Today we’d like to introduce you to Torino Black, Sisi Berry and Saul Arteta.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Music was a part of my life in a million ways- but not as you’d expect for someone in a rocknroll band. Being raised Venezuelan, my exposure to music was mostly what we all danced to, what set the tone at our family gatherings, what made us transform into Latina superstars when singing along. I only started playing guitar to be able to play in church. And for time’s sake, we’ll call the guitar my “gateway” tool to wanting to write my own songs. Fast-forward to playing in a band in college, and slowly discovering my own heroes of music- Janis, Joan, Grace Potter, Stevie. etc. After college I moved to Spain and worked as a Wine Chemist by day and a street/metro busker by night.
Nothing has given my heart simpler peace than busking, even to this day. In Spain I met a musician through a mutual friend from college who had come to Spain to tour his new record. His new record was recorded by Spain native Saul Arteta. He’s what I call a true musician. I’ve gotten the pleasure to meet so many “true musicians” now while living in Texas- these are people that eat, sleep, and breath their craft for no other reason besides the joy that comes from having it done the right way. Saul Arleta was living and working in Austin and months after meeting in Barcelona, I got a call from my sister saying she needed me in Texas as she was starting college and was too young to live off campus on her own (says Texas Law). I reconnected with Saul upon my arrival to Texas and we very immediately began writing music together. Snow ball and bam, it’s been four years in this city and we have been on two European tours and several overseas tours to parts of the world we never thought we’d get to play music in. My biggest goal not just in music, but in life, is to have been a true original.
I love the spirit of rocknroll. I love the guts it takes to sweat your ass of while belting and I love how it makes people move. More than anything, I think, I love that. You can see them feel it. And that changes the whole show. Torino Black was started and formed by Saul and I (Sisi), and we have been lucky to play with many different incredible musicians that have formed part of our journey over the years. Our drummer Cruz Crase, originally from Ohio and Jared Blair, of Fort Worth make Torino what it is today and we’re just going to keep on playing and chase those stages. Rocknroll is not a phase. It never left so I’m not about to say the “rocknroll is not dead” thing. I’m just saying maybe we need more of it- and maybe we’ll be the ones to give it to ya. maybe not. Either way, just f*cking move your body and have a kick-ass time.
Please tell us about your art.
We are musicians currently making music in Austin, Texas. We play rocknroll- Saul (lead guitarist) is also the producer of our tunes- is the true foundation of Torino. Between him and I, we kinda tangle heavy rocknroll compositions and introspective lyrics. Sometimes he’ll have created the whole composition off of just his mood and he’ll pass it off to me and I’ll structure it with lyrics and melody. Or other times whiskey does the job and we jam until we’ve written something. Cruz Crase, drummer, has been an integral part of the growth of Torino. Once Saul and I compose the song generally, it takes a new form when we bring it to the practice space and play it out- Cruz’s additions to the tunes allow the song to become their own beast and his stage energy keeps our songs, and our shows in full force. Why create music? I mean, talking about why making music almost seems lame because I don’t think there’s a way to explain it without sounding like a bumper sticker. I don’t know- sometimes you create because you can’t help it. Sometimes you hear all this shit in your head and you search the world for the right way to say it out loud. Sometimes words don’t do it justice- so you use instruments. Sometimes instruments aren’t enough so you let your body move it to life. Creating is a part of everyone in different ways. I think for me- music is the most honest thing about me.
And a true original life is an honest one. So, I stay as close to that river as possible, you know? I’ve always felt like singing was the only thing that someone couldn’t say anything about because Its mine. Like my voice or not, it’s mine. Like our lyrics or our songs or not, it’s ours. We birthed it. So, I don’t mind anything because having created something original is all that matters. What message do we give in our music? Well… music is a reflection of people’s lives. Saul composes really gritty guitar riffs that are so fun to write to. The songs are all really introspective experiences. The contemplation of one’s self – in all the good and all the evil. What I want people to take away from our music. whatever they want to. I don’t like to impose the message on them. It might mean one thing to me but means something completely different to saul who composed it, so I wouldn’t dare want to take the opportunity to have it be personal to someone else. They are all intentional. That’s, I suppose, all I can say.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Lessons I wished I learned sooner- everyone’s doing the same hustle. I feel like I always thought someone was getting further faster because they knew someone on the inside or have some leg up. and honestly, that is the case some of the time. but the other giant chunk of the time is that everyone that really wants to live off of their art are true hustlers and if they are getting further faster, it’s because they woke up earlier than you and went to bed later than you. I have real admiration for the hustle- in music just as much as in any other career. How do you get there with no single paved road? you just grind. You keep putting out good music and keep working. My advice is always be kind and gracious to sound engineers, music photographers, bartenders, door guys/girls, all the people doing the hustle like you- they are the FIRST people when we started playing music in this city that believed in us. I love them. I appreciate them. They know who they are.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.torinoblack.com
- Email: torinoblackbooking@gmail.com
- Instagram: @torinoblackband
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/torinoblackmusic/?ref=br_rs
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oMPb6EmBPjCJWVTzTdXs3
Image Credit:
Magnetic Focus Photography- Nikki Acosta
Renphotogs- Renee Dominguez
Kate Blaising
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