 JULY 2005
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM SPOTLIGHT BONA ROBA
Their music is fun and sexy and down and dirty – it’s
pure New York City! They’ve been compared to the Rolling Stones, New
York Dolls and the Ramones. If you’re looking for a new crush, these
guys just may fit the bill – meet Bona Roba!
Unfortunately Luc was out of town when we conducted the interview, but
Neal, Phil and Domino are all here!
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Jeff Rey of Neon wrote, "Bona Roba is about the
music – played live, basically three chord rock punched flat-out,
dripping with sweat and panting with pleasure. Sort of like good sex."
That's one of the all-time best quotes I've ever heard! So how would
you describe your sound?
PHIL: I would describe our sound as straight up rock n' roll
you can dance and get drunk to. Sweaty, dirty, and sexy.
DOMINO: High-energy rock n’ roll in its purest form.
NEAL: Jeff Rey has been involved in the NYC rock scene for
twenty-five plus
years and he’s one of the first people who wrote a review of our live
show. We’re pretty proud of his quote.
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: I've been playing your song "Cunningham Park"
over and over the last few days - it's great! Can you tell us how that
particular song came about?
DOMINO: Neal wrote it about three months after we started regularly
rehearsing. Its a park in Queens young kids got fucked up at.
NEAL: Not since Anthrax has a band come out of Queens and made
a splash. It’s time. Cunningham Park is a place where high school kids
go to get high, make-out, listen to music and have keg parties.
PHIL: It was away from residential abodes, so lots of fun was had
by all who couldn't get into bars.
 ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: You've been compared
to the Rolling Stones, the New
York Dolls, the Ramones, the Clash, the Afghan Whigs, and Faster
Pussycat. Who were your musical influences?
DOMINO: All of the above plus the Beach Boys and Captain Beefheart and all the great American bands.
NEAL: I’m a slave for soul: Otis Redding, Aretha, Bill Withers,
Candi Staton, Al Green. I think their influence comes out on a more
subtle level. Guns n’ Roses’ “Appetite” was a huge inspiration
lyrically, Stones set the standard for groove and attitude, Afghan
Whigs brought the sex, and AC/DC is a great reminder that simple rock
is the best kind.
PHIL: All of the above, with the exception of the Clash, with
hints of Creedence, early Gn'R, early Aerosmith, Stooges, and anything
that sounds like raw boogie.
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: The whole
sexy-Italian-guys-from-New-York-who-actually-speak-Italian is very
appealing. Do you actively play into that or does is just come
naturally?
NEAL: This is the first time I’m announcing this publicly, but
I am only Italian on a spiritual level. In fact, I’m considering
starting up a religion called Italianology. The premise of the
religion is that we’re each born with millions of Italian demons
locked inside our soul. We are responsible for freeing each of them.
Maybe I can recruit Tom Cruise.
PHIL: Its half true and half fake, its fun to have an over zealous sex
appeal, with an essential New York attitude.
DOMINO: It comes naturally because we would never sit down and
come up with gimmicks to get people into the band. For the record, Luc
is a mutt.
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: The four of you have been together for about a
year now - what's the next step for the band? And do you plan to tour?
DOMINO: Yes.
NEAL: World domination is the next step. The world is ready to
rock. I can smell it in the air and taste it in the water.
PHIL: Sky is the limit, tour, promote, and look hot is the plan.
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: And I have to ask our favorite ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM
question! What are the re-occurring themes that run through your
music?
NEAL: I love that our music is void of sensitivity. We’ve heard
some criticism that our music is lyrically one-dimensional. I think I
can speak for the group when I say that’s perfectly fine. I like
writing about parties, hookers, sex, fame, greed, high society and
drugs. There’s so much imagery in all of that and it’s fun to write
about.
DOMINO: What Neal said.
PHIL: Sex, drugs, booze, parties, adventurous women of dark
persuasion, and women in general, poking fun at the "I live the rock
n' roll lifestyle" attitude.
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Okay, we gotta ask! We heard a rumor that one of
you has a big opportunity coming up. Can you tell us about it?
NEAL: I was picked to be on the upcoming series, Rock Star: INXS. From what I hear, about 50,000 auditioned so I feel pretty
fortunate to have been one of the fifteen selected.
I imagine that it’s probably going to be a big learning experience. I
expect to learn a lot from the other contestants and INXS. Other than
that, I really don’t know what to expect. It’ll be pretty cool to be
able to perform in front of such a big audience. I plan on turning
America on its ass.
DOMINO: Yes, I can. We’re pitching my new mini series V.E.T. to
all corporate assholes in LA as we speak. I’m gonna be on TV once a
week and be a fuckin' star.
PHIL: We are all big guys.
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Anything else you want the world to know about
you?
DOMINO: No.
PHIL: We are genuine New York rock, we don't pretend to be
stars, we live.. and have lived all our music.
NEAL: I like ponies and long walks on the beach.
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM: Thanks guys!
Interview conducted by
Cheryl Spelts
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM
July 1, 2005
Photos courtesy of Greg Gatti
BONA ROBA Official Site 
BONA ROBA on ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM
Neal Carlson Forum
Neal Carlson Bio
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