Page 9 - ISSUE 9

ROCKNATION ISSUE 9 PAGE 9
there?
Hugo: I’m just so excited. I’ll tell you one
thing, I have already lost everything I had
once before so from the point that I was at
I can only go up again. I just leave every-
thing with my faith and know that God is
looking over me and I have a lot of faith in
the record. With those two things I’m going
to beat all of the odds. I’m going to do it or
die trying.
Rocknation: I haven’t heard the entire
album yet but I’ve read reviews that have
been calling it a lot heavier than stuff
you’ve done in the past. Do you agree with
this? Where is that edge coming from?
Hugo: I really don’t think it’s anything
heavier than I’ve done in the past. There
are some heavy songs on there and the
single is definitely heavier but when you
write something that’s a little heavier it’s to
emphasize a point. “Down and Out” is defi-
nitely heavier but it’s contrasted with a lot of
pretty stuff in there too. I don’t know that it’s
heavier than the other records, I just know
that it’s better than the other records.
Hugo Ferreira of Tantric Rocknation: Since most of us have to wait
until the 22nd to hear the whole album, can
Interviewed by: Mary Ouellette you walk us through a few of your favorite
songs on the album?
Hugo: Well lyrically they are all near and
dear to me. Probably one of my favorite
songs is “Regret,” just because I think the
groove is really cool. I love singing that
From front to back: Hugo Ferriera, song, I just love that whole song. To pick
one favorite song would be impossible, it’s
Joe Pessia, Erik Leonhardt, like saying which one of your children do
Marcus Ratzenboeck and Kevin Miller you like the most. I’m so close to every one
and there’s really no song when I listen to
Four years ago, Hugo Ferreira of Tantric way. I dedicated my whole life to this. I’ve band I thought it would be a good addition this record that I skip through, I love every
single one of them.
was feeling pretty down and out. First their been down before and I always find a way and a good twist to add on electric violin Rocknation: And you named the album
record label folded, then he lost his man- to put myself back on my feet. I think with and to use it in a way that hasn’t necessar- after one of the songs as well - "The End
ager, and the final blow came when the rest perseverance you can overcome the great- ily been used before. Like I thought it would Begins." What prompted that decision?
of his band walked out on him. Having lost est obstacles. I definitely wasn’t going to do go over, it is going over. Everyone is just Hugo: That song was really talking about
everything he had, this might be enough for down without a fight. I worked really hard to totally enamored by it. I don’t know how I the end of one incarnation and the begin-
most people to call it quits, but for Ferreira get it done and it’s paying off. did it but whatever decisions I made were ning of another. People say that to every
it just added fuel to the fire that churned Rocknation: You’ve got a group of pretty good ones so I’m pretty happy about that. end there is a beginning and that’s basi-
inside. With a passion burning strong and heavy hitters in the band now from Kevin Rocknation: How does he feel about being cally what that whole song is about so I
the will to persevere he locked himself in Miller on drums who was in Fuel to Joe in a rock band? That has to be a bit of a thought it was appropriate to name the
his studio and wrote a new album. Pessia on guitar who a lot of us are very diversion for him? record that also.
Fast forward to the present. Having resur- familiar with from Dramagods and other Hugo: He was always a rock star. This guy Rocknation: How did you get hooked up
rected an all-star line-up to support him assorted Nuno projects, how did everybody is the craziest one in the band by far, it was with Silent Majority Group? And do you feel
with Kevin Miller on drums, Joe Pessia on come together? more like, how does it feel to be in a clas- that these smaller more indie/boutique type
guitar, Erik Leonhardt on bass and Mar- Hugo: By the grace of God! I do have sical environment for him. He parties like a labels are the way to go in today’s music
cus Ratzenboeck on violin, Tantric is set probably one of the best bands right now rock star, he’s crazy. industry because they can give more atten-
to release their new album on April 22nd. supporting me. They are all just incred- Rocknation: Let’s talk about the writing tion to each artist?
Aptly titled The End Begins, this album will ibly seasoned and just badasses. I’ve process for the album because you wrote Hugo: I think our particular label is incred-
signify both an end and a beginning for known Kevin from touring with him when the majority of the album on your own ible. I don’t know how other labels work. At
both Tantric and Ferreira. he was in Fuel. When I ran into him again didn’t you? this point I’m really happy with our decision
With the first single “Down And Out” al- I asked him if he’d be interested in doing Hugo: I did write most of the songs on to go with Silent Majority and I’m really
ready making it's mark on rock radio from this project and it was actually a different my own, but I just demoed them out in happy that they wanted us. So far they’ve
coast to coast, the band is getting an early project. When the whole thing happened my studio and then the other guys in the been doing everything right and it’s been
start on promoting their new digs and has with Tantric I just asked him to join and band came in and threw their twists in. awesome.
already hit the road in support of the new he agreed and he brought his bass player They made their parts individually, I didn’t Rocknation: I know you’re out on tour right
album. On a busy afternoon full of inter- that he’d already been playing with. Joey write the drum parts, etc. I would just write now. It hasn’t been too long but how has
views and cleaning the tour bus Ferreira I actually met through Nuno because he’s the basic idea, and there’s a few songs the response been to the new material?
took some time to fill us in on the new al- a mutual friend of ours, so I stole him from like “Regret” and “Something Better” and Hugo: Incredible. This is our fourth show
bum, the new band, and how he managed Nuno. Basically I stole all of my musicians “Monopoly” that were more of a collec- on this tour and it seems like everybody al-
to go from rock bottom to rock renegade. from other bands, I’m a thief. Nobody lets tive band thing that we wrote together but ready knows the lyrics. Every time we play
me into their green room anymore they’re initially “Down and Out” and all those songs “Down and Out” people are freaking out, it’s
Rocknation: So let’s start with filling like "Whoa what are you trying to steal our I started. In a sense everyone did collabo- just going fantastic. Right now we’re in the
everyone in who’s not familiar with what’s drummer!?" rate because the initial version of the songs process of rebuilding our fanbase because
been going on, it’s been around four years Rocknation: So your poster is hanging and the final outcome of the songs are a lot a lot of people probably thought that we
since the last Tantric album and a lot has outside everyone’s green room now right? different because of everyone’s flavors that were gone. A lot of people are coming to
happened, can you give us a brief rundown Hugo: Yeah…WANTED! they’ve added. I definitely could not have the shows and they are loving it. I couldn’t
of what has been happening in the Tantric Rocknation: I think it’s an amazing line up. done it by myself. ask for anything else.
world? I’m a big fan of Joe and Kevin, but what I’m Rocknation: You’ve noted that your Rocknation: I think that your story is pretty
Hugo: The last record that we released wondering is when you started putting the songwriting has taken on a more literal inspirational, what advice would you give
was in 2004 with the original members. band back together, did you ever consider approach, do you credit that just to your to musicians who may be in the same
What happened was that we recorded changing the name or did you feel that experience as a writer or was that a delib- place you were when the bottom fell out
another record after that but our label went the name was tied to your own personal erate change? on Tantric who may be wanting to give up?
out of business. We found ourselves with- identity? Hugo: I think that I had more literal stories What advice can you offer up to them to
out a label, subsequently without a man- Hugo: It was definitely tied to my personal to tell. On the previous records I was more help them persevere?
ager, subsequently without anything. That identity, plus, I just wasn’t about to start writing about a color of emotion. I was writ- Hugo: I would just use me as an example.
was just really discouraging to the whole over from scratch. I’ve got the thing tat- ing it vague enough so that people could Ultimately when you’re struggling emotion-
band and Matt and Todd decided that they tooed on my arm. The way I looked at it relate. On this particular record, just with ally or in life that seems to be when you
didn’t want to do it anymore. What I did was that I was part of what put this band the last four years of experiences that I get really in touch with your emotions and
was, I went down to my studio and I wiped where it is right now so I was definitely had, I really had something to say. I defi- you write a lot of your best stuff like that.
the tears off and started writing a new entitled to use the name. I didn’t quit on the nitely wanted the people that I was direct- The music is the most important thing, so
record. Slowly put together a whole new band, everyone else did. I’m the one who ing it towards to know that it was for them turn all that negative energy or whatever
band behind me again with the material still believes in it. and about them. I guess that’s probably the you’re feeling into music and just don’t give
that I had written. I found myself another Rocknation: I love the fact that you’ve add- reason that I made it so literal this time. up. Get up off of the ground, shake it off,
deal and we recorded a record with Toby ed a violin player to rock the electric violin. Rocknation: Have you heard any feedback and keep your eye on the prize and look
Wright who produced the first two records, Was that always part of your vision when from those individuals that it was directed forward. There’s nothing to lose and you
and here we are! We’re out on the road, resurrecting Tantric or how did that element towards yet? don’t want to waste your life wishing you
the single is kicking ass and I’m grateful to become part of what you were doing? Hugo: No. But I know that it’s going in their had gone for it.
God every day for it. Hugo: I had been jamming with Marcus, ears and that’s all I need to know. Rocknation: Parting words?
Rocknation: When the remaining mem- our violin player, for a minute. He was a Rocknation: The album drops on the 22nd, Hugo: Please call radio and request our
bers of Tantric left, did you ever have any classically trained violin player. I always with the success of your past albums, do song and join our MySpace!
thoughts of giving it all up for good? wanted to do something like that. When you feel any pressure with this release or www.myspace.com/tantric
Hugo: I can’t say that I was thinking that this opportunity came up to resurrect the is it just a relief to be getting the music out