Okay, so this interview is quite a big deal for me since it was my first interview done live. I loved how it was a lot more personal and interesting than just sending a list of questions, so this will probably be a future practice. Hope you enjoy it and be sure to check the bottom of the interview for the download links. Here we go...
Stefan:
Ok, well this is my first live interview, so bare with me if I get slow with the questions. Classic things first, please introduce yourself and the rest of your bandmates.
Felipe:
My name is Felipe and this is my first interview ever. I'm Motim's vocalist. We have Mauricio and Guilherme on guitars, Vinicius on bass and Alexandre on drums.
Stefan:
How did you all come together and started playing?
Felipe:
I used to play in a band called "Liberdade Após a Raiva", one day, during one of our concerts, Mauricio invited me to form a band with him. It was going to be a straight edge hardcore band, but we just left this idea behind. He also called Vinicius (his brother) and a friend of his, I've invited Liberdade Após a Raiva's drummer and Deko (who used to sing on a death metal band called "Claustrum Burial") to share the vocals with me. At the beginning we sounded more like a metalcore band...
Stefan:
Interesting begining, most of the times bands are born from mutual friendships rather than different projects.
Felipe:
Yeah... I always formed bands based on friendship, it was nice to do it different. This band has made me build a strong friendship with people who I didn't even know.
Stefan:
Seems so, since you guys already released two EPs, that alone could be considered a major success already. Strong bonds and all.
Felipe:
Yeah, we're kinda hasty when it's about releasing stuff... Specially me.
Stefan:
You mentioned how you were a more metalcore band at the beginning and yeah listening to both EPs the style change is apparent. How did that come along?
Felipe:
People were associating us with stuff like "hardcore youth crew", but our lyrics were not about that at all, they were about frustrating stuff! We started to feel that our lyrics weren't matching with the music itself, that's why we changed.
Stefan:
Did it came tough on the band or was it a natural thing to do? Your songs took quite an "epic" turn.
Felipe:
It was a natural thing. Mauricio is the guy who creates our songs, he started to listen to more and more screamo stuff (and also black metal) and naturally absorbed into as an influence for himself and for the band. He's the mastermind behind it all.
Stefan:
Since we touched the theme of what you guys are listening to, care to share some bands you like in your free time?
Felipe:
I am REALLY into japanese music, my favorite bands of all time are Envy, Boris, Killie and Mono. Besides japanese music, I like black metal acts (like Lantlôs and Wolves in the Throne Room) and screamo bands (lately my favorites have been Zann, June Paik and Loma Prieta).
Stefan:
Hehe, I actually saw that people compare you to June Paik, definitely a compliment I would say.
Felipe:
Indeed! We love them!
Stefan:
Do you find those bands being an influence to your tunes, musically or lyrically?
Felipe:
Musically, yes, lyrically not much since we can't understand german/japanese. Our lyrics are basically influenced by books and some brazilian bands like Colligere.
Stefan:
Speaking of your local bands, what is the state of the Brazilian "scene" when it comes to this genre of music?
Felipe:
It doesn't exist. A few years ago when I was on a band called "Hipnagógica" we had a collective focused on emo/screamo bands. At the time we had bands like "3 segundos antes da queda" and "insimetria", and we even made a screamo-only festival! Sadly, they've all disbanded. Nowadays there are some other bands who play this kind of music, like "Dancing Ghosts", "Lobo-guará" and "Paramorte" (Motim's bassist also plays there).
Stefan:
Heh, "3 segundos" I know, "Lobo-guara" was actually featured on my blog, great project.
Felipe:
People should check Dancing Ghosts and Paramorte as well!
http://dancingghosts.bandcamp.com/
http://www.myspace.com/paramorte
Stefan:
Hm, actually, come to think of it, Paramorte sounds familliar. Thanks, I will definitely check those bands out! Is there collaboration between those existing bands (Motim included)?
Felipe:
With Paramorte, yes, we're always playing together and we have plans of releasing a split.
Stefan:
And what about work with bands from the surrounding countries?
Felipe:
We have played with some hardcore/metalcore bands from Chile (Nouvelle Gaia, Forsaken and To Feel Alive), but that was all. We also run a label here and we had plans of releasing an EP from a chilean band called Omayra Sanchez, but it never happened though.
Stefan:
Please tell me a bit about the label you mentioned. Do you find the whole diy attitude being a tough part of this type of music?
Felipe:
It was called Natan Discos (now it's called Cena Depressiva). And yes, it's a tough part, specially being unemployed hahaha. We had a lot of releases scheduled including an awesome Hammers' tape, but they were all left behind because we didn't had money to release it.
Stefan:
Haha I get you there! I also want to start a label, but being unemployed sucks. But diy gives a sort of passionate approach to the whole thing, don't you agree?
Felipe:
Yeah! The best part of being a fan of DIY bands is that you can contact them easily.
Stefan:
Hehe, completely true!
Do some more members from Motim contribute to the label work?
Felipe:
Well, kinda, hahaha... It's ran by me and a Paramorte's member.
Stefan:
Do you have some plans for the future? With both Motim and Cena Depressiva? New releases, tours, splits, gigs?
Felipe:
We're looking for a foreign band to split with us, that's why we've recorded a new song. Touring in Brazil is expensive, and sadly we don't have enough time to do it since the biggest part of the members have their jobs and studies... but yes, there are some plans!
Stefan:
Well I hope that this interview helps you out with finding a split partner!
Felipe:
Thank you, haha! It would be awesome!
Stefan:
Appart from jobs and music, do you guys have some other hobbies?
Felipe:
We all love bicycles and videogames.
Stefan:
Haha, great!
Near the end of the interview I like to leave space for me to be questioned and make this whole thing less one sided. So if you have a question, fire away!
Felipe:
When did the idea of starting a screamo blog came up?
Stefan:
Hm, well living in Serbia is not that grand when it comes to screamo (or any similar "underground" music) and I always wanted to somehow contribute to the wonderful community which sprung from the genre in the rest of the world. At the time I was a follower of "Skream Your Lungs Out" blog and by chance managed to become an uploader (later an administrator) there. After that I started thinking of doing this whole blogging thing on my own and try to incorporate a bit more writing into it. So here I am!
Felipe:
Your new blog is awesome, I love what you write and the idea of hosting interviews!
Stefan:
Thanks for the kind words! It's alway great to see that bands also enjoy the blog!
Well, in the end I'd like to thank you Felipe for taking your time and doing this interview! Any final message for the blog, "fans", bands?
Felipe:
I'd like to say that people should start more blogs like yours, haha, that's all. And thanks for interviewing me!
Stefan:
My pleasure!: ) Hope you enjoyed as much as I did!
And as promised, two Motim's EPs:
:-)
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