It was early 2010 when I first heard this poetically melancholic name: Farewell to Hearth and Home. At the time, I was organizing a series of lo-fi folk concerts and when I received the tip I was overcome with talent-scout glee. An unknown Florentine gem just waiting to be brought out in the open—what joy! I persistently stalked the frontman, nom de plume Athos Molteni, and he finally caved in. Much has happened since the group’s live debut, but after releasing their first album in 2015, they had to quickly pull the brakes due to unexpected complications. Now they’re prepping for a comeback and will be hitting La Ménagère‘s stage at full blast on March 25.
Michelle Davis: So tell me, Athos, how did this all begin?
Athos Molteni: In November 2010, [fellow band member] Diego Boboli and I experimented around the house and composed our first EP, The Domestic. We put it on Myspace, without any kind of expectation, but some funny things happened that made us want to bring this project forward. For example, our song ‘Domestic’ was put on a website where women activists were fighting for the right of housewives to be paid a salary. They thought our song was supporting their cause, probably because of the title, and complimented us
on representing Florence in their call for justice!
MD: In September 2015 you finally released your debut LP Diversions. Tell me more about the creative process behind it.
AM: We decided to do everything on our own. It was a bit of a double-edged sword since we ended up in a sort of anti-social bubble, with no external input or stimuli. But we are very satisfied with the result. I usually jot down a simple melody with vocals and guitar. Then I bring my recordings to band practice and await the ruthless judgment of my fellow musicians! Most of the time, they want to change everything. This way our music embodies both songwriting and more band-like qualities. There is one thing, however, that cannot be questioned: my lyrics! We also took over the direction of an independent music label, Millesei Dischi. Our latest addition: a young punk band from Prato unceremoniously called Kenny Muore Sempre.
MD: As a philosophy student and avid reader, are there any particular figures that inspire your writing style?
AM: I love David Bowie and Francesco De Gregori, but my writing process is very personal, as is the choice of composing in English. The way I see it it’s a bit like transposing the preciosity of the Italian language into an English metric form. As for the lyrics, I always bear in mind the Greek philosopher Archilocus. With his poetry he was the first to break the illusion that all intimate and experience-related texts are forcedly autobiographical. I believe that creating a new skin for yourself, be it with words, masks, stage names or costumes, adds magic and depth to the act of music-making.
MD: Speaking of Bowie, in recent years we have lost some of music’s north stars. Do you feel lost?
AM: The world is made of many stories that entwine and change over the centuries. They’re not meant to be comforting but to tell a truth about their time. Every story has its end and the way I see it, the grand musical narrative ended 30 years ago. What we are experiencing now is a bit like ‘asset management’ of the existent: we are able to delve deep into genres, styles, ideas unlike ever before. I believe that every niche has a potential big star in the making, it’s just that history now feels no need for leaders or guides. Musical democracy is not synonymous of impoverishment, it’s a result of freedom. Now it’s up to us to joyously explore and choose our personal north stars, to broaden our musical alphabets.
MD: What are you planning for your Florentine concert?
AM: We will be performing our latest release in full, using all our peculiar instruments, like the baritone ukulele and Wurlitzer piano, to faithfully reproduce the album’s ambience.
