The Guinnass

Founded in 2000 by Martino Piccioli and Roberto Pellegrini, the band played with different musicians before forming the current lineup composed of: Roberto Pellegrini (vocals and guitar), Martino Piccioli (vocals, guitar and keyboards), Matteo Germinario (bass) and Sebastian Rigo (drums and percussions).
The band’s sound is classic rock enriched with some more modern nuances and it gets its inspiration from the pure ‘60s classic rock (Beatles, Rolling Stones, Who), while songs lyrics are based on the every-day living.
After a long experience in various clubs, the Guinnass took part in the 2006 edition of the open air contest ‘Palco ai Giovani’ ranking 5th (out of 35 bands), as well as winning a special award (‘Premio Extra’) sponsored by a local newspaper (‘Corriere del Ticino’). In 2006 and 2007, the band has been very busy with live performances and participated again into the final session of ‘Palco ai Giovani ’.
In 2007, the Guinnass were selected to take part in a bands contest to get to play in ‘Blues to Bop’, a popular open-air that hosted great musicians such as Freddie King, Bobby Cochran, Silvan Zinng, and many others.
The same year, the band participated in ‘Rock Highway Contest ’ (a national bands contest taking place in Zurich, Switzeralnd), reaching the semi-finals and receiving very positive reviews from both the audience and the jury.
On January the 22nd 2008, the band’s debut album was released. Titled ‘The Guinnass’, this album includes 12 tracks of a dragging sound, ranging from pure hard rock to moving ballads. Eric Van Aro writes: ‘The Guinnass self titled debut CD is a spontaneous and energetic journey into the pop-rock-alternative genre straight out of Switzerland...’.
Only two months after the album release, ‘Sad Ballad ’ and ‘Mary ’, the two ballads included in the album, were launched on an international radio (Radio Relax, www.radiorelax.fm). While a little later ‘Jimi’s World ’ enters the daily playlist of the region’s most listened radio, Rete 3 (retetre.rtsi.ch, Switzerland).
At the same time of the album release, the Guinnass signed their first managerial contract with the Italian manager and producer Antonio ‘Aki’ Chindamo (Auditoria Records, www.auditoria.it, www.myspace.com/auditoriarecords).
In 2009 the band is one of the 12 finalists (selected out of 190 participants Europe wide) of the Flandrika Lifestyle Festival, event that took place in the fascinating scenery of the Milan Idroscalo.
The same year, a jury formed by important Italian musicians (such as Umberto Tozzi and Davide Van De Sfroos), radio djs and music producers chooses the Guinnass to play in Piazza Grande, a historical stage of the international music, based in Locarno (Switzerland).
At the moment, the band is alternating live concerts to days in studio, where together with the producer Antonio (Aki) Chindamo they are working on the recordings of the second album.
The new single Hey You is now out and broadcasted Switzerland wide.