Royal Ruckus Interview with the bands singer Guernica Mancini. November 25, 2014
– What’s new in the world of Guernica Mancini since our last interview in 2012?
Since 2012 a lot has changed, I moved back to Sweden. At first my intention was to get my Artist visa (which I did) and move back to LA to continue working on my music. But as soon as I started working with Oscar (the guitar player in RR) i knew this was what I had been looking for all along. We wanted the same things musically as well as musical goals. So during the summer 2012 we became a full band and the rest is history.
– How was it recording the Royal Ruckus EP #2?
We recorded the ep’s during the winter of 2013, it was originally intended as a full length album. But we decided to divide it in to two ep’s. We had one week in the studio that we split up throughout the month of December. It was fun, we recorded it at a studio on the country side.
– Where did the concepts for the EP titles come from for #1 and #2?
Well since we changed from wanting to release an album to divide it in to 2 parts it just seemed right to name it #1 and #2 haha. Not the most creative names, but less is more..
– How did you go about making the artwork for both EP’s?
We talked about a few different ideas but we liked it to be simple and clean. So the idea of silhouettes fit that perfectly.
– What is the strangest inspiration you’ve ever had for a song?
So far I can’t say I’ve had any strange situations that inspired any songs. It’s mostly conversations with people and situations I am currently in, or have been. Life in general.
– How important are music videos in the industry today?
How do they compare to videos from 20 years ago? I would say music videos today are more important than ever. Since people don’t buy music as much, videos are a great way to get noticed. And to show the world that you mean business, haha. As for 20 years ago, I just remember being hooked to MTV as a kid. But what the difference is I can’t tell you. It’s just as important today, as it was 20 years ago for me.
– The current single for Royal Rukus “Come On” has a great promo video. How long was the process for that video?
Thank you! Yeah we are really happy with the result. It took 1 day to shoot it. The hardest thing about that video was that I was walking in the rain for what felt like forever, and then had to wear the same thing all day. I’m just happy I didn’t get pneumonia. Haha.
– How is the music scene in your area these days? Are clubs still popular?
It’s not great in Sweden but we’ve managed to play quit a lot, but it’s a struggle. Live music isn’t as popular any more. We’ve played all sorts of venues and festivals. And so far we’ve been able to grow an audience the old fashioned way. And that something we’re proud of.
– Which notable bands and musicians have you played with throughout the years?
When I was back in LA I was part of the group ‘Souls on 11’ with Jeff Young (Megadeth), in which I got to share a stage with James Lomenzo and Debby Holiday, As well as work with Jimmy D’Anda and Jeff Bowders. That was a cool experience. But also messing around the studio on some dance tracks with producer Che Pope was exciting and cool. I also recorded my first demo with producer Darryl Swann (Macy Gary). Since being back in Sweden and part of Royal Ruckus, we’ve opened for Jay Smith (Swedish Idol winner) .
– Where do you see music in general going in 100 years from now?
Tough question, I hope all the music streaming sites will be a solid source of income and not just a marketing tool. As it is now. It would be cool if a totally new form of music was created. And people made it a priority to go see shows and experience live music more often.
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