We were lucky enough to catch up with Louis Emory and The Reckless Few following the superb release of the EP, ‘Love Italy’, enjoy below.

What is your earliest music memory?

There are two that really come to mind. First, hearing The Supremes’ ‘Baby Love’ coming out of my Father’s friend’s stereo. He had it cranked up, and that warmth just pulled me right in. I still love the sound of that record. The second would be driving in the car with my Mom and hearing The Beatles and Beach Boys come on the radio. ‘Twist and Shout’ and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ – I loved hearing their harmonies.

How did you get into the music industry?

When I was 14, my parents bought me my first guitar. At that time, I was really into Slash and Gun N’ Roses. My Mom signed me up for lessons with my teacher Jim Corgan, who would go on to teach me for many years. One day, my cousin Bob Boyer and I went to his friend Tim Lynch’s studio, The Recording Company, and we recorded a two-song demo. It was so amazing to have the opportunity at that age to record in a professional studio, and I’ve been recording with Bob and Tim off and on ever since. My family was very supportive of my art, and I can’t thank them enough for that.

Who influenced your brilliant latest release, ‘Love Italy’?

My travels to Italy, its history (the Medici and the Renaissance masters), and the wonderful people we met along the way. As far as musicians go, I’m heavily influenced by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Band, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and countless others. I was also influenced by Querceto di Castellina’s wine (Sei and L’aura) and their winery, where my wife and I got married in 2019!

‘Love Italy’ has been masterfully co-Mixed by Shelly Yakus; what was that process like?

It kind of felt like a dream in a lot of ways. I had taken some time off from music and pursued other paths. The universe kept gently nudging me to get back to playing and recording. I had begun working on another album with a dozen or so songs, and at some point, we ended up working on ‘Firenze’ and ‘Roma’, and it just felt right. So, I abandoned the other album and started focusing all of my energy and time on what would become the Love Italy EP.

The EP was finished when I reconnected with Shelly, whom I’d had a consultation with earlier that year. Shelly heard the songs and offered to help, providing his expert advice on the mixes. Bob and Tim worked closely with him, fine-tuning each song, and when we were finished, the sound was impeccable.

He also gave me a lot of positive feedback about my voice and songwriting, which helped boost my confidence in both. I feel extremely lucky and grateful to get to work with him. Anytime you can connect with someone about your art, it’s a gift. I got to work with the guy who was behind the desk listening to John Lennon, Bob Seger, and Tom Petty singing back to him… It’s pretty wild to think about. It’s an honour.

What’s your dream venue to play?

I don’t know if there’s a dream venue… my mind goes to MSG (Madison Square Garden), but I would really enjoy playing some outdoor festivals in Italy. Maybe even in one of the ancient amphitheatres!

Other than music, what are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about my family and feel very grateful for them. It took me a lifetime to find my wife, and I feel so lucky to have her and our son Leonardo in my life. I’m also passionate about history, art, architecture, and food.

What changes would you like to see in the music business?

I think artists should be paid more. We help beautify the world. The arts should be invested in. The Medici understood that, and because of their vision, we had the Renaissance.

How do you feel about how the internet plays a role in today’s music business?

It’s good and bad. I was lucky enough to experience life before the screens took over. I think about it more now as a father and wonder what kind of world we are leaving to our kids. At the same time, Love Italy has been getting played in a lot of different countries, which amazes me because we are not touring or anything. So, in that sense, it’s great. To connect with fans across the world – pretty wild.

What would it be if you could choose one thing for fans to take away from your music?

With Love Italy, I hope fans travel abroad and see and experience new places. We’ve been very lucky to grow up in one of the most peaceful times in human history. The fact that I grew up reading about Ancient Rome and that I can physically walk in the Roman Forum or Colosseum or bask in the light of the Pantheon is a dream come true. The fact that people can still visit Venice before the oceans rise – is an opportunity not to be missed. I hope everyone who experiences it understands that the fate of Venice is a shared fate. Climate change is happening. Visit the places you always wanted to while you can still enjoy them.

Have you started working on your next release?

We are currently working on two more EPs! One will be a follow-up to Love Italy with more songs inspired by its history and my experiences there. The other EP will have songs I’ve written over the last year or so. I’ll be back at The Recording Company next month and hope to have something new out before the end of the year.

FVMusicBlog March 2023

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