From abbey of Funk to monk of Disco

This is a nice chat I recently had with a lovely countryman and old fellow traveller, Daniel Monaco. His influence may have positively affected some of my ‘cadences’. He is also the eminent bass player on the album ‘‘Terry’’ (2018)

Interview by Marco Cinelli

Given Name and Birthplace.

Daniele Labbate, born in Agnone in the south east of Italy.

Among all the given nicknames and artist names I’ve seen you coming out with, which one would you want to use here for this interview?

I’d like to use Daniel Monaco, which is the name I use for my latest project. It’s a mix between my first name and my mother’s last name. This solution is pretty true to myself, to my spirit. 

How do your close friends call you?

My close friends call me Abas, others call me Danny or just Daniel.

Young Daniele Labbate a.k.a. Daniel Monaco

It’s funny to me how in Italian monaco means ‘monk’ and Labbate, as a written variation of l’abate means ‘the abbey’.

(laughing) Labbate is my father’s last name but it was originally L’abate. It’s just a coincidence, no ‘religious’ relation.

What is the thing or fact that made you catapult your life into music? A song? A live show?

I have always wanted to play music ever since I was 5, even though I haven’t had any chance to go to shows or concerts. I think I just liked it. I was lucky enough to have plenty of instruments in my house, because my father was a guitar player. Piano remains the most accessible instrument for kids, and having one at home was a luxury for me. Later on, I discovered that that piano was in reality a Yamaha DX11 synthesiser - quite a kick ass one to tell the truth - so, instead of getting started on the piano, I got started right on a synth.

We both were pupils at the Saint Louis College Of Music in Rome. I met you when you were 19 if I am not mistaken. Immediately I was struck by your skills on bass guitar, so that I urged to invite you to form a band with me. Do you remember your early days at the music college?

My early days started with the struggle of how to avoid the military service that back then was still mandatory. Luckily, somebody up there must like me because I was blessed with hay fever so the military service refused to enlist me. During the first month at the college of music I met you, and I remember you were wearing a baseball cap. You looked like anything but a bluesman. We started jamming some “obscure” tracks from James Brown, the ones nobody really knew they existed. Can’t remember what they were.

Marco Cinelli and Daniele Labbate in Groningen. Picture taken by a reporter from De Volkskrant

I believe it was some tracks out of the album “Motherlode”, like “Since You’ve Been Gone” and stuff like that. What a trip.
Anyway, you left for Holland to study electronic music after your degree in Rome, am I right? You were the official reason why I left home to venture myself in my music career abroad, by joining you in Groningen.

It was 2008 when I quit Italy to move to the Netherlands. It wasn’t a happy choice because I love my country. The problem is that, as you also found out immediately after, there was nothing there for us. You came along a few months after I moved, and I was happy when you came in my empty house in Groningen. We would make fun of weird people dwelling the dutch streets at night. Lot of laughs, lots of joints. And a lot of laughs again. Then I met one person that was crucial for both of our lives in the following years, a guy named Stefan Strobl. He called me one day saying that he saw the ad I hanged somewhere outside the supermarket while looking for a room. His house was a fucking mess so I swore to myself I would never move in there. But then, you surprised everybody because you just decided to go live there. After a few months I joined you too in that house. Those were absolutely funny times. We used to sit around and listen to Stefan’s stories all day long, and take him with us to gig to try to get some photos - he was quite good at taking pictures. He had travelled around the globe and pick up a lot of different languages. He was a crazy type, a real punk. Bless his soul.

You are a bassist, a composer, a producer, a Dj, a teacher. Which one of these facets comes in the higher percentage for you?

I am a bass player. The nice thing about bass playing is the link between rhythm and melody. When I want to step out of that role I try to remember that and I succeed in making any style of music I want. I try to be honest in what I do.

Who is your biggest mentor in life?

I don’t know. I can never come with one name. If we talk about music my instinct will lead me to mention Gianfranco Gullotto, my teacher at SLCM. Lello Panico too, who was your teacher. But there is one guy whose teachings still make me do brilliantly today, and this fellow was my harmony teacher, Pier Paolo Principato. They together formed me and shaped the earlier Daniele I still proudly stand upon. Can’t think of anybody else at this stage of my life. 

Daniel Monaco performing live in the Netherlands

Who is the best artist of all time in the Netherlands, taking off Vermeer and Van Gogh?

There is that guy, Theo Jansen. He is a genius, he creates kinetic sculptures that walk on the beach. They look like creatures from another universe. 

Tell me why Netherland is great for music and why it is not.
Netherlands is great for music because they finance and support arts. It’s a wealthy country, so money can be spent for music. Weather is not great, food neither, but they respect you as an artist. On the other hand, in Italy I remember all the passion for music used to come uniquely from the people. The government doesn’t show signs of appreciation of you being a musician.
The problem of dutch music on a main stream level is the same of the problems of any other country. It is too ready-to-consume as if it was a sandwich.

When is it the best time of the day to smoke a joint?

When I first came here I used to smoke cannabis like cigarettes, until my brain said “hey dude, there is no more room for that shit”. I was starting to get very sloppy, so I decided to quit. I don’t smoke anymore. 

One rare shot of Growlin’ Love & Pain performing live in the Netherlands. Marco Cinelli on the left and Daniel Monaco on the right.

Do Dutch people like the food that you cook?

Yes, they do. My food beats average restaurant quality and it’s for free. They like it because it’s good and because it’s free.

It is a common thing for Italians living abroad to have their mama send them a box from Italy with some of food at least once a year. My mum sends to my brother and me mainly olive oil, in tanks of 5 liters only. What does your mum send you from Agnone?

She sends me Cacio Cavallo, candies that my uncle produces, salami, big tanks of olive oil from Molise, my region. Every now and then some delicatessen that she makes with my aunt. Hardcore stuff you know…

I would like to spend some words about Growlin’ Love & Pain.
GLP is the name of the band that you, Giuseppe D’Ortona and I formed long time ago in Rome. If you had to explain to someone who is hearing this band for the first time, what would you say?

GLP is three young fellows meeting at the main entrance of the college in Rome. It’s more a gang rather than a band. We have a solid friendship and a bond that lasted until now. Every time we see each other it’s an experience, a lot of fun. We do stuff because we like it. I am in a happy place with you guys. Growlin’ Love and Pain comes from a line of a poem by Ginsberg, or something like that. You came out with the name so you probably know better.

Yes, it is like you say. I can’t remember exactly why I came out with that name anyway. What’s your favourite song from GLP?

I am not good in favourite things. There is one song that I sing in my head at least once a week: “Weird Stories About You”.

What was the best show of Growlin’ Love & Pain as far as you can remember?

Although I have a great collection of memories of shows in Italy and Holland, I think the best show we have done was in Groningen Oosterport, or Rome in Villa Celimontana.  I must say though every show was special. I remember breaking strings on my bass, you saying silly things on the microphone, stuff like that. Always so much fun. 

What is your favourite style of music to play or to mix as a DJ?

I don’t define myself as a DJ. If I happen to mix is because I can’t bring my band with me. Recently Disco is what I play the most. Disco, Psychedelic Disco, Electro-Disco…

"I try to teach harmony to my pupils because I think they need to be always aware of what they’re doing when they are messing around with a song."

You recently worked with Alessandro in some production. How would you define his style of drumming?

Alessandro is dry but fat, tight but loose. He is a nice drummer with a nice sound. I am gonna ask him to do more stuff for me. It’s a pleasure to work with him. 

People are reading this interview and some of them are growing curious about what you do. If you have to submit one link only, that describes your world at the best, what would that be?

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/pp5b1

What’s wrong in the modern world of music?

It’s like asking what’s wrong with McDonald’s. Music on main stream is very commercial and not very healthy. It sounds like some music is made out of a template, and It becomes obsolete even after just a couple of months. Maybe when you ask me what’s wrong with modern producers I can answer that they are letting too much the machine do the job. That’s why I try to teach harmony to my pupils because I think they need to be always aware of what they’re doing when they are messing around with a song. Music on a deeper level has got all those great nuances that listeners unfortunately are not committed to absorb. The problem is that music comes now in playlists as a supplement for other tasks (music to workout, music for massage). It might be practical, but it’s not good for the culture. I don’t wanna be like one of those old farts who say “it was better before’, but WTF, music was better before! 

If you wanted to re-write your life, where would you live?

I would definitely live in Monkey Island.

How many chicks have you get laid with during your life?

I don’t keep the count unfortunately.

What do you think about the Cinelli Brothers Blues backing tracks “Lonesome in your bedroom”? I know blues is not your cup of tea, but would you still give it a go sometimes? Have you ever used them for your students?

I probably would enjoyed the Blues better if I were a guitar player. I feel the blues, but I am too impatient for the Blues.
My favourite type of Blues is the one with some hints of Jazz, like Oliver Nelson.
I use the backing tracks for my students and I think they work very fine. I don’t want to sound obvious saying that those backing tracks are good because you made them. They are really good and they serve the purpose.

As an artist, do you feel like you are on a mission? Why do you do what you do?

"The mission of the artist is to communicate to the masses, to question things, and why not be provocative."

The mission of the artist is to communicate to the masses, to question things, to raise questions and why not, be provocative. In my case I like to look back at the old stuff and mix it with the new stuff. I have been releasing digitally a lot but I always try to release my music on vinyl because I would like to have something concrete that will remain after I’m gone. That’s my mission.

What can really save the world in your opinion?

Two things combined together: music and being naked.

The best bass line ever written?

I would say the bass line of “River People”by Weather Report or “Cholly (Funk Getting Ready to Roll)” by Funkadelic.


Do you prefer to stay out and tour 365 days a the year or to remain at home and possess all the possible unimaginable synthesisers in the world?

If I stay at home I get crazy. I’d rather be out touring with my bass and my synth. I love to be around. If It happens that I lock myself in, it’s in order to create material that will let me travel again.

Thank you for your time, Abas. If people want to discover more about yourself, all they need to do is go to Soundcloud: Daniel Monaco or Instagram: daniel_monaco_music