The BIG Über Rock Interview – Tony Volume (Idol Lips)

Written by Dom Daley
Sunday, 26 August 2018 05:00

When a band’s promo lands on your desk, you put in on the player and immediately within 30 seconds it has your attention because those cats are singing off the same hymn sheet you are, and it’s pretty clear they have all the right credentials… then you don’t hear anything about them for a while! Then all of a sudden, they reappear on your radar when a great label picks up a band and releases an album and out of the blue you get asked to review this cool band.

Well, Idol Lips are like that. Picked up by Wanda Records they released their third and strongest album to date, so I thought it was about time we got in touch. I fired a bunch of questions at Tony Volume and this cool ass band of Italian punk rock ‘n’ rollers gave me the lowdown on what’s happening in Idol Lips world.

Firstly, I asked for a little history of the band – how long have the guys been playin, why play in a punk rock ‘n’ roll band and where the name come from…

Idol Lips were born around 2005, from the only guys who had a common love for old-fashioned heroes from the original punk scene. We lost our heart in 1977, the New York of CBGB’s and Max’s, where the Heartbreakers, Ramones and Dead Boys played at volume ten. [There was] only one big problem: we came out too late and from a little town, Cecano, in the centre of Italy, in the centre of nothing, with no clubs and no scene. We took our name from a lipstick, what else? Growing up with New York Dolls in your dreams? After few line-up changes the band is now four pieces: myself on vocals and guitar, Dee Blade on drums, Vale Blade on guitar (we three from the beginning) plus new one Adrian X on bass.

The new album has been picked up by Wanda in Germany; how did this come about?

We had the work almost ready, so we took a look around in search for a label to put out our new tunes. Wanda came in help and sincerely did a great work. so you have in your hand a great vinyl. We’re proud to be on the same label with bands we like such as the Stitches, the Crazy Squeeze and many others.

This is your third album after ‘Too Much For The City’ came out in 2006 then ‘scene repulisti’ in 2011: that was quite a gap between records, and then a bigger gap to this the new one, ‘Street Values’. Any reason for the gap?

I don’t think our new LP is what the world is needing! OK, seriously it’s really hard for us to keep on playing what we like. Our songs came out from incredible pain or rage, broken-hearted, broken bottles and all other stories rock ‘n’ roll is famous for. We do our little part. We don’t invent anything but we do it right.

The band has stayed true to its style is there much of a scene where you are? How does Italy do for rock ‘n’ roll?

The first song on ‘Street Values’ is called ‘Outta Scene’. If there’s one we’re not in. We only play out of fashion punk rock. In your face, or where you prefer…

Is the line-up more stable now? Tell us about the new album. Where did the inspiration come from and who handles the songwriting?

Actually, I think it’s the best line-up we’ve ever had. We recorded the new tunes with Danilo Silvestri and maybe for the first time, we managed to put our real sound and energy on vinyl. After some pre-production, we almost recorded it live in the studio. He knew a lot of tricks and did a really great work for us. Most of the songs, like previous works, are mine but on the new one there are some tunes from Vale but at last, it’s a choral work. Everyone added something. I feel we grew up more as a band.

As I said before our roots are in the first punk scene; we’re totally devoted to the patron saint of the losers, Mr Johnny Thunders.

Do you get to play many live shows, and what are the chances of you maybe playing live in the UK? There are some excellent bands around at the moment who are similar to you guys: is there anyone you’d like to play with?

Some years ago we played in London. Three gigs opening and as a backing band for the great Rick Blaze. A lot of fun and a lot of stories… today it’s getting harder to play in general, sure there are bands we’d love to share the stage with: The Stitches, Crazy Squeeze, The Briefs, The Gaggers, Cyanide Pills, The Spent Idols and many others… It would be great go back in the UK, so if someone reading can help us, write soon. We have some gigs in Italy in autumn scheduled and in December we’ll fly to Istanbul for some gigs too.

What are your plans for the immediate future and anything you’d like to tell the readers of Über Rock?

We’re a punk rock band, no future! Joking… maybe not… Thank you guys for keeping the faith alive in real rock’n’roll!

So, there you have it folks: the whole who, why and wherefores are now in print, so you can have no excuse for not checking out ‘Street Values‘.

https://www.facebook.com/idollipsband/