Maestra is a newly formed band from Brazil, with a team of musicians with high capacity, already with extensive experience
in the scenario, and even worked with artists from other countries.
The line-up of the band was practically
formed because several of the musicians recorded the latest album of brazilian Heavy/Hard band Eterna,
"Spiritus Dei", and then completing the team, they was ready to go on tour to
support this work, but due to some problems, that vocalist Neno Fernando also told to us in this interview, it has not happened, then starting the history of Maestra.
Check out the conversation we had
with Neno Fernando and Jose Cardillo, and know more about this band that was
born surrounded by great expectations, and is not for less, because the quality
and capacity of those involved. Get Ready! Another great brazilian band is coming!
RtM: How did the idea of forming the "Maestra" came about and how you came to the names they considered
ideal for the group? By the way, a team of high quality musicians!
Neno Fernando: It occurred
naturally, something that was already seems prepared for us, just waiting for
the right moment and the moment has come!
Everything happened on a cold night
in October at the home of Cardillo, when my wife gave the name, I was already
thinking about something like "MAESTRIA", but, from nowhere, she said: "MAESTRA!". About a time we reflect and feel a name with strength and power, as we were
looking for a short, strong and masterfully name, that had a link with our profession
of teachers also.
About Line up, the band was
practically formed even before becoming Maestra, as would the band that would
start the official tour of the Eterna's album "Spiritus Dei", but
unfortunately, or fortunately, we were unable to continue work, without
explanation, simply prevented us from working. Now the focus is 100% on
MAESTRA.
RtM: The issue with the Eterna,
from what I understand, was happened because someone that have rights above the name, decided to step back and not to assign the rights? Contractual problems?
Neno Fernando: Almost that. Actually
the person who created the name, passed us the right to use the name because he
said publicly that he was out of the band, but spending a month, just out of nowhere and
without any explanation, he decided we should not go with the name .
RtM: And you
reached any conclusions?
Neno Fernando: From what
I understand he will go back to the old line-up, the first incarnation of the
band, this was to be expected coming from former members, seeing he warned me soon the album "Spiritus Dei" was released, former members would start giving
their trump card, because while the band had not released anything new, they were
silent, they were quiet, and just when the new album was ready, they
started all this thing.
RtM: You must have been very
surprised and disappointed?
Neno Fernando: Never won any money with the Eterna, did what I did because i liked to work in the band, when we
do what we do for the sake of the band and the audience, the band was finished
when I joined, they wanted to end up, and I believe I gave a new blood. Funny
that when the band needed, some ex-members of Eterna simply turned their face to the Band, people told me several times, and
when they realize that the band was coming again and with strength, they started coming
back.
Really can not understand, I felt
even used, produced the album in my studio, I made the entire disc almost
alone, never made money with the Eterna. But unfortunately it gives one such a
size without disappointment, really was something that left us very
disappointed, we were friends for 5 years we were like brothers, but unfortunately some people takes attitude like that and let me and Jose (Jose Cardillo) without explanations. But
God gave us "Maestra", in fact, as I said before, this was the team that the
Eterna would go on tour, we would set off, and we were playing a lot, and we already had 8
new songs for the next album, let them ... we move on .
RtM: Neno Okay, thanks for the
information to fans, and we wait the other side also manifest. Moving on, tell
to us also about the musical concept of Maestra, beyond the lyrical concept and
the main differences of this for other bands that you have participated, such
as Eternal, for example, recently launched "Spiritus Dei".
Cardillo: The Spiritus Dei was one
album oriented and focused exclusively for public Christian (Catholic), so
there were certain restrictions on the instrumental composition, as well as the
language, which was directed to the Portuguese.
The Maestra goal is to put into practice ideas that could not be
used in other jobs, and tackle a style that particularly liked a lot, which is
the Heavy Metal more focused on virtuosity and elaborate songs, using all the
resources and techniques that style requires.
Neno Fernando: In Maestra everything
happens as I always dreamed of a band, we have the freedom to experiment, test,
this or that, without any fear, without owing anything to anyone by that
sometimes clashes with your opinions and foundations.
In Maestra, we compose the entire
band, all give ideas and suggestions, we have it, maturity, learned a lot over
time, life teaches us always, so it's important we fall to rise up stronger.
We'll talk a lot about our daily
lives in our lyrics, our day to day madness that we felt in a giant
city like São Paulo, talk about actions and attitude of the human race, the
changes of temperaments that people have, the falsity of man and we will spend
a lot of positive things as well, like self help, spirituality and positivism, yes, we will cover all the elements, Earth, Water and Fire.
RtM: Still talking a little more about the band Eterna,
you have already told us why prioritize the lyrics in Portuguese, with only two songs in English. In Maestra you intend to drive the English or in both languages,
depending on the feeling of you?
Cardillo: Due to the genre that
follow, we use the English language as it is the one that best fits the style
patterns.
Neno Fernando: Yes we chose to do
the whole album in English, possibly in the future, we will launch one or two
songs in English, but the focus is now entirely in English, because we intend
to launch Maestra in other countries. Our goals are the ones we want to show
all the work of the band, both in Brazil, Europe, Japan and USA.
RtM: Speaking this great group of
musicians, also comes great responsibility by the expectation that creates the
quality of everyone involved. How are you feeling at this early in the
compositions are being born and what the public can expect from Maestra?
Neno Fernando: The word is:
Thrilled, we're thrilled with the result, of course, the team was handpicked
and loudness are taking a course that does not really expected we are really
pleased with the Maestra, we are doing exactly what we would always want to do.
Cardillo: We are feeling very happy
and focused. With the awareness of the responsibility of performing a great
job. But also respecting the natural course of things, without pressure and
with the greatest possible care to the creation of a great work.
RtM: The production is being done by
the band itself?
Neno Fernando: Yes, the production
is being done by me, as was done album "Spiritus Dei" ( Eterna),
which was released in the middle of this year.
I have a studio drummer, Fabiano
Manhas Also, we have prepared the guides, we sent to him, he writes all the
drummers, edit and send to me, hence we continue on the recordings.
It all sounds very organic and
musical.
RtM: And you gave a kind of time to
have enough material? You've had ideas of songs or compositions before
announcing the creation of the band?
Neno Fernando: Well, we have an
initial term, but we know that when it comes to recording and production always takes more time that we want (laughs), Natural same, but everything is happening
too fast with the Maestra, I think in the first half of 2015 we will be releasing the record
rather. As is our deadline.
About the songs, we have some songs
that were rejected in Eterna, are excellent songs and for sure we will use
them in Maestra.
Cardillo: We have an initial focus
to launch a single later this year, and the debut album in 2015, preferably in
the first half, but it all depends on the natural progress of activities.
We have 8 songs ever written, but it
does not mean that all will be used, as they depend on the sound of the album.
We need songs that comprise a dense, technical, striking and consistent album.
RtM: And, of course, though all
involved have had good recognition in the music scene here in Brazil, surely many will be
newly first contact with the Maestra and the work of you, and this interview is
also being made available in English for Road to Metal readers from other countries,
we want you and your José Cardillo talk about your work, when you started in
music, influences and inspirations?
Neno Fernando: I started in music
when I was 6 years old, on the day that my sister gave me my first guitar, soon
after my mother put me in a music conservatory, studied only a few months and
went back to study music when I was 13, ai already started singing, I studied
singing for 8 years then started the journey as a teacher of vocal techniques
which minister singing lessons for almost 20 years.
I always liked Michael Kiske, James
Labrie, Rush, Queen, Queensryche, Skid Row and so on, never stopped researching
about my voice and develop my musicianship, I always had the support of my
parents, and I owe much to them.
I began my professional work with
bands in 1999, singing in bands like Shadows Abstract, Portrait and Eterna.
Cardillo: I started my activities in
1981, after 7 years of age in classical piano. My first contact with the
keyboard with the keyboard was at age 10, after listening to the album
"1984", Van Halen, then recently released. From there, I started to
study the two instruments separately.
My first show was in 1987 at 13
years of age, with a band of schoolmates.
Since then I never stopped. Works
realized with important bands of the national scene, as the Holy Sagga the
Abstract Shadows and the Eterna; and participated in important projects, such
as William's Shakespeare's Hamlet, Soulspell Part I, etc.
I also played with international
artists such as Roland Grapow and Germán Pascual.
In addition to my musical
activities, I am also a professor of classical piano, folk, keyboard and music
theory, with many students and active alumni in the scene.
My main influences are classic bands
of Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, AOR, Prog-Metal, Neo-Classical; Pop and American and
European artists, mainly from the 70s and 80s.
RtM: Continuing the conversation
about the musicians involved, I'd like you to comment first on Carlos Kippes
(guitarist), who plays in a Rainbow's tribute band, will surely bring great
guitar work, uniting the most classic part and an approach more modern, I
believe, and it also shows that you bother to choose the detail involved,
opening up a wide range of possibilities.
Cardillo: Exactly. The Kippes works
with me at Rainbow Tribute Brazil and is a guitar teacher, besides being a
student of another big name on the national scene, Joe Moghrabi.
He is an extremely committed, hardworking and professional enough to
know off the national scene and very easy to work musician. Also a great
friend.
Neno Fernando: Carlos Kippes, will
be the first time that we work together, I know that is a great person and
great musician, I'm sure he came to add up.
RtM: The "kitchen" as they
say in the music is composed by Fabiano Manhas, who is now a musician with great
recognition, and on bass, Vagner Souza, who is another great talent on the brazilian scene. Could you talk a little bit more of this double?
Cardillo: Fabiano Manhas is a major and great drummer, and also a great friend. The short time working together,
since you perceive that came to add up and be critical to the project out to be
a person who particularly has an optical routing and service very similar to
mine, where besides concern of making large work, is also concerned with the
area of music education, which is very noble.
Bassist Vagner Souza is also a great
friend and musician. I know his work already for some time, but we had not
worked together until the album "Spiritus Dei" (Eterna) where he
recorded the song "Turning Back". After that, he worked with me in
the band Eternal. A fantastic and incredibly technical and musician get along
very well on stage. Certainly form part of Fabiano to a 'fantastic kitchen.
"
Neno Fernando: Vagner Souza, I
already know a good time, I produced the album of another band from Ashton
Bridge, gave singing lessons for him for a while, it sure is a great bassist, a
very accurate technique, a footprint need besides making backin vocals.
Fabiano Manhas dont' need comments, who is
in the business, know the story of this great musician, and we are honored to
have him with us.
RtM: And when you get a sample of
the work of Maestra?
Neno Fernando: In December this
year, precisely at Christmas, we'll be releasing a sample of the work we are in
full swing to launch the single at Christmas and the full album in the first half
of 2015.
RtM: Thank you for your attention,
then we look forward to the next steps of Maestra, and hopefully soon make new
interview, and speaking here about debut album too! The space for the final
message to the readers is yours!
Cardillo: Thank you for the
opportunity of this interview, and would like to send a big hug to all the Road To
Metal team, to all the readers and those who support our work.
Surely, we are engaged in doing a
great job, with great love and faithfulness to a style we like to play and
listen to, and above all, with great respect to the listener who appreciates
that genre.
Big hug to everyone!
Neno Fernando: Thanks for your support, we are very happy with the Maestra, it is a band created in the union,
in true friendship, the desire to play, compose, record and make a story, life
is so short huh? We need to produce, leave something written in the history of
Heavy Metal, even if small, but the story is there and no one will take that
away from us.
I appreciate the strength of all the
bandmates who believed in work, all the fans, students, musicians friends, my
family and all those who always cheer for never stop doing what we love:
playing!
Thank you all from my heart, stay
tuned on our official Facebook page at the following link:
www.facebook.com/maestraofficial
And also our official Youtube
channel:
www.youtube.com/maestraofficial
Interview by: Carlos Garcia
