Peter Jackson’s Get Back, the Beatles biopic which included restored early footage of the band, was one of the most notable moments in recent year when it comes to music.
By Graeme Smith
The film had a profound effect on one band, who wanted to harness something of the legendary quartet’s approach into their own recordings.
“The close focus on the creative process of the band has been so inspiring,” says Michele Giuliani of Bologna, Italy’s Gee Whiz!. “In just a few days, I wrote and recorded most of the Gee Whiz!’s demos.”
One of those demos was to be named Mr. Dinosaur, the band latest single and our introduction to them.
“The recordings sat in the drawer for two years, until I decided to give them to Mariagiulia [Degli Amori, the band’s drummer] to listen to on her return trip from London to Bologna on Flixbus,” Guiliani continues. “Once she got back, we locked ourselves in the rehearsal room and dedicated ourselves to writing new songs and arranging everything, then Gek and Paul joined in, and everything took shape.”
The combination of Giuliani, Degli Amori, Paul Pieretto, and Giacomo Gelati has proven electric, and Mr. Dinosaur is a track that needs to be heard. Opening with tinkling percussion and a soft bass groove, it quickly endears.
Laidback vocals provide a surreal story, delivered charmingly through harmonies. The Beatles’ influence looms large, yet Gee Whiz! put plenty of their own contemporary characteristics in it too. A big finish seals the deal, full of chants, handclaps, and an infectious passion. Mr. Dinosaur is gentle, heartwarming, and beautifully indie.
The track comes with a video, created by Pafo Gallieri, a “wonderfully talented 2D animator & director, and a great fan of the band,” according to Guiliani.
“He pays homage to the late 1990s MTV cartoons’ aesthetics and to the pop-grunge culture of ‘beautiful losers’,” he says. “The video is set in Northern Italy, along the road from Bologna to the Adriatic coast in an iconic Fiat Panda, Pafo’s and Mariagiulia’s car as well.
“Through the eyes of Mr Dinosaur, Pafo tells us the story of one of many grappling with everyday shit, social media, and all the related bullshit. It’s all about the daily struggle to get better and feel good.
“The music video is thought to be like a short movie itself and besides a few shots in cut-out animation, was realised digitally frame by frame… pretty hard work for him.”
The hard work is certainly worth it.
Gee Whiz! are something of a supergroup, bringing together members of Italian superpop band Lunapop, the post-hardcore Settlefish, and the indie rock Altre di B. Each member brings their own influences to the collective including African percussion, ‘60s psych, and alternative pioneers The Flaming Lips.
Mr Dinosaur heralds the upcoming release of their debut album which promises a feast of psych, garage rock, and mellow pop. Guiliani says that the collection was “composed with the intention of giving each of us full creative freedom. Some songs are multi-part made, medley of different little, short songs building the whole thing.
“You’ll find a remarkable variety of sounds, including fuzz guitars, distorted and filtered bass lines, out-of-tune flutes, some synthesisers, harmonica, and balloon whistles.
“The lyrics portray out-of-time characters, such as Mr. D, and other fantastical stories inspired by real characters.”
It’s going to be a great opportunity to get to know Gee Whiz! better. I already consider myself a fan thanks to Mr. Dinosaur. Their creative juices flowing, the band have more tracks ready to record so I expect we’ll hear more from them soon.
You can keep up to date with Gee Whiz! via their website, or by following them on Spotify, Bandcamp, and Instagram.
Mr. Dinosaur is out now, and you can listen to it below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator
