1. How did the band get together? Brief history how you got started.
Formed in 1980, RAIN have crossed many changes of line-up, but they never lose their identity and their spirit. Unique case in Italy, into the national metal-rama, they have followed an artistic trail from the typical sound of the ‘eighties’ to a new personal style, so well know in (and out) the country.

During the first period, from the beginning to 1988-1990, the musical main line of the band is strongly oriented to models as Saxon, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest; but a more deep listening of the first demo tape ("The Rain is Coming"), may reveals also an original perception of Heavy Metal, that was, at the time, a musical gender almost unknown for the Italian big public.

After 1990, with the admittance of new members, (someone homosexual), young blood flows into the veins of the band, and the new job, “Bigditch 4707”, a very little success, proves the capability of the group to integrate various experiences into his musical logic.

Exactly, many critics have outlined the experimental point of view that marks the recent production of the band, also if the music is, generally, oriented to the classical metal standard: an hard rock without compromises, whose technical side and “ensemble” atmosphere is especially cared. That's the result of a real RAIN’s lifestyle: such a very strong form of friendship, living in and out stage and studio. RAIN not only play together, but really live together music and life. Normally, they share with themselves and with their crew beer and music -someone says women too!-, following a common way of continuous exchange.

In the last 5 years the band start also to play like opening act for international acts as: PAUL DI ANNO, MICHAEL SCHENKER, GUN BARREL, VIRGIN STEELE and release the full length album called "HEADSHAKER", a challenge to the top heavy metal bestsellers ;-)

The current line up is: TRONCO (lead vocals), LUCIO (guitars), AMOS (guitars), GINO (bass), MARIO (drums).

2. What were some of your influences? What was the first thing in your life that made you say “I want to play music”?
The band members are all influenced by the great icons of Heavy Metal like the all the bands of the beginning of the real metal era like IRON MAIDEN, MOTORHEAD, MANOWAR, SAXON, JUDAS PRIEST and also by the great hard rock bands like DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, DIO, MOTLEY CRUE, WHITESNAKES, AC DC…
We play Heavy Metal cos it's our life style, we are born playing HM and we will die playing HM…personally I started to play guitar a long time ago, I was 14 years old, when I discovered Heavy Metal music and one day listening at my own stereo in my little room at the top of the volume I decided to buy a guitar ad start to play my beloved music by myself.

3. What is some of the music you listen to now?
I listen a lot of music, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock above all, now it's a good period for these kinds of music again, heavy Metal is back and we are ready to push it to the top! Anyway I don't like at all rap or nu metal cos it's no metal, yes, the time for this nu shit now is over.

4. Can you tell us about some of your first musical instruments, gear you started with and what you play now? Do you have a favorite?
My first guitar ever was a YAMAHA folk guitar, but one day I broke her on my room walls and quit to buy a real electric guitar and I found a cool FENDER STRATOCASTER (made in Japan or Korea, I don't remember…eh eh not the original ;-) very cheap but I learned a lot on that guitar. Now I play JACKSON and ESP guitars, but I have also a really cool GIBSON GOTHIC FYING V…eh eh all the expensive guitars are good and plays very well. But the most is the way how you can play them!!! You got to feel your instrument like a part of your own body and soul.

5. Talk about your newest release, how it came together musically (writing) as well as how it was recorded.
Ok, HEADSHAKER is our last release and we are very proud of this CD! 11 tracks full of Heavy Metal, no compromises, no commercial tricks. It was arranged all together by the whole band in our practice room called LA FOSSA, following song by song the different inputs written by the 2 guitars players and with the melodic voice arias lead by our singer. We focused both song writing and recording on only one simple target: to obtain all the power kick of the band on the stage also inside the CD. That's why our people always remind us that we are better on a stage then on any previous album. I hope that we did it, but reading all the reviews I feel that we reached our goal. Then HEADSHAKER contains also a very good multimedia track with a lot of stuff on the band, and also the video of the song "ONLY FOR THE RAIN CREW" dedicates to all he gorgeous members of our fan club (at now 114 fuckin metalheadz).

In a few words HEADSHAKER in made with old song writing, taking care to preserve all our live rage with a huge power new sound due to the great job made in our favorites mixing studio, called FEAR STUDIO in Alfonsine - Italy.

6. Describe a live show, what can someone expect to experience at your performance? How do you decide on a setlist?
The live shows are RAIN best dimension, we play a lot live everywhere in Italy, and we are working also to play abroad very soon. On the stage our songs became a little bit faster, and we swear a lot together with the crowd. We give them all our energy, we headbang all together, we give all we have every nights…now we are working on a large DVD with a lot of live gigs around and a few video clips cos all the people ask for this.

7. How do you like being on the road touring? Things you like/ things you don't?
I love to be on tour, nothing is better than to live and to play on the road. It's our life. We are made for playing out there!!!

8. Any funny stories or encounters you had while on tour you can tell us about?
Yeah, a lot of very funny things usually happen on tour but you are very often to drunk to remember all well…eh eh sorry!!! But wait….. oh.. yes one night a guy of our road crew entered in the backstage showers room were two of us were enjoin a nice pretty cool girl, so he started to spread the news around and in a couple of minutes all the rest of the band and the whole crew were pulling shit inside the showers…ah ah I can remember also a chair!!! Very bad but funny situation, believe me…and sorry for my bad english ;-)

9. How do you feel about the current music scene in America / Europe and elsewhere in the world?
We feel to be very different, but as I told you before, I think that now is coming again our time, the time for HEAVY METAL… we don't care the rest of the music, sorry…we wanna rock 'n' roll all night and party every day…can you remember???

10. What lies in the future for your band?
Well, a lot of things, many gigs, maybe also outside Italy, another full length the next year, a DVD with our videos, live concerts and some stuff from our practice private room and from the backstages of the tour, yeah…. very hot and crazy stuff guys!!!

11. Is there any thing you'd like to ad or say?
We wanna thank you one by one to spend your time with our band and our music!!! Stay Heavy Metal guys and enjoy you time with good live bands, beers and girls!!! Nevermind…

12. Thanks again for taking the time to talk to us and share a little of yourself.
Thank you!!!!! See you ;-)