EMQ’s With Macumbazilla
EMQ’s With Macumbazilla
Hi everyone. Welcome to another new EMQs interview, this time with Curitiba, (state of Paraná), Brazil based Heavy Metal band, Macumbazilla. Huge thanks to their Vocalist / Guitarist André Nisgoski, Bassist Carlos “Piu” Schner and Drummer Júlio Goss, 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?
Júlio Goss: My name is Júlio Goss, I’ve been a drummer since 1998, or at least I’ve been trying to be. The Band celebrated 10 years of existence on 27th January 2022, but I joined the group in early 2016.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: I’m Carlos Schner (Piu) – Bass guitar. André and I have known each other since the 90’s while playing in other bands. Sometime later (2012) we decided to start a band, gathered some friends and played some Fu Manchu songs while we created our own. In 2014 we released our 3 song EP and we’ve played a lot of shows since then. We had some drummers and the line-up stabilized with the entry of Júlio in 2016. Since then, we have had some problems related to the production of our full album that was finally released at the end of 2021.
André Nisgoski: I’m André, guitars and vocals.
How did you come up with your band name?
Júlio Goss: From my point of view, the boys when creating the name, sought a mixture between what Brazil has that’s more authentic and ancient in its popular culture, the Macumba (popularly known as an Afro-Brazilian religious cult), but it’s also an ancient Africans percussion instrument, as well as the king of monsters in Japanese and world pop culture – the gigantic Godzilla. So, metaphorically speaking, Macumbazilla is a hideous and gigantic creature – made of Rubber and with zippers in the back – that can implant chaos and destruction in young people’s minds.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: André and I thought of several alternatives such as Winterbolt (yes, the villain of the movie “Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July”), etc. We reached a consensus that the name should have something related to Macumba – which is an instrument of percussion of African origin and is also a term used pejoratively for the religious cult in Brazil that combines Christian and African religions elements. So, we already had the root for a name, we played with several possibilities, and we arrived at ‘zilla because of Godzilla who is an enormous, destructive, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. It matched perfectly – Macumbazilla
André Nisgoski: We used to drink a lot back in the day and had these very unusual brainstorms…!
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
Júlio Goss: In Brazil the Metal scene since the early 80’s is huge and diverse, but extremely underground, with very few venues that provide the infrastructure for a quality concert. It’s a shame, but it’s our reality.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: We are from the southern region of Brazil (the city of Curitiba). Brazil is a complicated country when it comes to culture, where Rock in general is seen as an outcast and does not receive the proper support from the media or music producers in general. If on the one hand Rock / Metal is ignored on the other hand, the Rock / Metal Fan thinks he is above all other styles, he thinks he is superior for his musical taste, he part of a closed and elitist group that looks crookedly at everyone who is different, so it takes a lot of willpower and focus to reach any result.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Júlio Goss: “…at a Crossroads” was released on November 15, 2021.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: We released our full length (…at a Crossroads) in November 2021 and the last video for the song “Leave My Beer Alone” in December 2021.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Júlio Goss: I love Punk, Hardcore and Ska music and like every smart young person who lived through the 90’s I have a strong influence from the sounds that had a revival at time, mainly Post Punk, Industrial and Thrash metal. If I had to name bands I would say Descendents, The Specials, Killing Joke, Ministry and Sepultura.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: I play bass with a pick; my main influences have always been Jason Newsted (especially when he played on the first Flotsam & Jetsam album – Doomsday For The Deceiver – what an awesome bass tone!) and Dave Ellefson. I really like the bass lines by Geezer Butler, Steve Harris and Cliff Burton’s use of distortion and wah-wah. During the pandemic I was saved by punk rock, and I’ve been listening to Matt Freeman and Fat Mike’s bass a lot.
André Nisgoski: Living Colour, Johnny Cash, Slayer, Alice in Chains, Ramones, Beatles and Hendrix.
What first got you into music?
Júlio Goss: An English teacher in the fourth grade showed me the song ‘Friday I’m Love’ by The Cure so I could better memorise the days of the week in English. My dad also loves 60’s and 70’s rock music, he had a lot of LP’s, and I’ve always been crazy about rock album covers since I was very little because of that. When I was 6, the cover album from a Brazilian band called “Secos e Molhados” scared me a lot. The cover was the member’s heads on a tray at a dinner table.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: In 1985 I saw Iron Maiden on the World Slavery Tour in Rock in Rio on TV, that changed my life. A few years later I bought my first bass and here we are.
André Nisgoski: Since I was a little kid, actually I can´t remember my life without music.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Júlio Goss: Any band with an open mind without reactionary thoughts. And anti-vaxxers please stay away too.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: I would love to collaborate with Snoop Dogg or Asian Dub Foundation.
André Nisgoski: There are a lot of people I would love to collaborate with, playing with people is magical!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Júlio Goss: The Macumba Fest, because I always believe in DIY!
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Roadburn Festival, by its diversity and because it is unrestricted by genre.
André Nisgoski: Download and Wacken
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Júlio Goss: My mom it’s my biggest and only fan I presume and I think she never give me a weird present, I love her presents!
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Not a gift, a fan made a tattoo from one of our music (blood beer and broken teeth) and I once autographed the tits of a beautiful fan.
André Nisgoski: A hog Tooth
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Júlio Goss: Be yourself, always.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Be yourself and don’t follow trends.
André Nisgoski: Love yourself.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Júlio Goss: There’s no such thing as rockstars, there’s just people who play music. And some then are just like us, and some of them are just dicks.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Jimi Hendrix.
André Nisgoski: Hendrix.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Júlio Goss: It’s the best therapy I ever had. Playing drums saves lives!
Carlos “Piu” Schner: I love playing on stage, I’m not there, I’m transcending, I lose track of time. I hate the closed mind of part of the general public and the envy of other bands.
André Nisgoski: I love the connection with people and hate trends.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Júlio Goss: I would put away the term “Industry” and just call it “MUSIC”.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: I would change this current streaming model; it is not sustainable in the long term and only shareholders are happy.
André Nisgoski: Make it about music!
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Júlio Goss: I don’t have a favourite album.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Monster Magnet – Spine of god
André Nisgoski: Living Colour – Time’s Up
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?
Júlio Goss: I love Vinyl and CDs, but the download became a great tool for me, because I never have much money to spend on records.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Vinyl, cause all the frequencies are there.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Júlio Goss: Being the opening band of Cavalera Brothers playing old Sepultura songs was pretty fucking rad!
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Opening for Iron Maiden in my home town for 20000 people. A dream that came true. And I touched on Steve Harris’ bass.
André Nisgoski: A local fest called “Dia Mundial do Rock Crossroads” back in 2019, It was the last Big Concert.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Júlio Goss: Something related to visual arts or performing arts, especially comedy.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Probably a professional diver.
André Nisgoski: Probably a drifter, LOL!
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Júlio Goss: Ricky Gervais, Keith Moon, Zé do Caixão, Tom Waits, and the character Hedwig, from the movie Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: André, Júlio, Paul McCartney, Martin Birch and George Martin.
André Nisgoski: It would depend on the menu, LOL
What’s next for the band?
Júlio Goss: I hope that after the release of our full-length we can play live as soon as possible in our country, touring in Latin America, Europe and, who knows, in the US.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Playing shows (if possible) and composing new material.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Instagram and word of mouth.
André Nisgoski: You can find everything in here:
https://linktr.ee/macumbazilla
https://www.facebook.com/macumbazilla
https://www.instagram.com/macumbazilla
https://www.youtube.com/c/macumbazilla
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4tRSi5BGa9xSaH4ZVKz0RP
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Júlio Goss: If it was vegan, whatever. However, according to Wiktionary: Jaffa Cakes are “a biscuit-sized Cake introduced by McVittie and Price in the UK in 1927 and named after Jaffa Oranges”.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: I really would love to try one of these. Unfortunately, they are not available in Brazil.
André Nisgoski: Cake!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Júlio Goss: Be safe and take care of each other.
Carlos “Piu” Schner: Thank you for this opportunity and be nice to each other.
André Nisgoski: Thank you guys!!!! Love is the bond that will hold us strong!!!!
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
