Neglect Avoid INTERVIEw
with Luca Gillian
with Luca Gillian
"I'd rather called us entertainers than musicians"
Luca Gillian talks about tons of unreleased Die Selektion material,
the change of music industry and the difference
between music making and music management
the change of music industry and the difference
between music making and music management
Neglect Avoid: From 0 to 10 how excited are you about your Russian Tour?
Luca Gillian: Well, it’s actually 11!
Luca Gillian: Well, it’s actually 11!
https://vk.com/dieselektion_russia2021
Neglect Avoid: Of course, I must ask you about your life during the pandemic. How can you describe it?
Luca Gillian: You mean mine personally, as Luca?
Neglect Avoid: Both as Luca and as Die Selektion.
Luca Gillian: Well, my personal life as Luca in the pandemic. It's been basically making pizza most of the time. It’s a nightclub and a bistro in which I was working: programming parties, booking parties, helping with bistro work. Of course, we had to shut it down because of the Corona. We were not able doing the parties during the corona shut down, because in Germany lockdown meant that nobody was able to leave the house unless you were on your way to buy something to eat. So, we decided spontaneously to make a pizzahouse out of the nightclub, and people came so they were able to get away pizza from us. So, this was basically what I did for living.
Apart of this we were making a lot of music with Hannes and Samuel for Die Selektion. But we were still living in Berlin, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. Each city is far from each other, so we had to send digital files from city to city to make music. The Corona situation was kind of hard for us in Germany, as restrictions were way harder than in Russia.
So, I was basically making pizza and sitting in front of my laptop sending files to my bandmates.
Luca Gillian: You mean mine personally, as Luca?
Neglect Avoid: Both as Luca and as Die Selektion.
Luca Gillian: Well, my personal life as Luca in the pandemic. It's been basically making pizza most of the time. It’s a nightclub and a bistro in which I was working: programming parties, booking parties, helping with bistro work. Of course, we had to shut it down because of the Corona. We were not able doing the parties during the corona shut down, because in Germany lockdown meant that nobody was able to leave the house unless you were on your way to buy something to eat. So, we decided spontaneously to make a pizzahouse out of the nightclub, and people came so they were able to get away pizza from us. So, this was basically what I did for living.
Apart of this we were making a lot of music with Hannes and Samuel for Die Selektion. But we were still living in Berlin, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. Each city is far from each other, so we had to send digital files from city to city to make music. The Corona situation was kind of hard for us in Germany, as restrictions were way harder than in Russia.
So, I was basically making pizza and sitting in front of my laptop sending files to my bandmates.
Neglect Avoid: I guess, we’ll hear tons of unreleased material in Moscow, Ekaterinburg and Saint Petersburg. Are you going to get it all together as a new album in 2021? Or maybe later?
Luca Gillian: Yes, we're going to perform tons of new material, as you said. And we're working on various new releases right now. But as the pandemic showed and the change of music industry showed the concept of the full album is not very that modern anymore and also not very valued anymore, and people don't respect it anymore.
There's such a big output of bands right now. Therefore, if you make a 10 songs album, die-hard fans surely will listen to it, but generally it will simply disappear in the majority of music releases.
Right now, at least in this hectic situation, we try to focus on releasing single tracks, EPs, tracks on compilations, doing remixes for other artists, getting our songs remixed, doing feates with other artists. We have a feat coming up with a very talented Russian girl, I can't say who, but we will sing a song on her album.
So, our new classic-concept album is coming on date X, it's not happening right now, but it will surely happen again in a so-called better future.
Luca Gillian: Yes, we're going to perform tons of new material, as you said. And we're working on various new releases right now. But as the pandemic showed and the change of music industry showed the concept of the full album is not very that modern anymore and also not very valued anymore, and people don't respect it anymore.
There's such a big output of bands right now. Therefore, if you make a 10 songs album, die-hard fans surely will listen to it, but generally it will simply disappear in the majority of music releases.
Right now, at least in this hectic situation, we try to focus on releasing single tracks, EPs, tracks on compilations, doing remixes for other artists, getting our songs remixed, doing feates with other artists. We have a feat coming up with a very talented Russian girl, I can't say who, but we will sing a song on her album.
So, our new classic-concept album is coming on date X, it's not happening right now, but it will surely happen again in a so-called better future.
Neglect Avoid: What’s the difference for you to make your own music and music management for other musician?
Luca Gillian: As I'm doing both, I can say that there are 2 different approaches.
As a musician or as I say - entertainer - you want to be successful and you want people to like you and you focus on your own opinion, you do whatever you want. And as a manager basically you are not very elitist in your opinion, you just want as many people to like your artist as possible. You have to be behind the artist and completely take the blame for every mistake he makes as well as also try to guide him in new directions and try to open his eyes on some situations, to help to establish his view in music world, so it's about thinking generally.
A lot of people who do both often hear jokes like «haha you didn't make it as musician so now you try to be a music manager». But if you are trying to be both, I think you need to separate this to avoid getting in the conflict of the interests.
Luca Gillian: As I'm doing both, I can say that there are 2 different approaches.
As a musician or as I say - entertainer - you want to be successful and you want people to like you and you focus on your own opinion, you do whatever you want. And as a manager basically you are not very elitist in your opinion, you just want as many people to like your artist as possible. You have to be behind the artist and completely take the blame for every mistake he makes as well as also try to guide him in new directions and try to open his eyes on some situations, to help to establish his view in music world, so it's about thinking generally.
A lot of people who do both often hear jokes like «haha you didn't make it as musician so now you try to be a music manager». But if you are trying to be both, I think you need to separate this to avoid getting in the conflict of the interests.
https://aufnahmeundwiedergabe.bandcamp.com/album/die-selektion
Neglect Avoid: How does it feel to become older? Generally and as a musician?
Luca Gillian: Well, generally becoming older is very painful. I'm 28 now and we started Die Selektion when we were all about 17. Then we had a break from our 22 to 25-26. Anyhow, growing older with Die Selektion feels wonderful!
We released not that much in 11 year history, only two albums, two EPs, several single tracks while other bands dropped 5 albums in this time. It's very fantastic and we're very grateful to see that people still listen to our first album and people still discover us even now and that we still have a strong following especially in Eastern Europe and Central Europe as well. People still love us which makes us very happy. So, as I said growing older with Die Selektion feels very good. I think, we have aged very well (laughs). Actually, we're still younger than most bands, maybe not than the new bands, but we're still younger than common bands around us, but that's simply because we started our band when we were 17.
Luca Gillian: Well, generally becoming older is very painful. I'm 28 now and we started Die Selektion when we were all about 17. Then we had a break from our 22 to 25-26. Anyhow, growing older with Die Selektion feels wonderful!
We released not that much in 11 year history, only two albums, two EPs, several single tracks while other bands dropped 5 albums in this time. It's very fantastic and we're very grateful to see that people still listen to our first album and people still discover us even now and that we still have a strong following especially in Eastern Europe and Central Europe as well. People still love us which makes us very happy. So, as I said growing older with Die Selektion feels very good. I think, we have aged very well (laughs). Actually, we're still younger than most bands, maybe not than the new bands, but we're still younger than common bands around us, but that's simply because we started our band when we were 17.
Neglect Avoid: So, you have the tactical advantage!
Luca Gillian: Exactly! And yeah, you say «as a musician» – I don't know if I could call myself a musician. We don't really see ourselves as musicians because what we do musically everybody can do it. We didn't learn any instrument in a Conservatoire. Well, Hannes did with his trumpet, but I mean we are not really like very good in what we do. I think that it's the whole vibe that we create and that the good time we give to people, our image of funny prosecco-wave guys and that we don't take each other too serious. So, I'd rather called us entertainers than musicians. For example, we had a company for Die Selektion business things, and we put there our surnames and then Entertainment Service.
Luca Gillian: Exactly! And yeah, you say «as a musician» – I don't know if I could call myself a musician. We don't really see ourselves as musicians because what we do musically everybody can do it. We didn't learn any instrument in a Conservatoire. Well, Hannes did with his trumpet, but I mean we are not really like very good in what we do. I think that it's the whole vibe that we create and that the good time we give to people, our image of funny prosecco-wave guys and that we don't take each other too serious. So, I'd rather called us entertainers than musicians. For example, we had a company for Die Selektion business things, and we put there our surnames and then Entertainment Service.
Neglect Avoid: As a Prosecco Vampire how many bottles are you going to kill in Russia?
Luca Gillian: Usually, our technical instruction says about 4 bottles that every promoter has to buy for us. But for the Russia shows I always tell Anton and Sanya that we need 6, because Russian shows are wilder than usual European shows, and we like to splash it into the crowd… So, I'd say 6 to 8…
Luca Gillian: Usually, our technical instruction says about 4 bottles that every promoter has to buy for us. But for the Russia shows I always tell Anton and Sanya that we need 6, because Russian shows are wilder than usual European shows, and we like to splash it into the crowd… So, I'd say 6 to 8…
Neglect Avoid: You have recently moved to Berlin. Don’t you think Berlin (it’s eastern part, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, for instance) is mostly like Moscow?
Luca Gillian: Well, they are both very cool, both has young beautiful people, shops, record stores, nice restaurants… I never thought about this, but yeah, you are right, it's kind of similar in a way.
Luca Gillian: Well, they are both very cool, both has young beautiful people, shops, record stores, nice restaurants… I never thought about this, but yeah, you are right, it's kind of similar in a way.
Neglect Avoid: In your interview for aughtmag.com you told that the question you’d like to be asked is “Where did you buy your shoes?” I already know the answer but one more time please.
Luca Gillian: I don't remember saying this, to be honest. Oh, it was for Ukraine mag, it was in Kiev… Well I always buy my shoes in one particular shop in Napoli. I go there once a year. As I'm half Italian and I always spending the whole August in South Italy. I always go to the same shop, there’s an old shoemaker, and it's all handmade, without any machines and from this company I have like 9 or 10 pairs and they last forever. Every year I bring it back there and they fix it somehow, some of them are like 6 or 7 years now.
Luca Gillian: I don't remember saying this, to be honest. Oh, it was for Ukraine mag, it was in Kiev… Well I always buy my shoes in one particular shop in Napoli. I go there once a year. As I'm half Italian and I always spending the whole August in South Italy. I always go to the same shop, there’s an old shoemaker, and it's all handmade, without any machines and from this company I have like 9 or 10 pairs and they last forever. Every year I bring it back there and they fix it somehow, some of them are like 6 or 7 years now.
Neglect Avoid: How did you manage to go to Italy in 2020? Did you feel any difference among all the other years?
Luca Gillian: It was rather difficult, actually. All my family lives there and they are very dear to me, and when I come there for holidays everybody’s hugging and kissing me and using any situation to come close or show their love in a family way. But that time everything went a little bit more distant and it was very hard for them to not put me in their arms. Of course, I hugged them, but we didn’t get that close than we were before. I mean not only with my family, also million of friends I have there, the people I grew up with.
Luca Gillian: It was rather difficult, actually. All my family lives there and they are very dear to me, and when I come there for holidays everybody’s hugging and kissing me and using any situation to come close or show their love in a family way. But that time everything went a little bit more distant and it was very hard for them to not put me in their arms. Of course, I hugged them, but we didn’t get that close than we were before. I mean not only with my family, also million of friends I have there, the people I grew up with.
