eclipsed: How long has Sherpa existed?
Matteo Dossena: Our project basically started in 2003, when we were very young, and I have been writing songs since I was eight. In the last two years we have concentrated on the Sherpa project. "Tanzlinde" is the result of these last two years of songwriting and experimentation, but also of thirteen years of evolution.
eclipsed: What were your musical role models and inspirations?
Dossena: We grew up in the nineties, so we mostly heard grunge, Britpop and post-rock. And of course we broadened our musical horizon. On this album I think the main influences come from Robert Wyatt, Alexander Tucker, Date Palms, Velvet Underground, Syd Barrett and "Revolver" from the Beatles. But that's just our opinion, everyone can have a different perception.
eclipsed: What does the band name Sherpa mean?
Dossena: Sherpas are an ethnic group living in Nepal, in the mountains of the Himalayas. They are famous for being the most reliable mountain guides. But we are also fascinated by the culture of these people who believe in human dignity. They never look down on others, even if someone breaks a fundamental moral law. For the Sherpas it is not important to be heroic, instead they value modesty and caution. They do not seek wealth, but share with those in need. We wanted to use this concept of "leadership" from people who know the way to the summit. Not only that of a mountain, but perhaps also that which stands at the end of a spiritual, personal or artistic path. We ourselves come from a mountain region and draw a lot of inspiration from nature.
eclipsed: What does the unusual album title "Tanzlinde" mean? Why did you choose a German title?
Dossena: A "dance lime tree" is something quite typical in some regions of Germany. A wooden scaffold with a large lime tree in the middle, which serves several purposes, including holding community meetings there. It protects people when they celebrate parties, sing and dance. We liked the idea of being protected by a gigantic tree while having fun with music. Our recording studio is in the country, and we have a huge oak tree that looks like a hand and protects our house front, a kind of Italian dance lime tree!
eclipsed: How much did the landscape of your home region inspire you?
Dossena: Very much indeed. Our music and our sound are the product of what surrounds us, practically in every sense. We come from Abruzzo, a small region in the centre of Italy. The view from our studio where we recorded the album is stunning! Huge mountains and enchanted green valleys. Total catharsis!
eclipsed: What was your approach to the first album?
Dossena: It's about growth and change. Let's say that this album gives us a new identity as a band, it is European, but open to the idea of world music.
eclipsed: Would you call your music neo-psych or psychedelic rock?
Dossena: You could ... but our compositions are always integrated into a clear song form. We improvise a lot live, but when we write, it's all about the soul and the structure of the song. What today is called neo-psych is often different, is not focused on these aspects. But if it's just about the sound itself, then yes. Surely we refer strongly to psychedelia, but perhaps more to the classics than to modern variants.
eclipsed: On your album you can sometimes hear influences of Syd Barrett and sometimes George Harrison in the Indian-influenced Beatles songs.
Dossena: Yes, these are important references for us. We love the Beatles and the very early Floyd! Furthermore, we were lucky enough to get in touch with Ayu Shi and Ila Maa, two singers from
Bengal. They were enthusiastic about the collaboration, and their voices contributed to making the experiment magical and exotic.
eclipsed: How did the homage "Robert W." get on the album?
Dossena: We all worship Robert Wyatt. He is probably one of the most important songwriters and musical innovators of our time.
eclipsed: How will you present your music live? Will you come to Germany, for example to the Burg Herzberg Festival?
Dossena: We would love to organize a tour abroad, especially in Germany, where our label Sulatron Records is stationed and our kind of music has a loyal following. This will be our next move.
eclipsed: Did you write new songs again?
Dossena: We are currently working on the live set for "Tanzlinde". It's a complicated and baroque album, so it takes a lot of work. We started this fascinating adventure on Sulatron Records and hope now that it doesn't stop. Our music project will definitely not stop, also because we are first of all big friends and then Sherpa.
* * * Interview: Walter Sehrer
