Published 8 June 2009 · Main Posts Hugo Race and Mario Merola Jeff Sparrow Many people might know Hugo Race from his work with Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds, the Wreckery and, more recently, his own band True Spirit. But he’s also a writer. In Overland 195, he discusses the culture and music of Sicily, and his growing obsession with the singer and actor Mario Merola. Here’s Merola in full flight. Race writes: Merola is an idiosyncrasy of local culture, even though he’s not local. He’s from Naples – vedi Napul e poi muori (‘see Naples and die’) – a thousand kilometres due north-east across the Tyrrhenian Sea, on the other side of the Aeolian Islands. Merola grew up working on the docks in the porto di Napoli, and he sang the songs of the sceneggiata. Sceneggiata is pure romantic melodrama, expressed in Neapolitan dialect – a language similar to Sicilian, and bearing only an indirect relationship to formal Italian. Its roots are in folksongs and opera and music hall variety – anger, heartbreak, disappointment and betrayal in the story of man and woman’s struggle to extend happiness beyond a freak, passing instant. Scenegiata is both formulaic entertainment and public ritual, the audience singing along with every word and knowing full well how the story ends. You can read the whole article here. And here’s Hugo Race’s electronica project, the Merola Matrix. Jeff Sparrow Jeff Sparrow is a Walkley Award-winning writer, broadcaster and former editor of Overland. More by Jeff Sparrow › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays First published in Overland Issue 228 10 November 202311 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the final day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s most important members get to have their say Editorial Team BORIS A quick guide to another year of Overland, from your trusty feline, Boris. I liked the ginger cat story, though it made my human cry. I liked the talking cat, too, but I’m definitely in the “not wasting my time learning to talk” camp. But reading is good. And writing is fun, though it’s been challenging […] 1 First published in Overland Issue 228 9 November 20239 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the second-last day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s co-chief editor Evelyn Araluen speaks truth to power Editorial Team To my friends and comrades, I’m not sure if there’s language to communicate how this last month has utterly changed me. This time a few weeks ago the busyness and chaos of bricolage arts and academic labour had so efficiently distracted me from my anxiety about the upcoming referendum that I forgot to prepare myself for its inevitable conclusion.