Prophecy’s INTERVIEW:
Maila-Kaarina: After 18 years being part of the underground scene of Brazil, how would you describe our market and the Metal audience?
R. Avlis: I think the biggest problem is that nowadays there are more bands than audience (laughs). In the past there weren’t so many bands but the audience was really loyal, they used to go to all concerts. Nowadays we have better bands, good musicians, several independent labels, professional studios where you can record high quality music, but I see that the biggest part of the Brazilian Metal audience prefers to stay home downloading cds and would rather pay to see cover bands than those that have their own work. These are different times...
A. Garcia: This is a tough question because since MP3 came out all musicians got in a difficult situation. I believe the Metal audience likes to support only bands they already know and admire. This is the only way people buy cds today. There is respect from the fans for the bands that inspire them and this is something I really admire in the Brazilian underground. If we talk about concerts and hospitality Brazilian audience is the best. They are always stage diving and participating fully on the show. At least with us it’s been like this.
But there is something in the underground scene that I must say because it really bothers me; the disrespect some producers have in relation to bands trying to charge them to warm up for bands with a stronger name. This is ridiculous in my opinion, an absolute disrespect with the artist and it happens all the time.
D. Ross: I’ve already seen auctions for concerts warming up! Some of these people contacted us but no chance!
Maila: There are some international labels offices in Brazil, what do you think that make them have a hard work here since just a few bands are hired and released abroad?
A. Garcia: I really don’t know. We have received several invitations from international labels so I believe it’s not so difficult to do business with them. We decided to do it with Morbid Tales Records, from Paraná, because all negotiation happened very clearly and honestly. We felt we could trust on them and it was the main thing to do the business.
D. Ross: A recording company needs a market to debut a band. Sometimes the band has a very good material but it is not relevant to the market. We have good music inside all styles and of course it’s impossible to work all of them. Sometimes I believe the problem is lack of money, sometimes lack of guts, maybe a better judgment, I don´t know. The fact is that we cannot preview what makes revolutions in the market, although we can preview what will sell reasonably. We’ve been lucky since thrash metal is at a good moment now.
Maila: Did you ever consider changing your style, especially when Thrash Metal was a little off the scene?
R. Avlis: Never!!!!!!!!! I don’t like these bands that change their style. I believe it´s more honest to end up and start another work with a different name. Prophecy actually started in 1985 under the name Biblia Negra (“Black Bible”). We changed to Prophecy because we started to write the lyrics in English in 1990. Are there differences between “BÍBLIA NEGRA” and PROPHECY? There are! But it was a natural change. We improved as musicians and the music got more elaborated. We recorded a song from “Biblia Negra” in LEGIONS OF VIOLENCE, Lying Prophets used to be sung in Portuguese at that time. It was made in 1987 and we have just upgraded it a bit. 90% of the original song was recorded in the album.
A. Garcia: Never. Since the first moment I wanted to have a band, when I was 14 years old, I wanted to play thrash metal. I saw a Prophecy’s concert when I was 16 and when I started playing I thought: “I want a band like that”. I had never imagined at that time that I would become a member of the band years later. Well, I like only a few bands and most of them are thrash metal. This is natural to me. We are not radical people saying things like: “I only play thrash and fuck the others!” The thing is that I only like this! (laughs)
D. Ross: I don´t count since I’m musically schizophrenic! (laughs)
Maila: Which was, in your opinion, the best moment for Prophecy from 1990 until now?
D. Ross: I have only one thing to say: W:O:A Metal Battle. Rio’s selection to play at Wacken Open Air was the concert of my life. Man, what was that? I’ve never seen such an audience! People seemed to be connected to a 220 high voltage wire! We have the video to prove it! That was one of those days when everything goes right. We rehearsed so much that I believe I lost at least 3 of my fingers... And it was worth because the production of the event was great, the sound was really heavy and the audience participated in a way I will never forget. I have to thank all those who were there that day. Thanks a lot!
A. Garcia: Well, I played in the band from 1996 to 2000 and from 2006 until now. I really liked opening Exodus concert with Paul Balouff. But the Metal Battle that we won the selection in Rio was another very important thing. In my opinion, though, the best moment is now with the releasing of our debut album Legions of Violence.
Maila: In the mid-90´s Metal, Thrash and Hard Rock lost a lot of space and new styles showed up such as the Nu-Metal. However, from 2 years ago on the audience have been trying to take the origin back. There are many new bands searching for music influences coming from the 70´s and the 80´s. Do you think this revival is just a natural thing that happens from time to time or it’s been happening because people are needy?
A. Garcia: I believe both alternatives are correct. There is a revival and there are new thrash metal bands that seem to have come from the 80´s such as Hyades, Municipal Waste and Delirious, and I think this revival has been up because people are needy. We cannot buy the idea of Metallica recording St. Anger and neither those Nu-Metal bands that, at least for me, are fucking boring! (laughs)
Maila: How are things doing in relation to the audience in Brazil and abroad? I’ve heard some fans made a forum about you. Tell us a bit about it...
D. Ross: I got really surprised when I saw there are people from everywhere in the world listening to our music and interested in what we’ve done. It was great specially because everything happened suddenly, we didn’t do anything to promote it. We don’t even have time to do it...
A. Garcia: That’s right. We’ve been really well received and this forum has really surprised us because it was made by some European metal fans that listened to us on Myspace and decided to create it. I hope it gets bigger and bigger! And if you want to check it out the address is:
http://www.hardnheavycommonwealth.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=54
Maila: USA or Europe? Where is the market stronger nowadays and why?
R.Avlis: Metal music is stronger in Europe, mainly in Germany where Wacken Open Air is. In the USA MTV dictates tendencies, it’s a matter of fad. Of course there is an underground scene to keep the Metal alive there and since the real heavy metal came from the underground so... Well, there was a boom in the middle of the 80´s when the Metal was able to take a great part of the planet but I believe things are still the same there.
A. Garcia: Well, talking about Metal, of course it’s in Europe. Most of the Americans listen only to what the radios play. But of course there are good metal fans and bands in the USA too.
D. Ross: The American MTV plays only “Gangsta R.A.P.” If you consider things this way metal is dead over there.
Maila: What makes it more difficult to show your work?
D.ross: Getting concerts to play is like being damned and cursed here. We can seldom find serious people producing the events and it’s even more difficult to find a producer that pays for the band’s expenses. Everybody wants you to play, but they want you for free. The guy places a Watt amp on stage, a shitty sound and thinks he’s doing a great job. This is why we take most of the stage equipment with us, except the drums. It can´t be less than it. If we can give the fans a concert with good quality, why wouldn’t we do it? We always rent a van to carry all our stuff and it’s not cheap. Producers don’t want to pay even for these basic expenses. Money? Forget about it. Nobody is interested in seeing the band’s side. The fact is that whenever we travel to places which are far from home it can be a big loss. It’s ok when you are very young but now we all have demands to make. Rogerio has a tattoo shop and the day he doesn’t open the store is a day he makes no money at all. Traveling without making any money is a fucking loss. Besides all these problems, there is also the possibility of damages in the equipment, robberies and nobody takes this responsibility. Producers think they are making you a favor and most of them take advantage on the love we’ve got for the music. Thank God in Rio we have “Triade de Aço” and “Full Metal” which are good exceptions. The guys are real professionals but they sometimes lose a lot of money because the audience just doesn´t show up. Most of the people from Rio don´t support for the events and soon they will end up with nothing, having to go to different states to watch concerts or see them on the internet with a terrible quality. Symphony X was on tour recently and they played in many cities around Brazil. Did they come to Rio? Nope! And why do you think they didn’t? I’ve also known that Arch Enemy got in touch with “Triade” to play here in Rio. You, an Arch Enemy’s big fan wanna know why the concert didn’t happen? There was lack of money because you don’t go to the fuckin´ events!!!!
Maila: What is your opinion in relation to the specialized media in Brazil backed to Heavy Music?
A.Garcia: I think sites and blogs dedicated to the Heavy Music do a very good job trying to keep everybody informed. I just think that a little more effort to work with smaller professional bands should happen. Some of them like to say they are underground but they only talk about big international bands. In relation to magazines I think we’ve got some good publications such as Roadie Crew.
D. Ross: The media is much focused in Sao Paulo and it’s a fact that we don’t have many good quality options in Rio. It’s hard to be democratic in this situation. There they have magazines which have been around in large scale in Brazil for many years. But there are many bands and the space these magazines offer is limited. All successful people from the Brazilian metal scene must pass by Sao Paulo and many of them are from there. There are many good people around but you only see the same guys all the time: Ardanuy, Kiko Loureiro, Aquiles Priester... I am a big fan of these guys too but I would like to know more about other people, create new idols from different places in Brazil.
We didn’t use to have good media options in Rio, but now we’ve got the website Metal Ground that talks exclusively about the underground scene from here. Rio has been growing up! I wish more people from different states would start to reinforce initiatives in this respect. But I know it’s difficult to compete with Hard Blast since they have no Maila... (laughs). And here there is international badge! Hard Blast is here to stay!!
Maila: Thanks Ross…
Let’s talk a bit about your classic influences and tell us some good new stuff in the scene that called your attention...
R. Avlis: I started to like rock in 79 with Queen. After that I met Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Motorhead etc. When we created the band “BÍBLIA NEGRA” Black Sabbath was our biggest influence. At the beginning of the 80´s I discovered Metallica, Exodus, Trouble, Accept, Dio, etc.
They are still my main influences. Nowadays Thrash Metal is coming back and there are great bands such as Hyades, Fueled by Fire, Violator, Evile, etc, and of course we cannot forget to talk about some of the great ones which are back: EXODUS, TESTAMENT, OVERKILL, etc.
A. Garcia: My influences as a musician are Steve Harris, Frank Bello and Greg Christian. They are the 3 bass players who have inspired me the most. Actually I learned how to play trying to imitate Steve Harris, laughs!!! As a music writer I’d say my main influences are Exodus and Testament. Recent bands that called my attention are Hyades and Municipal Waste, since they brought back the idea of the beginning of the thrash and the crossover which was basically: listening to a violent style of music and have fun with it. As Exodus guys used to say: “good friendly violent fun”. I think this is just great because I have no patience for that bullshit of “mom, I wanna be a bad boy!” Laughs…
D. Ross: I started listening to my parents’ records and there was a lot of Beatles, Jacksons Five, Stevie Wonder and Motown stuff. I’ve never listened to radio stations. When I was a child I used to make my own compilations recording from LPs to cassettes. That’s old!!!! Little by little I discovered the guitar. It all started with Pink Floyd and jumped straight to Guns´n Roses because I got their cassette as a birthday present from a girl I used to like. After that, distortion dominated me and I got on a “Highway to Hell”. There was a Maiden phase and I started to play the bass. I heard a lot of Rush, Queensryche, Helloween and classic bands from the 70´s. I only started to play the guitar after listening “Tribute to Randy Rhoads”. Mr. Crowley became my goal for one year... you know how it is...there was no Guitar Pro at that time... laughs. Then I got from another girl an LP she had at home but thought it was too noisy: Racer X “Live Extreme 2.” This is how I discovered Paul Gilbert and started researching all his stuff and a lot of Hard Rock stuff too. A little after that I got into thrash metal. Nowadays I listen to everything. I’ve been listening to Jazz a lot and started to study by myself. But I don’t have much time to practice. Unfortunately life demands have won from the guitar but I still want to take classes.
Maila: Leave a message to all Hard Blast readers, please!
D. Ross: Well, if you read everything until here thanks a lot for your patience, see you around and let’s have some beers. Search for our material on the youtube, myspace, orkut, smoke signs... and Maila rocks!
A. Garcia: Keep yourselves loyal to the great and old metal and thrash ‘till you fucking die!!!!!!!!!!!!!
R. Avlis: Thanks a lot for all those who support us and keep on reading Hard Blast!
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