MECHANOID.IT - official website for BLANK

frequently asked questions

Who are the members of BLANK and who is this EdM who's always credited in BLANK releases?

The band is the Maze (Davide Mazza) on vocals and programming and der Mate (Riccardo Mattioli) on programming. They both write music, exchanging ideas and opinions through the net. The Maze focuses more on the vocal part and der Mate on the arrangements. We meet together to mix and produce once a week, with the help of the mysteryous EdM, who is the official sound engineer, co-producer and in fact the third hidden member of the group, owner of Downstairs Studios in Parma.

Is it true that before forming BLANK you were in a gothic band?

Yes, it's true. The band name was Headrops and was founded by The Maze together with 3 friends a looong time ago. The Maze was playing the drums then. After a couple of years, the lineup changed, der Mate joined the band on guitars. Later on the Maze started playing the bass guitar and programming the drum-machine. Headrops released two demotapes. There is still a very basic web page about Headrops at http://www.geocities.com/headrops. It contains a brief bio, pics and three complete MP3s for your listening pleasure.

Can I hear something of Headrops stuff?

See above, go to http://www.geocities.com/headrops and download the three available songs. The demotapes are sold out and we don't care anymore. The song "Cado in su" was released on a sampler called "Intimations of immortality vol.4" by label Energeia in 1998. Don't get too excited, though. Headrops songs were composed and singed by a different singer. The Maze and derMate were only part of the band as musicians.

What's the meaning behind the name "Blank"?

After playing for years in another band, we formed this project and it was like a new start for us... so we felt we had some "blanks" to fill. The concept was interesting and the name sounded nice... and we kept on thinking about deeper meanings beyond the word "BLANK", like, how music is that special something that fills the "blanks" in our life, and how everything you write down starts with a "blank" page, and so on. Lots of meanings (some secret ones, too!) and a short, good-sounding word.

What are your favorite bands?

We have far too many personal favourites. In the past we have listened to a lot of gothic stuff like the usual Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Rosetta Stone, Joy Division etc. but we already knew and loved electro-acts like Clock DVA, Skinny Puppy, Pankow, Kirlian Camera, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Klinik, Insekt etc, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, industrial stuff by Staalplaat, and a lot of italo-dance. The "electronic explosion" came with the releases from labels like Zoth Ommog, Offbeat and Wax Trax, and after hearing bands like Leaether Strip, X-Marks the Pedwalk and Front Line Assembly. Our love for electronic and dance music is limitless, so we listen to lots of trance, psytrance, techno, idm and everything that we can find somehow inspiring, from MTV bands to Japanoize. Among our favorites you can also find the latest releases by Madonna, Tiesto, BT and Paul Oakenfold, and also Scooter, Astral Projection, Infected Mushroom, Royksopp, Air... As you can see, the list is very long and we could go on forever.

What equipment are you using?

Everything we've released so far has been made with:
Access Virus B
Yamaha CS2X
Alesis DMPro
Roland MC-505
Rob Papen Blue

As a sequencer, we use Opcode Studio Vision Pro and Digidesign ProTools M-Powered, and we mix everything on a full Digidesign ProTools HD system.

What collaborations with other artists has BLANK been involved in?

Other than various remixes for bands such as Stromkern, Unter Null, The Crystalline Effect, XP8, Reikka RPM and others, theMaze is involved as a singer with Bacteria and more collaborations are planned - though it's too early to talk about it yet.

Do BLANK have any side-projects?

At the time we only have a folder where we put every song we write that somehow doesn't fit the style of Blank. One day maybe we'll release those songs under a different name.

How can I get BLANK to remix one of my songs?

Write us.

Where can I get your releases?

http://www.artoffact.com
http://www.stormingthebase.com
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.endless.de
http://www.musicnonstop.co.uk
http://www.snocap.com
http://www.emusic.com
and iTunes!











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		frequently asked questions Who are the members of BLANK and who is this EdM who's always credited in BLANK releases? The band is the Maze (Davide Mazza) on vocals and programming and der Mate (Riccardo Mattioli) on programming. They both write music, exchanging ideas and opinions through the net. The Maze focuses more on the vocal part and der Mate on the arrangements. We meet together to mix and produce once a week, with the help of the mysteryous EdM, who is the official sound engineer, co-producer and in fact the third hidden member of the group, owner of Downstairs Studios in Parma. Is it true that before forming BLANK you were in a gothic band? Yes, it's true. The band name was Headrops and was founded by The Maze together with 3 friends a looong time ago. The Maze was playing the drums then. After a couple of years, the lineup changed, der Mate joined the band on guitars. Later on the Maze started playing the bass guitar and programming the drum-machine. Headrops released two demotapes. There is still a very basic web page about Headrops at http://www.geocities.com/headrops. It contains a brief bio, pics and three complete MP3s for your listening pleasure. Can I hear something of Headrops stuff? See above, go to http://www.geocities.com/headrops and download the three available songs. The demotapes are sold out and we don't care anymore. The song "Cado in su" was released on a sampler called "Intimations of immortality vol.4" by label Energeia in 1998. Don't get too excited, though. Headrops songs were composed and singed by a different singer. The Maze and derMate were only part of the band as musicians. What's the meaning behind the name "Blank"? After playing for years in another band, we formed this project and it was like a new start for us... so we felt we had some "blanks" to fill. The concept was interesting and the name sounded nice... and we kept on thinking about deeper meanings beyond the word "BLANK", like, how music is that special something that fills the "blanks" in our life, and how everything you write down starts with a "blank" page, and so on. Lots of meanings (some secret ones, too!) and a short, good-sounding word. What are your favorite bands? We have far too many personal favourites. In the past we have listened to a lot of gothic stuff like the usual Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Rosetta Stone, Joy Division etc. but we already knew and loved electro-acts like Clock DVA, Skinny Puppy, Pankow, Kirlian Camera, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Klinik, Insekt etc, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, industrial stuff by Staalplaat, and a lot of italo-dance. The "electronic explosion" came with the releases from labels like Zoth Ommog, Offbeat and Wax Trax, and after hearing bands like Leaether Strip, X-Marks the Pedwalk and Front Line Assembly. Our love for electronic and dance music is limitless, so we listen to lots of trance, psytrance, techno, idm and everything that we can find somehow inspiring, from MTV bands to Japanoize. Among our favorites you can also find the latest releases by Madonna, Tiesto, BT and Paul Oakenfold, and also Scooter, Astral Projection, Infected Mushroom, Royksopp, Air... As you can see, the list is very long and we could go on forever. What equipment are you using? Everything we've released so far has been made with: Access Virus B Yamaha CS2X Alesis DMPro Roland MC-505 Rob Papen Blue As a sequencer, we use Opcode Studio Vision Pro and Digidesign ProTools M-Powered, and we mix everything on a full Digidesign ProTools HD system. What collaborations with other artists has BLANK been involved in? Other than various remixes for bands such as Stromkern, Unter Null, The Crystalline Effect, XP8, Reikka RPM and others, theMaze is involved as a singer with Bacteria and more collaborations are planned - though it's too early to talk about it yet. Do BLANK have any side-projects? At the time we only have a folder where we put every song we write that somehow doesn't fit the style of Blank. One day maybe we'll release those songs under a different name. How can I get BLANK to remix one of my songs? Write us. Where can I get your releases? http://www.artoffact.com http://www.stormingthebase.com http://www.amazon.com http://www.endless.de http://www.musicnonstop.co.uk http://www.snocap.com http://www.emusic.com and iTunes!




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