ALTRE DI B, Rank-O e Siouxie and the Skunks

ALTRE DI B

Andrea is an agronomist and hosts the famous radio programs “A podcast on tennis” and “Buona!”, Giacomo makes wine, Giovanni is a social educator and Luca is a journalist. Together they form Altri di B. For a band that exploded onto the music scene with a home-burned CD containing Panini stickers of the Serie B football teams, from which the band’s name derives, quickly followed by their debut album “There’s a million better bands” (2011), you wouldn’t think that the Italian name Altri di B corresponds to an energetic indie rock, contaminated by post-punk, jangle and twee pop, sung in English. And instead for Altri di B, born among the band benches in high school, the international vision has always been an artistic prerogative. Thus, combining energy and a strong euphoric dimension, the result is a nervous, surprising and joyful rock, which has taken the band around Italy, Europe and North America, participating in international festivals such as Primavera Sound, SXSW , Sziget Festival, Mondo NYC, Indie Week Toronto, Ypsigrock, Europavox, LUCFest Taiwan and Iceland Airwaves.

With the 2014 album “Sport” the band landed on television thanks to the video clip starring the former football world champion Dino Zoff: for two seasons Altri di B were the correspondents of the television program “Quelli che il calcio” as commentators for their favorite team Bologna FC, while their song “Campetto” became the theme song of the Serie A basketball championship.

Meanwhile, they transformed an old barn in the Bolognese countryside into a rehearsal room, which quickly became the cradle of the “Miranda!” albums. (2017) and “SDENG” (2021), the latter co-produced by Bruno Germano (Iosonouncane) and the Italian-American label WWNBB Collective (Be Forest, Brothers in Law, a/lpaca, KOKO MOON, Her Skin, Lofi Legs). The quinta’s barn is still today the place that most inspires Altri di B, who produced their latest recording here, the EP “Zapping”, released in July 2024.

RANK-O

After punk, after indie rock, after synth pop, after math rock, after artistic considerations, after pop and academic music are divided… After all this, Rank-O plays the music. “After punk” but not “post punk”? Rather than trying to recreate the strong moments of the past, the quartet leans on the shoulders of its spiritual fathers to build its own path, aimed at the future of this white whale we call “guitar rock”. Inhabited by a certain science of complex structures (probably inherited from the great avant-gardes from the 60s to the 90s), Rank-O also cultivates a sincere love for pop songs, immediate melodies, sometimes insidious, sometimes joyfully minimalist. It is this duality between twisted components and children’s games that gives the group’s music its unique character, this impression of a millefeuille full of surprises, always immersed in a bath of playful youth.

SIOUXIE AND THE SKUNKS

Take 5 kids, put new toys in their hands and abandon them in a dirty garage with a fair amount of alcohol and rock ‘n roll; a nice soak in punk, a smattering of good intentions and let them fry properly: these are Siouxie the Skunks, (not too) healthy bearers of that sacred fire that only shamans and teenagers know how to guard. Tight songs, tearful ballads and lacerating songs. Get closer, warm yourself, but be careful not to burn.
Behind us is the debut EP, totally self-produced, Songs about girls, a collection of bad luck and victories derived from the encounter/clash with the fairer sex. It could only end badly.

An album in the works for release in March, Songs about Cuddles, also DIY and produced by Wild Honey Record, which will be possible to get a taste of during their live shows. You can find them as performers in the best festivals, in the wildest parties, in characteristic taverns and in the homes of the most adventurous.