It was our first time at the Garden, and we sang the song "Tout le Monde," which was fantastic. A really cool place.”
Wikimetal (Nando Machado): Cristina, first of all, I would like to thank you for your time.
Cristina Scabbia: No problem, the pleasure is mine.
W (NM): I'm one of the hosts of Wikimetal, the number one heavy metal podcast in Brazil, and I'm here with another host, Daniel.
W (Daniel Dystyler): Hi Cristina. How are you?
CS: I'm great, and you?
W (DD): Excellent. Just to give you some background, Wikimetal is the heavy metal and hard rock podcast in Brazil, and it's truly an honor to have you here because of everything you've done for heavy metal so far. So, on behalf of all Brazilian headbangers, I'd like to thank you, and welcome to Wikimetal.
CS: Thank you very much! The pleasure is all mine.
W (NM): Speaking of the beginning of your career, what do you consider to be the main influences that led you to pursue a career singing heavy metal?
CS: I think it happened when I started going to metal pubs in Milan, so I started listening to music from Metallica, Pantera, bands like Paradise Lost, particularly those darker bands. And what happened was that the other guys in the band, like Marco, the bassist, and Andrea, they had a band together and asked me to do backing vocals on the songs they were writing because they wanted to produce a promotional tape to send to record labels they were interested in. And they liked the result of the combination of my voice with Andrea's voice on the song, and they asked me to stay, and that's how it happened.
W (DD): You guys just got back from an amazing tour with Megadeth, Motörhead and Volbeat, and arguably two of the most intimidating metal heroes, Lemmy and Dave Mustaine. How was that?
CS: Well, I have to say it was incredible, because, you know, I've known Dave for a few years now, because we worked together in 2007 as well. And we made the music together, so I'm not intimidated at all, I know him. And I met Lemmy for the first time on tour, and I have to say he's a very good man, despite being known by everyone as this iconic figure, he's very genuine, very kind, he's a gentleman, so it was a pleasure to meet him and all the guys from Motörhead.
W (DD): I was going to ask that, Cristina, what was it like singing “Tout le Monde” with Dave Mustaine?
CS: Oh, it was fantastic, it was a great opportunity for me because I wasn't expecting anything like it. Basically, I received an email from my manager asking… saying that their agent wanted to do a collaboration. And when I recorded my part, Megadeth wasn't in the studio, just me and the producer, and we recorded the song alone because they had already started the tour, so they had already left the UK, where we recorded the album. It was really cool to know that someone who plays a different kind of music knew my name and wanted to play with me, because we weren't friends before that, we had never met. It was really cool.
W (NM): You also had the experience of playing at Madison Square Garden on this tour, didn't you?
CS: Yes
W (NM): Was this your first time playing at the Garden?
CS: It was our first time at the Garden, and we sang the song, we sang “Tout le Monde” every night, which was fantastic. A really cool place….
W (NM): A historic place too, isn't it?
CS: Ah, yes, yes. I don't think there are many bands that can say they've played at the Garden.
So don't just focus on the glamorous side, because this career involves a lot of work and sacrifice; be prepared for that too.”
W (NM): Yes, you're right, you're absolutely right. We have a classic question on our show, one that we ask everyone we interview, which is: imagine you're listening to a rock station on the radio, driving your car, or whatever, listening to your iPod on shuffle, and suddenly a song starts playing that makes you lose your mind, you start headbanging wherever you are. What song would that be so we can listen to it now?
CS: Let me think… Let me think… Well, I think “Ace of Spades” would be a good choice, but there are so many good songs. If it were something I absolutely love… I’d say any song by Type O Negative.
W (NM): Type O Negative? Do you want to change your choice of "Ace of Spades" to Type O Negative?
CS: Oh, dear… Tough choice. Let's go with Type O Negative because I really like them.
W (NM): Which song?
CS: I think a fun song is “My girlfriend's girlfriend”, which is probably an unusual choice, everyone would probably choose “Black No. 1”, but “My girlfriend's girlfriend” is a really cool song, it has a 70s vibe, and it shows the ironic side of Type O Negative, so let's go with that one.
W (NM): So, for the first time on our program: Type O Negative, on Wikimetal.
CS: Yes! I'm happy about that!
W (DD): Cristina, we heard that before you go on stage at a show, you get together and shout something in Italian, is that true?
CS: Yes, that's true.
W (NM): Could you repeat that here?
CS: Oh, no. It's a thing between us, but it's a little ritual we've had for a while now. We've always had a sequence of rituals that we do before we perform. Sometimes we change it, and there are some things that stay the same for a few years. But it's really cool, you know, it warms you up and gets you ready for a fight, you know? It's like, "Let's get ready for the fight, let's kick ass."
W (NM): Speaking of your latest album, “Dark Adrenaline,” we think it’s the best album you’ve ever recorded. Can you tell us how the album has been received so far?
CS: Thank you. I definitely share your opinion, because it's an album that contains many new influences, but also many reminiscences and the vibe of Lacuna Coil's older albums. There are some songs that could have been on the first EP, or on the first works we did. But at the same time, there's a very new vibe, and a great production, with a heavier sound with more guitar solos. It's the darkest album of our careers, so I really like it.
W (DD): It definitely addresses the darker aspects of human existence, right?
CS: Yes.
W (DD): You guys put more guitar solos on this album compared to previous Lacuna Coil albums. I personally love this direction you've taken. Why did this happen and what do you think about it?
CS: Because every song has a different story and a different life, so for the other songs, a solo wasn't absolutely necessary, but these types of songs needed guitar solos, which is why we included so many.
W (DD): I saw that you recorded a video to raise awareness about bullying. That's a great effort, and we always like to help any initiatives from heavy metal artists and bands that can contribute to a better society in the future. Why did you choose bullying as the theme to combat it?
CS: Because it's always a great cause to fight against the bad things in our society, and bullying is such a stupid thing to do. And sometimes you just need a little more self-confidence to face the problem. I see so many children who are teased just for the way they dress or the music they like. And that's a way of taking advantage of people who are a little more insecure and need confidence. So I think this is a good cause, and when they asked us to make the video, if we wanted to, we immediately agreed.
W (DD): Yes, it is. It's a great cause.
W (NM): Cristina, let me change the subject a little. You shared the stage with Dave Mustaine singing “Tout le Monde,” with which other heavy metal artists would you like to share the stage? And also artists who aren't heavy metal that you admire and would like to sing with.
CS: Well, that would be cool… In the metal scene, I'd love to sing on stage with Motörhead, and that was actually planned, but Motörhead cancelled tonight's show and the show two nights ago because they were having some vocal problems. So, if I can, that's something I really want to do. They invited me, and I would love to do it with great pleasure. Outside of metal, I don't know, maybe it would be interesting to do something with Radiohead or Muse, or even some project with Jonathan Davis, I really like his work outside of Korn.
W (DD): Cristina, I don't know if you know, but Brazil is home to 25 million Italian-Brazilians, which is the largest number of people with full or partial Italian ancestry outside of Italy. Our third presenter, Rafael, has just arrived and he'd like to chat with you a bit in Italian, if you're interested.
CS: Yes, of course.
W (Rafael Masini): Hi, Cristina.
CS: Hi, how are you?
W (RM): Well, very well. I speak a little Italian because I lived near Milan in '92.
CS: Oh, that's cool, I'm from Milan.
W (RM): Yes, yes. It's difficult for me to remember the language. But if you speak slowly I can understand you, okay?
CS: Yes, yes, all right.
W (RM): Here in Brazil, we are experiencing a great moment for heavy metal. There are many bands, many shows by international bands, and we also have many national groups. Are there many heavy metal bands in Italy? Is there space for them to play, do shows, and promote their music throughout the country? What's it like?
CS: Well, I can't say much, because I spend little time in Italy. The last time I was in Milan, I only stayed three days. I don't really know what's going on, I just know there are a lot of groups. I can give you some names because they're friends of mine who play, but I can't give you a complete picture of the Italian underground scene right now.
W (RM): Ah, I understand. What a shame.
CS: That's true. I can tell you about a group called Cayne, it's a great group, one of our former guitarists plays in it. They also toured with us, they're very good. And besides that, there's another group called Duck, it's much more extreme, much more raw. And they're also very good, more technical.
W (RM): Cristina, you have a song called “Senza Fine” that’s in Italian, right? On the album “Unleashed Memories”. Does Lacuna want to release an entire album in Italian?
CS: No, an entire album in Italian doesn't make sense because, for us, rock and metal sounds better sung in English; it adapts better.
W (RM): Yes, like here.
CS: If, from time to time, a song in Italian emerges because it was born spontaneously, that's fine. But we don't force it.
W (RM): Cool, here too. Most of the groups play in English. But I really liked “Senza Fine”.
CS: It's because it suited the music well, but not all songs sound good in Italian. It depends on the song.
W (DD): Excellent, Cristina, we'll alternate between English and Italian, is that okay?
CS: Ok, no problem.
W (DD): Could you choose a Lacuna Coil song that you're very proud to have written, so we can listen to it now?
CS: From that album, it could be "I Don't Believe In Tomorrow" or "Intoxicated".
W (DD): So which one are we going to listen to?
CS: Let’s go with “I Don’t Believe In Tomorrow”.
W (NM): Cristina, Lacuna Coil has many young and teenage fans, in addition, of course, to the older fans. What would you say to a fifteen or fourteen-year-old girl who is thinking about forming a band and starting a singing career?
CS: First of all, they have to be honest with themselves and play the music they truly enjoy, because if you try to promote yourself in a musical scene you're not comfortable with, you're going to fail. So you have to sing with your heart, with passion, and you have to be sincere about what you're singing, and be completely convinced of what you're doing. More than anything, you have to realize that it's a very difficult job that not everyone can handle, so don't just focus on the glamorous part, because this career involves a lot of work and sacrifice, so be prepared for that too.
W (NM): It's great to hear that from you, Cristina, your words sound very much like what one of our mentors, Ian Gillan, told us the other day when we interviewed him.
CS: Of course, and that's true, because many people believe that the goal is to get a record deal, but that's just the beginning, because once you get that, that's when the hard work starts, you know, with touring, having to be away from your family, having to perform every night, even when you're tired, or sick, or have back pain, or if you'd rather be somewhere else. You can be away from home for months at a time, and most of the time, what people think isn't the truth, it's not reality.
"It's something between us, it's a little ritual we've had for a while, we've always had a sequence of rituals that we do before we perform."
W (RM): Cristina, in Italy, I went to the Iron Maiden, Metallica, and also Deep Purple concerts at the Verona Arena. I found a crowd very similar to the Brazilian ones, all going crazy. Do you think the Latin American audience is more fanatical?
CS: It's fanatical, good and bad. The wonderful thing is that the South American audience is very warm, they make a mess, they sing, they jump, they dance, and it's great for an artist. However, in the same way, they are also very closed-minded; if they prefer one musical genre, everything else is rubbish. And, conversely, this doesn't happen much in other places like England, the United States, and the rest of Europe, for example. They are much more closed off to one category.
W (RM): I understand.
W (DD): And speaking of the Latino population, what is your relationship with Brazil, with the fans, and do you know any Brazilian heavy metal bands?
CS: Well, besides Sepultura, I don't know many other bands, because my only contact with Brazilian fans is through my social media. I know that many people from Brazil write to me, they send messages every day. And I try to stay in touch with them all the time, replying to messages and posting things, but this will be the second time we're going there, so I think there's still time to build an even better relationship than we have now.
W (NM): Excellent. So, Cristina, we're coming to the end of our interview. First of all, I'd like to thank you for your time. As I told Mr. John Campbell when we spoke with him, from Lamb of God, you are responsible for keeping the flame of heavy metal, hard rock, and good quality music alive, so I'd also like to thank you for that. It's very important to have… Your band isn't necessarily new, but you are the new generation continuing, so thank you very much for everything you've done.
CS: You're welcome, I can't wait to see you guys there.
W (NM): Tell me a little about… You guys are very close, aren't you? Lamb of God, Hatebreed, and Lacuna Coil, you've played together many times, haven't you?
CS: Yes, we toured with them, we're friends.
W (NM): Excellent, we're promoting this show here, we think it's going to be one of the best shows of the year: Lacuna Coil, Hatebreed and Lamb of God here in São Paulo. Could you invite our listeners to this incredible show that's happening here at the end of the month?
CS: Absolutely, they have to go. I'm not inviting them because I'm sure everyone will go; it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because there will be three bands playing different things but with the same attitude, having fun, ready to rock the stage, so it's going to be a great party with Lamb of God and Hatebreed, so everyone has to go.
W (NM): Yes, we are very much looking forward to meeting you, and all of our listeners will certainly be there.
CS: Cool, that's great.
W (NM): Ok, Cristina, thank you very much.
W (RM): Thank you, Cristina. Thank you very much.
CS: Goodbye. Thank you all. Have a good week.
W (RM): Thank you. See you in Brazil.
CS: Bye, see you later.