RC2

DATE: 2003 SEPTEMBER 8TH
PLACE: E-mail
WEBSITE: RC2 official site
RC2 is a synphonic new-prog band from Venezuela who recorded its eponymous debut for Musea records in 2003. Read here my review! They kindly accepted to answer to some questions. Here is the report:

In my cd review I recommended to buy your album due to its freshness, very good compositions and skilled playing. Can you tell me any other reasons why everybody should buy the album??
We think that we incorporate different styles of music into our work, like electronic, melodic rock, some blues and folkloric Venezuelan music. We all come from very different musical backgrounds, and that combination of defines the rc2 style, wich we think is not quite like other prog bands.

You cited Marillion, Yes, Rush, Genesis and Camel as main influences. I think you're much closer to Genesis/Marillion and european neo-prog bands. What's your favourite band among them?
Porcupine Tree, IQ and Arena are big influences. And Dream Theater (not from Europe) is our guitar player's favorite band.

Rafael paz is the main composer. Should I suppose that songwriting starts from a keyboard idea ??
Usually, but not always. In the album you can find bits and pieces from everybody (guitar, bass, drums and even Felix's ideas), and that's why we feel that our songs create different moods.

As I wrote in my cd review I couldn't find any kind of traces taken from your country tradition (except the lyrics of course). Is it a specific choice ??

We incorporate our Venezuelan roots in two songs: Joroprog brings the joropo -a traditional Venezuelan rhythm in 6/8- into the music and features a cuatro, a four string instrument from our country too. In Fría, we use drums from Barlovento, a city in the coast where African slave came in the 1600s. The music they play there is very drum-influenced.

In your biography I read you recorded 4 albums as Radio Clip quite different in music-style. What kind of music did you play ??
Pop rock in the 80s, hard rock in the 90s. Only Felix Duque, our singer, was with the band form the beginning.

Any live shows planned?
The album´s showcase and first live show of rc2 will be on September 26. Right now we are rehearsing a lot and doing press interviews for the show.

Let's talk about venezuelan progressive scene: I only know Tempano and Raimundo Rodulfo. There are any others interesting bands ??
They are a lot, playing different styles. Pig Farm on the Moon, Ficcion, Equilibrio Vital. The prog scene in Venezuela is blossoming really fast.

Have you ever been to Italy ? What do you know about my country ? Do you know italian progressive rock ?
Our drummer was there in 1990, he remembers very well the wonderful food, the incredibly pretty women and the beautiful sights. Premiata Forneria Marconi and Banco del Mutuo Scorsso are our favorite Italian prog bands, and our drummer and bass player also are very big fans of Jovanotti and the wonderful rhythm base of his band.

My deep congratulations for your beautiful debut and thanks for your kindness. I'm looking forward to listen to your next album.
Dear Luca, thanks for the support !!

Luca Alberici