Les Fauves - Of Beans and Modernity

A conversation with Roberto Papavero, voice and guitar of Les Fauves: shortly after the release of their “N.A.L.T. 2 – Liquid Modernity“, we retrace their history, habits, (post-)modern visions, customs and traditions. Plus their upcoming live dates.

An original opener: hi Fauves! How's life treating you?

Hi! Not bad at all here. Spring is in the air, and that's a good thing if you're not allergic to pollen - and we're not!

Let's briefly go back over your history: why the “Fave” (Beans)? What idea, or intention, lies beneath (or alongside, or running through) the band?

We wanted a name that was short but not in English, and not in Italian either. Using a technical term felt too cold, so we opted for this one in French. French is always an elegant language. In the end we also liked the analogy with the expressionist movement, so here we are. Then, since people often pointed out the resemblance to the Italian word for beans, “le fave”, we adopted it as a nickname. In Tuscany they have endless fun with that.

The acronym “N.A.L.T.”: who was that?

It's a parody of “S.A.L.T.”, the agreements on limiting weapons of mass destruction between the United States and the Soviet Union dating back to the Cold War. Around the time of the first album, the drummer was studying contemporary history, and somehow we landed on this idea. We just changed the first letter to N, turning Strategic Arms Limitation Talks into Noise Arms Limitation Talks.

Is there any connection between your current line-up and this second N.A.L.T. chapter?

The line-up is the same as on the first record; if anything, what's changed is the production. Since this second album is entirely self-produced, we got closer to the idea of the album we'd had in mind from the very start.

“Liquid (post-)modernity” is a fascinating lens through which to read the present. Why did you make it your own?

When it came time to find a title that could hold together that whole jumble of sounds with no stable shape, the concept of liquidity practically came out on its own. Then, when I read Bauman, I realized that what he wrote had tremendous parallels with our music. At first I wanted to call it “Liquid Moderniti Aloha”, just so it wouldn't seem too serious, to give the whole thing an ironic slant - but in the end we just settled on “liquid modernity”.

How would you picture a possible “newest” new wave nowadays, also in light of the (numerous and significant) references one can trace in your own music?

Even though there are plenty of so-called “new wave” bands that we hold in huge regard, we're pretty skeptical when it comes to revivals. The fact that in the early 2000s a lot of bands went back to dig into that kind of sound is, in a way, a good thing. It's a strand of music that had been almost completely snubbed throughout the Nineties, despite having produced some of the finest work in contemporary music. The revival phenomenon itself, which has been especially noticeable in recent years, is nonetheless fascinating. It's as if after the Nineties people realized something had gone wrong with the direction music was taking, but instead of stepping in with something completely new and opposite, the way it happened at the end of the Seventies, everyone went looking backwards in time for a new starting point. I think the difference lies in the fact that people no longer look for something new in music. On the contrary, they look for something reassuring.

The obligatory question: how do you see the current Italian rock scene?

We think it still needs to fully come into its own. Our utopian dream is that one day it will find its own independent path and become music that's exportable and competitive on a global level, the way it already happens in other European countries. The problem with Italian music right now is the same one Italian art faced back when Marinetti invented Futurism: it carries a historical weight, a centuries-old tradition to reckon with, a beautiful language it rightly struggles to give up, and it's torn between the urge to try new things and the desire not to betray its own roots.

But let's get back to you: can you briefly tell us how the songs on your new album came about? What was your typical songwriting process, if there was one?

Usually I bring in an initial idea, often a rhythmic interplay or a chord progression or a rough structure, then we all work on it together, running through it several times and maybe recording it and listening back, then we work on the weaker parts, and we keep going until we reach a satisfying result.

The result, “N.A.L.T. 2”, is one of the most fruitful examples of alternative pop (Italian and otherwise) from the end of the 2000s: how are you promoting it?

Right now, apart from playing live a lot, we're thinking about putting together a suitable music video. After the summer, promotion abroad should kick off, and probably a European tour too — we'll see how it goes...

A typical show of yours: what should (or shouldn't) an unsuspecting spectator expect?

We have a rather unusual, atypical live set; if someone expects to see a typical rock band on stage they'll probably be disappointed, but anyone hoping to be surprised on a sonic level won't be able to complain.

Can you give us a quick reminder of your upcoming shows?

We'll be at Estragon in Bologna on April 24th with Julie's Haircut, on the 30th at Doria in Naples, on May 8th at Urban in Perugia, on the 16th at Calamita, while on the 22nd and 23rd we'll be opening for Ladytron at New Age in Treviso and at Hiroshima in Turin. On July 5th at SomenFest in Brescia and on July 16th at the music festival in Chianciano Terme. For updates, though, I'll point you to our Myspace page.

Any plans for the near, distant, or otherwise future? Any little hints about the third chapter of the trilogy?

I think we'll start recording again once winter comes. It'll probably be a much more intimate and minimal work compared to everything we've done so far.

Thanks and see you next time, Fave! Keep it up!

Thank you, bye and see you soon!

Ride the wave of great music

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