INTERVIEW: Antonio Marro – Luckiest Man On Earth’, a labor of love that captures the essence of his journey

On October 28, 2003, in Milan, Antonio Marro attended a Ben Harper concert that would change his life forever. Surrounded by the energy of the crowd and the soulful melodies, something inside him shifted. That night, a passion for music was ignited, and from that moment forward, guitars and music became an inseparable part of his world. Ben Harper holds a special place in Antonio’s heart for sparking this love that would grow deeper over the years. Soon after that pivotal night, Antonio discovered that he could express his emotions through songwriting. His lyrics became his voice, allowing him to translate feelings into music.

Two decades later, Antonio decided to take a bold step forward—he recorded his first album. Now, in 2024, he proudly presents ‘Luckiest Man On Earth’, a labor of love that captures the essence of his journey. Released under STILL Productions, this album is more than just a collection of songs—it’s a reflection of Antonio’s experiences, his personal growth, and the deep joy that music brings into his life. He invites listeners to share in this adventure, thanking everyone who has supported him along the way. Antonio Marro’s story reminds us that it’s never too late to follow your passion, and that music has the power to transform lives. ‘Luckiest Man On Earth’ is a testament to that transformation, a journey 20 years in the making.

Antonio, take us back to that fateful night in 2003 at the Ben Harper concert—what was it about that moment that sparked such a powerful connection to music for you?

Antonio Marro: It was an unforgettable moment for me. 10K+ people were listening in absolute silence at Ben’s acoustic set in Milan. It was the night of his birthday, October the 28^th. Back then everybody had lighters because it was still allowed to smoke. Ben was playing “Waiting on an angel” with his eyes closed. When he looked at the crowd after a while, he was surprised seeing thousands of littles fires in the music hall. It was almost a spiritual experience, like a church in the dark with candle lights everywhere. Absolutely magic. And all because of the music.

How has Ben Harper’s influence shaped your music over the years? Are there specific elements of his style or energy that inspired your work on Luckiest Man on Earth?

Antonio Marro: I feel something deep and mysterious in his songs. I still do after 20+ years. Something that touches my soul. I’ve been inspired by the acoustic songs he played at that concert and other versions I found on YouTube over the years. “Another lonely day”, “Walk away”, “Forever”, “Roses from my friends”, just to mention few of his songs, are still special to me. There’s a nostalgic, almost mystic, element I admire in his work. Something that really comes from within.

You’ve mentioned that your passion for songwriting grew shortly after that night. What emotions were you processing, and how did those early experiences with songwriting inform the music on this album?

Antonio Marro: I was in a long-distance relationship then. Music was the best way to express emotions I would keep for myself otherwise. I didn’t feel comfortable showing my sensitivity and fragility to the people around me. But these emotions had to get out of my system somehow. That’s how it all started. First in Italian, later in English.

Can you tell us about the team behind Luckiest Man on Earth? Who were the producers, engineers, and other technicians that helped bring this organic-sounding project to life?

Antonio Marro: One person actually: Pepijn Reinink (PR). Most of all, he is a very good friend I met in a difficult time of my life. I had few songs I wanted to record for myself only. Guitar and voice. He came up with the idea to develop them, add more instruments and publish them. I was surprised at first. I’m so grateful he believed in my songs. He understood what I wanted to say with my music. From that moment we started developing the project together. As a team.

Where was the album recorded, and how did the environment of the studio influence the overall sound or mood of the record?

Antonio Marro: The album has been recorded at the STILL PRODUCTIONS studio in Nieuwlande (the Netherlands). It’s a magic studio for me and it will always have a special place in my heart. It became my 2^nd home for about 10 months. I got really inspired there and wrote songs like “Good People (Around)”, “Ben Harper” and “My Way To You”. PR did a great job capturing the warm, intimate sound the wooden house creates. It was important for us to record all the instruments on the album. Nothing digital on it, that was clear from the beginning. We have been creative there; the place invites you to be like that. So, I got out of my comfort zone and also played electric guitar, bass, harp and even a very old accordion. It was unexpected and fun.

Did you collaborate with other musicians on this album, or was it mostly a solo effort? How did you select the people you worked with?

Antonio Marro: It started as a solo concept. I wrote all the lyrics and songs structure. PR on drums, Timothy Riley on bass and Michel Saedt on saxophone joined this project with their enthusiasm and good vibes. Arne Santing got involved playing electric guitar on 2 tracks: “No One Like You” and “Falling From The Sky”. They understood my “mood” and what the songs needed. I am very grateful for their contribution and proud of the final result.

With 17 tracks on the album, there’s a lot of material to choose from. How did you decide which songs to include and which ones, if any, to leave out?

Antonio Marro: These songs tell my story. They are about a personal and emotional journey. My story with all the ups and downs I have experienced in 20 years, from 2003 to 2023. Other songs have been left out from this album because they belong to a new or different phase of my life. I will release more music in the near future… stay tuned

Were there any specific recording or production techniques that were new to you during the making of this album? How did those shape the final sound?

Antonio Marro: It was all new to me to be honest. I was surprised to see so many mics recording at once. PR uses at least 3 mics to record the acoustic guitar. He has captured the “live” element nicely. The drums were recorded with 11 mics… We added layers giving the songs the proper time to “grow”. I’m extremely happy with the overall sound. It brings me back to the moment I was there playing guitar on the couch. Or standing in front of the microphone with a wooden panel behind me to make the sound and the setting more intimate.

Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while recording the album? Were there any setbacks, and how did you overcome them?

Antonio Marro: There were many obstacles along the way. The main problem has been to get my voice back after a severe form of Covid in January 2024. It took me about 3 months to be able to sing again. We focused on the instruments during that time. I also think PR and I needed some time to calibrate. We started working as a team and became real friends being extremely open with each other. I enjoyed the time we spent together during the recording sessions and after. Having a beer or a whiskey together created a sense of brotherhood I rarely experienced before. We felt there was something great going on. We celebrated small victories during the process. These are memories I will carry with me forever.

It took you nearly two decades to release your debut album Luckiest Man on Earth. What was happening during those 20 years? How did you develop as an artist in that time?

Antonio Marro: An intense love story which started in the summer of 2003 and ended in 2023. We spent exactly 20 years together. From the first time I saw her till the day it was over. In between lots of highs and lows, travels and 2 wonderful kids that mean everything to me. I moved from Milan, Italy to the Netherlands for her in 2008. I still live in Nijmegen. About my musical developments: I focused on my guitar playing trying to learn as much as I could from other musicians, web, books and listening to my guitar heroes.

Songwriting became your way of expressing emotions. Can you tell us about the themes or emotions that you explore in the songs on Luckiest Man on Earth?

Antonio Marro: Love in all his shades and colors. But also pain, solitude, hope and gratitude are elements the listeners can recognize and relate to. Last but not least; pride. I have done something I really wanted and dreamed about for a long time. In the song “Ben Harper” for instance, I pushed my dreams to the point of “playing” with the artist who means the most to me.

How did you balance personal vulnerability with the desire to create something relatable for your listeners? Were there moments when you hesitated to share certain emotions or stories through your music?

Antonio Marro: I tried to do what was good for me at that time. I felt I needed to write about my life. It’s scary at first but I chose to be open because I’m sure lots of people can understand the emotions I put into my songs. We are all different human beings but have lots of things in common in the end. We can only find out about it when we open and expose ourselves. Music was the engine that kept me going. It worked for me. Every negative experience is a new starting point. You can decide how you want to spend your energy. And I chose to do something I love. Writing songs and playing my music.

Is there a particular song on the album that stands out as the most personal or significant to you? Why?

Antonio Marro: “Stranger In My Life” has been written for my kids. I got the title from my youngest son who was singing under the shower. Really unbelievable. For this reason, it will always be special to me. It was initially the story of an Italian man I met and talked with on a plane in 2004. He was going to visit his children in the Netherlands as they were living there with their mother. I thought it was a sad story and I felt bad for him because he saw his children only twice a year for a week or so. Many years later I realized I could have been in the exact same situation. I chose to stay in the Netherlands. I came here for love; I stay for my kids. So, it’s a very personal and important song to me.

Did all the songs on the album turn out just as you envisioned before recording, or were you surprised by any songs in particular after the production process, and why?

Antonio Marro: there were many surprises. First, because of the elements added by the musicians that joined the project. We left “space” for improvisation on solo parts (electric guitars and saxophone) to add the surprise element in the end. The saxophone in general was a great surprise. Songs like “Luckiest Man On Earth”, “Something Wrong” and “Song For You” got another dimension because of the sax. “Back In Time” is the biggest surprise because it felt like all the instrumental elements merged perfectly together. I’m extremely happy with my guitar solo on it. “Feel Like Home” was supposed to be slower and the energy added by the bass and drums just elevated this song into something I did not expect. “Good People (Around)” was supposed to have more instruments. But we felt we were moving away from the main emotion and message of deep gratitude. I wrote this song for PR, his family and his wonderful studio. And his dog Charlie, of course “Let You Go” turned out to be very interesting and the second voice added melodic lines that improved the overall feeling.

Your album was released under STILL Productions. Can you talk about how that collaboration came about and how important it was to you in bringing this project to life?

Antonio Marro: I met PR in Coevorden (The Netherlands) during a musical event. I called him after few months to talk about my desire to record 6-7 songs. Meeting him has been crucial for my musical journey. There would be no “Luckiest Man On Earth” without him. Destiny, really. The right person at the right moment for me.

Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self, standing in that crowd at the Ben Harper concert, just as your passion for music was ignited?

Antonio Marro: Do what makes you happy, always. Focus on your passion and enjoy the small things in life. Don’t be afraid to express yourself. It’s ok to be “different”.

As someone who discovered a passion for music later in life, what message do you hope to send to people who feel like it’s “too late” to follow their own dreams?

Antonio Marro: It’s never too late if you really find your passion. Give it a try and enjoy every little accomplishment. A part of us doesn’t really grow old. Use it to your advantage and keep going when it becomes difficult.

What does it feel like to hear your songs out in the world, knowing that they’re now a part of other people’s lives and memories?

Antonio Marro: I’m proud to have my music out. Just over a year ago I would have never thought to publish my own songs. Today I try to live in the moment. I enjoy the reactions of my family, friends and colleagues. Time will tell if more people will be affected by my music.

How has your relationship with music evolved since you first picked up a guitar after that Ben Harper concert?

Antonio Marro: From that moment on I’ve put a lot of time and energy in getting better as a guitar player. In all possible ways. It was a musical journey. I’ve listened to a lot of music and tried to capture the things I liked from different artists/bands and genres to create my own style. I tried to study my favorite guitarists. Jimi Hendrix, SRV, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran just to mention a few. I fell in love with fingerpicking style at a certain point and focused on that for a couple of years. I got inspired by artists/bands like Stereophonics, The Verve, Kings of Leon, Chris Stapleton, Passenger, James Bay, Oasis/Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds (list could go on and on). I love guitars. I became a guitar collector over the years. Music is really important to me. I always have music it in the background when I’m home. Even when I ride my bike, headphones always on.

What are your plans for the future? Can we expect more music, or are there other creative projects you’re eager to explore?

Antonio Marro: I want to work on the album’s promotion now. I’d like to play more gigs and start other musical adventures and collaborations. I’m intrigued by the idea of co-writing with other singer-songwriters in the future. The second album “Follow The River” will be released soon. It will be an acoustic, intimate album who captures the next chapter of my life after “Luckiest Man On Earth”. The songs are in the mixing phase with PR. I’m excited about this upcoming release. Also, I already have more than 10 songs that have not been recorded yet. Lots of plans as you can see. One step at a time.

OFFICIAL LINKS:
http://www.antoniomarromusic.com
https://www.instagram.com/antoniomarromusic/