When I first became aware of these 11-year-old twins (they have since turned 12), and before I had even heard their music, I was instantly reminded of ’90s teen pop sensation still going strong, Hanson, due to their young age. However, there are no songs like “Mmmbop” in Vincenzo and Vittorio’s hard-hitting repertoire, a repertoire that owes more to the likes of AC/DC and ZZ Top than guitar-based pop.
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, Santa Rosa-based V2 (pronounced “V Squared”) are currently riding high on the acclaim that has deservedly come their way following the release of their debut album, We are V2, available since February and produced by renowned industry figure, Ron Nevison.
The new CD is made up of nine originals and one cover (of AC/DC’s “High Voltage“) and the first to make a splash is the title track, an explosive number that went straight in at number one on the National Radio Airplay Charts for Independent Artists.
So, how are you both? What have you been doing?
Vittorio: “Doing great. Just rehearsing to be ready for any opening opportunities and playing baseball and going to school.”
Did the two of you write “We are V2” by yourselves and how does it feel to have had a number one hit with it?
Vincenzo: “Yeah, we wrote it for a TV show we would like to someday have called The V2 Show.”
Vittorio: “It’s cool to see our song in the charts, especially when other bands like AC/DC are in the charts at the same time with us.”
Vincenzo: “We have been playing as a band since we were eight.”
Vittorio: “My dad suggested the name because of our names Vittorio and Vincenzo. And V is for Velocity, like in Velocity Squared. Vincenzo drew the logo on a piece of paper with the lightning bolts representing us.”
What do you like writing songs about and how many years have you been writing together?
Vincenzo: “We write about things that have happened to us, or we want to have happen to us.”
Vittorio: “We started writing songs after we’d learned to play six different AC/DC songs: ‘Back in Black,’ ‘High Voltage,’ ‘TNT,’ ‘Highway to Hell,’ ‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap‘ and ‘Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll).’ After we learned these songs we felt like we could start writing our own.”
Are AC/DC your musical heroes?
Vincenzo: “Yeah AC/DC inspired us. After we were born, our mom played classical music for us in the car. When we started talking, she would ask us who the composers were and tell us about them. By the time we went to kindergarten we could name them and their songs. Our mom wanted us to play classical music and started us on acoustic guitar and piano when we were seven, but we really didn’t like it much.”
Vittorio: “One day when we were driving with our dad in his truck, we were complaining about having to learn the piano and acoustic guitar. He told us a story about two brothers named Malcolm and Angus Young who attended Catholic school just like we did and started playing in a band. We asked what happened to them and he said they became rock gods and he put AC/DC’s Back in Black CD in the truck’s stereo. We listened to the whole CD; the sounds were awesome!”
Vincenzo: “When the CD was done we told out dad that we wanted to play music like that!”
Vittorio: “Our dad smiled and said, ‘I hoped you’d say that.’ He then drove us down to the music store and bought us a drum kit and electric guitars.”
Vincenzo: “We started making noise with them and about a week later a guitar and drum instructor stopped by the house and we had our first lessons.”
Vittorio: “Three months later we slayed our Catholic Talent Show by playing AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black,’ ‘TNT’ and ‘Highway to Hell.'”
Of all the other songs on your album, which are your personal favourites?
Vincenzo: “‘Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ ‘Girls! Stars! Money! Cars!,’ ‘I Like Doing This the Best,’ ‘Hard and Fast.'”
Vittorio: “We like them all. We chose them out of 25 original songs we had created.”
Vittorio: “He stopped by to see us rehearse one day and asked if he could produce our first album. When he told us all the legendary rockers he’s produced, we couldn’t wait to get started.”
Vincenzo: “He helped us pick out the songs to place on our debut album, helped us with the tempos and some arranging and found some really great vintage amps and guitars. He dialled in the coolest sounds.”
What are your plans for the future? Do you hope to finish school while working on your music at the same time?
Vittorio: “Mom says we have to go to college and get degrees, but our dad says we could still do summer tours and go to college.”
Vincenzo: “I love baseball. I want to play in the MLB and tour in the off-season.”
Finally, what are your long-term goals and ambitions? Do you both dream of being as big as AC/DC someday?
Vincenzo: “Yes, we would like to become big enough to sell out a tour of stadium shows. Who wouldn’t?”
Vittorio: “We’re off to a great start and we really like what we’re doing right now, so we’re just going to keep writing songs and making records and playing wherever and whenever we can. We really want to open for a major rock act on a summer stadium tour. We are ready.”
We are V2 is available now on iTunes.
For more information on the band, visit their official website.
