“WakeUpCall is a totally brand new rock band, but their members have been around, rockin’ the italian underground scene with their past projects, for years, even though their really young age. Their music is a mix of passion for rock, with hundreds of different shades….so just turn up your stereo and let the music do the talking…or even better, if you live in Italy, come to see them on their natural habitat…the show!”
Let’s start with the basics first – what brought the band together and what is the inspiration behind the band name?
There are different stories about when and how WakeUpCall started, one is that we started a rock n roll band just for the glory….and this is absolutely not truth, hell no. Another one is because we love rock n roll, and this can be a little truth, then we have the money reason, but we realized there’re no money for young rock n roll bands. Last but not least is because the girls, and this, my friend, is the only reason why WakeUpCall exist.
About the name, I’m sorry but there’s no big deal or cool story behind it…we were just looking for something cool, everybody came with lots of names and we chose WakeUpCall because we thought it sounds really cool. I’ll tell you the truth…I stole it from Europe song “wake up call”!
You have twenty seconds in an elevator to try and convince someone to listen to your music, what do you tell them?
Hey, if you like good music, good rock n roll with some hard guitars and catchy melodies, listen to WakeUpCall, you won’t stop singing the songs…they will make you smile and cry, give them a chance!
Can you introduce each member of your band and give us a rock “n” roll fact or myth about each of them?
Olly – he is the guitar player, he’s my brother, we have the same tattoo on our shoulder “Blood on Blood”, he hates Slash and used to be “the wise” of the band…it means that when we are all drunk if we wake up all safe in our beds the next day is because of him.
Dario – bass player….ahahahah I don’t know which one of the hundreds of rock n roll/stupid facts about him I can tell you. Just look at his big smile on this pic:
Matt – is the rock n roll at its roots, rough and loud (and drunk).
About me (Tommy) – I don’t know…never trust a singer!
You have recently released your EP which features some great rock such as my favourite, Before I Fall. Can you give us an insight into the song and also the concept behind the video clip you recorded for the song?
Before I Fall was the last of the first songs we wrote when we started WakeUpCall and we needed new songs to record something with American producer Beau Hill (Alice Cooper, Eric Clapton…). Because it was the last song we wrote on that session, we decided to wait and didn’t record it soon, because we believe it has a great potential and we wanted to work more and without rushing it. So we started to work on Before I Fall later, recorded it during our second sessions and it came out to be the perfect single…so we also recorded the videoclip. The song is about a guy who used to don’t believe in love and had lots of different girls, but now he found the right one and he’s so afraid to make the same old mistakes and loose her.
In terms of your songwriting, what do you consider to be the most important ingredients that make up a WakeUpCall song?
The ingredients for a WakeUpCall song are: A cool riff with great melodies and a chorus that sticks in your head at the first listen…all played as loud as we can. Of course we believe lyrics are very important too, even if these days some of the biggest rock n roll bands you can hear on radios and TV don’t think the same. 
Is the process of songwriting a whole of band affair, or are there a few key contributors?
If it wasn’t a whole band affair, we wouldn’t be a band. Of course you have to start from something when you write a song, so when someone has an idea we start from that, and everybody give’s something to the song.
What or who inspires/influences your music the most?
We listen to lots of music everyday, every week we find out new cool bands and I think that everything you listen or have listened inspire and influence you. Personally my first loves were Bon Jovi, Aerosmith and Bryan Adams. These last few months I’m listening to bands such as Shinedown, Nickelback, 30 econds to mars, Papa Roach, Goo Goo Dolls….everything from Pop to Hard Rock / Alternative Rock.
What bands did you grow up listening to and how did they help create the style of music that can now be heard throughout your EP?
As I told you it’s all Bon Jovi fault…if it wasn’t for that juke-box on that beach, that summer…where I heard It’s My Life for the first time I wouldn’t be here writing. Soon after Bon Jovi I started get into the all 80s music, hair metal and glam bands. But these last years I completely change direction and now I’m a huge fan of Foo Fighters, Alterbridge, Shinedown, Sixx Am, 30 seconds to mars…and the mix between these bands and the other guys tastes is what you can hear on our EP.
What kind of movie do you think your music would be best suited to and why?
We got a song for every situation, but I’d love to see the end of a movie where the hero drives his car on the long highway at the sunset and you can hear a WakeUpCall song…we have some new songs that would fit perfect.
For those reading this who haven’t yet had the pleasure, how would you describe 45 minutes spent at a WakeUpCall live show?
Pure 100% true energy, we can’t afford fireworks, dancers and other stuff…so it’s just us, playing as hard as we can. We’re gonna sweat and your ears are gonna bleed. There were times when I had no voice and Olly or Matt hands hurt like hell, but we have always finished and gave the best we could.
You hail from Italy, for those reading this in galaxies far, far away, what do you have to say about the rock scene from which you originate?
It’s shit! ….rock n roll in italy is not big at all, most of the Italian music sucks, people prefer to go dancing to disco music or see tribute bands than see original rock bands, such a shame because there are really good bands here in Italy. This is the reason why we try to play as much as we can outside our country.
Of the gigs you have played so far, is there one that stands out from amongst the rest?
Personally there are some gigs that meant for me, as when we played with Heaven’s Basement (best UK band today) when they had their original line up. Or all the shows we have played few days ago in Holland, such great experience, even if the clubs weren’t full of hundreds of people but it was awesome because that tour showed me what this life I want so much is about…lots of sacrifices, letting people know about your music 1 by 1…it’s a long (and tough) way to the top, but that’s ok.
With 2011 already a few months down, here’s a chance to gaze into your crystal ball. In 2011, WakeUpCall will have:
1. Dario will leave the band to have success as actor in the porn buisness
2. WakeUpCall will tour the world with Bon Jovi
3. We are going to rob a bank to get the money to pay a huge promotion
Essential Information
From: Italy
Sounds Like: Rock and Roll with some hard guitars and catchy melodies
Band: Tommy – Vocals, Olly – Guitar, Dario – Bass, Matt – Drums
Website: Wake Up Call Facebook
Latest Release: Self Titled EP – 2010
