Review Fix Exclusive: Gasoline Tequila’s Massimo Lusardi Talks Creating Sonder And More

Review Fix chats with Massimo Lusardi of Gasoline Tequila, who discusses the band’s new track, Creating Sonder, and more.

Review Fix: What makes this song special to you?

Massimo Lusardi: Creating Sonder was definitely unique, not only because of how it captures what I was feeling during lockdown, but also by the impulsiveness of recording it. For quite a while, the 7pm cheer for the frontline workers was the only show of life during a heavy time in NYC. I would connect my amp to my laptop each night to play a few uplifting songs from my balcony after the cheer and my neighbors really responded to it. One night, I rigged up my guitar and just started blasting what I’d been playing behind closed doors – an early version of Sonder. The reaction was insane, the skies went wild and it was a moment I will never forget. I was buzzing after that and I knew I had to lay the track down while that electricity was still running through my veins, and not wait until studios opened up again. It was the first ever track I recorded and produced entirely from home – quite literally in my bedroom – using very basic equipment. I think that raw and sporadic approach is part of what makes it resonate so deeply. 

Review Fix: How else has COVID affected you musically?

Lusardi: Well, there have obviously been no live performances, which is a huge loss. However, I prefer looking at it through a more optimistic lens and see it as a time to pause. The same way there is power in the empty space of a song – a sudden silence, a dramatic stop, or a missing drum for example – I think the empty space in live performances will have its own importance. It will not only make the live gigs feel that much more special when they return, but it also has allowed for things to be created in that empty space. 

Review Fix: What are your goals for this track?

Lusardi: I think the goal has already been achieved – it was to create something emotive that was reflective of the times. With all music I play or write, it’s this paradoxical blend of selfishness and selflessness. By that I mean that I have to first and foremost play it for myself – as in I have to enjoy playing or creating it – that’s the selfish part. The selfless part is sharing it, so whether it touches one person or everyone, it is all a bonus from here on out. The more ears that hear it and the more souls it touches, the better. 

Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy it the most?

Lusardi: I think anybody that enjoys a relatable melody – anyone who “feels” music really. Sonder is able to say something without using words, so any listener that understands that form of “language” will surely enjoy it. Especially if they appreciate the fusion of upbeat rhythms and melancholic melodies. 

Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?

Lusardi: Personally, I want to remember it as a symbol of optimism during a time filled with unknowns and uncertainty. I want it to remind people that change, healing, and revival will come. I want this to be a sound that reminds people of the strength they are made of, and reminds New York of what it is made of. I want to savor that.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Lusardi: Ha, lots. Never a dull moment, both by choice and by circumstance. Creating music will always continue, of course; I am currently working towards an album I plan to release in 2021, but more on that another time. In the meantime, I will be opening another restaurant, a deal I signed pre-pandemic, and have been renovating myself with a small team throughout this wild period. I am also developing more designs for the lifestyle part of the Gasoline Tequila brand – not only clothing, but other – let’s say nicknacks – that I think people will enjoy and respond to. I’ve also been planning more Gasoline Tequila experiences – a more intimate, food-forward event series to embellish the creative set.

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Lusardi: When making music, don’t let yourself be convinced that whatever you’re creating needs to follow a certain set of rules. Free your mind from what someone may think your music should be and make it sound how you want it to sound…