1. Well, let’s start spending some words introducing the band to all our readers…
The band officially started in late ’99. The band was not really active all the time back then, but we played gigs, recorded few demos…the usual things. Members were changing frequently in the beginning, until we got to a solid team with the release of our debut album.


2. Unconditioned is not your first record. So, how has the response been to the release of Taste Some Liberty? And how did your style develop since that album?
We had a pretty good response for Taste Some Liberty. Being the first album, the material was written during a long period of time. TSL reflected our early influences. Bands like Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Europe, Rainbow and all the ‘70/’80 Hard Rock was our main inspiration at that time. Once we started thinking about the second album, we all agreed that we had to move on and experiment different sounds and solutions. We had to evolve and avoid repeating.


3. Unconditioned is a so groovy, beautiful, heavy and melodic record! What was your approach to writing on this album? And what's the concept or idea behind it?
Thanks, glad you like it;-) We started putting out some ideas, riffs making basic demos on computer. After that we started reharsing the songs live all together, arranging and tryin’ different ideas. It’s in the reharsal studio that the songs came to life. After a while, when the basic structure for the songs was complete, we started working on melodies and lyrics.
The idea behind “Unconditioned” is that the only limits and conditions we have are the ones we choose to have. It might be a difficult concept to accept;-)


4. The opener has an interesting title: Miracle Man.. Could you tell us something more about the genesis of the song (and the title itself)?
Chris wrote the lyrics for this one. It’s the concept I talked about. Often our decisions are not our decisions. Often we are conditioned by other people opinions. Conditioned by our family, our past, our social position. “Miracle Man” is the man who steals your soul.


5. I’m so also so curious to know how the song Unconditioned Love came about…
Well, unconditioned love is another simple concept that most people don’t understand or at least don’t know how to apply to everyday life. It’s the song I wrote thinking about a single person but it’s concept is even more than that. Love is the most powerfull feeling in the universe. I’m not talking about love between two persons here.


6. We talked about love. What other kinds of things inspire you to create music nowadays? Liberty I guess, and..?
Everyday life is a huge inspiration. It’s all around you. I try to give a positive messagge. Nowdays we need positivity and faith with all the things happening around the world.


7. What the writing process like for you? What comes first? The groove? The melody? The lyrics? And how do you approach the solos?
It really depends, there’s no rule to creativity. Most of the time is the riff that pops out while I’m playing. Sometimes it’s the melody. Sometimes a single word can inspire you to write a song. Talking about solos, the solos starts with inprovisations. Sometimes that basic idea needs to be re-arranged but sometimes the very first idea is THE idea.


8. Just Go On features a very special guest: Kee Marcello! Could you tell us something more about his involvement into this project? And how about the involvement of Vitalij Kuprij and Mats Leven on tour with Pavi

c?
We met Kee few years ago for the first time. He’s a great guy. We had a coupple of shows together back then. It happened that he was playin’ in Rome with his band the time when we were recording “Unconditioned” and had the studio booked. We asked him if he was interested in playin’ a song and he agreed. “Just Go On” was a perfect track for his well distinguished melodic playin’. Vitalij Kuprij is also a friend of us. He made a guest appereance on Taste Some Liberty, making his contribution on the track Night Life. He was arranging a show in Rome with his band featuring Mats Leven on the vocals, so we teamed up and played the show together.


9. Btw, Kee Marcello is not the only ‘great name’ featured into Unconditioned. Would you like to introduce the other musicians playing on your CD?
Kee Marcello and Cristian Murasecchi (acoustic guitars on Your Love Is Shining) are the guest musicians on the record. Everything else on “Unconditioned” is played by Pavic band: Chris Catena on vocals, Aleks Ferrara on bass and backing vocals, Lorenzo Antonelli on keyboards, Marco Madonia on drums and me on the guitar.


10. You guys are known for your energetic live shows. What’s the funniest thing that has happened on the road recently?
We played a club in north Italy. At some point of the show I saw the club owner started shooting pictures all over the place. After the show was over he come to us and said he never saw people standing and hand-banging in front of the stage since he started the club. Usually people are sitting at the table drinking their drinks during live shows there. It’a nice satisfaction.


11. In Italy you are… at the top! How about the European and the USA markets? Any projects scheduled in the next future?
We’re working on it. “Unconditioned” is also available in other European countries, and in the US through online retailers. Our mission is to expand and tour live as possible. We just had a track released in the US for the Led Zeppelin tribute album. We recorded “Communication Breakdown” for this tribute.


12. We talked about “Pavic - the band”. Now, let’s talk about the man, Marko, and the great guitar player he is! What is your musical background? Have you ever received formal music education?
Thank you;-) As a kid I listened to a lot of stuff, but it wasn’t untill I discovered Hard Rock and Metal that I got hoocked into playin’. I started taking classical guitar lessons at age 13 for some time. Then I started playing with band’s in hi-school, playing song from Metallica, Iron Maiden….At the age of 21, I moved to Rome and attended the University Of Music of Rome. I studied guitar, arranging…it was a lot of fun.


13. You are a citizen of the world with an International imprinting : you come from Belgrade, now you live in Rome.. So “international-experienced” how would you say are some highlights and low points, both in life and in career, for you?
There were sure both highs and lows, it’s all part of the growing and learning process.


16. Can you talk a bit about your gear setup? Do you have a certain preference for strings, picks, and things like that?
I’ve tried tons of gear in the last years trying to find out what works best for me. Speaking about guitars, at the moment I feel confortable with a Gibson Les Paul Custom. I have few of the them. They sound very huge. I also like my PRS Custom. I use .010 - .46 strings and small and heavy picks. After playing Marshalls for years, I moved to Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier stack for my current amp setup. I also use a wha pedal, and an old Ales

is Quadraverb for effect like delay, reverb…that’s all, very simple.


17. Do you still have regular practice sessions that you still do nowadays? Is there a particular area of your playing that you’re still working on?
I still try to have a regular practicing session. I try to develop and expand things I’m already playin’/studyin and also try some (for me) new things. For example, I like the acoustic fingerpicking blues playin’ a lot, and hope to develop this area too. Maybe it’s not something I will use on the next PAVIC record but it’s fun to play for sure.


18. You obviously spend a lot of time on your music. What do you like to do outside of that?
Yoga is something I’m really into. It’s something that helps me feel good with myself and with the rest of the world;-)


19. While still talking about the way you play. I see: instrumental guitar-oriented music has been regaining some popularity, and having been at your show I have to say you have all the qualities to be recognized as a guitar-hero! Any idea - maybe in the upcoming future - about an instrumental solo record whole focused on you and your guitar?
Thank you for this;-) Yeah, an instrumental record is one of the future projects, but not at the moment. I’ll come up with an instrumental record when I’m sure I have something different and personal to say. At the moment I’m focused on the band.


20 . While concerning the band, where do you see the Pavic’s musical direction going to for the next album?
This is a tough question, I really don’t know. I’m not the guy who’s writing music all the time. I have times when I’m focused on writing songs, other times when I’m focused on the instrument, playin’ and improving. So, until we start thinking and writing new songs, It’s really difficult to predict. We’ll try to main the original elements like melody, big guitars…and try to bring it to the next leven.


21. And finally, concerning you, now, what's your main focus in life?
Doin’ what I like to do, doin’ what makes me feel good. Playin’ guitar, sharing the gift of music.

Thanx again Marko! And now feel free to say what you want to Spirit of Metal readers!

Support the music scene and your favorite bands by buying their CD’s and goin’ to shows. Keep the music alive!






PROFILE
Name…Marko Pavic
Age:…..34
1. You’d like to trade place for one day with…..
steve morse
2. How would you like to be remembered?
wrote great music
3. You would give anything to be:….
myself
4. Best advice you’ve ever received (and sources)..
go out there and play (guitar teacher)
5. The one word that best describes you:
diplomatic
6. Things you can do without:
TV
. .. and things you can’t do without:
guitar
7. If you could record with anyone in the history of Rock, who would you choose?
hendrix
8. Favourite food…
balkan food
… book
anything from Deepak Chopra
… sport
yoga (but it’s more than that;-))
… record
passion & warfare - steve vai
9. First record ever bought
probably something from iron maiden
10. Worst habit
eating fast
11. Bigger mistake you’ve ever made
too much to count
12. Best friend
my family
13. Your common habits pre-gig
warm-up
14. What would you like to have been if you hadn't made it as a musician?
yogi
15. If you could ask a wise person one question, it would be:
can I come with you?
16. Any last comment at all?
enjoy life