Original Interview with Dope Stars Inc.

BBE Interview with Dope Stars Inc.

On behalf of BBE we would like to thank DSI for taking the time out of their busy lives to answer a few questions for us.

BBE: Who are the members of DSI?

Darin: Victor, Darin, La Nuit and Ash Rexy is the new live member

BBE: When and where did you all meet?

Darin: Around spring of 2003 in Rome.

Victor: Yeah it was around many 2003 when we decided to found this band and started working on 10.000 watts of artificial pleasures, our first EP. La nuit joined the band in summer 2006 while Ash just joined as live member recently. We are now in looking for a drummer to complete the line up for the next album. We never had a drummer before for a matter of choice but after many live experiences we realized it would rock very hard on a live set. Soon the new drummer will be announced on our website.

BBE:  What influences you as a group?

Victor: It's difficult to say. We grow up during the 80's and 90's so we have been mostly influenced by rock, modern rock, metal, gothic rock, new wave, punk and then Industrial and hard electronics. Dope Stars Inc. are indeed a band influenced by different kind of music genres but we are also very open to all the new modern music as well as music from 60's and 70's.

Darin: Many influences, from Rock n Roll to New Wave, Industrial, Pop ecc

BBE:  How did the name DSI come about?

Victor: We sent a list of possible names and then we figured out a name working better to explain our rock'n'roll glam attitude and industrial heart. First it was just Dope Stars, then we added Inc. that represents infact the post-industrial cyberpunk imagery we describe in our lyrics.

Darin: I wrote a big list of differents name, and i sent it to other guyz. In the first moment dope stars wasn't supposed to be the last choice but after one week guyz also liked "my way name" :) I think it's a perfect name that can explain well the meaning of our sound and attitude.

BBE:  Could you tell us where you would say was/is your favorite venue you have played?

Victor: Definitively the last 2 shows with Nightwish at "On A Dark Winter Night Festival". It was huge, packed and the stage personell was really professional. But we als had other great live experiences such as WGT 2007 and Amphi festival. Also we spent a great time in some smaller clubs in germany and the latest show in Italy at Tempo Rock.

Darin: For my side was Amphi Festival in 2006 with bands like 69 eyes and Negative.

BBE:  have any of you ever bitten the head off a bat?

Victor: Oh No, only Ozzy can do it!

BBE:  How old were you all when you knew music is what you wanted to do?

Victor: When I was a teen and started to play in my first garage bands. It was more than 10 years ago now and everyday the passion growth till today. And it's still growing.

Darin: Being a rockstar? LOL when i was toooo young!

BBE:  What would you tell someone who wanted to get into the music/entertainment industry?

Victor: It's not an easy businnes. Lot of work to do and only a strong passion and motivation can push you ahead. You have to take it seriously and not seriously at the same time. I mean, it should be something you do with heart but without big expectations. To be in a band does not mean only writing songs, recording, releasing albums and play live. There is a lot of work behind that is about negotiation with professional partners, contacts with press, contacts with the fans, mantaining and keep up to date your website, arranging shows, eating some shit, getting crazy for the most nonsense stuff and have to deal with egocentric "wannabe rockstars" at any cost that often slow down your carreer for stupid reasons. But till you do it cause it's your only way to live then all is cool and you can face all this with a smile ;) In the end it's just a life like another with its good and bad sides.

BBE:  What kind of equipment do you use?

Victor: Les Paul Gibson and Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier for guitar. Do a guitarist need anything else? Eheh. About electronics I use different instruments and softwares. I also work in a studio and I've been the producer and sound engineer for most the albums of DSI so it's very hard to name all the gear we used. Everytime new stuff come out and it's great cause it also bring new fresh air for your sound.

Darin: Gibson Thunderbird 87', Ampeg SVT2 head and speakers, and a couple of pedals effect, one overdrive system and one magic compressor.

BBE:  If you were not into and doing the music thing, what would you be doing right now with your lives?

Victor: Well hard to say. I was studing physichs and I left cause I had to work and also to follow my carrer as musician. So probably at this point I'd have been doing some experiments in some lab in Italy. Bus since here in Italy most of the graduated people can't find a job i'd have probably ended working as IT consultant and computer technician as I did for many years.

BBE:  What is your favorite part of the job?

Victor: Travelling and visiting new countries, playing live, tourbus/backstage experiences and making new great friends in tour.

Darin: Travels all the times, live this beautiful experience with other guyz, have fun on stage and backstage ;)

BBE:  Do you feel you have accomplished what you set out to do in the music industry?

Victor: I think there are really few bands in Italy in the alternative scene that did the same steps we did in less than 3 years. We are still a small band with a lot of work ahead but already I believe we should be really proud of what happened to us and the opportunities we had till now. Probably if we were from another country it would have been much easier, but it's also our condition that makes the stepds we did important.



DSI, I want to again thank you so much for taking the time to answers these questions as posed from your fans, and we look forward to hearing great things from you in the future.