Purveyors of fuzz from Florence, Go!Zilla have been together as a three piece since 2012. Since then, they’ve put out numerous recordings and have toured Europe and North America – plus it seems they’re adding a fourth member. We caught up with vocalist and lead guitarist Luca Landi ahead of their upcoming show in London this coming weekend (courtesy of ZAWAVES).
The Doughnut: You’re playing at The Lexington this Saturday night (16 January, 2016) with Dead Coast (London) and Elius Inferno & The Magic Octagram (Space, apparently). Have you played with either band before?
Luca Landi: We already played with the Dead Coast, they are amazing. And we saw Elius performing supporting the mighty Os Mutantes. Was a really intense show, they are at the really beginning of the band but I can see a bright future for them!
TD: Given your sound, what’s your favorite type of venue to play? Cathedral acoustics or carpeted pub?
LL: We played together about 400 shows, we really don’t make preferences, of course the best would be a performance in a big club with huge and amazing crowd, but is not always possible.
Let’s say a small place makes people sweat more and having them close to you it’s helping during the show. Big Festivals are also very intense but most depend on crowd and how the stage sounds…
TD: …and preferred bands to share a stage with on tour? The professionals or the party bus?
LL: (Laughs) Nice question! I think the party guys are always more funny to share the stage with also cause we’re definitely professionals of course, but we do care a lot about the party time after the show!
TD: What would you say is characteristic of a Go!Zilla show? What would make you say, “yeah, sounds like one of our shows”?
LL: Energy, big and powerful sounds and psychedelic moments into it. We are going to have a new element in the band from 2016 shows (Niccolò Odori) so in London you guys are going to watch a sort of “premiere” of the new line up.
TD: …and what’s a showstopper?
LL: we’re working on being a bit more “kraut” in some part of the show, we love the fast songs but I think we’re going to drop some of them for the new vest of the band.
TD: Recording or touring, what’s ultimately more fulfilling to the band?
LL: Both are important, two different moments of a musician’s life. We love to alternate them, touring could be really tiring and amazing at the same time.
I feel like I need to be inspired to record new things so we also have to start writing new songs with a certain mood and a dedication that is not easy to find.
TD: If you could remove one hassle from touring and gigging, one stone in your shoe, what would it be?
LL: We have a small car, 5 seater. We definitely want to get a new van. Sometimes sleeping on someone else’s couch is fine, but not every day like when it happened in the states. We ended up sleeping for 30 days everywhere but in a bed.
Go!Zilla – ‘Melting’
TD: As the lead guitarist and vocalist, which brings you more joy; singing and lyrics or wielding that sweet guitar tone?
LL: Playing guitar is what I started with, I started singing cause of Go!zilla. I wanted to express more and I thought that the only way for doing that at the most should have been mixing guitar and vocals.
TD: What makes your pedalboard unique? Any favourites in the chain?
LL: Definitely the Fuzz War pedal! Recently I’ve put back a Wah pedal on the chain that I haven’t use for ages.
TD: You seem pretty driven as a band, how would you know when you’ve made it?
LL: I don’t know really… when you start making a bit of a living out of your music and when you recognize that the road is not that hard as you thought.
TD: You’re working with at least three labels, how do you manage it all while otherwise busy? Does it make it easier or more complicated?
LL: The label are pretty co-ordinate between them and also they are doing different roles. the French one “Beast” is pressing vinyls, Italian “Black Candy” CDs, “Astrolizard” in the Us is making cassettes and “Algo” in Chile is doing digital and other stuff….we like to have more people working on different countries for us!
TD: What’s the next step in the plan for Go!Zilla? What will mark the next chapter in the band?
LL: As I told you before we’re extending the line up at 4 pieces, Niccolò Odori is going to play synthesizer and percussion, is a sort of a jolly. We know him since a while and I think it will be a great add for the recording session of our 3rd LP.
TD: You’ve mentioned you generally prefer playing shows abroad than you’re home town. No questions there – but what would a show in Firenze have that no other city could bring?
LL: Our friends. We’re going to play a big show in Florence on 27 February, right before the next US tour. I hope it’s gonna bring good luck for the dates!
TD: Have you ever considered playing South Africa? People are really into fuzz and psychedelic rock down there.
LL: A band of friends played there, The Night Beats. They told us (it was) was amazing. We’d love an experience like that in particular ‘cause what we lived in Mexico will stick in our mind forever. Basically we want to discover as much as possible, doing that holding a guitar is the best way possible!
TD: Lastly, we’re all excited for Saturday’s show. What do you enjoy about London?
LL: London, like the rest of England could be the best or the worst shit. I’m a sort of a gambler, you guys have a casino that I like right in front of Leicester Square.
Come on down to The Lexington this Saturday (16 January, 2016), or get your bones shook over on bandcamp.
