000 followers on Instagram right now. How many of those people do you feel are real fans of the music that you create?

Music like all kinds of art is a collection of emotions and sensations that come from the whole painting of colors that an artist can offer to the audience. I hope that in some way everyone is a fan of the music I create, even if I respect those who are not in my melodies. I can not tell you how many fans of my music are in my social media pages, but I want to thank with my whole heart those who support my art, who feeds it and who is part of it.

6. What is the end goal when it comes to the music industry for you?

I would like to see my self playing a lot of Gigs around different places whilst my messages are delivered through my Art. Fighting to be always a better Man and Artist. Iam certain of one thing that music and art, in general, are born with the aim of getting rid of any kind of borders. My intent is to transmit sensations, emotions without cultural or social barriers. In this decadent world where you can feel, see and hear a cultural and intellectual decline, I want to do my small part to give some hope to the kid that’s still in me. I want to create, through my art, my music, my words and my actions, a small chance to live on a planet that is in peace, love, freedom, brotherhood, and friendship. Without barriers or boundaries, without any kind of hatred.

Johnny Casini – Dark Sunglasses (Official Video)
https://youtu.be/HV_XCgRZ224