Ronin - The melancholy patchanka

The one-man-band and his ideas, the charismatic guitarist grappling with emotions to arrange, the poet in love with cinematic images, real or imagined, the world-music clown pervaded by the most intimate melancholy: Bruno Dorella and the sweet travail of his Ronin, in a brief chat

A snapshot of Ronin in 2009: can you briefly outline the band's current situation?

The lineup is the same as on "Lemming" (2007, ed.), with the difference that Nicola Ratti is no longer just a guest but has become a full member of the band. Artistically we're in great shape, physically a little less so.

How is this situation connected to the spirit of "L’ultimo re"? How does it permeate it?

Compared to the past, having a stable line-up has let me work more with the band. On the new album there are only two guests, while on the others there were a lot more. It sounds more rock, the tracks are more arranged, and Nicola's (Ratti, ed.) contribution on every track changes the coordinates compared to before, because his sound is much more “abstract” than mine and Marco Anicio's, who played on most of the previous records.

More generally, how did the concept take shape? Where did it originate from?

Two and a half years have passed since “Lemming”, it was a long process. I had fragments of these tracks in my head for quite a while, but for various reasons I couldn't make sense of the whole, couldn't make it cohesive, couldn't find a common thread. I moved to Berlin and my love life also changed considerably, which made everything more hazy. Then I had the idea of using a simple sentence as the concept for the whole album, and from there everything became easier: I imagined a film to score with the music, and all the tracks came to life, found their own solution.

Perhaps every one of your albums carries a global message (literary, artistic, musical). What's the one behind your latest record?

“Con le Budella dell’Ultimo Prete Impiccheremo l’Ultimo Re”. It's not a message, but it contains many elements of the Ronin aesthetic: anarchic self-indulgence, an attraction to death, tragedy, defeat, a very powerful image from which anyone can draw their own imaginary film.

A step back: your contribution to the soundtrack of “Vogliamo anche le rose”. First, tell us an anecdote or two about working on it, or about your relationship with director Alina Marazzi? How did you get the job?

We got the job through a simple phone call from the production. Gaia Giani played our music for Alina and a spark went off. Working with Alina and Gaia was then very easy, as well as enjoyable. They would send me parts of the film along with some suggestions about what they wanted from the music. I composed the main ideas, then Warner Chappell became interested in producing the soundtrack CD, which allowed us to record in an excellent studio with the very talented Ivan Rossi. The rest of the band, as usual, arranged my starting ideas beautifully, and since it was a soundtrack, we also allowed ourselves a bit more freedom, especially on the tracks that scored the “happier” moments of the film. We can't wait to work on a new film, it's really a field in which Ronin still have a lot to say.

In general, what's your compositional process? Do you think it's changed in any way after the film experience with Marazzi? And how much?

The process is that I bring in the main idea and the others arrange it. Since they're all much better musicians than me, the track usually turns out better than I had imagined. I do think, though, that the approach really changed after the soundtrack for Alina. Now I no longer compose only music that leans towards melancholy, sadness and tragedy, but also more “action-oriented” things. If Ronin's albums are music for imaginary films, there also have to be moments that aren't necessarily heart-wrenching. In musical terms, I'm also learning to compose in major keys.

So then... who takes the initiative in composing?

I do.

The band under the microscope. Bruno's guitar: is it lyrical, free to wander in a poetic sense, or is it in some way “illustrative” for the band around it (and the audience)?

I'm not sure I understood this question. Do you mean whether I allow myself the freedom to improvise?

Precisely.

In that case the answer is no. As a drummer I'm very ready to improvise, while as a guitarist I like to be very melodic and to have very defined, descriptive parts. So I'd go with answer number two: illustrative.

How do you put the arrangements together? Is it a planned-out process, or is it something more "heretical"?

It's a very heretical process. I show up with the idea and tell the others how I'd like their part to go. The problem is my instructions are pretty abstract, like: I want something heartbreaking, like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the desert"... or I want the bass to play the music for a French surfer's funeral...

Like I said before, I know I can do this because the rest of the band is so phenomenal that not only do they get what I mean, they pull it off better than I'd even imagined!

Your body of work under the microscope: the step (stylistic, musical) between the first EP and the first LP.

The first EP was the dress rehearsal. The first LP closed the circle on that period. I see them as very close together, a small step, I'd say. The main difference is the heavy use of strings on the first LP.

The step between the first LP and "Lemming".

This one's a big step. A lot of live experience and a nearly stable lineup after two years of acrobatics (a rotating cast of drummers and guitarists). A lot of help from the band on the arrangements, an analog recording (at Sauna studio) with much sharper ideas, and a big assist from Ghost Records.

The one between "Lemming" and "Vogliamo anche le rose" (wrapping up with "L'ultimo re").

"Vogliamo anche le rose" is a proper soundtrack, so it's a separate case compared to the albums. But it did mark the start of the collaboration with Ivan Rossi, who now records practically all my bands. "L'Ultimo re" somehow brings together both the evolution of "Lemming" and new elements coming from "Vogliamo anche le rose". I know it's an obvious thing to say, but it's the Ronin record I'm happiest with.

All these works make up the mosaic of your "patchanka". You're one of the most renowned and important "patchanka" bands on Italian soil. Do you like the "patchanka" label?

I think you're the first one to call us that. A lot of people have called us folk or post-rock. "Patchanka" doesn't thrill me, even though there's some truth to it. If "patchanka" means a mix of different musical styles with a lot of world music influences, then it fits us well enough. But the idea people have of that genre is something festive, something to dance and jump around to... from Mano Negra onward (who I love, and who coined the term), "patchanka" implies a mix of different styles built on a base of ska or otherwise danceable music, and I just don't see Ronin in that, we're too melancholic. If you're looking for taranta, look elsewhere.

Bruno, is there a flow of influences between your various projects (OvO, Bachi Da Pietra, Bar La Muerte) and Ronin, and vice versa?

I'd say no, I try to keep the projects very separate, and I think I manage it well. They're very different kinds of music, and I even play different instruments in the different bands. I don't like people who make the same music under dozens of different names... or at least, that's not what I want to do. There might be some minimal influence, but it's really well hidden. As for Bar La Muerte, these days running an underground label is just a gilded hobby...

Amarcord. Wolfango: what do you remember of those days?

Playing with Wolfango made me realize that music was what I wanted to do with my life, and thank goodness for that! I joined right at the point when I'd hung up my guitar for good. All my idols had made their first albums by the time they were 19, while at 19 I had just left the band I was in at the time. But playing drums fascinated me, so I went for it. It was great, totally naive, pure and unaware. These days I feel like I've made huge strides musically, even though the bands I play in now probably have less chance of becoming successful than Wolfango did. But nowadays I couldn't play music that simple anymore. I want more of a challenge.

A (temporary) conclusion: what are, and will be, Ronin's future directions?

I'm hoping for a lot more soundtracks, ones that, like the one for Alina, can open up new artistic directions.

A little space for promotion: let's mention the album's promo campaign, tour dates and anything else.

Tour dates can always be found on the website of our agency Estragon, or on that of Ghost, on that of Bar La Muerte and on our Myspace.

Luckily, the album's promotion is handled by someone else, namely the ever-reliable Ghost records…

Thank you Bruno, thank you Ronin, hope to talk again soon!

See you soon!

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