Sananda Maitreya on Milan

Milan, Italy

Sananda Maitreya lives in Milan. That name may not mean anything to you, but you probably remember Terrence Trent D’Arby, the hard singing performer whose ‘The Hardline According to Terrence Trent D’Arby’ is an ‘80s classic with a real retro-soul feel.

Though born in Florida, Terrence first became a star in the United Kingdom before finding success in the United States. “Wishing Well” is still played in clubs around the country. Terrence was nominated for a Grammy and made his mark with raw voiced, dynamic performances. But he eventually became disenchanted with the American music business, returned to Europe and changed his name to one he felt reflected his love for music and desire for spiritual fulfillment.

As a long time Milan resident Sananda has great insight into the city, as well as career plans. I knew him during the first part of his career and was a big supporter, so it was great to get back in contact with him.

Q: Why did you settle in Milan?

Sananda: Convergence. My wife Francesca, who is from Milano, and I were ready to leave the U.S.

I had grown weary of the politics of the business and knew instinctively that returning to Europe would grant me more creative space and encouragement, as well as more personal privacy in achieving what goals I had in mind for Post Millennium Rock. Finally, the advance in digital technology and the Internet meant that it didn’t matter where I was based physically, I could collectivize my thoughts anywhere and share them with other interested parties in any other part of the world.

Q: Does Milan inspire your music? If so, how?

Sananda: Yes, it would be quite fair to say that Milano is a source of inspiration. In Italy as a culture, artists are accorded a respect which is normally reserved for doctors in our own, as cultural necessities, clowns as philosopher/ambassadors. This does have a profoundly soothing and stimulating effect on the creative mind. Here, as in much of Europe, the artist is given respect, and all spirits feed on respect. Also Milano has a very grand musical history. Mozart loved coming here.

The Master Verdi owned this town. Puccini cut his teeth here. ‘La Scala’, the scarlet lady is here and it would be difficult NOT to be inspired by the music which this city has given birth or approval to. It has also inspired me by leaving me to my own devices while laying the initial groundwork for PMR , (and on a more personal note, I met the master Miles Davis here and he kind of ‘predicted’ that we would wind up here, married to an Italian girl, and working).

Q:What are your favorite things about Milan?

Sananda: I admire how comfortably Milano sits with her modern and her historic self. There is a comfort in a city both as small and large as it is. She has a sensibility that blends her Italian with her Alpine natures and is close to the Alps in temperament. Warm, but just cool enough. The food is wonderful and she is a beautiful city. Furthermore, the women are outstanding. And the Milanese dress with a sense of individuality and pride, which to an artist is inspiring. They don’t mind being seen. As a town, it is both worldly, and provincial. Which suits me about fine, just as long as they don’t let TOO many others like me in.

Q: What are your favorite places in Milan?

Sananda: I used to live with my wife in BRERA, a part of town which is crammed with little alleys and has a great connection to arts and literature in Milanese culture. It is kind of like the intellectual ‘little Italy’ of Milan and a very soulful place. Great restaurants. Great vibe. The ZONA FIERA area also has a certain living spirit that is interesting, and the area around the DUOMO, in all directions are worth spending time in. It is a great town for shopping. And a great town for both meditating (one of the great cathedrals in all of the world is here, the Duomo), and far more romantic a little getaway than you might find in Europe. And its outskirts are more like little villages than suburbs, each with their own local charms. And again, the FOOD is out of this world.

And at this point, my greatest meditation, is finding my balance and peace between my desire to retain the semblance of a rock star’s physique, and consuming greater portions of all of this fantastic food, especially my wife’s cooking, and more of this great wine, before I die.

Q:When might you tour in the United States again?

Sananda: We are in discussions on how soon we shall return to the United States. Though it must be known that we shall return as we are, fluttering what wings we are allowed, and bringing it as real and as brutally uncompromising as time and turf can stand. Having survived and mutated thus far, there is no turning around. We are ready to rock the American stock. In the meantime you can enjoy my latest project ‘Nigor Mortis’ available exclusively at www.SanandaMaitreya.com/ecommerce in CD and Mp3 format. Also you can check out Post Millennium Rock concerts.

Thanks for your time and thank you for the boost of courage you gave to my last incarnation. We move as spirit inspires, as survival dictates. We are grateful to have moved through it and to have arrived at a new, more productive place. May your God bless you and your family with the graces you richly deserve!