http://entretenimento.r7.com/blogs/luiz ... exclusiva/
Since mostly of us aren't portuguese speaker, let me roughly translate it.
'We will play our biggest hits in Brazil', says Sisters of mercy leader, in a exclusive interview.
[Picture of Vision Thing Era]
when we were kings, in 80's and 90's.
They... actually, him, Andrew Eldritch doesn't release any new record since 1993.
Certainly that's why the sisters are out of the radar of this generation that has less than 40yo.
But in the 80's and early 90's they were huge success. And they do diverse it.
When they offered me a interview with him, i instantly remembered a dozen of hits, i even't bring it up during the interview, kinda asking these songs to be played in Sao Paulo.
Since they weren't in any music streaming service when i configured my playlists, they weren't in any of my gadgets! So i'd say that one of the good things about this interview, was the opportunity to rediscover this band. and what a great band tho.
So, i bring to you folks, 'the sisters of mercy', the leader and singer Eldritch.
Firstly, i'm curious, where are you living now? Hamburg or back to England?
I've been in Belgium for a while, because of my Girlfriend.
Oh I see, i was curious about England, you were always so argumentative
about the British political scenario. What do you think about Brexit?
I hope that things start to happen and gets better over there.
Everyone should have voted to stay, but only few decided to.
Ok, let's talk about TSOM, it's been 23 years since the last release, in 1993. With the lack of new content, how do you guys keep your audience and reach to new fans?
We play new songs live, as we did back when we didn't had any record label. We put the lyrics of this new songs on our website, speak to people and things like that. We think that's a good way to spread the word.
Ok, got it. All those changes in the music industry scenario on the last decades had any influence in your decision of not record any new songs?
Yes, on the last 20 years release new songs just got harder, specially because the music industry imploded itself and didn't let any other alternatives to it.
Now things are getting better, we have other ways to reach people other than record labels. Everyone says that it's an absurd that Apple take 30% of your money, but this is way less than the record labels take. So, sometimes we put some records using Apple's platform. There's also other topics about recording that has changed, like recording itself. Nowadays we don't need a huge studio because we have enough technology to reach the same results on a smaller place.
When recording i still want to record my voice with quality, and takes a while to record good songs, specially because i like to produce them with caution and always focusing on details, btw i also likes to use technology during live concerts, otherwise would be just a mic standing in front of the band.
Anyway, the biggest issue about this new scenario it's Spotify, Spotify barely pays anything.
Yeah, i noticed it, i wasn't able to find many TSOM songs on Spotify
If we ever record a new album, we would be reluctant about releasing it on Spotify. I know that there are some TSOM songs on those Streaming Services because i've received some checks, but a single song has to be listened millions of times in order to receive an descent payment for it.
I only received those checks because we are a great band that has enough people to listen to our songs millions of time, so that's why i think Spotify isn't a great choice, specially for small/indie bands.
Indeed, you gotta have like billions of people watching or hearing your work, like Psy from Korea. Only this kind of people can get some money from these services...
So, there's something i want to ask about your temper... There are some testimony from former members from the band saying that you are a person hard to work with. What do you think about that?
I don't think is hard to work with me, you should listen to testimony from the current members, and not from people that i don't work anymore. I'll not say sorry because i was willing to make good songs, but many people will. Also, when those people were on band we aren't making any good music. So maybe all this criticism has a point.
And what about Chris and Ben, they are working with you for the past 10 years or so
Yeah, it's a long wedding.
Yes, definitely. What do you have to say about they?
A terrible couple.
Ok. Now about Doktor Avalanche, how it's the setup nowadays?
Generally when playing in Europe we do car travels, so we take computers and samplers, but when we have to play overseas, and we have to travel by planes, like in South America, we use to use Macbooks, so we don't have to carry all those things. Specially because it's already hard to travel with Guitars, Mics, Amplifiers...
You interviewed the legend and late David Bowie for Rolling Stone, could you share some words about the time you spent with him?
He was a wonderful person. I don't know why Rolling Stone sent me to this interview, maybe it's because i was the only one who spoke english and german ( This interview was for the German Rolling Stone ).
And even speaking fluently English and German, i wasn't able to understand what kind of music Bowie was releasing at the time, so i kept asking questions about it, and he kept saying he already answered to that, but i still didn't understand (Laughs).
He was very glad to be questioned about it though, people generally doesn't like to be questioned when other people doesn't get his music. But a artists doesn't record songs to please a single person.
I have fans that come to me saying 'i didn't liked that song' or 'i didn't like this version of this song', and i simply answer: "I haven't made this song for you, sorry it's your fault, not mine" (Laughs). Sometimes it happens, but isn't usual.
In the same way that isn't usual Rolling Stone hire musicians to interview other musicians. But i liked it, very much, i went to Los Angeles and then traveled back to Frankfort, wasn't as bad as i expected (Laughs).
And what about the Brazilian shows, What to expect? All the greatest hits? I mean, i have some suggestions...
I have no idea, the band is reunited in England planing the trip and setlist, i'm travelling right now, so i'm out of the loop.
Ok, but some songs were a huge hit in Brazil, like Lucretia, Jeep, VT, Dominion, Walk Away, More, Corrosion... Should we excpect those songs?
I don't think we will play all those songs, specially because the gig duration, but i'd say that you can expect at least half of those songs. I still don't know which half though, but definitely one of them. I'll met the rest of the band soon, and a in a couple days they will update me with their plans.
Do you have any special memory about the past gigs you played in Brazil
Yeah, specially about the audience. The Brazilian audience is always willing to have a good a time, and they just gave their best for it, which put us in a great mood, and always provide us a memorable time.
Question: Do you always had this deep baritone voice, that is one of the marks from TSOM, or it began when you decided to sing?
Yes, sorry.
Another quick question: I've heard you speak 7 different languages, is that true?
Yes, i speak fluently German, French, English, Catalan, Italian. I also know Spanish, Greek, Danish, Swedish, Dutch and somewhat of Portuguese.
That's amazing
I also know some computer programming, like Python. I've leaned to code, then i noticed that isn't that hard. Computer languages are way different from spoken languages, but since i'm good with this area, i was able to learn some computer programming.
There's something special we can expect in this visit to Brazil?
I have no idea. I'll met with the band in Serbia in a couple days. I don't think that there's anything special, but i hope everyone has a good time.
Ok Sir, thank you for your time, i hope you also have a good time in Brazil, and i'm pretty sure you will. People love your songs here, and it was a honor to interview you.
Thank you.
Sorry for the broken English fellas
.The interview was a badly written in Portuguese as well, so it was kinda tough to translate it back to English.
[EDIT: I Forgot to translate one question, just added it
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