The Name

Era di notti… (It was at night) This is the beginning of the Giufa’s song, the opening/introduction of all our concerts. It was July 2004. We were at Carmelo’s place meeting up before the first concert of our career to play at the Anfiteatro Quercia del Tasso in Rome. We were thrilled, but with no money. The posters had to be printed and we needed a name for our ensemble.

Among all proposals, we took our cue from the dream Luca had told us in a moment of inspiration while absorbed in the cheerful atmosphere of the group. He had dreamed of being playing “primo monte, secondo re” (first mountain, second king) a street child’s game. Carmelo immediately added: “ Hey, in Messina before jumping we had to say “unu avant’a luna, due il bue...” (one in front of the moon, two the bull...)

We all loved it. It evoked our street life, but also the poetic solitude of those nights where the only companion you could count on was the moon.

Two years later, Summer 2006, the master was ready and then it was time for the title. The most natural thing for a debut album seemed to be the name of the group. Big and heated discussions followed as usual. Then just a practical thought: if pronounced by continentals, unuavantaluna recalled Sardinian and Basque atmospheres not at all Sicilian, so we decided to drop an “u”, unavantaluna and that’s it.