EMQ’s With MACAKONGS 2099
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Brasília, Brazil based Hardcore band, Macakongs 2099. Huge thanks to guitarist, Waldson, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hey there!
My name is Waldson, guitarist (nick name Wa – here in Brazil, these kinds of English names are difficult to speak, that´s why nobody knows my name right)
The band was formed in June 1998 in Brasília, capital of Brazil and released during this period were four albums: “Bikinis Don’t Kill” (2000); “Bonitos, ricos, sortudos e bons de briga” (2001); “Ultimate Hot Super Cancer Meneghel” (2002); “Tropicanalia” (2007); “Amor” (2020). Also featured in some collections: “Tributo ao Ação Direta (2001)” and “Indians… No! – Brazilian Tribute to Anthrax (2007)”.
In the audiovisual, the band have produced several video clips, all in full length on the band’s YouTube channel (Macakongs 2099 Hardcore), and produced a DVD called “João Se Arme (2010)”. In addition, have participated in the soundtrack for the movie “Acid Bath” (2006).
We are performing uninterruptedly since its inception and have toured in almost every region of Brazil. After several changes in formation, we are: Phu (bass and vocals), Leo (guitar and vocals), Wa (guitar) and Thiago Brito (drums).
How did you come up with your band name?
The initial idea came up with Phu, a mix of Macaco (Monkey in Portuguese) and King Kong, Macakongs. In the studio, explaining the idea, the guys started trolling: “This name is like these Marvel superheroes from the future SpiderMan2099!” There it is… Macakongs2099
Phu is Straight Edge, otherwise I would like to know what drug he uses to come up with these ideas! Lol
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We are in Brasília, capital of Brazil. We have a small but consistent scene, lots of talent and excellent bands for sure. Of course, we are always trying to expand and make it stronger and united, but I don´t have much to worry about the “human factor”, many old underground bands are still active and the young guys are coming with full power.
In this 2020 crisis I was more concerned about the few pubs and studios that support us with their physical space and survival from the concerts…they all stayed around 6 months closed…tough times…
But I think the worst has gone, some places are coming back.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our last full-length album was “Amor” released in the beginning of 2020, before these Covid shit…
‘Haters Amam’ (Official Video)
Who have been your greatest influences?
As a guitar player my most important influences in the beginning were Megadeth and Marty Friedman, Testament and Alex Skolnick, Exodus and Gary Holt, and of course, Sepultura and Slayer!
Nevertheless, I have to make a second category; I was 100% into metal, until I met Suicidal Tendencies… The ideas, the performance, the concept, it really affected me.
And a third category… The Pantera explosion… Wow… What was that?
What first got you into music?
Music was for me, an escape from mental disorders, social problems and problems with my parents. Music was just there, no judging, always hearing my sorrows, in a symbiotic way.
In the beginning was just anger, but the music path showed me many possibilities after a while.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
It would blow my mind collaborate with Suicidal Tendencies; they remind me of good teenage times
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Wacken Open Air…for sure!
First time I got to Wacken I could feel, see and share with 80 thousand Metal heads the same indescribable feeling, that place has a magic on it.
Of course, I love to play, and every concert for me is special, I give my best every time, there is no workout that takes more from me than the smallest concert I´ve made, but if it were to play in Wacken it would be different.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Actually, I wish to have had at least one to say here. I know we have some people that like our music, but in fact, we treat them as friends, and we change a lot of gifts and souvenirs, but none of them weird and sufficient for me to remember now.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Life is simple and short, as long as it doesn’t hurt others, enjoy it the way you want, doesn’t matter what!
To make it short: keep head banging and fuck everything else!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Tough one…
How to choose one legend besides other…
So many names that I love come to my mind…I’ll have to choose almost randomly…
Ronnie James Dio
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
What I love and what I hate in being a musician are side by side… I love the search for knowledge, the search for identity and development of technique. At the same time, I hate it, because it is endless… You have to manage your anxiety to understand your limitations, give time to your physical body, assimilate the new task and your mind to understand the discipline. It is really easy to get frustrated being a musician if you are not prepared mentally to give things their proper time.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Actually, the music industry has changed a lot since I began, I love it! No more monopoly of quality and physical borders.
On the other side people are taking it as like something futile and forgetting the art of playing music. I love the technology and how it can help us, but I love more art. It will be always about how you can express yourself with your art with or without technology.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Rust In Peace” from Megadeth.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
As I mentioned before, I love technology, I love the possibility to hear in my car what an underground band from the middle of Ukraine just released, for example. The world is connected 24/7 now by streaming and downloads. Love it!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
With Macakongs2099 probably the Tattoo fest here in Brasília 2017. It was sick!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I have side jobs as computer graphic animator and firefighter, I probably would be working only with it. But it never passed my mind not being involved somehow with music and underground culture. If I retire someday I´ll be producing and making small concerts for sure.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Max Cavalera, Igor Cavalera, Andreas Kisser, Paulo Xisto, the 5th guy could be The Master Ozzy, they would respect him for sure.
I really would love to see these guys just talking to each other again peacefully, they are genius and together they made a lot to the history
What’s next for the band?
For 2020, the plan was to make a small tour in Europe, but Covid 19 changed the plan for us. So, we decide to take the show we had prepared for the tour and record it in studio. We are in the middle of this process and we pretend to release it until December 31, still in 2020 to celebrate the 22nd band anniversary and to send some hope and message besides this craziness.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We use all the classic ones:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOm7NMMaKMSxIKQWi2uziA
www.instagram.com/macakongs_2099/
www.facebook.com/Macakongs2099/
www.open.spotify.com/artist/3KyBKyuTODh0l6HBDVjGfw
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Had to google this one, never heard about! By the pictures, they seem like cookies, by the name they are cakes… 50% each side… I promise I´ll search for it here in Brazil to know how they taste, that will be the decision, I´ll post the answer in our social medias Lol.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
We are underground, and I have to thank you back for your work with the underground. The underground is much more than we think it is sometimes.
I mentioned Wacken early on, but it is once in a year, and it is just a really small piece of the cake in comparison to the world headbanger.
Where are all the metal heads on the daily basis? When the fest is over everyone goes back home to your local underground scene, feeding it back and spreading the underground culture.
We are strong and we all keep it! Keep headbanging!
Thanks!
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