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V²… Pronounced V Squared… Let There Be Rock

Jeff Laufer @ 12.08.2016

When it sells its soul to a formula, rock dies; or so the argument goes. The music went into hibernation when the wild heroes of early rock ‘n’ roll were replaced by the well coiffed effigies of American Idol, et. al and boy-bands purporting to be rock bands. The challenging innovators of rock and roll have been sequestered into a secondary role of classic rock. Without the galvanizing grace of spontaneity, rock and roll has become a mere diversion. If you’re after transcendence, a formalized rock and roll track can lead to a path of bliss and jubilation. While this understanding of rock and roll is too pat at times. It does help to explain the current feelings among kids that rock music has lost its creative lust. Imagine Black Sabbath without instrumental dynamism and lyrical vision; imagine Led Zeppelin without God-like infused thunderous drums; imagine AC/DC unable to bring audiences to pure maniacal frenzy. What you’re imagining is a world without rock and roll… pretty bleak… The eccentric vitality essential to rock has succumbed to commercial pressures becoming a predictable mix of familiar ingredients that insures popularity, but has deprived the music of its cutting edge. Lowest-common-denominator rock bands of the 70’s have found immense commercial success in a stylistic limbo between heavy-metal and MOR rock. They rely heavily on the basics to convey their musical message through touring and radio airplay at classic rock stations. Still, corn-belt arena rock has its fans and they number in the millions.

Vittorio and Vincenzo of V² (pronounced V squared)

The baton has now been given to a “newbie” rock from Santa Rosa, CA….. V² (pronounced V squared). They consist of a young duo of twin boys (Consisting of Vincenzo on drums and vocals, Vittorio on guitar and vocals and their former guitar teacher – who dresses up as Frankenstein on stage – on bass) who has been putting out music since they were seven years old …. In 2014 at the age of 11 they swept an unprecedented 7 awards at the Los Angeles Music Awards and can boast of having a multiple top 15 tracks on Billboard’s sales chart! The lads got the attention of Rock-God producer/engineer, Ron Nevison who’s body of work includes The Who, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Ozzy Osbourne and The Rolling Stones!

Rock Bands of L.A. com had the chance to talk with Vincenzo and Vittorio about their obsession with rock and roll….

So many youngsters prefer rap and hip-hop.. they don’t understand rock and roll like you.. What makes rock and roll your musical path instead of other genres?

Vincenzo: We were actually exposed to music before we were born. Our mother sang in a classical music choir while she was pregnant with us. After we were born she played classical music in our room and in the car. We could identify the pieces by name when they came on the radio. The lyrics to “Long Live Rock and Roll” tell this story: “Before we were born, while still in her womb, our mom played the classics filling the room. Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Bach, Beethoven, Brahms we never heard any rock… When we hit the ground, classics kept on playin’, heavenly music Mom was so fond of saying…. Then one day it struck like a bolt from the blue, when we heard the Rock Gods, we knew just what to do… so we cranked up the amps, laid down the beat, struck the power chords and started moving our feet…. Now we’re playing hard, now we’re playing fast, gonna’ be rockers… gonna’ make it last… Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Bach, Beethoven, Brahms HEAR US ROCK!”

Vittorio: The reference to when we heard the Rock Gods is the day our dad played AC/DC’s “Back in Black” for us while we were driving in his truck and he told us the story about Malcolm and Angus Young who were brothers that started a band when they were teenagers and became AC/DC.

Vincenzo: Mom wasn’t happy about it, but we started playing rock and have never looked back.

Your parents raised you on classic rock… hearing AC/DC was the musical epiphany of your lives and there was no turning back… what young guitarists do you admire now Vittorio?

Vittorio: No young guitarists, but all the great classic rock like Eric Clapton, Angus Young, Eddie Van Halen, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix. and blues guitarists, like Muddy Waters, and B.B. King, and Buddy Guy.

What Drummers Vincenzo?

Vincenzo: Yeah, classic rock drummers John Bonham, Keith Moon, Phil Rudd, Dave Grohl, guys like that. My performance kit is a Sonor, Phil Rudd signature model.

Are you still taking lessons and perfecting your style?

Vittorio: Yes, I take guitar and voice lessons at least twice per week. I want to continue to improve my skills.

Vincenzo: Me too. Just like a Major League Baseball player has a hitting coach, everybody can use a coach to continue to improve and perform at a higher professional level.

Vittorio: Plus we like hanging out with our instructors.

Your album was produced by Ron Nevison…. He saw you and fell in love with your energy… what was it like having him producing your album? Was he a task master? Did you ever disagree with his decisions? What did you learn for this experience?

Vittorio: Ron is great. Easy to get along with, knows his stuff. Helped us rehearse the songs prior to going into the recording studio to get the perfect tempo and sound. We learned the right way to record an album from him.

Vincenzo: Ron kept us on task during the recording sessions, but always gave us plenty of breaks. During the breaks we would have fun, tell jokes, play pranks on the engineer. One day Ron brought a fart machine into the studio that had a remote control. When people would come to see how we were doing and sat down on the couch, we would press the remote to make the fart sounds. It was hard to keep a straight face. Vittorio would usually be the first to bust up laughing and give it away.

Vittorio: Ron gave me the fart machine when we were done and I took it to school and pranked a bunch of people until the teacher figured it out and took it from me.

Producer.. Ron Nevison….. V² Showing Reviews From The NY Times & USA Today

What is your take on social media?

Vittoio: Social media can be fun. We like sharing what we are doing with our fans and inviting them to our rehearsals or to music video filming through our differnet social media accounts.

Vincenzo: Sometimes it isn’t fun, if we feel like we have to send something out just to send it out. If we just do it for the fun of it, its fun. We like to keep it that way and not get too wrapped up in it.

We would like to thank Vittoio and Vincenzo for their time discussing their music. Also Ms. Amanda Cagan for her kind effort… Photo credit to Pat Johnson

You can reach V² on Facebook and their website…