The peculiar name Crocodile Soup has been showing up more and more on line-ups and seems to be causing a bit of a stir (excuse the pun), so we thought the time was right to find out a bit more about the excitable Marco Gramegna and his young career so far. Gramegna joins a new wave of upcoming exciting new talent hailing from Italy who are delivering fine cultured sounds with a distinct European flavour compared to more conventional strains of house and techno emanating from the UK. His productions range from minimal techno to dub techno to tech-house, always encompassing the weird and wonderful, with a bunch of releases on the Romanian label Tzinah Records, Baile Musik in Frankfurt and Yoruba Grooves. In this in-depth exclusive interivew, Crocodile Soup explains the story behind the intriguing name as well as the moment he was picked up by tINI on a beach in Ibiza...
Greetings Marco, thanks for taking the time out to speak to MEOKO. How’s it going and what have you been up to?
Ciao MEOKO! It's a real pleasure be part of one of the best and respected online music platform. I've been following you for years and now it's my moment. How crazy is life! I'm in Ibiza right now, been traveling a lot this summer. Next up is Madrid Saturday 4th October and then I’ll be back in Italy, Slovenia etc.
I like the name a lot, is there a story behind “Crocodile Soup”?
Every time, I pray to God I don't get this question (laughs)…well nothing bad at all...(just my mum will now know why I didn’t finished my studies). I chose it in 2011 - it was a spring morning and I was at university. While all my 'proper classmates' were following lessons I used to go every morning to a little hill near the university with my classmate Andrea to, let's say, ''enjoy life'' (laughs) a couple of fresh beers, some joints, a bit of fun on that hill you can imagine how we felt, like old wise men (laughs). Well, that morning in our ''best inspiration moment'', Andrea showed me a hand-drawn drawing done by his little brother that copied an image inside a tourism magazine about Thailand. Traditional Thai food also includes crocodile…the copied drawing showed this 'Crocodile Soup', a big dish of soup and a funny naked crocodile taking a nice hot bath inside.
Something happened in that moment. That crocodile, that soup - it was love at first sight. Sometimes we just get attracted or love something without a real reason. It’s just about feelings. In the summer 2011 I was about to play at Balaton Sound Festival in Hungary (my first gig abroad) and I felt it was the right time to start with something new and special so I announced to the promoter of the festival to change my name on the flyer and that is how Crocodile Soup was born. It will soon be the right moment to try this soup for real (laughs)!
Where exactly in Italy are you from? What is the music scene like where you grew up and how did you get into it?
I live in Italy, near Como. It's one hour from Milano. My house is in a small village, 3000 inhabitants, mountains, animals, nature and lake. Honestly for now I don't need anything more. I'm just one hour by car/train from every Milano Airport so it’s not a big deal at all when I have to fly around Europe.
Now, I would be lying if I told you that I grew up with thousands of millions of vinyls around me with my mum playing piano, my dog guitar and my cat the violoncello. The truth is, I discovered music alone. The only thing I can seriously say about my family is that my father used to play the accordion (now he doesn't want to touch it anymore) and he is a really passionate person. He puts passion in everything that he does in life and he is a man that made everything from scratch. And music of course was one of his passions, but not the main. He probably passed down this 'passion attitude' and I've chosen music.
I used to listen to every kind of music, I can chill with some Muddy Waters Blues, sing a mad Bohemian Rhapsody. I love reggae and I used to go often with my girlfriends to listen live jazz acts with a proper Italian Dinner. Well, of course, 'Techno' and this scene is my favourite. I started to follow the scene as clubber when I was 16 and since that point I have been super attracted by the figure of the DJ. I think you can't make music if you’ve never been a clubber. What I also want to say is that in my opinion if you want to live your life in music you have to be totally open-minded and not be afraid to learn. Music for me is not just to 'be cool'. It is something way more serious. I don't pretend to already know everything about music. I'm 24 years old - let's be serious.
I love “Jazz For Dinner” off your latest full EP “What’s Gonna Happen”. Is there anything you are working on at the moment?
Thank you! Now maybe you want to know the story behind that track. I made it in just one night after one of those dinners with my girlfriend. I was about to die when I saw the video of Marco Carola playing that track at Sunwaves Festival in Romania this year! Well, I just released a track on VA vinyl on Yoruba Grooves, one on a VA on Gos Music Studio (vinyl only), one on Baile Musik VA (vinyl) and 2 are coming on Tzinah on Black 001 (vinyl only) and on a Madrid based vinyl-only label, Monoclap. Of course I'm locked in the studio working on my Kina Music EP and tonnes of new music but I don't want to say anything for now.
You clearly have a wide musical background, but who are the main influences and your favourite artists who directly affect the music you make now?
Good question, but impossible to answer. What I can say is that when I was 17 and I discovered Ricardo Villalobos I was totally shocked. For me he is not just an artist – he is way more, a kind of Visionaire. You can never know what to expect from a track by him or his DJ set. After Ricardo, there are lots of artists I really love. All the Arpiar Group, Bruno Pronsato or Cabanne are amazing too and there are lots more. I'm also super attracted and big fan of this new FUSE sound and all the artists involved. But as I'm Italian, I have to say also that my favourites in my country are Re-Up. They are a big inspiration for me and I can't wait to listen their album coming soon on Dissonant. With them I have a special musical connection and way more importantly, a real friendship.
How did you get involved with tINI & the gang? That must have really helped to place you on the map and acted as a launchpad for your career.
Another good question! Well last year I was in Ibiza and I only knew Randall M & Bella Sarris because they were the first to discover and play my music and at Sonar Off 2013 I played with Bella back-to-back. I met tINI before that moment just a couple of times. So I was at Sirocco beach (now Sands) chilling, dancing and talking on the beach with Randy and at that moment tINI came and since Julietta pulled out, she asked me and David Gtronic to play for her. It was a shock! I thought it was a joke at first, but then it happened for real.
Such a magical moment it was, and the music connection between David and I was pretty good too. From that point some things are changing, I met those guys that now are my best music friends like Chad Andrew, David of course and lots of DJs and people in the industry from around the world. This year I've been part of the first tINI & the gang 'Zurich Edition' and I couldn’t be more proud and grateful for this - definitely a super party.
What’s the best gig you have played so far?
There are a few that are already unforgettable. For sure the two tINI & the gang editions I’ve taken part at, my first time in Berlin at Chalet club and my first time at Classic Club in Italy and the Sonar Off parties were amazing. I can say that I'm lucky to have travelled already a bit and every country is giving me something and is part of my musical growth. 2015 looks good too, but is too early to talk about it.
On top of the DJ/producer business, you’re trying your hand at the promotion side of things with your party called Rainbow. Tell us more about Rainbow and what you have lined up for that.
Yes I’m really happy to be DJ resident and owner (with Angelo and Claudio) of a monthly party called RAINBOW based in Como, Italy. We are now entering the third year of this party and we are happy to announce that this year Rainbow will be joined by DeWalta & Mike Shannon, Sonja Moonear, Guti, Onur Ozer (first part of the season bookings) and past years have been joined by Julian Perez, Gescu, Sasha Dive, Tobi Neumann, Bella Sarris, Fernando Costantini, Randall M, Chad Andrew, Rossko, Martinez, Andrew Grant and few more. It's an ambitious project that isn’t easy at all. But what’s easy in this life? Unfortunately I live in a place where commercial & EDM music own the nightlife. But we’ve found more than 500 'warriors' that are attracted by our project and love our music and every month come and dance with us and give us the energy to keep going on with this. We just made the Opening Party with Enzo Siragusa and it was a blast. For the last hour I had the opportunity to play with Enzo back-to-back. Can you imagine my face? I'm really looking forward to this winter season.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the MEOKO readers in terms of upcoming projects?
I think that is all for now. Let’s stay connected and see what happens…I don't want to say more or it will never happen! I also want to say a big thank you to all my followers and to MEOKO of course for this opportunity. Without you I am nothing! See you around!
CROCODILE SOUP MEOKO PODCAST - TIP!!
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By Geoffrey Chang
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