[SuedeSwede]

SuedeSwede: So, Antonio, how and when did you first get into music?

Antonio-Pedro: Well I will never remember the right time, but I guess that music was always there. When I was younger my father used to go to a lot of parties, and my godfather (that used to host the parties) liked to listen to classic rock, so I guess this was my first contact. But talking about a certain time... maybe 2006 or 2007, watching a lot of MTV Shows (that time MTV used to show music, not the shit of today) and buying some CDs in a store next to home.

SuedeSwede: You said you used to listen to music at parties and such, but could you specifically recall the first song that ‘clicked’ with you?

Antonio-Pedro: "Vou Deixar" by Skank, a Brazilian song. It used to play a lot on TV and on the radio, and it was such a happy song, and still today it impresses me (and man I love that guitar solo). I used to sing it almost every day. So yeah maybe this one.

SuedeSwede: Interesting. Do you find it difficult to listen to nostalgic songs because they are too overheard by yourself, or do you still continue to enjoy them?

Antonio-Pedro: I guess that with a song that I really love (like "Vou Deixar"), I will have pleasure listening to it every day, no problem.

SuedeSwede: It is great to have songs like that. Moving on, what was the first album you heard? Did you enjoy it?

Antonio-Pedro: If you count soundtracks, my first album was "Fantasia" (that Disney movie), I heard it when I was 7 years old, I never liked that type of music, but every time that I listen to it again is like the first time that I listened to it. Very beautiful, Disney never sounded so lovely. But if you're not counting soundtracks, maybe "American Idiot", I still love that album. For a child like me, that had never heard songs as fast as that in that time, it sounded really new and angry. I remember listening to it for the first time in my bedroom, it was very emotional. I could kill someone to listen to it again for the first time. Actually, I didn't like some songs on my first listen (just the singles hehe). But with time it grew on me a lot. So I began my musical listening with the right foot.

SuedeSwede: When finding new music, what do you look for e.g. lyrical meaning, familiar sounding music, new sounding music, music from different cultures, etc?

Antonio-Pedro: Actually lyrical meaning is very hard for me to enjoy, the melody is, for me, more important than the lyrics (and sometimes for the reason that I'm not English, so I don’t really know what they are singing) but sometimes I really dislike some lyrical excerpts that I can understand. But what I really look for when I'm listening to new music is angst, speed, interesting guitar sounds (I normally love it when they sound like stoner rock guitars) and I like the musical progression to be related to something very heavy and lively. Sometimes I like it when bands make something new, like creating a new sound from an instrument or creating a new instrument specifically for that song or album, this calls to my attention so much. Normally I'm not focused on just a type of music, so I never look for something ‘right’. I just listen and see if I enjoy.

SuedeSwede: So, if you were to find an album which you’ve never heard anything like before, but it wasn’t really to your tastes, would you go back to it due to the interesting sound or would you leave it because you know you didn’t like it the first time?

Antonio-Pedro: If I really don't like what album x or album y sounds like I rarely listen to it a lot of times, usually another two times, but if something on that album, even something that I dislike, draws my attention, I will look for related albums or something like it.

SuedeSwede: So, in general, what is your favourite instrument to hear in a song in moderation - so something that is only used for particular sections in a song and not throughout the entirety of the song?

Antonio-Pedro: Sometimes what I really need to hear is a harmonica. Wow, nothing is better than a harmonica solo for me - it can give a magic touch to a song. Sometimes I really like to listen to a xylophone too; it’s pretty great and happy.

SuedeSwede: Okay. What is your favourite lyrical excerpt of all time? Why? Has it helped you in certain situations?

Antonio-Pedro: It's between Pink Floyd's Flaming and Bike (the whole of them). It is just like everything that my life has revolved around, magical and fantasy things, and I don't know why but they just take me to another level. They fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the song and take me to my childhood again, where I used to believe in everything that I heard. If I had listened to these in my childhood, I would believe that it really happened (maybe...). I love these lyrics. No I've never used lyrics for some situation.

SuedeSwede: Okay, next question... Of all songs that exist, which would you consider to exude the most beauty?

Antonio-Pedro: "No Expectations" by The Rolling Stones. It was their last song with their original guitarist, and it is so beautiful, that little guitar solo, and the lyrics, so emotional and genuine. When I'm sad I always listen to it, it takes my sadness to another level. The song has a beautiful piano solo that could make me cry tears of sadness and tears of happiness at the same time; it is the feeling of life and death. It just makes me feel so free.

SuedeSwede: You seem to have big enthusiasm in the instrumentation of songs, do you play any instruments, and have you ever composed anything (lyrics or instrumentals)?

Antonio-Pedro: Yes and yes. I play guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and sing. I've composed some songs, but nothing lyrical, because my rhymes are fucking terrible!

SuedeSwede: If you wrote one truly amazing song, with great lyrics, great instrumentation, great melodies, everything is just great, and you were offered a contract from EMI, would you have the confidence to take it?

Antonio-Pedro: EMI is a great producer, but they fired Sex Pistols because they made a lot of shit, and I also do a lot of shit, so no. Maybe an indie record label would be better. And EMI is also a money-grabbing label, so I guess that they would regret what I would do, and I hate this.

SuedeSwede: So, let's say Rough Trade call you up. "Mr. Pedro, your last single was so fantastic. We'll be happy to give you a contract, on one condition. You need to complete a full album by the end of 2015 or you're fired". Would you have the confidence to go with the label considering the time limit?

Antonio-Pedro: No, even though I think that I could do an album in that space of time, the pressure of having a time limit would distract me, and it’s not just me as other bands have been distracted with recorded albums with a time limit.

SuedeSwede: Yeah, I was going with that familiar distraction scenario. Moving on... how did you first get onto BEA? What made you stay?

Antonio-Pedro: I was looking for the best Ash albums, and the first answer on Google was BEA. I found the overall pretty intriguing at first (Radiohead first overall? Really?) and there was a link to make your own chart and that's what made me register. My first overall was pretty weird. Then things became boring until I found the forums and began to talk with you guys. I laughed a lot, discovered a lot but most importantly made friends. That's why I’m still on BEA today, because I know that I can learn a lot of things there, musically or just support or jokes, hehe. You guys are really great.

SuedeSwede: You say you have learnt a lot musically. What are you referencing? Have you broadened your horizons, or have you seen a new perspective on music... or something completely different?

Antonio-Pedro: Yeah, I have discovered so many albums via BEA: Hello Master, Nobody's Hero, Fresh Fruit..., The Piper at the Gates of Dawn... almost all of my top 10 are BEA discoveries, and I only knew a few albums before BEA so it broadened my horizons a lot. Recommending a lot of things that I would like, maybe seeing some genres with a different way to see like indie. I would never have thought that that genre would be so diverse. Sometimes I learn a lot about life, sometimes with the support thread and some users just showing some love prove to me that I could learn a lot from that place. Learn might be the wrong word, I mean I have changed the way I see the world and see music.

SuedeSwede: It's nice to know you can get a lot from such a small community. Specifically, what is music to you? How do you 'use' it per se?

Antonio-Pedro: Music is anything and everything. Birds make music (Beatles proved it). The sound of the horns in the city, or even your breath, everything that's around to make a sound for me is music, it is just broken. Like I can see with a riff a thousand songs being created, music makes people scream, music makes people dance, music makes me want to forget a little of my life, and enjoy some minutes of waves coming through my ears. Music has power; you can kiss a girl singing a song to her, or just get high listening to musical vibes, or get life lessons with some songs. Music can decrease or increase your sadness, music is everywhere. But I prefer the music that I enjoy, the music that tries to transmit a message, with the lyrics or maybe the real composition. I just love music, and in the immortal words of Goodsir, "I love music because it helps me to find parts of myself that I didn't know were there". Wow, that was weird.

SuedeSwede: That was honestly beautiful, Antonio. Let's take a break from music. What is your favourite word in the English dictionary and the Portuguese dictionary?

Antonio-Pedro: My favourite words in the English dictionary are...wow that's hard maybe... punk or strong. And in Portuguese - saudade (a single word that means "I miss you" and only exists in Portuguese dictionary). They draw my attention so much.

SuedeSwede: Why did you stop
Typing like this all of a
Sudden?

Antonio-Pedro:

[19loveless91]

[MrFrogger]

Wow, I didn't know you took my response so seriously. That did annoy me though, and I enjoy reading your posts much more now.

[Antonio-Pedro]

[Mercury]

I really like this one. Not too long-winded.

But Mr. Pedro you should definitely take that record contract! Fuck pressure! You can handle it! You're talking, I'd the date wasn't a typo and meant to be end of 2014, 19 MONTHS to write and record an album! Unless youre going for another "Loveless" or "Pet Sounds", you should have plenty of time to record something.

Anyway, I don't know why I got so into that.

Good interview!
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

[BrandonMiaow]

Antonio-Pedro is BEA's resident fairy prince. I simply adore him. ^_^ amazing interview.

[Antonio-Pedro]

[Goodsir]

[Kiki]

It would be terrifying to find parts of yourself you never knew were there.

[Goodsir]