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ManeskinRock band
Date of Birth: .
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Maneskin: The Revival of Rock and Roll
Despite the famous "Rock and Roll is Dead" proclamation by the Russian band "Akvarium," the genre that emerged in the mid-20th century in the United States is not only thriving but experiencing another wave of popularity. The triumphant European ascent of the Italian quartet Maneskin in 2021 stands as a testament to rock and roll's enduring vitality. The young band members, with their retro attire and makeup, evoke a bygone era, while their music embodies the rhythms of half a century ago.
Formation and Lineup
Maneskin's lineup has remained unchanged since its inception in late 2015: vocalist Damiano David, guitarist Thomas Raggi, drummer Ethan Torchio, and bassist Victoria De Angelis. The band's name was coined by Victoria, the only female member. Hailing from a Danish heritage, she uttered a few phrases in her native language, prompting the bandmates to adopt "Måneskin," meaning "moonlight" in Hans Christian Andersen's tongue. The four musicians are nearly peers: Victoria and Ethan were born in 2000, Damiano a year prior, and Thomas a year later. In keeping with a time-honored rock band tradition, three of the quartet were classmates in high school and later at the John F. Kennedy Lyceum in Rome, while Torchio was recruited through a social media advertisement.
Music
Maneskin's music seamlessly blends genres such as glam rock, funk rock, and alternative rock. The band's idols include Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, and Led Zeppelin. A pivotal moment in their career was the Pulse contest for emerging bands, which provided them with a platform to perform both covers and compose original singles. In 2017, they became the runner-up on the Italian version of the television talent show The X Factor. Maneskin's singles, "Morirò da Re" (2018) and "Torna a Casa" (2018), enjoyed immense popularity in Italy. Their debut album, "Il Ballo della Vita" ("The Dance of Life"), released in October 2018, topped the Italian charts. The album featured guest musicians, including saxophonists, violinists, and keyboardists, and conceptually revolved around the story of a fictional character named Marlena, whose name appears in five of the twelve tracks. 2019 marked a European tour for Maneskin, while in September of that year, they released what would become their most successful music video, "Le Parole Lontane" ("Distant Words").
Maneskin Today
In October 2020, the band released "Vent'anni" ("Twenty Years"), the lead single for their second album, "Teatro d'Ira – Vol. I" ("Theatre of Wrath Vol. I"). The album, featuring eight tracks, was released in March 2021. With the album's second single, "Zitti E Buoni" ("Shut Up and Behave"), Maneskin triumphed at the 2021 Sanremo Festival, earning them the right to represent Italy at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest. On their official Instagram page, the quartet proclaimed, "We made the revolution!" - as songs of their genre had never previously won Italy's premier vocals competition.
The band plans to hold concerts in Rome and Milan by the end of 2021, with an extensive tour of Italy scheduled for spring 2022.
Discography
2017 – Chosen2018 – Il ballo della vita
2021 – Teatro d'ira: Vol. 1
Music Videos
2017 – Chosen
2018 – Morirò da Re
2018 – Torna a casa
2019 – Fear for Nobody
2019 – L'altra dimensione
2019 – Le parole lontane
2020 – Vent'anni
2021 – Zitti e buoni
