Pino Scotto, a charismatic and feisty singer

Pino Scotto represents, without a shadow of a doubt, the most important icon of national rock. Charismatic and feisty singer with marked blues influences, gifted with a deep and scratchy voice, he represents the best incarnation of the rocker figure ever to appear in Italy. His career officially began at the end of the 70s, when he recorded his first 45 with Pulsar; after some time he became the frontman of Vanadium, the most important heavy rock band on the Italian scene, with which he released eight great albums (seven of these at the rate of one a year, unthinkable for a rock band from the peninsula) and with which he could afford to undertake regular tours within and outside the borders of our country.

Musicwebzine – Hi, how did the idea of making a live album come about?
Pino Scotto – Hello everyone, well, the idea of creating a live record, it all started from the fact that, when Dog Eat Dog came out, almost 4 years, in the middle of the pandemic, there was the problem of not
being able to present it live, two weeks after the release, we were in full Lock Down! So, we were
stopped almost 2 years, however, then at the end of everything, we coul d finally start again with
live shows and contact with the public, which I really love! However, I couldn’t go on the road, with
an album, which came out 2/3 years earlier, so, in the meantime, I had already started thinking
about my new Rock/Blues album, which is already being worked on to the max in the studio these
months, but at the same time, I thought. “Why don’t we record a live album, without any tricks or
deception” and , so, in a concert in Bergamo, we decided to record entirely the live, all one
complete concert, so that we could bring both in merchandising, and in people’s homes, a bare live
of ours, a perfect Botleg in full 70’s style.

Musicwebzine – Is there a difference between what you listen to and what you actually play?
Pino Scotto – Well, absolutely there is so much difference, between what I listen to and what I sing and play, you can also hear it on my next Rock/Blues album. Sometimes I hear “great Pino, idol of rock in
Italy, I Vanadium etc etc” , yes, absolutely, but I also love the Blues, I am a Blues lov er! I listen to
blues, country, rock, jazz etc. In short, I love good music! There are no limits, and that’s what then
affects the writing of my songs! All this mixture I have inside my soul, and in my brain, make all
the ideas for new material flow out, l ike a cascade of new musical sap!

Musicwebzine – Do you have a superstitious ritual before going on stage?
Pino Scotto – Do I have a scamming ritual? Ahahahahah, no, there used to be my bottle of Jack ready in the dressing room, but, now now, I’ve given myself a stop for 6 year s. A casual ritual is what I tell my
band, before I go on stage, and that is , think about having fun, play the best you can and that’s what
I then also tell myself, I have to have fun and give joy to those who come to see me. And if one day,
I think “what the heck, I have to perform tonight too,” then it means that I will drop everything,
because if one day, I don’t feel like it anymore, I will leave the stage, but that is not in my thoughts
for now hehehe

Musicwebzine – Speaking of musical influences, who or what inspires you?
Pino Scotto – Ehehehehe, as I said before, I have like a waterfall, an ocean overflowing with music, ideas,
musical genres, from which my songs etc. are then born. Probably though, the artists that have
influenced me the most , for sure are: Elvis Presley , The Beatles, Rolling Stone, Jimi Hendrix, Deep
Purple and Led Zeppelin. However I always listened to good music until the 90s, then there ‘was a
cultural,human, social genocide! So that’s how the music we listen to today was born, you make a
judgment to what we listen to today dear ones.

Musicwebzine – What do you think of the Majors?
Pino Scotto – Ehehehe, Well, until the late 1990s, because so many records were being sold, there was so much investment, so much money available, the Majors were doing great. Today, except there are not
even Majors anymore, now they don’t invest on artists etc. better let it go. In recent years, the
Majors have created more mess than anything else, no longer supporting to the best of their ability,
serving the ignorant mass, to whom they sell str eaming etc., they don’t even print Albums, records
etc. anymore. So, my thoughts on the Majors, is not negative….more!

Musicwebzine – Greet our readers with a message!
Pino Scotto – Greetings to MusicWebZine and all of you! All the best Guys!!!