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Interviews : “It’s always great to return home” – An Interview With Virgil Donati

By on May 22, 2017

When two drummers of prodigious talent get together to tour and play together, it truly is something very different and absolutely compulsory viewing. Virgil Donati and Thomas Lang are two of the greatest drummers the world has ever seen, and the fact that they are coming to Australia to play together very soon is sure to bring joy to people’s hearts. And not just that of other drummers, anyone who enjoys watching extremely gifted craftsmen display their wares will find much to enjoy here.

Former Melbourne boy Donati, with all possible humility, promises that Aussie audiences are in for something very special on this tour.

“It’s always great to return home for any reason, and most of all to play music,” he enthuses. “this time is quite particular, as I’m coming there with another drummer. We are good friends, and he is an amazing drummer, so I’m expecting there will be some very compelling moments once we hit the stage.”

The tour came about mainly due the fact that Donati and Lang are both sponsored by the same drum manufacturing company. “Thomas and I were approached by DW (Drum Workshop) the drum company we endorse, about the possibility of joining forces for a tour,” he explains, “the idea was planted quite sometime ago, and then this opportunity to tour Australia and Asia came about. That was the motivation we needed to get it off the ground.”

According to Donati, these is going to be all manner of weird, wild and wonderful percussive and musical delights for people to enjoy on this tour, even beyond watching the two monster players play.

“It goes without saying that the focus will be on the two drummers on stage,” he says “but it’s all about the ideas, the creative conditions expressed through how we will interact, and connect through the performance. Some of it is composed, in either unison parts, or call and response, and in the spirit of improvisation, there will be a lot of spontaneous interaction.

“We have also written some music specifically for this tour, to be played with our virtual band.” He laughs.

He is always a man of many bands and many projects, however a recent tragedy has put a temporary brake on his normal frenzy of activity. It won’t be long before he is back on the job in a big way though.

“Sadly, my musical mentor, and the artist I’ve been touring with mainly over recent years, Allan Holdsworth, passed away only weeks ago,” he states sadly, “we are still in mourning, and shortly after returning from this tour, will be playing four nights in New York city as a tribute to the great man and his music.

“I’ve also been touring with my band, featuring some amazing young musicians, playing tracks from my recent album ‘In This Life’. I recently release a new record, ‘The Dawn Of Time’, which is quite unique. It is an orchestral record, composed and orchestrated by myself, and quite an epic work.
I’m currently in the midst of writing and recording the debut record of my new band ‘IceFish’. It’s progressive rock (with vocals), and very excited about launching this.

Donati has contributed much to drums, percussion and music over a decades-long career, but while he gives the past its due, this most progressive-thinking of artists is all about the next idea, the next project, the next concept…

“I’ve always had a consuming passion to transcend myself, and constantly evolve as a musician,” he says, “to that end, I’m fortunate to have had an endless supply of motivation. I feel I’ve had two halves to my career. The early pop/rock years in Australia, and then from the age of 36 the move to the US, and focusing more on the fusion/progressive music.

“But to tell the truth, I don’t spend any time at all thinking about those things. My time is spent studying music, studying rhythm, improving my skills. This is where you put your energy if you want to make a difference and express yourself on your instrument. If it has any universal impact it’s left to posterity.”

And while the physical issues of a drummer like Neil Peart have been well documented in recent times, with extreme tendinitis and other such ailments forcing him into an early retirement, Donati is in a much better place, physically and mentally, to keep moving forward in this manner.

“I’m doing remarkably well considering the years of physical punishment my limbs have survived,” he says, “but I have gone to great lengths to lead a lifestyle that takes into consideration the high demands both physical and mental. So diet, exercise have all played a part in maintenance.

“Right now, my various body parts, are feeling better and stronger than ever.”

TOUR DATES
Saturday, May 27: Sydney Drum & Percussion Show* – Rosehill Gardens Grand Pavilion, Sydney
Tickets: www.australianmusician.com.au/sydney-drum-percussion-show-2017/tickets

Tuesday, May 30: The Princess Theatre, Brisbane
Tickets: www.trybooking.com/276449

Thursday, June 1: Union House Theater, Melbourne University, Melbourne
Tickets: www.trybooking.com/276466

Saturday, June 3: Century Theatre, Immanuel College, Adelaide
Tickets: www.trybooking.com/276470

Tuesday, June 6: Red Door Auditorium, Perth
Tickets: www.trybooking.com/276472

About

Rod Whitfield is a Melbourne-based writer and retired musician who has been writing about music since 1995. He has worked for Team Rock, Beat Magazine, themusic.com.au, Heavy Mag, Mixdown, The Metal Forge, Metal Obsession and many others. He has written and published his memoirs of his life and times in the music biz, and also writes books, screenplays, short stories, blogs and more.