AntiQuark Interview by Ruud Dreessen from EBM-INDUSTRIAL – The Netherlands

Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl 26-04-2010 from The Netherlands

http://www.ebm-industrial.nl/1712525.htm

01- For the first question will be – Thanks Ant Dakini that you have found time to give answers to these questions,How are you doing? Ant: Hello! I am doing pretty good thanks! 02-Hello Ant Dakini what noise do you make in AntiQuark? Ant: Good question! Let’s say the root of our music is electronic, because we use a lot of digital instruments. You could say it’s an electronic/techno core of sound mixed with experimental musings and avant-garde twists. 03-How’s the start of 2010 been for you thus far? Ant: It’s been a good year so far. We’ve had some good local shows in San Diego and Los Angeles. Also, we are working on a new album and that has been going pretty well – hopefully we’ll be done soon. 04-do you know the netherland? Ant: We’ve read about it and we have friends that live there who tell us about it. We have never been there and would love to come. We’ve haven’t had the right opportunity yet. We did contact a few promoters but they were not interested at the time. Hopefully things are different now and we’ll be able to play some shows there. The country is wonderful and everyone we’ve met from there are really cool. Sergio:   Every time we tour through Italy & Germany we’ve tried to make it as far as Holland but, because we haven’t been able to book a show there yet, we end up not having enough time to even visit the country 05-For a lot of people, this is probably going to be their first full introduction to AntiQuark so how about you tell us a little bit about how you guys know each other and how the band came together? Ant:  I started this band in 2001 in San Diego, California. I am originally from Italy and moved to the USA to look for new music, science experiences. I played for many years with a couple of singers and, in February 2007, Sergio joined this project. He is the best singer I’ve ever met so I feel very fortunate. We’ve toured Europe 3 times since he joined and recorded an album, SkyDancer, that came out in 2009. Sergio:  AntiQuark is actually the first live-electronic band I’ve ever sung for.  I come from a plethora of rock & metal bands.  When I first auditioned for Ant, I thought she wouldn’t be interested since all my previous experience wasn’t very ‘electronic’.  But she seemed to like the parts I was singing over the music. 06- Do you follow the electronic music Electronica / Experimental / Pop do you have any other favourite bands? Ant:  Yes, we listen to a lot of music. There are so many good bands! Some favorite bands in this genre that come to mind are: Skinny Puppy, Depeche Mode, VNV Nation, Bettina Koster, Einsturzende Neubaten, Dead Can Dance, New Order, Apoptygma Berzerk, Wumpscut…so many many more!!! 07-How is your relationship with other electronic bands? Ant:  There are bands that we are friends with here locally in California and we often play shows with them: Mono Mono, Vagabundo Inn, Vv Morgue, Eternal Unborn, and Squirrelly Arts.  A close friend whom we’ve toured with is Bettina Koster.  She is one of the best people I’ve ever met. 08- Can you give us a brief run-through of AntiQuark story so far? Sergio:  AntiQuark has had 2 singers prior to me. So when I joined they were already well known in Europe, especially Italy.  And the parts I was putting down for the songs were quite different vocally than what AntiQuark was before – certainly not very ‘goth’ or ‘industrial’ or ‘dance’ or ‘trance’ or ‘club’ or ‘house’ or any of the things that this group had been associated with – simply because I had never been in this kind of scene.  Anyway, I thought we would alienate everybody but our first show, in Leipzig, Germany, went terrific and I didn’t feel nervous about that anymore. 09- How did you start to make music and what is Gothic for you? Ant: I have been playing music since I was 4 years old. I studied piano until age 16, and I attended the first four years at Conservatorio di Torino. That experience made me understand that my dream was not to become a classical pianist, so I started to experiment with music on my own terms.As a teenager, I was in a The Cure/Depeche Mode all-girl cover-band. In 1992, I embraced the electric guitar and started Hex, an all-girl punk/hardcore band. The band was political in the anarchist-feminist movement of the time. We toured a lot in Europe and played with groups like Bikini Kill and Team Dresch. After all this came a few more music experiences and finally AntiQuark.Gothic, hmm let’s see…it’s a subculture that has been very influential in my life.Definitely in the 80s many of the bands that came out in this genre were a big inspiration for me. I never really literally “joined” the movement because I always like to be inspired by things and not follow completely. I like to absorb some things and then elaborate them in my own way. 10-What did you guys do for a living before AntiQuark? Ant:  I am a shark biologist and I still do that jointly with AntiQuark, Music and marine science are the 2 big passions I have dedicated my life to. Sergio:  I was a radio & club DJ during and after college.  Then I worked as an engineer in some recording studios.  That was all in Texas.  Since moving to California, I sang for a couple of bands and then joined AntiQuark. 11- When did you form AntiQuark? What inspired you to make music together? Ant:  As I said before, AntiQuark started in 2001 but Sergio joined in 2007. I was looking for a singer and put an ad online. Among all the people that answered the ad, Sergio technically was the best and also very open-minded. He has brilliant ideas so we clicked immediately; we think a lot in the same way about the world. Sergio:  It was cool that Ant didn’t just think of me as another ‘metal-head’ and gave me a chance to try some parts over her music. 12- What are your top ten favorite Electronica / Experimental / Pop Club Songs of all time? Who are you influenced by? What would you consider your favorite cd’s? Sergio & Ant: Trip Like I Do – Crystal Method/Filter, Master & Servant – Depeche Mode, Army of Me – Bjork, Rapture – Blondie, Owner of a Lonely Heart remix by Max Graham, Diesel Power & Smack My Bitch Up – The Prodigy, Hey Boy Hey Girl by Chemical Brothers, Lovestoned – Tiesto remix of J.Timberlake, Bizarre Love Triangle – New Order Influenced by:  Ronan & VNV Nation, Soundgarden, Dead Can Dance, Led Zeppelin, The Cruxshadows, Pantera, Kurt Elling, Sevendust, Dave Gahan/Martin Gore, Rob Halford, Electric Light Orchestra, Rob/White Zombie. U2, Porcupine Tree.Favorite CDs:  Violator (Depeche Mode), all albums Journey recorded, Vulgar Display of Power (Pantera),  every album by Rush, Aenima (Tool), NightDreamer (Wayne Shorter), Facelift (Alice in Chains), Rid of Me (PJ Harvey) 13- What are the future plans for AntiQuark? Ant:  Write new songs, record new albums and tour. That is always on our minds. We would really like to reach out with our music to bigger audiences. There is nothing more beautiful in life for us to be able to connect with people thru our music. Sergio:  Yeah, all that she said. 14- Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations? Ant:   We have been self-releasing a lot of material in the past. Right now we have been cooperating with Hungry Eye Records, an indie label from NYC. 15-What are you currently listening to on your MP3 player? Ant:   While answering the questions to this interview, I am listening to Depeche Mode: Music for the Masses album. I love Depeche Mode. Sergio:  ‘No Exit’ by Fates Warning 16- By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! Ant:  Yes! Your questions are great! I also work for an online music mag www.chaindlk.com and it’s not easy to come up with questions that are new and interesting. You are doing a great job. 17- What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listen to you? What is your motto? Ant:  Inspiration. Maybe that sounds a bit ambitious and egotistic, but what makes this all worth it to us is if we can inspire people and vice-versa. It’s energy, it’s beauty, it’s growth. And music is the best language to accomplish all this. 18- What’s the name of your band? where did the name come from? or what’s the story behind the band name? Ant:  I have always been interested in different aspects of science, therefore quantum physics.”A quark is an elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei.For every quark flavor there is a corresponding type of antiparticle, known as antiquark, that differs from the quark only in that some of its properties have equal magnitude but opposite sign.”So, with this definition in mind, I thought that AntiQuark could be a perfect name for a band. It’s like something that is ‘against’ what the status quo is. It’s there but invisible, like a subliminal energy. Also it started with an ‘A’ and was very similar to my name – so that was it. 19-If people don’t know what you and your music are about, how would you describe AntiQuark? AntiQuark is an electronic duo.Ant Dakini plays keyboards and makes noise and Sergio sings.The music that we produce is a mix of all the things that we like, difficult to describe in a few words, we don’t have limits in what we do, we are not worried about sticking to any particular genre. Whatever sounds good to our ears in that particular moment we go for it. SkyDancer has new wave, techno, EBM, noise, and experimental influences. Next album may be different – who knows? 20- SkyDancer where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you’re working on? Tell me why this title,SkyDancer Tell us a few words about the concept of this? Ant:  SkyDancer’s first concept was about a mysterious “goddess” that would dance in the sky and we would go around the universe looking for her because ‘she’ had a gift for us. In fact, the cover of the CD shows me pointing to the sky wearing a puzzled face; thinking that I saw ‘her’ or a UFO or something. ‘She’ is very fleeting – not easy to catch. After developing the album, this original concept started to fall away and we developed the songs in a more free way, but the idea is still subliminal in the back. The gift we are talking about is up to the listener to interpret.This album came out in 2009 but we are still performing and promoting these songs since we haven’t reached all the places we would like.  We are composing a new album that hopefully will be out soon. 21- Some quick fire questions: gitar or synthesizer? Ant:  Synth Sergio:  Drums are actually the most important for me. 22-band or solo? Ant: Band with the right people 23-How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album? Ant: We are playing many shows in California and plan to book a tour in Europe for the fall. Our management is working on that. 24- What do you think of a modern Gothic and about Electronica / Experimental / Pop scene? Ant:  It’s very complex nowadays. There are so many bands doing so many things.The difference from the past is that it’s much easier nowadays to compose and record music. Everybody can do that at home with a simple laptop and a soundcard. This brings a huge variety of stuff coming out and makes it very difficult to follow all the different trends. 25- What’s your favourite track of yours? Ant: Hmm…good question. I think I have two favorites. The Man from Mars is a classic and Shameless is a pretty cool “ballad” in my opinion, Sergio wrote great lyrics for this song. Sergio:  Yeah…Shameless turned out quite well.  Drawer 4 became something much cooler than what I expected. 26-What and who gets you excited about music today? Ant:  I have been thinking really hard on this and don’t want to sound pretentious but I really can’t think of anything. I am out of the loop. I don’t know of any new big band, except Lady Gaga ah ah. I don’t like. Sergio:  The progressive/heavy rock bands – Porcupine Tree, Coheed & Cambria.  And VNV Nation – since I’m still a new fan of theirs. 27-Our usual question – what is music for you? Ant:  To me music is an expression that comes from our inner mind. Music is life and the best form of art. Sergio:  Music seems to be what saves us all. 28- What was your best live experience so far? Ant:   Forte Prenestino in Rome. Sergio:  San Diego Pride. 29- Please list the name, age, school, and respective instrument of each band member There’s me: Ant Dakini, 28 years old, Master of Science in Marine Biology, Degree in Recording Arts & Music Technology.  I play all the synths & keyboards and do most of the programming.And me:  Sergio O., 29 years old, Bachelor of Arts in Radio-TV-Film from University of Texas. I do vocals & some.programming. 30-What are your views on the current state of this Electronica / Experimental / Pop scene in Los Angeles,California Verenigde Staten.in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries? Sergio: well, it does seem to be more appreciated in Europe which is why we tour/perform there more than in the US.  Also, the shows we’ve played in Mexico have been way better than even our home state of California. I’m talking about electronica/experimental with Pop.  Because Pop by itself is pretty much big everywhere.  But for local/amateur groups that play this kind of stuff (strictly electronica/experimental especially), people in the US don’t seem very interested unless you’re Depeche Mode or Nine Inch Nails or maybe VNV Nation.  At the same time, people here in the US do appreciate DJs as much as anywhere else on the planet – and I say ‘bravo!” to that. 31- you have very nice numbers` tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song? Sergio:  I’m pretty fickle about lyrics…meaning that they come from things I’m thinking about at that particular time (which is really not anything unique – it’s what makes most lyrics you here seem pretty current) – books I’m reading, concepts I’m learning about, movies I’m watching.  For the SkyDancer album, the music is all Ant’s so I put melodies/lyrics over her finished music – which I think is why it really works well.  I can do much better when I’m presented with music-parts or even entire songs and then writing over them.  Ant is really the one who can come up with music from nothing. Ant:   When I write music, it’s like scoring a movie to the idea I have – to the film playing  in my head. 32-What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences? Sergio:  I’ve heard of that latest label, “futurepop”, that VNV Nation & Apoptygma Berzerk are described as – and I think that is a good label for AntiQuark. I also like to maintain a ‘rock/heavy/metal’ element in the music which is where I come from anyway.   My major influences are probably in the thousands, but off the top of my head I would name mostly rock & metal bands like: Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Judas Priest, Yes, Led Zeppelin, Pantera, Journey, Nine Inch Nails, Rush, Dokken, Deep Purple, Alice in Chains. 33-Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you? Sergio:   I’m not sure that I even know.  The music ‘industry’ seems like it’s always been open to any kind of  band – once they start selling.  30 years ago,  ‘purely electronic’ bands like Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, & Aha were barely doing anything – until they started selling and got on MTV (especially those latter two) – and then the ‘music-industry’ has forever been ‘more open’ to this kind of music.  Sorry, I haven’t even answered your question – lol!  One fact that has made it easier for us is that rock/metal/industrial & electronic is not so separated now.  “Pretty Hate Machine” may not have done so well in 1989 if it had been laced with heavy guitars (like all the hair-metal that was ruling EVERYTHING at the time), but now heavy-guitars seem like a major element in almost everything Reznor records – and this is something that may have been spit upon in the 1980s. 34-So what are their main influences as a band at the moment? Ant:   I would say we do mostly what we feel. Sergio:   I think what she means is that anything is possible artistically and you just go with anything, try anything.  When I auditioned for AntiQuark, I had no intention of joining an electronic band.  I had just left DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS (a Led Zeppelin/Dream Theater-type metal-band) and was looking to join a more Soundgarden-type or maybe a more-classic-rock-Deep Purple-type band.  And here I end up with AntiQuark which was nothing close to those. 35-What is currently inspiring your material as an artist? tell me all about the Electronica / Experimental / Pop scene of Los Angeles,California Verenigde Staten? Ant:  I think we answered that question already. Sergio:   Currently inspiring for me is VNV Nation and that new Alice in Chains. 36-Do you think that people from the music press didn’t expect you to grow up musically? Sergio:   I know that I’ve still got a lot of growing to do personally and as a performer.  And maybe when you are at the end of a long, accomplished, artistic career there will still always be critics who try to put you down. 37-what is the key to making music from AntiQuark and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician? Ant:  Music is fun for us to do, but it’s also like a valve-release of tension and stress.  And that makes it a reason to live.   The key for me is developing a clearer communication of energy & passion from oneself to an audience…and an equal flow of energy back to you from that audience. Sergio:  What inspires me to keep on as a musician is for that simple reward you get when you listen to something you recorded/performed in the past and say,”wow, did I do that? did I really sing that? That’s really good…” And, believe me, I couldn’t that about something I had for quite a few years. 38-How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Electronica / Experimental / Pop music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ? Ant:   People will always download – there’s no escape from that.  It’s just a matter of getting them to come out to your shows and support the artists in that way. Sergio:   Doesn’t anyone & everyone see how wonderful it is to be able to spread music of any kind so immediately to anywhere on the planet?  Was music (or art of ANY kind  for that matter) conceptualized/first thought of/created thousands of years ago for the monetary profit it could bring? Or was it simply for passion, expression, story-telling?  Leave it to MAN to fuck that up, of course.  And now here we are in the 21st century and  what better way to get everybody to listen to your creation at least once. And then let them decide whether they care for it or not.  That’s certainly up to them not me.  And then if they really like it, if it inspires them enough, if it nourishes their passions in any way, they’ll come out to see/hear your performance and you, your music, and they will all become closer from then on.  Isn’t downloading the most incredible tool invented so far that helps artists, music, & fans become one?  Maybe this is easy for me to say since I’ve never made hundreds/thousands/millions of dollars from album-sales.  And so, consequently, I’ve never experienced losing this kind of  potential revenue to ‘illegal-downloading’.  But I also know that if it wasn’t for this particular concept: I would’ve never learned so much about a band like VNV Nation, for example – I never would’ve listened to more than 1 or 2 of their songs, never would’ve even known that they had so much wonderful music, never would’ve become such a fan, never would’ve learned their entire albums almost by heart, and probably NEVER would’ve paid for my ticket to go see them live here in San Diego – this is what it all comes down to.So, hey, download AntiQuark for yourself and your friends as much as you can – and hopefully you’ll enjoy the music – and then we’ll see you at a show. 39-what was your childhood like? Ant:  I was a very happy kid. I grew up with music & sports and my parents were very supportive. Sergio:   I was the classic-case-nerd – unathletic & unpopular – until I started singing for bands and then suddenly, I actually existed for people whom I’d been invisible to before. 40-If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be? Ant: The music!!! 41-Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here Ant:  We’re finishing an album and our agent is booking a tour of Europe for the fall of 2010. 42-It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans? Sergio:  I hope to meet everyone one of you at the show. 43-and what is next on Los Angeles,California Verenigde Staten agenda? Sergio:  The California agenda actually consists of going down to perform in Mexico as often as possible. 44-How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD? Ant:  CDs are for physical sale & download at iTunes, CDBaby.com, Amazon.com. Sergio:  The entire SkyDancer album can be streamed-online at: www.reverbnation.com/antiquark …and also at www.myspace.com/antiquark 45-How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together? Sergio:   I’ve been inspired to sing a lot more in the baritone voice I didn’t think I had. Ant:   I don’t have to think about how to program the drums anymore because Sergio, since he is a very good drummer, is better at that than me. 46-How is the new line-up working out?? Ant:  Very well.  Sergio is the best singer I have ever found. 47-And, finally, what does the next twelve months hold for the band? Ant:  We hope to be able to get this new album out, get it promoted, a lot of touring and reaching the most people we can. Sergio:  And creating more new music of course. 48-Any last words? Ant:  See above. : Sergio:  Can’t wait to tour through Holland – yes! 49-Thank you for your time Ant Dakini Good luck Ant+Sergio: Thank you very much!!! This page,and all contents,are © 2003 / 2010 permission by ebm-industrial.nl

ANTIQUARK LIVE VIDEO – RUBY ROOM

Here is a video of AntiQuark live at Ruby Room San Diego on March 14th, 2010. Song: Shameless.
Thanks to Dominique Guillochon for filming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnlnl3K6rLU

AntiQuark CD Release Party in Messina Italy

Information at this link:

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/127/l_55f017e2a8a749868868625382219be1.jpg

AntiQuark on Facebook!

Here is AntiQuark band page on facebook, please join!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/AntiQuark/350419469276?ref=ts

ANTIQUARK on REVIEWER MAGAZINE

Original article @ Reviewer Mag

SkyDancing with Marine Biologist

AntiQuark:  SkyDancer

Hungry Eye Records

Review by Kent Manthie

The other day, someone turned me onto a relatively new band, AntiQuark, and their new CD, Sky Dancer, out now on Hungry Eye Records. AntiQuark is threaded by electronica, rock, pop and a kind of new-new wave style. Their first single, if you want to call it that, “Man From Mars” has a techno-club, dance beat behind a sensible pop melody.

The Atmospheric ethereality, notwithstanding, AntiQuark are a combo of pop music players nonpareil. The first track, “Man From Mars” was probably recorded as a label-catcher or radio-friendly fare, as its pop sensibility shows, but when one digs deeper, like “Planet X”, which mixes a mission control-to-spaceship radio contact sample with swirling sounds and an edgier beat, a song destined to be remixed infinitely for loud, danceteria club mixes. Besides the space connotations it evokes, “Planet X” also has a very sensual output to it, there’s something to it that would definitely bring two hot, sweaty club kids together in a feverish dervish sort of dance. “Shameless” is a sweaty, swinging minuet that oozes sex and is driven entirely by synths and drum machines.

The vocals on Sky Dancer remind me a little of The Wolfgang Press, but with a much more trance-inducing, mesmerizing, spaced-out, melting environment style.

Other songs worth mentioning are “Drawer 4”, another song that digs deeper into their electronica side along with “Planet X”, the latter of which starts out with samplings of mission control-to-spaceship radio transmissions and has an atmospheric, ethereal vibe to it that also gets all hot and bothered, with heated up sensuality and is sure to bring together two ecstasy and liquor-fueled club kids together.

Another song which leaves the space junk (ie, old satellites, orbiting scrap metal, etc, nothing to do with their awesome touch) behind and goes straight for the heart is “Aldila”, a slowed down, breathy sex storm of a song, just perfect for making love to, with its big beats, its quiet synth waves and whispered Italian lyrics, it is another kink in anyone who thinks this band is a one-song combo.

But it is a one-woman band. The entirety of AntiQuark is Ant Dakini, who founded AntiQuark in 2001 and since then has recruited SergioO to add the sensuality of his vocal style, which was a good move.

Besides being an innovative transcendent musician, Dakini is also a marine biologist who specializes in shark biology. So, she is a busy woman, to say the least, but a very studied woman as well as gifted with musical greatness.

Keep on listening and you should be tempted to buy the Sky Dancer for your next house party or for the next time you’re out clubbing and bring home some that special someone.

-KM

ANTIQUARK INTERVIEW for MUEN MAGAZINE

ORIGINAL INTERVIEW at MUEN MAGAZINE

December 28, 2009 – Monday

Interview w/ AntiQuark (San Diego, CA) Category: Music ANTIQUARK Myspace.com/antiquark AntiQuark, originally from Torino, Italy, are a unique blend of electronic and techno founded by keyboardist, Ant Dakini in 2001 and then further developed in 2006 as vocalist Sergio O then joined. In 2009 they released SkyDancer and also recorded a song for a popular Italian 80′s synthpop band, Krisma. AntiQuark has also been featured in many compilations and have been remixed by international producers such as Marc Urselli, Chris Reynolds (Red Flag), Steve Morell (PaleMusic, Germany), Giulio Maddaloni, The Moscow Coup Attempt, and more. Sharing the stage with such acts as Godhead, Orgy, Pigface, Red Flag, and others, AntiQuark has produced 5 albums in total and besides touring the U.S. and Mexico, they’ve also toured Europe 6 times and have performed at music festivals such as MTV Tr3s, Fe/Male at Forte Prenestino in Rome, GieBerstrabe 16 in Liepzig, Germany, San Diego Pride and LadyFest in Las Vegas. In the past they have been compared to such acts as Depeche Mode, NIN, Dead Can Dance, New Order, and Skinny Puppy. See them live: JAN. 1 @ Dream Street in San Diego, CA JAN. 2 @ the Del Mar Fair in Del Mar, CA Life Is Art & Art Is Life Photography ANTIQUARK INTERVIEW / POST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC UNDERGROUND 12/26/09 By G. Cataline PAMU: Hi Ant and Sergio! Wow, it’s nice to see you are still performing Ant, as I remember you from earlier in 2001… When did you meet up with singer, Sergio O., and how would you say your art and music has changed or evolved now that you are a duo? Ant: Sergio has been part of the band since 2007. The band has certainly changed in a more professional & ecletic direction. Thanks to Sergio’s great abilities. Sergio: I answered Ant’s ad (looking for a singer) in January of 2007. I’d never really sung to electronic music before and Ant never had a metal/rocker-type singing for this group. At first I thought she would write me off since the only voice-samples I could send were from the metal band I had previously worked with. PAMU: Have you lived in San Diego all this time, since 2001? Ant: Yes – back & forth between here and Europe. Sergio: I had only moved to San Diego in the Fall of 2006 from Ventura, CA. I’d been in Ventura for 3 years singing/recording with Divine Right of Kings. I moved to Los Angeles from Texas in 2002. PAMU: Ofcourse, you’ve toured and performed at numerous events even outside the states – What has been some of your most memorable experiences while touring and performing overseas, and outside of San Diego? Ant: Festival Forte Prenestino in Rome – in front of 2,000 people – in an old, WWI barracks that is now a famous squat. We didn’t even start playing until 2AM! Sergio:In Liepzig, Germany. That was fantastic – a couple of hundred people – everyone of them dancing to our music. We came on right after a thrash/death-metal band from Brazil and they’d torn up the place – the crowd loved them. I thought everyone would just leave or tear us to pieces, but they immediately adjusted to our sound and suddenly we were bouncing the whole place. PAMU: Is “Electronica” the best label for your music, or do you stray far from that genre? For example, do you ever write just straight rock or folk, etc.? Ant: Electronica is good enough. Since a big part of our sound is made with computers & synthesizers. Sergio: What I saw about going ‘electronic’ was that I wouldn’t lose anything. Because ANYTHING can be put into electronic music. Heavier sounds from Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy & NIN are as much ‘electronic’ as Depeche Mode, VNV Nation & Kraftwerk – and I dig all that stuff. PAMU: Tell us about any upcoming tours you have booked. Ant: Our manager is working on booking our next European tour. PAMU: Sergio, how does your project “Divine Right Of Kings” differ from work with AntiQuark? Sergio: Well, DRoK was a Zeppelin-Dream Theater-progressive-metal-ballad-thing. We recorded an album in English & then in Spanish and it was going to be a powerful, live, ARENA act. Big rock-guitars, big live-drums, huge GeddyLee-BASS & Ozzy-S.Bach vocals. I and the 2 other guys laid down the tracks with producer Z Morse. All the musicians involved were really good and already quite accomplished studio-guns, but then they weren’t going to take another step until they were paid.  So the live act never happened. With AntiQuark, I met Ant, within a few days started writing stuff, recorded it, and within 2 months was onstage in Germany performing. The difference between 3 years with DRoK and the first 3 months with AntiQuark was like ice & lava. PAMU: What is AntiQuark’s overall objective? What do you strive to communicate in the music of AntiQuark? Ant: The main goal is to write good music that people can enjoy & dance to. Sergio: To compose & record as much music as possible, to perform/present it in as many different places as possible. I suppose for me personally it’s important to communicate how elastic music can be since I’ve never sung to this kind of music before and it seems to work. PAMU: What do you have in the way of video, and who helps you with video? Ant: In some of our live-shows we use projections from the sci-fi movie, Litorra (by Marc Sokolowski) that I scored the soundtrack for. For the future, we will be collaborating with Bret Barrett, an amazing artist who does multi-media art & sculpture. Also, we will be working with Elle Gamboa, an eclectic photographer & film-maker, to make several videos. Sergio: My brother, Gabriel Ordonez, is a video-editor who works in Los Angeles. He recorded several of our live shows in L.A. and is compiling together a live DVD of AntiQuark. PAMU: What are your goals for the coming new year? Ant: To finish a new album, tour Europe, Mexico, & the U.S. and reach more people with our music. To develop a new & more intense live-show with more lights & more video-installations. Sergio: Yes, all those things that Ant mentioned. PAMU: Are you happy with the way that the media covers you? And where else can we learn more about AntiQuark? Sergio: Not being a part of the corporate machine makes it harder to get on the radio or get your videos on television, but the internet/global community certainly makes things more possible than ever before. Independent magazines have been very supportive. Ant: On the internet you can check some of our stuff or talk to us at: www.myspace.com/antiquark, www.reverbnation.com/antiquark, www.facebook.com/antiquark PAMU: Giulio is a good friend of ours. How did you meet up with him, and what do you have recorded with him thus far? Ant: Giulio Maddaloni is an amazing producer from Italy. We met through the internet and immediately became great friends. We met him in person in Naples, Italy, during our last tour. He did a number of remixes for us. Two of them (The Man from Mars remix & Shameless remix) are on our latest CD, SkyDancer. PAMU: Ant, when did you move from Italy to the U.S.? Ant: March 12, 1997. PAMU: Are you happy in San Diego, and if so, what is it that keeps you in San Diego? Ant: I’m all right in San Diego. It’s not really a happening place. But the weather is nice and it’s beautiful being close to the ocean. It’s a place without many distractions and so it’s good to get music & work done. Sergio: I actually moved down here 3 years ago from L.A. to be closer to my family, and then meeting Ant made the move double-plus-good. PAMU: What else do the both of you do besides work with AntiQuark – What do you both do for a living, passtime, etc.? Ant: When I don’t do music I work as a shark-biologist. I’m striving to bring more awareness about ecology & preservation of the planet. In the little free time I have, I keep my body in shape thru yoga, fitness and macrobiotic nutrition. I have a big passion for dogs, I love spending time with my dog, helping shelters and associations that rescue animals. Sergio: You know I actually have written 10 times as much poetry & prose than all the music I’ve ever composed. I’ll publish a group of books in the future. I read too much, I’m a movie-bum, a solitary bedroom-hermit. I write more & more and sing along to CDs & walls all the time. Perpetually finishing production ideas on the computer; I research all kinds of music, bands & their histories, and nap all the time. I hang out with my nieces & nephews more than any adults (except Ant of course). Sometimes I fantasize about exposing all the U.S. powermen of this first decade in such a way that the public could no longer find any doubt about how badly they damaged this country – and make them personally pay back all the taxpayer-money they stole for their “wildy stupid” (Time magazine) ideas in ‘protecting’ the American people. PAMU: What last words do you have for your fans and/or those who may be interested in your music? Ant: Check us out! Come to our shows! Sergio: We appreciate your attention to us & our music. PAMU: Feel free to add any other info about AntiQuark here: Ant: Our CD, SkyDancer, is available on www.reverbnation.com/antiquark for free streaming and for downloading on iTunes, CDBABY, Amazon.com and many other websites.

ANTIQUARK REVIEW : SAN DIEGO READER

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2009/nov/18/as-i-hear-it-trouble-wind-tim-23s-antiquark

Artist: AntiQuark

Song: “Drawer 4” (from the CD Skydancer)

Heard by: Rick Tiland

I think it’s industrial and original. It sounds almost retro ’80s with a new-age influence. I liked it a lot, actually. I’d like to know more about the artist and where they’re from. I would say they’re similar to Rob Zombie, Nine Inch Nails, maybe Tool. I think one of the lyrics was, “Leave my mansion.” The person seemed frustrated. Maybe it was a long night at a party and there were still a lot of people at the house and he just wants everyone to get out of his hair. Maybe the mansion is his head. Maybe he’s a frustrated artist who’s sick of people. I think they’re a little bit ahead of their time, so I think they might have some difficulty getting enough mainstream [exposure].

Andy (Bluvertigo) intervista

Andy dei Bluvertigo intervistato da Ant Dakini di AntiQuark – 24 Novembre 2009.

Ant: Ciao Andy! Raccontaci un po’ come, dove e quando hai iniziato a maneggiare strumenti, i tuoi primi piccoli ricordi musicali e quali strumenti suoni in generale.

Andy: Quando ero piccolo arrivò un organetto a casa, ne ero affascinato e mi divertiva molto strimpellare.Come sempre, poca tecnica e molta efficacia. Nessuno a casa avrebbe
immaginato diventasse uno dei miei mestieri, ma mi hanno sempre incoraggiato.
Ho iniziato con i sintetizzatori ma il mio strumento è il sax, poi il piano, male la chitarra, mi piace andare a caccia di strumenti insoliti come il theremin o l’autoharp.

Ant: Hai avuto modo di avere esperienze musicali sia in gruppi musicali che come solista. Che differenza c’e’ quando componi e suoni in un gruppo e quando sei solista a livello emotivo e intellettuale. Cosa preferisci l’anima solitaria o quella di gruppo?
Hai dei progetti solisti all’orizzonte? Dischi?

Andy: Per quel che è stata la mia esperienza far parte di un gruppo significa interagire creativamente,
il ruolo che ho sempre preferito è quello del motivatore, ho cercato di esaltare le idee unendole alle mie, nonostante una naturale gerarchia nella quale ognuno trova la propria collocazione come meglio può. Oggi da solista mi sento libero da un lato, dispersivo dall’altro.
Sono così tante le possibilità…il mio lavoro è in ritardo perché la mia intenzione è quella di unificare musica e pittura. Non ho trovato ancora l’identità che cerco nel confezionare
il progetto, ci sto lavorando.

Andy dei Bluvertigo

Ant: Parliamo delle case discografiche (argomento infimo). Credi che la tua vita sarebbe stata migliore o peggiore se non avessi dovuto a che fare con una major label ad un certo punto della tua vita? Ci sono delle lezioni che hai imparato e che vorresti condividere con i nostri giovani amici musicisti?

Andy: Penso che rivedere i percorsi col senno di poi ti permetta una manipolazione del passato così vasta che rischierei di perdere il senso. La ricerca del gruppo è stata quella di entrare in un meccanismo multinazionale in modo da potersi esprimere liberamente in un sistema che per logiche di mercato spesso non lo consente. Se ci fosse stata un po’ più di consapevolezza o di tutela
da parte dei manager forse sarebbe andata meglio, d’altronde o fai l’artista o ti occupi di affari.
Chi riesce a farlo probabilmente ha trovato una sinergia con gli addetti ai lavori più efficace.
Devo ammettere però che da parte della SONY c’è sempre stato molto rispetto verso la nostra determinazione. L’unico suggerimento ai più giovani è di non fermarsi davanti agli ostacoli del mercato. Una buona idea può conseguire a un buon business e non viceversa.

Ant: Da dove arriva la tua ispirazione quando componi musica? La musica puo’ parlare di tutto per te o di argomenti come politica/religione non vuoi parlarne nelle tue canzoni o credi che tutto sia politica alla fine.
Hai dei modelli musicali?

Andy: Le canzoni che scrivo sono presenti nella mia mente da anni, ora le sto mettendo in atto. Mi piace il percorso creativo perché non so dove mi porta. Nei testi parlo dgli stati d’animo, punti di vista interiori.
Sono infinite le ispirazioni musicali, dai Depeche Mode a David Bowie, dai Nine Inch Nails, ai Talking Heads.

Ant: Oltre a essere un musicista sei anche un pittore e artista grafico. Come riesci ad amalgamare musica e arti visive?. Credi che la musica possa essere pittura e viceversa (si puo’ dipingere con le note ecc. o suonare con i pennelli?)

Andy: Ricerco l’analogia tra le due forme d’espressione da diverso tempo, cerco di applicare lo stesso meccanismo creativo, dipingere un quadro è come arrangiare un pezzo, sì…mi ci ritrovo molto.

Andy dei Bluvertigo

Studio Fluon

Ant: L’America. Come ti ha ricevuto l’America a livello artistico? Ti piace l’America? cosa ne pensi a livello artistico, sociale e culturale? Come si puo’ comparare all’Italia e Europa.

Andy: Ho partecipato a due mostre a Miami, ho avuto la possibilità di presentare il mio lavoro con la
massima piacevolezza, penso che parlare di America sia un po’ vago, per me New York è un mondo a sé e non c’entra nulla con Miami…dovrei viaggiare un po’ di più.
Mi ha colpito molto l’entusiasmo a Miami, penso che le logiche di meritocrazia siano molto più evolute rispetto all’italia…meno snob?
Mi ha altrettanto colpito la contraddizione sociale e la scalinata che divide ricchi da poveri in una distanza di sole tre vie..

Geisha Gold di Andy (Bluvertigo)

Linoleum di Andy (Bluvertigo)

Ant: So che sei anche un DJ. Che tipo di musica proponi? E’ giusto secondo te che molti DJ vengano trattati come divinita’ a scapito di tanti compositori fenomenali che non vengono notati. Ritieni che i DJ meritino il valore (e i soldi) che spesso la gente attribuisce loro?

Andy: Penso che un’epoca sia spesso rappresentata anche dai personaggi che la animano.
Negli anni settanta e ottanta i DJ avevano un’importanza totale perché divulgavano la musica che i musicisti suonavano, oggi è differente…sono cambiati i meccanismi di aggregazione.
Non ho giudizi a riguardo, penso che se un DJ raggiunge la credibilità necessaria per ricevere molto denaro sono contento per lui.
Il mio DJ-set è composto da musiche che hanno animato la mia adolescenza insieme a creazioni
attuali che la richiamano.

Ant: Che rapporto hai con la TV, come oggetto e come media. La guardi o no? Hai partecipato a programmi Tv come ti sei sentito? Ti piacerebbe fare TV di piu’ o no?

Andy: Sono molto affascinato dai documentari in tv, di notte mi ci dedico…per il resto non la seguo molto, mi sembra uno strumento utile al mio lavoro ma socialmente pericoloso.

Ant: Curiosita’ varie:
Cosa ami fare nel tempo libero sempre se ne hai? Hobbies etc.

Andy: Mi piace viaggiare, conoscere culture estranee al mio modo di vivere.

Ant: Raccontaci la giornata tipo nel tuo capannone…ti alzi che tipo di colazione fai ecc…che fai tutto il di’, cosa mangi sei vegetariano, vegano o mangi tutto?

Andy: Mi alzo e bevo caffè espresso e acqua…malsano mi rendo conto. Mangio di tutto, non sono ancora
in grado di scegliere davvero sulla mia alimentazione, però è già meglio di prima.

Ant: Che tipo sei, ami il casino, locali, rumore, citta’ o sei piu’ eremita, solitario per conto tuo? Estroverso o introverso?
Che rapporto hai con la gente? Ami la gente o la odi, ti ci trovi bene o a disagio?

Andy: Ci sono dei periodi di maggior chiusura e altri di espansione e dispersione, in genere amo la gente e so che se mi sento a mio agio in mezzo alla gente vuol dire che sono energeticamente carico.

Ant: Ti piacciono i cani o i gatti? (sei una dog-person o cat-person e perche’?)

Andy: Amo tutti gli animali preferisco i cani ma sono uno spirito libero, quindi ipotizzando una convivenza preferisco l’indipendenza del gatto.

Ant: Il tuo elemento preferito, che ti descrive? (acqua/aria/terra fuoco?)

Andy: Aria e fuoco.

Ant: Credi che il mondo finira’ nel 2012 seguendo il calendario Maya (eh eh), …credi comunque che gli esseri umani si estingueranno in un piu’ o meno prossimo futuro o no? Sei ottimista o pessimista a riguardo?
Vedi l’Universo con un certo tipo di spiritualita’ o no? Credi che in generale il livello spirituale degli abitanti della Terra si stia evolvendo anche se quello che si legge sui giornali fa pensare all’opposto?

Andy: Non penso che il mondo finirà, mi spiace che l’ipotesi del 2012 sia diventata quasi uno spot pubblicitario. A mio parere la storia andrebbe riscritta, sono così vaste le possibilità…mi limito a stare ai bordi del discorso perché è troppo ampio.
Penso che sia un’epoca di trasformazione, lo sento molto.
Credo nelle dimensioni parallele e in tutto quel che riguarda la possibilità di evoluzione spirituale
Di ogni individuo a prescindere dalle religioni o dalle scienze.

Ant: Sai cos’e’ la legge di attrazione e la applichi nella tua vita?

Andy: Penso di saperlo, mi piace molto la visione taoista a riguardo,per ora studio quella, è un lungo
percorso.

Mary Today di Andy (Bluvertigo)

Ant: Messaggio per i lettori?

Andy:Grazie per l’attenzione

Ant: Ciao Andy! Grazie di tutto.

Andy si trova su myspace a www.myspace.com/fluon

ANT DAKINI’S INTERVIEW PORTRAIT BY NESREEN

Nesreen a multi-talented young woman (singer, writer and much more!) wrote this wonderful report on Ant Dakini for Musician Spotlight Independent Project. Please check Nesreen’s wonderful voice at http://www.myspace.com/nesreenmmehdi

Musician Spotlight: Ant Dakini

Ant Dakini is an unconventional woman, who nourishes her soul through the innovative pursuit of the passions in her life. Through her musical endeavors as well as outside of them, Ant has also shown compassion in her surrounding community on both a local and universal level. Ant is the creator and other half of AntiQuark, a San Diego electronic band. Their music is hard to pin into just one category. It is an independent departure from mainstream, with roots to many techno and other forms of music world-wide but mainly European, specifically the large electronic movement in England and Germany. Each song experiments with different sounds ranging from Tahitian tribal drums providing a strong beat to Italian military chants spliced into a dance track, giving the music a sense of diversity and ingenuity. Born and raised in Italy, Ant showed early signs of musical talent.

At an intuitive age of 4, she found herself learning to read music by ear, without direction. By the age of 10, she had begun classical piano lessons. She went on to study piano for the next four years at the Italian Conservatorio in Torino and although Ant enjoyed this type of music she was not solely satisfied with the confinement of recreating and repeating the works of others (Ant Dakini Biography). She was more interested in creating her own music and not in rigorously training as a career classical musician. Ant decided instead, to pursue another academic passion and chose to study marine biology. She received her Master’s degree in this subject and went on to a career as a marine scientist specializing in sharks. Meanwhile, she joined a cover band as a teen then an all female radical punk band in 1992 before she moved to San Diego in 1997. She started her current band, AntiQuark as a solo project in 2001 with Sergio joining in 2006 (Antiquark on MySpace). From 2002 to 2006 she completed a degree in sound engineering and recording art and has been working with Sergio to produce their recent album and has toured worldwide.

When Ant describes her influences, they are varied and timely. She explains how classical music has been an underlying influence because of her training as well as pop, punk, metal, experimental and noise genres in the 80’s. The next decade would bring the influence of electronic music as well as bands such as Alice in Chains and Simple Mind. Her current band’s music falls into the electronic genre as well as pop, experimental and dance. Her audiences, just as her sound, are eclectic and diverse. AntiQuark has entertained fans of all ages, races and of all musical tastes. AntiQuark’s repertoire is all self written music and lyrics, recording only one cover for a compilation album, Ant describes, “We don’t like doing covers because we like to be creative and do our own thing.” Ant Dakini is the composer and producer of the band and plays the keyboard while Sergio writes and sings vocals. At shows, they usually play songs off of their most recent album, “SkyDancer” and occasionally play songs off of past albums Ant produced before Sergio’s addition. Ant is featured n many compilation and her songs have also been frequently remixed .The instruments that Ant uses are the keyboard and computers and musical software programs. Through this she is able to create an infinite number of sounds and combinations to fit each song. The band also occasionally uses electric guitars and live percussion.

Tracks from ‘SkyDancer’ are brimming with energy, having both a haunting and uplifting feel at the same time. The mixture of elements transcends popular music and creates a distinctive profound quality. One of my favorite tracks, ‘Planet X’, does just this as the voice samples, fluid beat, futuristic and rough effects and smooth vocals bring forth the imminent crisis of the world’s obsession with consumption. Another song titled, ‘La Fine’ is a beautiful and lively intermingling of drums and nature sounds, and in my opinion, is a tribute to wildlife. Whether it is through the mood of the music or the lyrics themselves, messages like these need to be communicated through music since it is such an influential medium.

Ant aspires to write more music and continue to release her creativity in the future. This is an important objective in the conception of her music yet she also has a goal that relates to the connection with her audience. She aims to communicate and reach people at a deeper level of understanding and share a part of herself through her music. She would like for people to truly enjoy her performances, feeling as though it was a meaningful experience.

Keeping with the common theme of variety, the shows Ant plays are also diversified. Venues range from discos or clubs to bars and even large festivals. She describes that there have been shows at dive bars with only five people present and huge festivals in Europe housing over 2000 people. One show that she remembers fondly was at the Social Center in East Germany. She describes her European shows as more exciting since the electronic music scene carries more momentum there. The show in Germany shares a certain quality with many European shows in that they are often held in abandoned warehouses, entertain an independent art crowd and are at the edge of legality. At their shows, Ant uses some prerecorded material as it would be impossible to play all the parts herself. She must stay on beat but does have the liberty to make changes if she chooses. It all goes through a PA system and is apparently relatively simple to set up. Ant describes their shows and explains that she is somewhat physically restricted to be behind the keyboard but that Sergio does engage the audience uses the stage area while singing. She also explains her ambitions for forthcoming shows. She includes a visual component in every show, displaying clips and images that compliment the music and add to the experience, creating more energy.

In addition to AntiQuark, Ant also composes music for films and works as a freelance audio engineer. She has scored many films including, ‘Litorra’, ‘The Second Movement’, ‘The Wetlands’ and ‘In the Dark’. Ant Dakini was honored for her talents and won the first prize in the 2005 Media Arts Award Competition – Audio Category (composer, engineer and producer) for the album Neon H. The award was sponsored by the Multimedia and Entertainment Initiative of the California Colleges’ Economic and Workforce Development Program (Ant Dakini on MySpace).

Ant describes her association and experiences with two types of communities. First, she laments that although she enjoys San Diego, the community within musicians has been discouraging. She has tried to reach out and unite other electronic artists and has not had been satisfied with the outcome. The music community here, in comparison with Europe is much more private and not as social. This can be a detrimental quality as social networking can lead to unique opportunities and synergy, and the case of activism through music, the voices of many versus one can make more of an impact. Next, she describes her involvement with the general community. AntiQuark has played many charity shows advocating several causes such as women’s rights, gay pride, and animal rights. Aside from her musical statements and support projects, Ant is furthermore committed to the conservation of the marine animals, especially sharks. A friend of animals, she also works as a volunteer for a rescue association in San Diego (Ant Dakini Biography).

Ant Dakini’s determination and motivation are a great inspiration to many women and are even more sincere because they root from intrinsic sources. It is clear that she enjoys what she does, whether it is in her career life or in her free time. She has utilized her talent without degrading the content and her creativity which is a feat in itself. To many, this is what constitutes true art.

Nesreen
http://www.myspace.com/nesreenmmehdi

New shark book with pictures by Ant Dakini

This wonderful new book includes some pictures that Ant Dakini took at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum.

The book can be ordered from the publisher, McFarland:
http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-4183-9