Onceweresixty - Pills
Indie rock trio Onceweresixty are back with a new single 'Pills', an adrenaline-infused song about the misguided use and abuse of psychotropic “medicine”. This is the second taste of their new album 'Loco Sunset Boulevard / Ghetto Blast Noise Machine' and following their well-received lead single 'Don't Get Stuck'.
Onceweresixty was founded by Marco Lorenzoni (guitars, vocals and keyboards) and Luca Sella (drums, guitar and vocals), who began collaborating in 2001. Moving from their original band MR60, they relaunched onto the music scene as Onceweresixty in 2018 after a 10-year hiatus, rounded out by the addition of Enrico Grando (keyboards and saxophone) shortly after their 2021 album 'The Flood'.
"The song 'Pills' is a song about the abuse of psychotic medicines. While medicine is supposed to heal us, this kind of medicine is very dangerous and can lead to a state of being that is worse than the illness it’s supposed to cure. Unfortunately, its use is very extensive and recommended by the medical industry, which is driven by profit rather than promoting good health," says Marco Lorenzoni.
"This is a topic that somehow relates to the war the medical industry is waging against the use of natural psychotics, such as marijuana, in favor of brand new products similar to heroin, etc. The heavy noise we inserted in this song represents the growing confusion with the use of those chemicals, which lead folks to give up on a potential cure for their condition".
Over the past three years, this double EP took form at Villa Albrizzi Marini, a magical place in the Venice countryside hills en route to the Alps. Onceweresixty set up their studio on this 1400-villa property, owned by the Armenian Church. The result is this 8-track album (structured in two parts as a double EP), which will be released on CD and vinyl by Uglydog Records, together with Beautiful Losers and PrettyOK Records.
Marco Lorenzoni explains, "The Villa - an ongoing project of urban regeneration via art activism - is absolutely inspiring and amazing, and we’re glad to be part of it. Onceweresixty and our own label Uglydog Records have always been at the forefront of promoting the arts, supporting artists and creating social connections. This is our little Warhol Factory in the countryside."
Onceweresixty draws their roots back to an ancient tale about the ghost of a beatnik biker living in a broken toy keyboard. "Sometimes he takes control of our minds and makes us play strange weird songs," says Lorenzoni, who continues to tell the tale of the band's origin.
Upon reforming, the band has conquered new musical territory, while still paying homage the sonic ghosts of such artists as Belle & Sebastian, Pavement, Morphine, Low, Herman Dune, Silver Jews and The Velvet Underground. Their indie dream of the early 2000s ultimately gave way to colder and leaner sounds, better reflecting the current times.
As of February 20, 'Pills' will be available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. Out on March 22, the double EP 'Loco Sunset Boulevard / Ghetto Blast Noise Machine' can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.
