TIME LOST:

TOTO CHIAVETTA:MUSIC FOR ME IS AN URGE, A NECESSITY AND ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE WORTH LIVING.

From Italy comes one of the artists we most wanted to have with us, Toto Chiavetta. One of your latest news is related to the remix made you and Frank Wiedemann for Joseph Capriati. What was the creative and technical process to this remix? 

Hello, I’m glad to be here. Well, Frank’s idea to direct the remix into the UK garage vibe was challenging and exciting. I went through my music collection to brush up and gather some fresh feelings from the music I used to listen a lot, a few years ago. So, after diving into my records collection, off I went to Berlin, in Frank’s studio. We buckled down for a week, then we took few months away from the song and finalized it via FaceTime and emails. It was the first time ever, I shared a studio with somebody as production for me is a lonely process – I could not ask for more.

FB: Who did you listen to growing up and do they influence your productions at all today?

TC: Kerry Chandler, Ashford & Simpson, Master at Work, Osunlade, Curtis Mayfield, Ame, Jamiroquai, Stevie Wonder, Joe Claussell, plus all the Chicago and Detroit house from the early age, to mention a few. I guess they all do have an influence on me, even though I am not able to explain precisely how. 

FB: How have you been doing this last year? without gigs… 

TC: At the beginning I didn’t mind that much. I thought it was just gonna be a few months off, which meant good time for ordering ideas, finalizing open projects and some gym. Even though I have been lucky to play some safe and reduced capacity parties over the last months, now I am mentally struggling and sometime physically suffering as well. This May (as I am writing) had been maybe the apex of this weird feelings. I miss it all, festivals, clubs, all the people I met during the years, the oneness feeling you experience on the floor…I assume pandemia it has been a cultural shock for all of us.

FB: One of the solutions” for artists has been streaming sessions. What do you think?

TC: Well, honestly I am not a big fan of streamings and podcasts, but on the other hand what can you do? People get burnt out from being at home and watching screens. My very personal opinion is that most of the streaming have a certain lack of satisfaction both for artists and people listening to it: we all miss the psychical impact. Maybe most of the streamings were more a necessity rather than an artistic choice, so there you go with the answer!

FB: In 2020 you did: “A Day Of sLick!”. A streaming session, very different and really nice. How was it?

TC: Thanks. I hope we made an interesting one. I just chose the music and the location. Giuseppe Pepe (director), Silvia Bologna (dancer), Carola Carbone (Borders Of Light’s soul) and the entire film maker team made all the rest possible and shaped it as it is now.

FB: Do you have any interest in exploring the connections between video art and music? How can this be done respecting the artist’s creativity and uniqueness? 

TC: Surely. The connection between video art and music is, in my opinion, unquestionable, like the great majority of arts indeed, as they enhance one another. Video art in relation to music (and viceversa) represents an extra impulse that anchors the emotion even further, specially for those whose listening ability/education is maybe a bit more to be developed (and viceversa). My team and I are planning some further work on this, not necessarily a video clip, but also in a form of a mere collection of images to bring music closer to the audience. As for the second part of the question, I believe that this can be done by choosing artists who, in their respective filed, share a partial common view of art and its message. 

FB: Other artists are very focused on business, can you forget this? or is it already part of the artist’s career?

TC: I am learning how not to forget about this. Also, lately I am being surrounded by other professionals that are more into the business side and this make things easier. Music for me is an urge, a necessity and one of the few things that make life worth living. I still struggle to accept the fact that this original freedom and necessity of mine were kinda “polluted”. On the other hand, as the market is my employer, and I am thankful for this, I must take it into consideration. 

FB: Innervisions, Diynamic Music, Do you follow certain processes in the studio? For each label… 

TC: No, I do not. The music, which has been released by these outstanding labels, had been produced with the same approach on my side. Consider that for my last Ep on Diynamic, actually a small percentage of the overall music I sent was chosen. This is to say that I try to offer a spontaneous taste of the music I produced over a period of time. That said, to be dead honest (!) among all the submitted songs there are always a few of them which more relevant intent is to “seduce” the A&R…but they never got picked. For instance, 3 of the 4 tracks chosen by Diynamic, were for me fully unexpected (I like this!).

FB: You are now part of People & Machines roster. What is to be expected? 

Please ask Covid :). Jokes aside, I feel privileged to work with/for a company that have been at the very top of the “game” for long time now. On my side this is just an extra motivation to deliver an overall better product at the best of my ability.

FB: Ibiza – How and when was your first time here? What do you remember…

TC: Dixon’s Transmoderna at Pacha, not bad at all I would say! I remember being very excited and the “sabroso” barbecue/dinner with all the Transmoderna team before the show. Major production…

FB: How would you like your next time on the island to be?

TC: It is not about “how”. It is about I would like it “NOW” 🙂

FB: What else are you working on next? 

TC: I am currently involved into finishing two eps, at a slow pace, and focusing on my own label Borders Of Light. I feel the urge to changing something. I gathered an enthusiastic team and we came across few ideas that we plan to pursue (obviously). Among them, we have the plan to start a fashion line in collaboration with “Customized Culture” as well as the production of videos. I must say that I am thrilled to work simultaneously on different projects and feel so lucky to be surrounded by the people I am currently involved with.

Test 2021

First place where you played?

Marabù disco in Taormina (Italy, Sicily) in early 2004 circa.

Best club ever?

Can I be politically correct and do not reply? Best club it really depends on various aspects, not to mention my own prospective that is extremely variable from time to time. Also, the music that in a specific moment I have on a USB stick can play a role – sometimes it happens to have 20 tracks that just make me really exited doesn’t matter what and this can false my prospective.

Your best session was on?

Ooo, too many to mention only one (ironic). It is really difficult to pick one session but I could list many 30 mins moment during a set on various occasions.

The best Dj you’ve ever seen?

I remember enjoying Kerry Chandler in Stockholm in 2003 and Louie Vega at cielo NYC during the entire summer of 2006.

Your favorite place in Ibiza? 

Na Xamena

What equipment is missing in your study?

Unless I need to record specific instrument I am currently and mostly ITB, so that I must admit that I do not miss anything short of any next saturator tool that will be available in the market. Nevertheless I wouldn’t mind owning an Armenian duduk if only I were able to play or a Kawai Shigeru piano. 

Baci 🙂

¡Grazie mille Toto!

Photo cover:  Alessandro Pardo

Photo 2: Alex caballero.