MUEN: Hi Alex, how are you? Welcome to Muen Magazine.

ALEX RUFFINI: I�m fine, thank you.

MUEN: How was your passion for photography born?

ALEX RUFFINI: It was just a case actually: during my second year in junior school my technique teacher introduced us to photography showing the necessary steps to get a good picture without much effort! From then on my research began: the dark-room (or rather my bathroom), the development of black and white, etc�etc�

MUEN: Does your choice to take pictures of rock musicians come from your passion for music?

ALEX RUFFINI: Of course! I�m really fond of music. I was still a child when I was literally struck by KISS! When you�re a teenager the first thing that catches your attention is the visual impact; in this, KISS have been clever.

MUEN: Which experiences would you mention in the field of photography up to now? What would you like to give back, after taking pictures of so many musicians?

ALEX RUFFINI: Photography in general has been through a very big development, thanks mainly to the digitalis. Now you can turn a digital picture into a masterpiece at home, without any kind of acid or harmful substances: you only need a computer and it�s done! To take pictures of musicians has always been my dream, or better, my dream was to take pictures of KISS! haha.. During these years I developed my style � stealing � from great photographers like Ross Halfin, Neil Zlozower, etc�etc�

MUEN: What is the secret to working well with so many important musicians? How can you make them feel at ease and create the right feeling?

ALEX RUFFINI: Fortunately, I know quite well � musically speaking - with most musicians that I take pictures of, I own the whole discography, and I know the values and faults of everyone. That lets me understand who I am in front of, even if it's very often, I have to admit, sometimes they are too �excited� so I have to say some bullshit just to relieve the atmosphere. In the end, the most important thing is the result! Anyway, it is enough for me only to take a look at them to see what I can and what I cannot do �to make them a bit prettier! Hahahaha!

MUEN: How does the preparation work: contacts with the artists, press agencies, record companies?

ALEX RUFFINI: Once there were no such things like �myspace� , or better, only a few had a website with contacts . Today everything is much easier: while in the past I had to beg Italian magazines to get a photo-pass, now I don�t need to ask anyone anything and I go straight to the point, getting through directly to the band or the management! After showing some of my works to the bands, it is usually the tour manager who arranges the photo session according to the time they have. The problem is usually the �photo shoot�: it�s very hard to find a suitable space or a nice background to take pictures. By now I think I used all the backstages, toilettes, showers, cellars, of all Italians clubs! Working this way you have to learn to take advantage of everything you can find on your way. Hahaha! In the end, if the band likes the result, we agree about a possible payment! Last February �Eric Sardinas and Big Motor� released their new album and I�m really proud of it because they used some of my works for the artwork and the promotional pictures! On April 11th the new album of Dokken came out; they used my pictures too� what should I say? For me it�s a dream come true, as I�ve always loved this band!!!

MUEN: It must be very satisfying, many compliments! What are in your opinion, the essential elements needed to make an artistic picture? Do you have a favourite one?

ALEX RUFFINI: I think that everybody has a bit of �art� inside them, you need only to show it! In the past I spent a lot of money for films and prints, but now with the digitals it is easier: you take a picture� and if it�s good you keep it, otherwise you delete it without any charge! All is easier and for this reason there are a lot of wannabe �photographers�. My favourite picture?... hmmm to tell you the truth I like a lot of them! I can say that I have either a nice or a bad memory of every picture I've took: you know, it depends on the situations�

MUEN: What is the most exciting aspect of photography for you?

ALEX RUFFINI: To transmit to other people an emotion� through my eyes!

MUEN: What do you think when you look at your old pictures?

ALEX RUFFINI: �Damn how old I am� hahaha! I�m joking� some of them still excite me, not only for their quality, but above all - for the point of view lol. Jeff Waters from Annihilator told me that in one shot I took of him you could read his foot size �and that says it all! hahaha!

MUEN: What are the aspects of your character that, in your opinion, help you to elbow your way in a world that is not always easy, like that of photography? What do you think are the essential qualifications to become part of this world?

ALEX RUFFINI: I guess I�m a correct and a very sensitive person! So my attitude is the same towards everybody. Maybe Italian people shouldn�t idolize so much these musicians!� they�re human beings like us after all! I believe that in this field you have to be ready to bite a lot of �dust�, because of people with no scruples� I�m sorry to say that, but some Italian magazines - specialized in rock music - are really bad, and they race with each other to issue covers with half-naked women� so I put myself in the shoes of someone who wants to see pictures of his favourites, but instead he has to look through something similar to �playboy�. What the hell! And music? Anyway, I think I said enough!

MUEN: Would you like to tell me something about �Every Picture Tells A Story�, the book you wrote?

ALEX RUFFINI: Well, the title says it all� or better, almost all... I just wanted to enter into a world (of publishing) that is completely unknown to me, and if I think about it - I really regret it. I wanted to collect very personal shots of artists like: Slash, Zakk Wilde, Eric Sardinas and Big Motor, Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan, Dokken, Great White, L.A.Guns, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and many more, adding also a hand-written comment by them and a story regarding the backstage events. The idea of documenting the backstage of a picture, for almost a hundred of very different (for their music as well) artists, sounded bright to me. In these two years I tried to knock on many publishing houses, but with low results! Everybody�s answer is: publishing is in a crisis situation, etc�etc� So at the beginning of this year I gave my works to an agency that deals with marketing and stuff like that... I�m hopeful! Let�s see what happens!

MUEN: Beside your passion for photography, what�s the most important thing in your life?

ALEX RUFFINI: Valentina (my girlfriend), my family and a good amount of friends!!!

MUEN: Your life�s philosophy?

ALEX RUFFINI: Be yourself!

MUEN: Thanks alot Alex for the interview� do you want to add something and leave a message to MUEN MAGAZINE�s readers?

ALEX RUFFINI: I love you all!!! If you have some time, this is my link: www.2starsphoto.com . Or www.myspace.com/2starphotocom Come and visit me or write to me: I will answer to you all ...I promise!

Interview by Angel Devil