This interview was taken from the polish fanzine "Carry On Oi!" no. 7.  The answers to all of the question were given by Alberto Rambaldi,  the closest  friend of the NABAT's musicians.  
 

- Could you please satisfy my curiosity and tell me how the name  of the band was made ?  
A : Nabat is a Russian word meaning alarm bells to warn people or to call them a gathering.   
This word itself was taken as the name for the Ukrainian Federation of Anarchists during the period of the Revolution of 1917.  
  
- How did your career get started ?  
A : The band was formed in 1979. Steno - the vocalist had previously played bass in another act coming from Bologna called R.A.F. Punk.   
The first gig we had at the end of the same year in Bologna, in the local spot of the anarchist society "C.Berneri" where all the native punks were centered around. We appeared on stage at the same time as a few other punk groups of Bologna : R.A.F. Punk, Stalag 17, Bacteria, Anna Falks, Irha, EHX and many others. When we were forming the band, the eldest among us wasn't even as old as twenty ! .  
The first steady line up was made by Steno on vocals, Abbondante on bass, Ui Ui on drums and Stiv on guitar. Just with that line up we recorded together with Rip Off (a punk band of our town) a demo cassette in 1981.   
After the recording session had been over, Abbondante left the crew to be replaced by Riccardo. Soon after the change of the musicians we recorded our first single - "Scenderemo Nelle Strade" (which stands for  "We'll go out into the streets"), by the way it was one of the first punk EPs in Italy which were produced independently.   
In 1983 having edited the EP "Laida Bologna" ("Ugly Bologna").  
After, we changed guitarist - so on the "Un altro giorno di gloria" record, Red - the wonderful guitarist - played his instrument.  
In Nabat we tried to present our way of living somehow, our anger, our rebellion and the illusion that something could be changed.   
Our lyrics showed us the way we were in that period, at the very beginning of the 80's.  
  
- When did you recorded your first LP and who released it for you ?   
A : "Un altro giorno di gloria" (Another glorious day) was our first long play released in 1985. Its edition had as many as 2000-2500 copies and we recorded the album by ourselves only.   
At the time when we recorded our demo with Rip Off, we also founded recording label "C.A.S. Records" the one which produced and released all of our records  plus many other punk bands from Italy.  

- On the cover of your first LP there is a photo of some blokes in leather  jackets with hairdos in  the psychobilly style who are said to sing along with your vocalist.    
Who the fuck are they ?   
A : They were our friends of Tribal Noise - yet another band of those times.  
  
- Do you still consider yourselves to be a non-political band ?  How much has Italy changed since the times of releasing your first album ?   
A : It depends on what you mean by the word "non-political".   
If you question about the policies conducted by different political parties, government or by some Berlusconis - then we are against politics. But every day life is quite different thing, the problems we have to fight with day after day. Talking loud and clear about the reality which seems to be never noticed by certain people and which is perfectly  masked by the authorities - well, this is our own politics ! Today's Italy is not different from the Italy described on our LP "UN altro..." at all!   
  
- Try and give a brief description of the skinhead's scene of the 80's and of the modern day...   
A: In those times (the early 80's) the Italian skinheads just only started to come out. We were young lads who imitated better or worse everything that used to take place in England - the country having its political conditions so very different from ours, the country lying 1000 kilometers away from Italy.   
The was no real skinhead movement here. There were only small groups of skinheads  forming and acting in a very chaotic manner. There were no strong ties among all of them.  
The ways they used to be was totally up to the local circumstances of each place  they belonged to.  
The Italian skinheads were non-political, though there happened to be some strong lefty or 
fascist tendencies in some circles. For instance : at the beginning of the 80's there was no problem of immigrants in our country, we felt no social tensions because of their  arrival, just the opposite to what happened to England, France or Germany.   
Many Italian skinheads used to journey to London as if they were on a pilgrimage to their holy Mecca. They left Italy with the anarchy symbol - an A in the circle, but they got back with swastikas, because as they explained it "such were the skinheads in London". We were trying really hard to create something a lot like the movement, but I wouldn't say now that we did succeed...  
  
- When did you disband ?   
A: In 1987 after those eight long years of going on. It was the best thing for us to do.   

- What was the further history of the band like ?   
A: We re-formed Nabat in 1995 again, after the death of Tiziano Ansaldi, our manager before we had to disband.   
Tiziano was like a brother to us and he suddenly died of apoplexy in summer of 1994.  
Then we organized, along with Klasse Kriminale and Ghetto 84, the "Tiziano Ansaldi Benefit Tour" in order to gather some money for Tiziano's mother who had not only been left all alone,  but also had her both legs paralyzed. We played in the Mediolanum Club "Leoncavallo" for a 2500 people !  
We didn't even expect that so many people could remember us !  
  
- Do you have the same line up as before getting disbanded ?   
A: No, we don't. Currently the guitar is played by Riccardo, the bass is taken back again by Abbondante , but we also have another guitarist -  Romano (ex-Stab) and a new drummer - Toppi.  
  
- What was it really like with your live album released Nabat's official  
reactivating ?   
A: That live album was poor recording of the meeting of the old friends.    
That meeting wasn't advertised anywhere at all and our band itself  hadn't been re-formed yet in hat period (1992).  
Some time later after registering that so called concert Stiv of the Twins  Recordings label decided to made it public on LP format and then he distributed the album calling it big, although it was only a simple bootleg.  
  
- Who is the guy helping Steno on vocals from time to time ?   
A: It's Rude - the vocalist of a wonderful punk band from Bologna called  Ghetto 84.  
  
- How many gigs have you played so far ? Which of them could you call unforgettable ?   
A: Several dozen of gigs. Undoubtedly the unforgettable ones were those taking place during the "Tiziano Ansaldi Benefit Tour".   
It was an incredible audience plus fantastic fun !  
  
- Do you only play in Italy ?  
Is it difficult organizing a gig for such  band as you are ?   

A: Well, we're also invited to play abroad. We started a few contacts with Spain, France, Belgium and Germany concerned with our gigs there.   
We'll see what's going to come  out of them... It's rather quite easy to give a concert in Italy. We usually perform our shows in the Centri Sociali Hall. The common problem is the lack of goose amplifiers.  
  
- I've read many times about repression against skinheads in your country.    
Do those repression only refer to nazi skins or do you also feel their influences upon you ?   
A: Huh, the police never go on their gentle ways when they finally chase after you. Anyway we have nothing to do with nazis!  

- Are you the only Italian band of the 80's intending to come back onto the  
scene ?   
A: Yes, I would say that we are. I mean us plus Klaxon from Rome.  

- What sort of people come to your gigs ? Do some struggle and riots happen during your concerts ?   
Do those "old" skinheads of the very beginning of the 80's still visit your steady venues ?   
A: Our concerts don't only attract skinheads ! Different sorts of people come to see us - and we want it to be this way forever. We're not interested to get popular only among skinheads, but among all sorts of people. We've never judged our audience and anybody by their clothes or by what and who they are. Of course, we definitely dislike struggles and riots at gigs, but in our case it's unlikely that such things could occur. If you mean "the old faces" - some of them still appear, some has disappeared.  

 - What does the present skinhead scene in Italy look like ?   
A: As I've mentioned above the Italian scene has been going on well for a  few pretty years.  
It's more open to new experiences, much more than it was 10 years ago.  
  
- I've just heard that not so long ago your new record was released.    
Could you describe it ?   
A : Yes, it's "Nati Per Niente" (Born For Nothing) - our latest album recorded with the new line up at the end of 1995 and released in February 1996 for "La Banda Bonnot Records" - an independent label in Rome.   
The album is the true vision of Nabat of the 90's. it contains 12 trax plus one bonus. The first song on it "Vasco Q8" is a story from the life of a gas station worker living in the same village where Steno dwells, the number "Decidi per me" is dedicated to a friend of ours who died of AIDS, "Nichlistaggio" is Tiziano Ansaldi's favorite tune - it tells about the Russian nihilists who murdered the Czar in 1881, "No Armi" is one of the earliest tracks composed by the band,  however we decided to make a new version of it, "Cronaca di un Uomo Ferito" (The tale of the Wounded) is a certain story from everyday life, "Corri Randagio" (Run On, Refuge) is all about refugees from war struck former Yugoslavia, "Tiramolla Wizard" (The undecided wizard) is a tale about assholes like Berlusconi, "Cosa Rimane" (What's left after we're gone ?) is both dedicated to our friend who died and the story of Nabat., "Iqbal Masih" is a reggae/dub melody dedicated  to a Pakistani boy murdered by brigadiers in the textile works where he was working as a slave since being four years old. He was murdered because he rebelled against exploiting children similar to him. “Nati per niente" is a story of one loneliness in a big city, "Nabat Combo" is a try at uniting Nabat's music Steno's blues oriented soul, "Via di qui" (Get out of here) is something in style of "Tiramolla Wizard". The bonus is surprise. we are very glad of this long play.  
  
- What are the musical fascinations inspiring each of you ?   
A: Steno (vocalist) - Melchiade Benni, Bob Brozman, Hank Williams  
Riccardo (guitarist) - Pioneers, Clarendonias, Leone di Lernia, Trojans  
Romano (2nd guitarist) - Clash, Bad Religion, Stiff Little Fingers, Pogues  
Abbondante (bass) - Space Girls, Salt'n'Pepa, Wendy Williams  
Toppi (drummer) - Iggy Pop, AC/DC, Motorhead  
Alberto (who gave us this interviews) - Redskins, Mano Negra, Linton Kwesi Johnson  
  
- What do you think of Marco Balestrino's articles for Dynamo which is shit paper  dealing with heavy metal, grunge, hard core and some other bullshit ?  Is it your price you have to pay if you wanna be noticed at all ?   
A : Marco does a good job writing for Dynamo. It's true that the paper is  so-so, but that's the only way for Marco to reach still more people than it would be possible by fanzines. And besides they don't give him any limitations about his articles.  Believe me - we're not of those looking for cheap ads !  
  
- Who are we to contact if we seek Italian albums with Oi! and punk music ?   
A : If you wanna get some Italian stuff, please get in touch with the label : Banda Bonnot,  
Via Nomentana 113, 00161 Roma, Italy  
  
- Say something to finish our interview with a good accent...   
A : Best greetings to all Polish fans of Nabat, who knows if we won't play for you soon or later ?  
See you.