Aug 2, 20237 min read

NAS 10 Questions with Arnoldo's Lizards

This time on The NAS 10 Questions we get to know Arnoldo`s Lizards, AKA Jack Dimensions keyboardist, producer and songwriter, Alvare Goco, singer and songwriter, Ezequiel Volpe Bassist

Gustavo Ciambotti Drummer

Nacho Sosa Guitarist

Enrico Barboza Guitarist. Based in Argentina with a distinct sound crafted to their signature foot-tapping style.

The track "Tonight" is featured in the New Artist Spotlight Family of Playlists.

Link To New Artist Spotlight Playlists:

https://www.newartistspotlight.org/playlists

1. Tell us a little about where you are from and what you are currently doing.

We are Arnoldo´s Lizards, in this time Alvare and Jack from Mar del Plata, Argentina.

A small city on the Atlantic coast. The rest of the band members are Gustavo Ciambotti on drums, Ezequiel Volpe on bass, and Nacho Sosa and Enrico Barboza on guitars.

Currently, we are finishing recording and producing our upcoming album, which will be called "Happy Without Your Consent". It will be an eclectic record that will encompass various genres such as alternative rock, power pop, post-punk, funk, and disco. We are also performing live extensively, showcasing our first album and previews of this second one, and we have been receiving a great response. We are trying to connect with artists from all over the world to share our art and listen to the art of others!

2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?

Jack: I started this beautiful journey of music when I was 15 years old. Now I'm 25, and when I think about what inspired me to make music, the first thing that comes to mind is my 10-year-old self grabbing broomsticks and pretending they were guitars, imagining myself on a stage. Then, at the age of 15, I started learning a bit of guitar, but it didn't fully capture my attention until I encountered a piano and a synthesizer that blew my mind and made me fall deeply in love. Finally, when I had my first live performance on a stage, with people, I realized that's what I want for my entire life.

Alvare: In my case, the person who inspired me to create music was Jack. I used to be very fearful, even though I had performed in some bars singing covers, but I felt like it didn't belong to me. When I met Jack, there was an instant connection, not only romantically but primarily musically. We started creating songs together, giving them our own personality. The songs we create and that I sing now feel truly mine, and as a result, I feel very comfortable when singing in the studio and live performances. But well, since I was a little girl, I used to play and imitate the singers I loved, such as Bjork, Amy Winehouse, Blondie, among others. So I always knew that my life had to be on a stage.

𝟯. Who are your biggest influences?

Jack: Charly García, Yes, Genesis, Bjork, Parliament Funkadelic, James Brown, Talking Heads, John Frusciante, Marvin Gaye, Queen, Miranda, among others.

Alvare: I grew up listening to international bands and artists, and I particularly enjoy highlighting Ryuichi Sakamoto, Bjork, David Bowie, The Beatles, Culture Club, Jamiroquai, Duran Duran and Nirvana. A lot of national artist like: Charly Garcia, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Gustavo Cerati and Sumo.

4. What are your goals in the music industry?

I believe our goals in the music industry can be summarized as seeking overall recognition. We do this to leave a legacy of our creations. We enjoy innovating and aspire to be pioneers of a new musical genre. We believe the best way to define what we do is "Art-rock," from which various branches emerge. Naturally, we are interested in being able to make a living from music, but we understand that it requires hard work. Therefore, we focus not only on reaching the top but also on taking it step by step.

5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.

Our creative process when it comes to creating music is essentially sitting down, closing our eyes, and starting to improvise. Once we feel like we have "something" in our hands, we record it as a reference. In one session, we can come up with 3 or 4 songs, which we record, and then I sit down to produce them from scratch in the studio. Luckily, the rest of the band strongly supports the creative and production process, so most of the songs, which initially are just piano and vocals with humming, turn into musical pieces that leave us amazed.

6. What is your all-time favorite song?

Jack: My all-time favorite song is "La Grasa de las Capitales" by Serú Giran. I'm not sure if I can explain it well, but it's something I've been listening to for at least 15 years, and it never fails to blow my mind and leave me amazed. There's just something about it that resonates with me deeply. Alvare: I don't have one favorite song, but if I had to choose one, it would be "Life on Mars" by David Bowie. I feel that any explanation would be unnecessary because the sensation it evokes is both collective and mind-blowing.

7. What is the best advice or you have either given or received in terms of music?

Once I heard the phrase "Less is more," and it was one of the best pieces of advice I've come across in my musical career. We have also learned not to trust any manager, haha, it's a great tip, keep that in mind! But I believe that life itself advises you and makes you realize what is happening, whether you're on the right path or not. One of the best pieces of advice we give and have received is: never stop creating. If you have a guitar and you're interested in it, focus on that, learn a few chords, and add your style to it. You'll learn a lot along the way. Form a band with your friends, fail, succeed, but never stop creating. You never know when that song is about to come. If you're feeling down, make music.

Oh, and we would add "if it happens, it's worth it."

8. Proudest accomplishment?

Our proudest achievement is being surrounded by people we love, forming a band with magnificent, funny, intelligent, and professional individuals. Being able to work with someone like Andres Guazzelli, who is not only an incredible professional but also our best friend, almost like family, is truly rewarding. We're also proud to convey a message and communicate emotions through our music. The rest is just chatter...

9. Just for fun! What's been your most embarrassing moment so far?

Alvare: I couldn't answer with just one anecdote. Unfortunately, I'm a person with a lot of anxiety, and I constantly think that I'm embarrassing myself, haha. But one particular anecdote was when we went hiking up one of the highest mountains in Córdoba, on a 3-day excursion, full of intense walking—about 45 km uphill and 45 km downhill. I don't know if it's embarrassing, but it's a great anecdote. When we reached the summit, there was celebration and happiness for having accomplished such a challenge. However, as soon as we started descending, my shoe started squeezing my big toe nail tightly. Being stubborn, I decided not to say anything or complain, until I couldn't bear it anymore and took off my shoe (imagine all of this happening in front of a group of 11 people). As soon as I removed my sock, I realized that both of my big toenails were lifting. And we still had about 10 km to go to reach the refuge, and it was getting dark. We had to wait for a guide to rescue us (although I had to keep walking because we were literally in the middle of nowhere). We arrived very late at night, and I was on crutches. I know it's not embarrassing, but the message is, if something hurts, communicate it at the moment or dare to lose two toenails like me, hahaha.

Jack: Well, I have a couple of embarrassing stories, but I'll share the most embarrassing one. I was born into a very humble family in a third-world country. We could say that my family was on the verge of poverty. As a result, there were many things I was unfamiliar with. For instance, when I was getting to know Alvare, she invited me to have dinner at her place and ordered sushi. I had a vague idea of what sushi was, but I had never tried it before. Suddenly, the food arrived, and we left it on the table while we continued chatting in her room. At one point, I said, "Our food is going to get cold, let's hurry up and eat. Or maybe we should stay here and then heat it up later." Yes, I actually thought about heating up sushi on one of my early dates with Alvare. It was very embarrassing because she couldn't help but burst into laughter, and once I found out what sushi actually was, I couldn't help but laugh either, hahaha.

𝟭0. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.

We have a short musical career as "Arnoldo's Lizards." We have been playing and working on this project for about 2 and a half years. In this short period, we can highlight the accomplishment of bringing this whole endeavor to life, being able to transform our emotions into music, and carrying them forward with the utmost professionalism. Getting to know the NAS community also stands out as one of the highest points in our band's history. They have truly helped us tremendously, and we are eternally grateful for that. In terms of more "superficial" situations, closing a festival at one of the well-established venues in our city was a significant high point. Additionally, being nominated in the top 10 of Prog Magazine, one of the most important progressive rock magazines in the UK, was a great achievement.

As for low points... In Argentina, the primary language spoken is Spanish, and we are a band that sings in English. This can sometimes be a problem among local listeners, and we have faced criticism for it. However, we understand their perspective, although we refute it by believing that music can touch people regardless of the language. We don't pay much attention to those types of critiques because they are not constructive.