Today we get to know a little more about Simone Vignini. His brand new track "Always on my Mind" is featured in the New Artist Spotlight Family of Playlists. Be sure to give it a listen!
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𝟭. Where are you from and what are your hobbies?
Hi, I'm from Italy; over the years I've lived in different towns in Tuscany and Umbria: Cortona,
Castiglione del Lago (where I've lived in the past and where I'm currently living again), Pozzuolo
Umbro, Tuoro sul Trasimeno.
Now, beside music, family is my main occupation (and hobby too :-), I'm married and I have two
children, Maria and Francesco, one is 7 years old, and the other is 5 years old
𝟮. How did your get into music?
I started playing the guitar on my own at the age of 14. During my high school years I was part of
various rock bands like “The Flying Teapot”, “The Kids” and “Us-Filma” with whom I had my first
experience of studio recording when we released our first record “Fango” for the Sound City Records in Florence, I played with the same band in live concerts around all of Italy until the band broke up.
Afterwards, besides specializing in electric and acoustic guitar and becoming one of the most appreciated guitar musicians of the area, I also started learning about composition, arrangement and computer music.
In 90s I took part in a course of music informatics at the Music Academy Lizard in Fiesole (Florence).
In this period I started playing live as one-man-band in various Tuscan and Umbrian bars and pubs, I
took part in a national competition for composers and I won a grant for a “Specialization Course for
composers” at the “Centro Europeo di Toscolano” earning a legally recognized diploma as Composer.
As a composer I have collaborated with various publishers: Unifunk (Milan); Pagina 3 (Perugia); L’Altra Metà (Milan); Peer Southern (Milan).
Since mid 90s I have been playing live music professionally, especially with my duo, “Guty & Simone” in various bars, pubs, meetings, shopping centres, private parties with an average of 150/200 live concerts a year.
In the 2000s I created a new rock band, “Matisse Art Project Band”, with which we proposed live music from bands like Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Police, Nirvana, U2 , James Brown, The Who, Dire Straits, Santana, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, Queen, Jimmy Hendrix and many others; with this band I've recorded also an album of originals titled “Incoerenten.1” which was then followed by
a live tour. From the end of the 90s till the end of the 2000s I taught acoustic and electric Guitar at a Music school, “Centro Accademico Musicale” in Castiglione del Lago, Perugia, and held courses of Ensemble Music for the secondary schools.
In addition to the compositional and teaching activities, in the end of 2000s I formed a new band called Rosamistica with whom we've recorded new songs and played live gigs for a couple of years.
In 2010 I've been part of a literary and music project together with some of the best Italian guitar players called “Grand Hotel des Guitars”; this project resulted in the publication of an eponymous book + CD and a series of concerts and readings all around Italy;
Over the years I have developed a wide knowledge of computer music on both PC and Mac, specializing in the main softwares (Cubase, Pro Tools, Wavelab etc.) and plug-ins.
I have studied various techniques of recording, paying particular attention to sound experimentation and the use of a wide range of real and virtual instruments and synths.
𝟯. Who are your biggest influences?
Mmmh...very hard to answer :-) The list is literally endless!! I'm used to listen and play all music genres,
from Rock to Bossa Nova, from Classical to Jazz and so on..Some of my favourites are: The Beatles,
King Crimson, Chopin, Gershwin, Tom Jobim, Lucio Battisti, Lucio Dalla, Dire Straits, U2, Cure,
Santana, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Paolo Conte...just to name a few.
4. What are your goals in the music industry?
As professional musician my main activity has always been live music (playin' mostly covers) but
obviously I'd love to have the chance to get my music heard more and more so far as to become a job;
5. If you could choose a location to perform at, what would it be?
During my musical career I've played in many beautiful locations....I'd love to play again in a theatre, no
matter which one in particular!!
6. What is your all-time favorite song?
That's a very difficult question!!! Mmmmh....One of my favorite song is Sultans of swing by Dire Straits but I could mention several more that are in the same level
7. Most embarrassing moment?
During a live game show in front of millions of people I gave a wrong answer and the result was very
funny and embarrassing since my answer turned out to be an involuntary sexual double sense!!
8. Proudest accomplishment?
When I was younger I never could have hoped to get married and have children; honestly, I have to thank God for this; my proudest accomplishment is to have changed ways at a certain point (after a
disappointment in love) trying to follow Jesus; it was an act of transgression because previously I was
known to be intensely anti-clerical so many friends and acquaintances didn't recognize the person I had
become; life's just a big adventure full of surprises...
9. What is something about you that might surprise someone who knows you the best?
It would be a surprise to find out that my first passion wasn't music but fine arts. In fact, as a child I spent a lot of time drawing and painting....I've participated also in some painting competitions!!
𝟭𝟬. What is your dream collaboration?
A famous singer or band recording and performing one of my songs....If that could happen, that would be a dream come true!!
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