Interview with Luca Grilli (Soul Secret)

Artur Chachlowski

ImageWhen and how it all started as Soul Secret?  

Soul Secret project began in the summer of 2004 when me and Antonio Vittozzi decided to mix our musical tastes in a band, in order to compose and play some our own music. In 2005 we recorded a home made demo which contains a rough version of “Inner War” and an unreleased song called “Eternal Lights”. All this happened before Luca Di Gennaro joined the band. When he became a member of the band we had already started to arrange some ideas for what should be the debut album. With his friendship and musical collaboration everything was much easier, and in the course of a year we finished.to compose `Flowing Portraits`.  

How Mark Basile became the member of Sould Secret line-up? Is he still a part of Mind Key or not? 

Mark Basile is not our lead singer, after recording the album we took different paths. Every vocal arrangement on the album was composed by Michele Serpico but due to health problems just before the recording sessions he could not sing on “Flowing Portraits”. Mark however has done a great job and we wish him the best for the future. 

Tell me  a couple of words about concept of Tears Of Kalliroe? 

We started composing Tears Of Kalliroe before that the line-up was complete. Some riffs and some ideas were composed without Luca. After, with the entrance of Luca in the band, the idea of creating a concept appears suddenly within his continuous requests. Then we started to think about some new riffs, some progressions that we can find inside the overture, that was the first idea. The songs is about a guy that, entering a cave, sees some silhouettes and intro starts with some drops descending from the cave's floor inside the water.

 Do you compose as the band or each song has different author? 

Well, there is not a precise method on how we write the songs. You know, usually one of us has got a basic idea and proposes it to the other guys in the band. And then we try to arrange and develop this idea by improving and rehearsing it till everybody likes it.  The funniest thing is agreeing 4 different guys to conceive an idea for a song, but this is also one of the beauties in playing in a band. I think you agree with me.However, most ideas come from Antonio Vittozzi and Luca and then the rhythm section tries to complete the work. 

What are the musical inspirations for the music of Soul Secret?

 I love listening to music; it is my favourite thing to do. Every moment during the day I try to listen to music, when it's possible to obviously! I like AOR, seventies and eighties hard rock and rock, and I also listen to heavy and progressive metal. Sometimes I listen to fusion, piano and Italian songwriters. I think that everything I listen to contributes to enhance my musical background.  

What are your band's plans for the future? 

We are scheduling a tour at this moment together with our manager Davide. But at the same time we are working on new material and 2 songs of the new album are already completed. “Flowing Portraits” is only the beginning for us: we have lots of new and fresh ideas for new songs and we want to play live for an audience.

Let’s hope that all goes well, stay tuned and thanks for the interview!

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