Hi, we are here, with Luca Turilli, leader of the newborn RHAPSODY
Thank you, it's nice to be here with you
You are here for www.heavy-metal.it, and it's a pleasure to spend some time with you once again
So, Luca, tell us how this new Rhapsody idea came to you, along with something about the split from the trademark and band Rhapsody we all know
Ok, so, first of all I want to clarify that this is not a 5-minutes-decision,
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I did not leave the band or shit like this, as someone wrote,
the truth is very, very simple:
when everything's based on friendship, then all becomes very easy.
Six or Seven years before RHAPSODY creation, Alex and me were already great friends, it was 1993!!!
Therefore, in my opinion the righteous question could be "how did you find the way to get together for so long?".
You know, every band is quite like a firm, there are so many people involved and working for, so many different points of view all together.
Tell me how many bands, in the heavy-metal scene, did release 10 albums,
in 20 years of hard work, without any change in the basic line-up, I mean, the two composers and the singer!
The split idea was conceived some years ago, when external problems started to afflict the band, and therefore,
in the worst moments, you may think about a drastic change, doing something different,
I mean, you have your own idea, your own personality as an artist, you give your all in what you do,
and everywhere you go you have doors slammed in your face, nothing is right, and these are very bad moments, and you're in a big funk, it happens...
then these problems we had, starting from the name change and so on did not help
The trademark is registered, so...
Yes, a big matter, but luck was on our side so... 
Even if it was not the same fun as in the past, I mean, Alex and me working on songs composition, the most important thing for us was to complete the art project we started.
The problems were dated back to The Frozen Tears of Angels album, at least,
well before it, but our will was to issue the tenth album, album number 10,
to put the "end" to the saga. It would have been unconceivable not to do it, it is quite like you are writing your novel,
 your masterpiece, and you quit without finishing it!
From an artistic point of view, this is impossible. No way! No, absolutely!
So we started to work jointly, facing this music business so deeply different than the one when we started,
we faced all the difficulties we encountered, and then these two albums were issued, thanks to Nuclearblast, 
that kept up in believing in us even if the moment was not so favourable.
We ended the saga, and this gave us an immediate relief sensation, and then we got ready to go on on our own way. The saga was ended so...
Everything was settled in an amicable way...
For this reason I started to tell you that Alex and me are long-standing friends, well before RHAPSODY idea.
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Our friendship started from... We met each other the first time during a very particular situation,
like someone is already aware of, a lesson of mental dynamics,
we both were just teenagers, it is something that helps you in detecting and empower your will and goals, 
it's very important, it's about everything surrounds us, I mean, the energy,
and how to use it... spiritual growth... on all these things
I got my inspiration for Rhapsody songs lyrics. So many people still think that the Emerald Sword is a simple sword made up of simple jewels,
but I do understand this point of view because there are people that do not want to study in deep the message...
Lyrics are full of symbolism, and the narrative technique of symbology
this is the matrix of fantasy
yes, you know, but the most difficult thing was to create a 10 album-long saga, with its own story,
that can be read as an awesome fantasy story, and also as a story full of secondary meanings, messages and symbols, 
everything we have always loved to say through Rhapsody music, a tale about respect, feeling positive
and above all, about spiritual evolution. The Excalibur, the title of my own work, corresponds to the Emerald Sword
the saga talks about, it represents the will to reach a spiritual superior level:
you are here on this earth, on this planet, and you realize that you're here not by chance, you realize your own
and then you start to ask who you are, where do you come from, where am I supposed to go... You ask yourself the first question, and then here comes the second, the third and so on.
"Ascending to Infinity" wants to describe our direction, our march towards something we do not know,
but you know that this is endless, countless, and incredibly high in spiritual.
Everything was always been based on this concept, and for this reason we have plenty of fans that love us,
and so many people came out from big problems and bad situations such as drugs, alcohol addictions thanks to our music.
This makes me very proud. Now I have started to manage my first Facebook page, and I read the messages of the fans...
It's the first time for you on Facebook?
Yes, I have no Luca Turilli page, despite there are thousands pages named like me...
I've got no personal and private page as Luca Turilli, I do not like to expose myself, and moreover
I had my difficulties in accepting to put my name combined with RHAPSODY in order to solve the relevant legal problem, I am not a fan of my name,
I don't know what people can think about the issue but I am a very humble person
You want to remember that you were part of it and now you created your own...
No no, this solution was invented just to solve the legal problem! I added my name, Luca Turilli,
to go on with the project and with the name Rhapsody.
We settled the matter amicably in this way. This is very important, I want to tell you, because so many people ask theirselves
"Why none of them renounced to use the name? Cannot Luca Turilli go on with his own name and that's it?"
The answer is pretty simple: my own albums as Luca turilli were born as a complement of what I was writing with Rhapsody
In your own albums the predominant feature has always been the fantasy, and now there's something different from it
Yes, now I am pretty oriented to science fiction; no more Lord of The Rings fantasy,
but something special that let me use different sounds, that led me to Dreamquest,
whose taste is not metal-like, it's completely different.
Well, in the end, this has been done this way and that's it, I felt the need to write something different from Rhapsody stuff, 
and now with the new Rhapsody project I can compose music with no limits of genre,
with all the sounds I like, keyboards I want, the orchestrals I want, and devote myself to what I love the most, cinema, movies
In this album I noticed you choose more effects than in the past, more narrative moments, something different from the past
Yes, no more bounds, but more movie features, you understand what I am saying?
The Quantum X incipit starts with a narrative feature...
Exactly, Quantum X is the track I would suggest for a trailer, it has been created thinking about a trailer,
this is an important feature, in light of the fact that I have been requested to write music like this,
it was during that summer before deciding what to do with Rhapsody.
At that time I did not know what to do, then we decided together with Alex for this solution.
You should know that my family and me forked out a lot to keep the name RHAPSODY alive,
along with the relevant device, when we had those problems you all know, as well as Alex Staropoli, my ex-colleague did,
for this reason none of us renounced to use the name, because both of us have the right to use it after all that. 
You always shared good things as well as bad things, so... 
Right, we did it all together, as always, so, it wouldn't have been the right solution to renounce.
People should now know this, and therefore, no further risks of confusion there will ever exist.
When my release will be issued, and Rhapsody of Fire will release their own album,
each of us will have their own fans, and also there will be fans of both!
I must say, I notice a beautiful comment on Facebook, it says "what a pity, but two Rhapsody is better than one".
I absolutely agree with this, I think also Alex agrees with that.
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This is the basic concept, then we had this split, and that's it.
I did not wake up one day crazily and decided to leave Rhapsody:
I took gradually my own artistic way along with a different artistic perspective, and so a refresh was needed. 
Also Alex now will take his own way, experimenting... 
Absolutely
You were both bounded to the other
17
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Yes, we used to start with orchestral arrangements together,
he was always settling them, while I was working on the lyrics and the booklet,
now I've got the full control of everything,
and that's what I wanted to,all I ever wanted, music made up as movie soundtracks, but in the Rhapsody contest!
Therefore no more solo projects and things like this, because with these new Rhapsody I've got the freedom I wanted!
Tell us the movie titles that have inspired you the most
In the early nineties we started from movies like Conan The Barbarian, you know,
when you are a teenager and you want to build up your muscles
Have you ever seen the last Conan? The third...
Nope, but I heard no good opinions about it...
A comparison between the original one is impossible...
Now cinema can count on more powerful special effects,
but at that time there was Braveheart, well it is more historical than fantasy as a movie... Special effects were one step behind.. 
and then came Lord of The Rings, that established new standards as far as special effects in the fantasy fiction are concerned,
in that period we just finished the four chapter of the saga, with Rain of a Thousand Flames as the EP, the mini,
and we did not know what to do, we were thinking about a change, and then this movie gave us the reason, along with the opportunity to work with Christopher Lee,
a.k.a. Saruman starring the Peter Jackson's masterpiece,
and we decided for that way, it took me many nights of work on the saga structure,
and then we got material for the further 5 chapters, having Christopher Lee, more means, more budget on our side, orchestras,
so many artistic satisfactions. And now there is another step, with further artistic challenges, because as previously stated, I've got total freedom.
The movies I like now maybe are different from those of the past, more modern,
those movies that sometimes do not encounter good critics because they are based on too many special effects...
In my opinion movies are not made up of the story only, I do love also the graphics used for,
and I would like to work also at it, I adore videogames and the relevant graphic creations...
Would you compose a soundtrack for a videogame like Blind Guardian did? 
Oh yes, I think I will have the opportunity to work on a thing like that, I am talking about something like this with Nuclearblast,
starting from the intro Quantum X, I mean, this style is thumbs up combined with videogames.
Therefore, this particular kind  of movie, as for example Transformers, does not make me mad for the story...
you know, there are movies that are great for special effects, other for what the story is concerned.
As I have alredy said, I adore all those digital creations, it is art, indeed!
And all the people who say that a special effects-movie-based sucks, in my opinion do not consider the matter properly.
I adore to put my attention on every single particular in a movie. 
In most of the nowadays movies special effects are largely used...
Well, the second part of Transformers III is amazing, I would see it again and again! A very full storyline, so extraordinary...
This is my favourite movie genre, The Avengers, Battleship (I have to see them)...
Talking about Dante's Inferno: Has the movie played an important inspirating role for you? I mean, for its visionary feature, in particular, when the protagonist goes all around the Circles of Hell...
It could be! Sure... My inspiration did not start from it, although I know the movie,
but, as you said, it could probably give me some tips for the work done.
However, this tells about a tragedy, a person who suffer because his wife loss, murdered by criminals,
and then, unable to solve his sense of guilt, he starts to go on his own spiritual path
though Hell, Purgatory and then finally Paradise, where he finds peace in his heart, it's a story that tells about tragic facts, terrible facts, so that...
For instance, when I work on a new song that tells about things like Dante's Inferno, and I listen to Alessandro singing,
and I know how those facts can make you feel like, then, I am always about to cry...
You know, when I compose, I always start from a news item, and the same was for the saga, chapter by chapter,
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well, trying to add different features, but the aim was to exorcize the feeling I had reading those bad news
As in the last days gone by, the earthquake here in Italy...
Right, you know what I am talking about, when you see interviews where the relatives of the victims talk...
well... I ... you know it moves me to tears... It's unbelievable what happened...
I am very sensitive as an artist, and through music I do express my soul,
and I try to face all those bad facts always happening all around us, because all those people that do not base their life on love and respect, acting like beasts...
To this purpose, as far as the song Clash of the Titans,
the theme is the battle between Titans, that represents instinct and reason,
the ethernal battle that starts from our genetics, that grows as the human growth goes on...
and so you can find these scenes of war, of modern battles, as war represents the instinct that defeats reason,
someone would say that reason can make you thinking about things properly but inthe end,
reason is a deviation of instinct, so ...
however, all these elements concur in my workings, for this reason, when I compose, I always suffer.
Every composing and recording session is always a martyrdom from an emotional point of view, right,
because when a new work is borne, even if the music sounds great, it makes me crying...
nobody knows how many litres of tears I have cried from September to the end of March...
One of the most impressive in this sense in my opinion is LUNA...
Luna? Luna is a cover, a cover that at the beginning was intended to be a bonus track,
and then was choosen to be one of the album tracks
It is a very different song from the other ones...
Right, because it must have been a bonus track,
the singer of the original track was Alessandro Safina, a well known tenor who sang it about 10 years ago,
he also joined the Maurizio Costanzo Show but he never had the success he deserved;
I was in France when I heard it for the first time - in that period I used to live in Lione -
I heard it in the Italian version every night in every place I went in, there Alessandro Safina
had an incredible success! After a while I found out that the song was performed by him
that he attended the Pavarotti academy, although the very first time
I heard him singing he was experimenting a Kiske-style,
I really could not imagine that he could sing also as a tenor!
Well, then the decision about which could be the bonus track was taken, it would have been LUNA,
with this particular kind of singing, a Bocelli-style
In fact we always knew Alessandro with his own singing, as the Trick or Treat lead vocal, sometimes with Secter Sphere,
I mean, he had this Kiske-style, we never imagined that he could also have that voice from the chest!
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How did you know him?
I know him thanks to Fabio! As I explained before, during that summer I did not know what to do...
I had some proposal to compose soundtrack for movies, the opportunity to start an Avantasia -like project, at that time,
while I had that proposal, a very interesting proposal also from a monetary point of view
(afterwards I can tell you why I did not go for it, choosing another way, that is, the current Rhapsody band one)
I was searching for a single singer, preferably an Italian singer,
to place among a group of famous singers, to go on with this kind of project, of concept...
and I remember that we was touring around with Rhapsody, it was 2011, the spring european tour..
Well, I was looking for this singer, and Fabio knew it, so he told me "why don't you go on youtube
and search for Alessandro Conti videos, he's a very talented singer, and in my opinion you'll love him,
because he sings like the best years of Kiske
If I am not mistaken, I saw a video on youtube, a trailer, where he performs a Helloween song... 
Right, it's a beautiful song, it is included in the album, it's awesome, and it has been completely re-arranged by me from an orchestral point of view,
thumbs up for the soprano, one of the most beautiful song by Helloween, what can we say about the way Alessandro re-sings it?
From this you can easily see his high level as leading vocal...
Nuclearblast then explained me that the album was under the risk of being on the market in an illegal way, so, 
it would not have been fair to release a single song, it would have had more sense to include it in the album, only for those who would have bought the album.
Anyway, these are record company's facts, who cares...
I just wanted to say that... well, it happened that way, I saw him through this videos on youtube
singing Helloween songs from both Keeper of the Seven Keys... It is thanks to both Keepers that I landed to heavy metal,
I used to listen to Europe, Pet Shop Boys, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran,
then I found Helloween and Kiske's voice, I listened to that genre of metal 
You definitely choose this side of metal
The very first album I bought was The Keeper, in vinyl, it was 1987-88, those magic years for the whole heavy metal scene
then I found out hundreds other bands, like Crimson Glory and so on, all the album issued at that time,
Seventh son of a Seventh Son by Iron Maiden, thousands and thousands, too many to mention, from a guitaristic point of view,
Speed Metal Symphony by Cacophony, I was totally overwhelmed by all this incredible music, Malmsteen and so on
In the 80s, the metal scene was so compact, and then all these musicians came and had widened all the genres
Keep in mind 1987/1989, a big release per month!!!
I mean, fundamental ones if you consider the story of this genre!!! Nowadays there are some good releases but not so often,
it's more difficult to emerge than in the past and the market has deeply changed, as it is so easy to record an album for everyone,
it created a galloping inflation, although it's a good thing for those bands that deserve it...
However, returning to Alessandro, I instantly admired that voice, never heard a voice like that before,
nobody that could be albe to sing in that Kiske-like way combining such a quality!
I heard thousand of attempts in that sense...
But Alessandro gave me the tip, I immediately contacted him for this Avantasia-like project,
he explained he was a great fan of Rhapsody, he was so happy that I contacted him,
and we started to talk about it. I told him I would have loved to hear something different sung by him, as I hear only Trick or Treat stuff
As for example, cover of Cindy Lauper? They were so playful....
Right, all those cover so particular, this is wat stimulated me to ask for more,
but in a completely different style, soI asked to evaluate him on the basis of Rhapsody oldies, songs from my own projects,
and then songs that do not match with heavy metal at all: Francesco Renga, Al Bano, all those singers and musicians I do appreciate...
I was artistically born from Gianni Morandi and Adriano Celentano, and you know for sure,
Rhapsody fans know that we come from that epic feature from Canzonissima of the 70s,
Italian music, the more epic one, I am referring to that minor key and orchestra,
in the 70s there was a frequent combination of these elements...
You remember, Massimo Ranieri, those songs of them are epic ones, Massimo Ranieri, Gianni Morandi, and then Adriano Celentano, my favourite...
I asked Alessandro all this stuff, and then, after 3/4 months, I received hundreds of files with all these songs performed by him:
Celine Dion -  My Heart Will Go On, from the movie soundtrack of Titanic, awesome performances,
I was deeply surprised, and among them there were some in which I noticed that opera-like feature in his voice, bass chords
I did not hear before... In light of this, I tried and ask him to sing for me something of Andrea Bocelli,
I cannot remember everything exactly, well, ranging from Crimson Glory to Queensryche,
and all those bands alike, to land to the opera!
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After a while he explained me that the carried out his study attending Pavarotti academy,
so good curriculum vitae, and I told myself "this is the singer I was searching for".
In that moment I decided to concentrate myself no more on the Avantasia-like project,
but completely on the new Rhapsodies with Alessandro, as Alex Staropoli decided to go on with his Rhapsody of fire and Fabio,
so that I called Alessandro for the third time and told him "well, keep in mind you'll be my Rhapsody singer",
you can imagine his reaction to this announcement!
He was great to keep this secret, also on Facebook! He diddled everyone of us!
He did great! He and his friends from Trick or Treat knew everything about the project
but they kept the secret, they were great! Never seen that a news like this did not filtered out online,
it was unbelievable, so I told "I completely believe in you as I can tell you everything about the band projects, no problems with that". 
Also Trick or Treat kept the secret
Right, Alessandro told me their story, they are close friends, since childhood,
therefore there is something more that the sole music interests.
Moreover, I told him that it would have been better for everyone that he would not have taken part to other side-projects than this,
as this was also Nuclearblast will. For this reason,
Trick or Treat are apart from the Trick or Treat situation, that created no problem because they're all friends and able to do and solve anything,
the most important thing is that Alessandro gives his voice exclusively for my Rhapsodies;
thus, he said that he agreed with this, he was willing to go on with just one project in order to be able to give all the best for it,
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so, we found out to be perfectly tuned!
Also the label (NuclearBlast n.d.r.) found it amazing, also from their point of view is always preferably to have the voice of a singer as an exclusive...
A musician, in order to take care of his economic and monetary needs, sometimes is likely to be involved in so many projects,
but I surely prefer to have my own singer singing just for my own project, apart from his bands.
I was so happy to see that Alessandro agreed with that, because according to this, we have the opportunity to create a strong identity
Quite like a family
Right! Now we are a real family. It's amazing!
We have such a strong support from NuclearBlast, they totally adore Alessandro as a singer,
I sent them March of Time performed by him, and they went nuts, no other info needed,
and, what else I can say, well I really do adore Fabio, he is one of the most incredible voice worldwide,
and I am honored to have written music for his vocals, to underline his potential, his skills,
I mean, songs as for example Lamento Eroico, that was written by Alex and me, and also Reign of Terror,
but also more aggressive tracks, and so on...
For all that, I take off my own hat to him, Fabio will always have his own place in the Hall of Fame, no doubts about it
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Alessandro indeed is a rare jewel, as he can offer me borderless possibilities from a "composition" point of view,
he has so many vocal registers because the wide studies carried out, it's incredible
He can adapt himself to anything and you can adopt every kind of composition...
Right! I started to compose and work on the new tracks with no limits of any kind, he can sing as loud as Kiske,
yeah yeah, maybe it sounds boring to hear from other people "aw you sing like Kiske", but now..
I have been abroad for so many time for promotional purposes, and I can say that for instance in Paris,
Alessandro became a superstar, because his capability to unite opera singing to metal, yeah yeah,
Omm I cannot remember what I wanted to talk about ahahah!
Well, this ability to sing so high, as Kiske, is a bid advantage
and Alessandro can be so proud of this! We have just seen some reviews,
where our album is acclaimed as something divine, it is highly fantastic and emotional to me,
and where Alessandro has been appointed as the link between the 80s Kiske, 90s Lione, and Pavarotti!
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Well, I must say that, according to all this, it seems that this choice has been the righteous for the new Rhapsody challenge!
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An incredible singer, as we get along soooo well, astonishing, and this is just the beginning!
This is the first work together, we are studying each other, but,
if you listen to a song like, for example, Tormento e Passione, and you draw your attention to the final part,
there is a duet and the soprano, Bridget Fogle
Oh I miss it, I could not listen to it 
Well she's the typical soprano, she's our soprano, she have been working with me for so long, since Rhapsody of Fire,
my projects and then with Rhapsody of mine, she's part of the family indeed,
well, in the end, there is a very high-toned line, and I am pretty sure everyone will think about it as performed by her!
Guess? It's Alessandro! He was singing that in order to explain the soprano what she was going to perform
but we found out that Alessandro's one was soooo amazing that we opted for it!
Sounds incredible, isn't it? From this you can barely imagine the range of vocal possibilities of him,
what else can I say, an unbelievable talent, and I am totally free to write anything I want and ever wanted to,
well, as I did with Fabio as lead vocals
but now everyone of us has got his own way to go on with! I am totally happy with that!
Last question, what is the connection between the Italian singer and the singing in Italian language?
It was a sort of celebration of being an Italian metaller?
Well! Right! Italy is so much appreciated abroad, you can't imagine!
Every time I go in France, people do love Italian songs, I mean, in Italian language!
For instance, Tormento e Passione is a super hit for them, and I'm sure it will become a super hit indeed!
In France, people love songs in Italian language, so, I hope that Italians will love our songs in our own language,
I know it is so and it will be that way!
I am so happy for this, as Italy has always been one of the best market for Rhapsody in these last years
You mean France?
No, Italy! As well as France, Germany, Spain, the best markets ever,
then this South America eldorado, so good to have concert,
not so good from sales point of view, you cannot sell anything but concert are always so crowded!
Thousands and thousands people!
Incredible... Soooo, this is a particular one, and gigs are great there... 
Europe is very important from a discographic point of view, lots of copies sold, as well as in Italy. 
This is good, as sometimes I hear people hitting out on Italian bands...
Oh, you're right and I really cannot understand why,
I found out so many great bands, great talents, Ancient Bards, Vexilium, as you remember, they were touring with us,
Elvenking Eldricht so many good projects to mention, 
we were so proud to act as launchers for all of those projects that took inspiration from us
from our Hollywood sound of the very beginning, then the early soundtrack sound, along with the cinematic sound of nowadays... 
Part of them keep on going, part left, and some of them went well before us, therefore, thumbs up for Italian Metal!
And be sure it is well appreciated abroad!
Sooo, to sing in Italian language is fundamental to me,
I remember the first time I told it to Alex for Lamento Eroico... Fabio totally agreed,
as he was so happy to sing in Italian, I think a singer likes the idea to express himself in his mother tongue...
Alex took his own time to think about it, he was not so sure of it, 
so I said "Alex, remember old glories such as our Adriano Celentano, well appreciated here and in Germany and abroad,
as long as Al Bano, that is rather more famous in Germany that in his own country!"
Then we tried, and Also Alex agreed, he noticed it was a great option,
and we started to conceive so many tracks in Italian language!!!
And you should know that in this new album of mine, in each track there is a small part in Italian!!!
It's amazing because, as far as lyrics are concerned, I am free to express deep concepts in the most comfortable way,
you know, translation kills the magic of the words. If I write in English,
I need a translator for eventual mistakes and to render the sense of the phrases.
Well, this always happens when you do not work with your mother tongue, unfortunately.
I have no time to improve my English in order to work by myself.
I am always trying to improve all the lyrics,
and in this album I have been free to use Italian and all the related words with no limits!
It's special because I can express all the feelings and emotion I was talking about before.
Joking aside, lyrics are the basis of the whole Rhapsody production.
You know, it is no more a business, it's a passion.
I do my best to realize the best album ever,
because I would love my favourite band to do it as well
so, the album becomes a spiritual experience for yourself, and hopefully also for others! 
Ok, it's time to say hello!
Thank you to all of you! Thanks to www-heavy-metal.it, and see you on stage! Look forward to see you!
Where are you going to play?
We will start on November, a very long tour!
In Italy maybe 3 or 4 shows,
and then all over the world till next year Festival season!
It will be a veeeery long tour, as well as special!
You will see some special surprises appearing on stage!
News will come on our Facebook page! 
Thank you, thank you all! See you!
