Paola Pellegrini – Paola Pellegrini LEXROCK – Uber Rock Interview Exclusive
Written by Ross Welford
Sunday, 30 August 2015 04:00
Hi Paola thanks for taking the time to chat today.
Hello Ross. It’s my pleasure.
After listening to your album, I’d suggest you had a strong love for Joan Jett a powerful women in the world of rock. Is this something that is accurate and more importantly, something that you aspire too?
Thank you. Many people compare me to Joan Jett and for me it is a great honour. I simply love rock and in my music I put all the passion and energy I can muster, but I do not mind if I’m told I sound like someone, especially someone like Joan. I have my own style which finds its roots in the great musicians of rock, including Joan, that for me, being a woman, it is important to have that identity.
Kepping on influences for a moment than I think the Ramones also scream out at the listener on ‘Dreams Come True’ your latest album – are they (along with Jett) a leading influence in your rock upbringing?
Yes, I also think the Ramones music is a great source of inspiration for me. As I said I love rock music when is wild and direct, when you cannot sit down while you are listening to it! (laughing)
The reception to ‘Dreams Come True’ seems to have been good – do you think you achieved what you set out to do or has it just made you want more?
I’m really proud of this album, that is my first professional one, and I’m having very good reviews, and not only from Italy. Of course I want more though. This record to me is both a point of arrival and a point of departure all at the same time.
Throughout the whole album there seems to be a positive message being delivered via your lyrics – one of hope to a certain extent – was this a planned move or something that grew organically?
In my music I express my feelings and what I believe. ‘Dreams Come True’ is all about love: not mawkish or superficial love, but love translated into music, sometimes angry, sometimes poetic, sometimes fun, but all the time with great passion and emotion. Even in the darkest and aggressive episodes i.e. the song ‘Amore Abissale’ or ‘Abyssal Love’, the underlying message of the record is hope. Dreams can come true, including the dream of true love. We should always keep moving forward believing in it, even when we know that pain and sorrow will always try to make their way into every searching moment for lasting happiness. And for me to have made this album is a dream that came true.
Have you always worked alone musically?
Ever since I was a little girl I have been playing guitar and writing songs. Having been a member of various bands, I started my solo career: PAOLA PELLEGRINI LEXROCK, coining the terms LEX=LAW and ROCK to describe my commitment to protect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of people (my day job is as a criminal lawyer) and the sense of disruptive force and love for authenticity which is ROCK.
You certainly make no secret of the fact that you are a lawyer by day and rocker by night – Is this something that is hard to balance? Both seem to need a lot of dedication to fulfil potential.
Oh yes, it’s not easy! But when you do things with great passion and you really believe in what you do, you find the way to make it.
As a musician then I’m intrigued to know if see yourself as a songwriter first or a guitarist first?
Firstly I’m a guitarist, and just a little step after I’m a songwriter. Simply because I could not write my songs without playing my guitar. (laughing)
As well as being a Lawyer and Rock Queen though, you are also an author. How do you manage that as well? Tell us a little about your books.
It’s certainly not an easy task describing me. Someone said that the term that best describes my diverse nature would be “polyhedral”, and I think this is right. I express myself in many ways, and one of these is writing. But my rock style is always there, even when I write. I have just published my first novel ‘Swallow Without Drowning’ (Bucchia Editore Publisher 2014): a rock and roll love story focused on the harder paths in life and finding answers to your deepest ambitions. The book is written in my own personal fast-paced hard rock style. I have also published a collection of short stories ‘Stray Rhythms in a Broken, Burned Up Lost Sky’ (2010 La Riflessione Publishers) which won several literary awards. I also wrote a legal memoir called ‘The Repression of Building abuses in criminal and administrative law of the European Court of human rights’ (Giappichelli Editore 2012).
There seems to be a massive growth in Italian rock at the moment – we’re inundated with Italian group’s debut albums here at Uber Rock – here in the UK the rock scene appears to be booming in Italy, why are so many new bands coming out?
This is very good. I think rock will never die and I’m happy to know that there are bands from Italy that are contacting you in the UK. I think this also happens because in Italy there is not a lot of space for rock music, so maybe people are trying to be noticed in countries where rock music has a long time tradition?
We’re always on the lookout for new bands to love – Are there any underground bands we should be checking out from your homeland?
Check out LOUD n’ PROUD, it’s a very nice radio station from Pistoia (Italy), my hometown. They usually play great underground Italian music.
Lastly then, a classic question that everyone loves us to ask them. You get to pick your ultimate rock festival line up. 1 day, 1 stage, 6 acts. Who would you have playing?
Ohh…….. Joan Jett, Marky Ramone, Guns N’ Roses (original line up), Iron Maiden, Judas Priest… and of course PAOLA PELLEGRINI LEXROCK! (laughing)
Thanks again Paola for taking the time to chat.
Grazie mille! For all the news, please visit my website: www.lexrock.it and my Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/paolapellegrinilexrock?
Ciao!!