Lupe Vélez – Weird Tales

(The band finally debuts and demonstrates its compositional skills, ranging from garage to punk rock with references to power pop and winks at the 60s.
This description is similar to ones of many other bands, but the personal and explosive sound of Lupe Vélez attests musicians who seem to have played together forever.
Now they provided twelve tracks, to those who already know them and to those who have lost them so far!)Lupe Vélez are an Italian band founded in Livorno in 2014. The first line-up was composed by the founder of the project Stefano Ilari (Lead vocals, texts and music), the guitarist Alex Gefferson, the bassist Gianni Niccolai and the drummer Gianfra. During the recording and the pre-production of the first songs, the Lupe Vélez collaborated with other musicians playing various musical genres: the guitarist Dome la Muerte (CCM, Not Moving, Dome la Muerte and the Diggers, Dome la Muerte E.X.P.), the keyboardist Fabio Marchiori (Linton Kwesi Johnson, Bobo Rondelli), and two musicians from classic music, Matteo Fusaro (piano) and Anita Salvini (cello).

The keyboardist Luca Valdambrini joined the band just before the release of the EP "Mystic Man" (Inconsapevole Records, 2015). The EP contained four songs recorded at the Banana Studio in Livorno and it was produced by Valerio Fantozzi (Snaporaz e Bobo Rondelli). The EP began to delineate the sound of the band that was finalized when the bassist Donatella Doda Mariotti and the guitarist Iride Volpi joined the band.

The repertoire of the band is composed by songs with a sound garage-rock, that are alternated with others with a British rock sound and references to the Australian scene, forming an explosive mix of sounds with its roots in rock’n’roll.

To be noticed, among the live concerts of the Lupe Vélez, the openings at Nabat in 2015 (Newroz, Pisa) and at Sham 69 in 2016 (The Cage, Livorno).

The turning point for the band is the recording of the first LP in September 2017 at the Orfanotrofio Studio (Lorenzana, Pisa) by Niccolò Mazzantini (Appaloosa).

The line-up:

Stefano Ilari – he was the singer in the Mumblers (1987-1990), who participated to the Arezzo Wave (1989). He was the singer of other local bands and then of the Stella Maris Music Conspiracy with whom recorded "Operation Mind Fuck" (Area Pirata 2013), a record ranging between hardcore and Detroit sound and that was positively judged by the critics. Syd Migx, ex-singer of the Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers (CCM), collaborated to the recording of the album.

Alex Gefferson – he is a guitarist engaged since several years with various local band. He is collaborating with the garage rock band Steve Sperguenzie and the Incredible Lysergic Ants. He was also the guitarist of the Stella Maris Music Conspiracy.

Gianfra – he has played drum in several local bands. He has participated to the recordings of the Zedded, See Your Skills e Ruiha and the Kelavra. He has also collaborated with the Biffers, a band with two CDs released by Kung Fu Records (USA). He is playing drums in the band Dome la Muerte and the Diggers.

Donatella Doda Mariotti – she was the bassist of Senza Sterzo in the 80s (Granducato Hardcore). She has played bass in the last line-up of Not Moving with whom recorded the album "homecomings" (pick up records) in 1995. She has also played with other groups such as acid rain, philomankind and delirememami.

Luca Valdambrini – he is a keyboardist and a multi-instrumentalist with many live show experiences. He has played with The Pipelines, Surfer Joe & his boss combo and with other surf band. He has also played with the Pam, a folk-rock band with whom recorded a homonymous LP. He is playing with Dome la Muerte E.X.P. (Lazy Old Sun, Go Down Records 2016) e he is leading the Trenchtown Train.

Iride Volpi – she is a young guitarist that played with several local band. She is playing with Dome la Muerte and the Diggers with whom recorded "Supersadobabi" (Go Down Records, 2014). She played with Dome la Muerte and the Diggers in several live shows, among which the opening to the concert of the Flamin Groovies at the "Go Down Summer Fest" in 2015.

REVIEWS

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN 10/07/2018

Veterans of dozens of Italian bands, Lupe Vélez collect together their wide range of influences on their new album Weird Tales. With a solid core of Garage/Punk kinetic energy running through the record, Lupe Vélez mix it up to keep it fresh with more straight ahead anthemic Hard Rock influences than most Garage rockers. Inspired on the whole more by British and Australian bands than by American Post Psychedelia, Weird Tales is a mixed bag of styles as Lupe Vélez attempt to find their own definitive voice. Although flirting with a more traditional Heavy Rock sound, there is some good stuff here………the opening track ‘It Seems So Real’ features some tasty bottleneck playing in an cascade of tumbling drums while previous single cut ‘Mystic Man’ takes its cues from a more Post Punk/Ragga Rock hybrid than the rest of the record. Far too heavy for our delicate Psychedelic sensibilities and not really made for the discerning PsychHead but if you dig deep you will find some cool shit on Weird Tales. Check it out here……….

Bertrand Tappaz – Chronique 2018 – 14/08/2018 – VOIX DE GARAGE GRENOBLE

Indéniablement un des gros charmes de cet album c’est qu’il est impossible à qualifier en peu de mots !
Ce groupes constitué de vétérans de plusieurs générations de diverses scènes italiennes de ces 3 dernières décennies picore dans plein d’endroits pour se faire plaisir!!! Et cette joie est communicative,
Vu le titre de cet opus on pense Psychédélisme. C’est pas faux mais on est loin des poids plume du revival actuel. On entend ici beaucoup de Rock australien grand cru (Died Pretty …) un peu de ce que la scène suédoise Garage Rock à pondu de mieux dans les années 80 : des groupes marqués par les 60’s mais cherchant a développer leur propre personnalité ! Des éléments venants de courants plus récents…et un peu d’Art Rock.
Cet étrange nom donne au groupe italien un côté mystérieux et développe un univers mental façon Mexican Rock (quelque soit le côté de la frontière où il sévit).
Ici on aime les guitares Heavy 70’s. Mais pas que ! On aime aussi le son de l’orgue, quelque soit la période qu’il évoque. Et le piano également notamment sur des mid tempo qui peuvent rappeler de loin le Nick Cave & Bads Seeds des temps anciens (avant qu’il ne devienne vaniteux et se prenne pour un Artiste).
Ici on sait que l’histoire du Rock n’est pas bloqué dans des décennies mythifiées. Moi ça me fait penser à un groupe du calibre des Only Ones dans la qualité des composition et dans la capacité d’écrire des chansons Rock qui n’appartiennent qu’à eux !