STEVE RINALDI of RINALDI SINGS

Steve Rinaldi is the Face of Spring 2005. With his classic debut album “What’s It All About” he has found a home on every discerning stereo in Britain. Classic Italian threads, soulful horns, dynamic arrangements. It’s a fascinating ride through an updated swinging London. We caught up with him to find out about the man, the music, the influences.

BACKGROUND

Where did you grow up?

Steve Rinaldi: “I grew up in Suffolk. A town called Haverhill about 20 miles from Cambridge.”

What are your early influences, in particular musical influences?

“Like most people my early influences came from my parent’s record collection. As a kid my parents had a big Elvis collection and I learnt the words to loads of his songs, however as soon as I heard The Beatles my interest in Elvis wained immediately. The first records I bought also included Bowie and Motown albums, but my biggest early influence was from listening to Jackie Wilson.”

When did you start to play music?

“My mum took me to the local sports centre where they had guitar lessons when I was very young, about five or six. I was too young really and it only lasted a couple of lessons but I kept my guitar. My dad was the drummer for the town’s brass band and I started learning the tenor horn when I was nine. This later graduated to the Euphonium and eventually I took up the Trombone in my teens. On the Rinaldi Sings sessions I’ve also played French Horn, and some keyboards and a bit of guitar.”

Tell me about The Moment.

“They were a great band. My sister’s boyfrind at the time, Alan Groom, played in the same brass band as me and he had played Trumpet on The Moment’s second single ‘One Two They Fly’ . The Moment wanted to use brass live and the trombone player they used on that session wasn’t interested. I’d heard the band and thought they were great and was desperate to get involved. I played Euphonium at the time and hadn’t played Trombone before, how hard can it be I thought! and managed to persuade Alan to let me have a go. I had a week to learn the slide positions and the songs and I managed to bluff my way through that first rehearsal. That led to four years of playing around the country and touring Europe. I had the time of my life. I learnt so much from Adrian Holder and Rob Moore and I met Chris Hunt, who was their manager, and towards the end of the band Chris and I began talking half jokingly about recording some of my songs. That was really the first seeds of Rinaldi Sings.”

For those who havent heard you, can you describe your sound.

“It’s inspired by late sixties soul pop, in the style of the British bands who were trying to recreate northern soul, such as The Love Affair and The Foundations.”

How did you develop the Rinaldi Sings sound?

“The other way around from most other bands! it was originally intended as purely a recording project. With all the orchestral instrumentation on it we never thought it would be something we could do live but as it progressed with the recording sessions we were so knocked out with it that we decided to try a cut down live version. Mind you cut down we’re still a seven-piece band! The sound was developed in the studio by months of attention and constant reworking.”

Are any of the songs autobiographical?

“Yes. ‘Come Again’ is, and ‘Lucky Day’ is about real children that I’ve known through my work teaching, and ‘You’re Alive’ is about one of my best friends.”

What is your experience of playing the songs live?

“Very positive. It was a very steep learning curve, as singing live is very different from singing in the studio, and being a front man is another skill entirely! I’ve been used to having a Trombone to hide behind. It was very scary at first but now I love it.”

You are seen as very much mod - or mod influenced - band. Is that how you see yourself?

“Yes. The music I listen to and write is what I consider to be mod music. I dress in mod clothes and have loved all things mod since joining The Moment, who were a band who managed to kept the faith at a time when very few others were.”

Your videos tell a story - tell me about them.

“’Avenues and Alleyways’ is a song with a very strong narrative to it. Ed Ball, who wrote and directed the video came up with a totally different plot to the song - his involved gansters, bent cops, mad birds and an illicit love affair. I helped produce it but the inspiration for the story came from Ed’s wonderful imagination.

“’Come Fly With Me’ doesn’t have the same narrative to the lyrics, it’s more about me trying to be Tony Christie if you like - pretending to be an allround family entertainer! We filmed the outdoor shots at Duxford air museum, which is full of old vintage jumbo jets. We filmed it without permission, so as soon as security weren’t looking, off came the Parka, revealing me in a full pilot’s uniform. Each time we had about 30 seconds to film me walking down the aisle of the plane, or standing in front of Concorde, and then I’d have to run and hide from the security!”

CURRENT INFLUENCES

The original film Alfie seems to be an influence. Is that correct? If so, in what way?

“It certainly is. It goes back to the first time I saw the film years ago. Michael Caine just looks fantastic in it, it’s a ‘mod’ film and Sonny Rollins’ soundtrack is one of my all time faves. The last scene on Waterloo bridge was the inspiration for ‘Heaven Knows’, the last track on my album. The opening piano solo was my offering as a section of music for Michael Caine to walk off to after the famous ‘what’s it all about’ speach. The song itself is influenced by Bacharach’s closing song and we decided to add a Caine-esq speech to sign off the album with.”

Are there any other particular films that have had an effect on you?

“David Niven’s World War Two drama ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ is possibly my favourite film and provided me with the inspiration for the song of the same name on the album. We added sound effects and dialouge from that, and other films, on the recording. I like the idea of combining forms in that way.”

What about other art forms? Have any books had a big influence you?

“Chris Hunt and I often talk about turning John Lahr’s ‘The Autograph Hound’ into a musical!”

OTHER BANDS

Do you have any musical heroes?

“Loads. Songwriters like Teddy Randazzo, Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, Holland and Dozier and Ray Davies. Singers like Jackie Wilson, William Bell and Otis Redding and no-one blows a trombone as good as Fred Wesley.”

Are there any bands out there at the moment who you particularly like?

“Not many chart bands. Many of our reviews in the national music press have compared the album to the Divine Comedy, My Life Story and Pulp, but I have to admit that I’ve heard little of their work. I think we just share the same influences. I can only think of The Thrills and The Super Furry Animals that I particulalry like. As a solo artist Mark Joseph is superb. I love his album and I’m sure he’s going to be a big name over the next couple of years. I love playing with The Affair and Ian Page is a great writer and singer. It’s also good to see Small World playing live again and I can’t wait to hear Chris Pope’s new band with Buddy Ascott on drums.

Is there anyone who you would particularly like to support?

“Anyone with a massive following! Weller would be good.”

FUTURE

What are your plans for the immediate future? Are you working towards world domination?

“Plans for the immediate future are to continue gigging and I’m writing songs for the next album. I’ve got four really strong songs already demoed and we’ll be gradually adding them to the set. I’m really excited about recording again as I have to try to top what we’ve done on the first album and I just love a challenge.”

Thanks Steve. Keep on keeping on!!..Words etc Rob Massey

For more information: www.RinaldiSings.com

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