Here is an Englis translation of a Marcelo Barbosa's interview, published on last August on grv.art.br website.
Thanks to Irina Ivanova from Marcelo Barbosa Official English Blog for the translation ;)
"What is your first musical recollection ?
Marcelo Barbosa : I grew up in musical atmosphere, in spite of that fact that I became the first musician in my family. I always listened at home to MPB (music popular brasileira) like Elis (Regina), Djavan, Caetano (Veloso), Gilberto Gil among others, and I think that all this formed my attitude, some model for me. Thus any other kind of music I could listen to, would be compared with this base, deliberately or not. I was pretty influenced by the explosion of Brazilian rock. At that time there were born bands like Legião, Capital, RPM and others, it was like a real epidemic of rock bands in the city, and as a teenager I couldn’t stay aside. But what really kicked my ass, was the first Rock in Rio festival. I already had a guitar but it was a kinda toy for me. I played from time to time, not having many ambitions. The festival was opened by Globo, and I remember that I was a bit scared by all this. It was a very electrified the world, and I still remember Angus Young or David Coverdale on stage very clearly. At that moment this seed was sown in my head and a bit later, when I was about 15-16, I was sure what I’d like to do in my life.
Your first job in music ?
Marcelo Barbosa : It depends on what do your mean saying “job”. It began early. When I was 16-17 I was already playing at nights in the clubs, and before I performed on school festivals and friends’ parties. More or less at the same time I started to give private lessons of acoustic and electric guitar and with time I was hired as a teacher by the two biggest musical schools here at that time. I suppose, it’s possible to call “my first job in music” all this, the private lessons as well as these nights at the restaurants. I used to play there, if I’m not mistaken, on Saturdays with Kátia Monteiro and it was great school for me having such an opportunity so early.
How and when did happen your first big appearance on the market ?
Marcelo Barbosa : This is also relative... I guess it happened with the launch of the first CD of Khallice, at first we released it independently, but then it was re-released in Brazil by Hellion Records from Sao-Paulo and some time later by Magna Carta from USA worldwide.
The highest point of your career ?
Marcelo Barbosa : Thanks God, it’s now.
The biggest disappointment?
Marcelo Barbosa : I can’t remember anything. I try to keep the achievements and good things. Disappointments and frustrations stay only in my experience and learning. The proper facts are forgotten.
What kind of moment the musical scene in Brazil is having now ?
Marcelo Barbosa : I believe that it’s the same with the rest of the world. Some moment of transformation when no one can tell what will happen.
If you could change something in musical industry, what it would be ?
Marcelo Barbosa : To prohibit paid promotion of artists in mass-media. I consider it to be funny, because it’s not so hard to solve. Everyone knows it exists, everyone tells that something should be done with it, but no one has necessary power to solve it. Many years ago the situation turned over in this way and the problem is that the public doesn’t ask for anything. Everyone thinks that if any artist is on TV or on the radio, it’s because he’s great, due to his talent, musical abilities, charisma or whatever. In reality, the reason of having such a space is that the artist is almost totally financed or this is politics. This is a vicious circle, because most of the people accept those faces, who appear in mass media because they don’t know anything else. Thus, it becomes easier to make the consumers “eat” anything, as soon as they don’t have any power or any means to choose what to listen to and what to buy.
In marketing terms, what’s the difference between Brasilia and other states ?
Marcelo Barbosa : Despite of the fact that Brasília is still far from the ideal, it’s not bad anymore at all. I travel all around Brazil playing, and complaints are always the same everywhere. Even if we are talking about São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. Brasília has always been a very musical city and the quality of productions here has made this fact very clear with time. I think our unique beautiful sky and our landscape, which is so green, give us a lot of inspiration. Besides this, before 80’s our city didn’t have a lot of entertainment options, and I suppose, for many habitants at that time it was a good solution to establish a band.
Give your advice to a young artist from the outside ?
Marcelo Barbosa : It would be the same for a musician from any other place. To live by music is not very easy in any place, and it’s the worst in a country without necessary base in education and health services. Be professional and it will be repaid. The music, besides being a great entertainment, is a hard work. Accept it like this.
If you could have a dinner with three artists (from the past or the present), who would it be ?
Marcelo Barbosa : Jimi Hendrix, Bach and Miles Davis. (Imagine this dinner...) We couldn't even know what kind of music would be played there...rs
What is the main question you would ask them ?
Marcelo Barbosa : It’s difficult to choose only one question. I guess, I would stay quiet, listening and trying to understand a bit the world of these three revolutionists.
In your opinion, who is the most special and greatest popularizer of Brazilian music in the world?
Marcelo Barbosa : I suppose, it might be unfair name just one. Also, it depends on the style we are talking about: MPB/Bossa Nova or music made for brasileiros. From Carmem Miranda to Ivan Lins, including Tom Jobin, Villa-Lobos, Sepultura, Angra, Hermeto Pascoal among many others. I remember how much I became happy at the show of Chic Corea in Blue Note visiting New York for the first time! After the show we were looking at the posters of the past shows on the wall and we noticed Ivan Lins among tens of world-famous names. I was very proud at that moment.
The best things in Brazilian music for today, what should we listen to?
Marcelo Barbopsa : We have a lot of great things in all the styles, but the most of them can’t get the space they deserve in the major mass-media.
What is your next challenge ?
Marcelo Barbosa : I’m working at a few projects. There’s GUITAROSOFIA among others: the series of the video weekly guitar lessons in Youtube about the guitar technics, composition, improvisation and much more. Some great but unpretentious “chat” about music. The videos are available here: www.youtube.com/marcelogtr/ Actually, the project is much more serious, it’s just the first step.
After the first 20 lessons in Youtube one can buy them on DVD through my website or GTR website, but with partitures and tabs, in addition to 10 unreleased lessons which will not be published in Youtube.
Your favorite album (CD or Vinyl) of all times ?
Marcelo Barbosa : What a boring mania to make me choose just one thing among many great others... :lol: It depends on the day, my sense of humor, my mood. I like very much Revolver by Beatles, at least it came in my mind now. But I must confess that I’ve never thought about having just one unique favorite album, it could be very narrow to care about choosing only one album. "
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