Tell us a little about the band’s history, the discography, the first shows. And also, what’s the meaning of the band’s name?
"The band began in the beginning of 2006, I was bored enough because my two other bands I was playing with had broke up by it - Neurose Urbana in 2004 and Chaotix in the end of 2005 - and I wanted to start another band, but this time want to do a sound in the style that I love: D-BEAT! Since I'm a d-beat maniac, I chose the name Death From Above because of Discard 'Death From Above' 7" EP. Besides being one influence in our sound, Discard was the first band to use the Discharge logo, thus declaring their total passion to the Discharge band.
"Then I began to think about this new project. So, I called the Thiago, who was playing in the Sociofobia, to play bass and called the Ratão, who was the drummer of Neurose Ubana, to give us a help as drummer to compose some songs. Since there were no others drummer to play d-beat here in the city he accepted. then we did about six songs, played a gig and then he got out from the band. Next we called Hassan, who was drumming in Sociofobia and guitarist of Desastre, to play. We did the demo 'Lost in the Insane War' with him on drums, it was cool because I had already played with him before in Chaotix. Shortly afterwards of that he got out from the band, but this time we had our eyes on a friend of ours, Slake who is the singer in WCM and was playing in a new band called Asas Da Vingança. I realised that he had a good style and that perhaps he could play with us. We did some tests, but the his drum beat wasn't quite d-beat, so I showed him how to play the d-beat and with the time he was catching the beat and was perfecting his style. The good thing is that he has a heavy beat that makes me remember Ratão playing in Neurose Urbana. This happened in the beginning of 2007, then we begin to work new song and to do shows. 2007 and 2008 were very good for us, we played a lot, maybe about two shows monthly. It helped give the band more 'gas' in the sound, in a sense, and left it more cohesive. Also we use a strategy of 'non stop show' like in the Discharge live album 'The Nightmare Continues'.
"About recordings, what I can say is that we are a band without luck! After we recorded the demo 'Lost in the Insane War' in the end of 2006, we recorded three songs - including cover of Disclose - in 2007, two were for a split 7" EP and other would be for a tribute to a Disclose. The split never came out because another band, Kandiru, from Minneapolis, US, broke up and the tribute to Disclose... simply, they took us off the CD. Then in 2008 we recorded the CD digipack 'Death Comes' but it was only released in 2009. Also in 2008 we played in Gama-city with Besthoven for a DVD recording and our set was recorded, mixed by Frango from Galinha Preta, but it is still unreleased! Our CD 'Death Comes' was to be released by the Speed State records from Japan, but in the process they stopped writing, so I gave up and decided to release in the local label TBONTB - Two Beers Or Not Two Beers - and my own Mingau's Productions. That was much better because we had a good distribution. Still in 2009, we recorded two more songs for another split 7" EP with Dead Section from Portland, US, because they were coming to Brazil for a tour, we were set to tour with them but the band split up and they gave up on doing split 7 "EP, in this time time we had already sent our complete stuff for them because the were the ones who were going to press it. Well, in the end of 2009 we did our second tour in São Paulo for 'Death Comes', we did about six or seven shows, a good but very stressful tour, so when we got back home Thiago got out of the band and Danny, ex-Desastre, was invited to play bass. With him on the bass we recorded two more songs for another attempt to do a split 7" EP with War/System from England, but that didn't get released either because the guy I was in contact with, the vocalist, who was also pressing the 7" left the band. So, we lost heart and gave up. Then we decide to use one song for a four-way 7" EP, still in progress. In the beginning of 2011 we recorded four songs for our debut '4 Trax EP', will be released in 7" and tape version with two bonus songs by Bombs Away Records, coming soon. Also this year we recorded a one song cover of 'War's No Fairytale' by Discharge for the Discharge Brazilian tribute CD, in progress too, and finally last May we recorded three songs for '4 Way for Destruction Vol 2' that will be out next August."
"I write the lyrics, and different from many bands that play d-beat I try not to write lyrics only about war even though it's still a recurring subject. I try to write about human questions with acid criticism and how loneliness is an intrinsically human characteristic. I haven't a process for composition, it just happens, inspiration comes day by day, from announcements on the TV and from the world around us. All of these are influences and become inspirations for the compositions."
What are your biggest influences?
"When I thought to start the band I hadn't got a formula for the type sound that we would be going to play, but certainly we didn't want to be a sound clone of another band. The basic influences at the root of our sound are Discharge singles, Antisect demos, old Disclose, Discard, MG15, Unruled, The Inconoclast, Diatribe, Final Warning, Fader War, Disaster, Underage, old Crow, UBR, Olho Seco, and more, but it has been changing a little with the change in bass player. We are trying to have a more structured sound, but we are still in the same raw d-beat vibe.
Do all the band members have a day job, or do you live off your music? What’s the hardest thing about having a band in Brazil?
"I have informal jobs, I have a small silk screen office, also I'm a DJ and play at local parties, but I also do some cultural events, concerts and parties - this is where I get my money. Slake is working at my old job in a binder, a kind of graphic place but smaller. He works closely with the Wilton from Desastre, Danny was fucking unemployed, we hope he finds a job soon to help pay practice studio for the band hahaha! Now, the greatest difficulty to being in a band in Brazil is the lack of support to produce and spread word of bands, also the lack of space for concerts, all this bother. Another thing is the lack of support from the public who still insisting on not paying the tickets, always asked to enter free and refuse to buy material produced by the bands, which would greatly help them to keep producing albums and merchandise. These are all difficulties but as we're not in it for money or fame, we'll continue to make noise!"
And the current state of Brazilian underground, what’s good and what’s bad? Is there support? What’s the band’s opinion on the punk/hardcore scene in Goiania ?
"Good? I can't say exactly, but today things are a little more easy than ten years ago, at least here in Goiania. The scene is small but has been quite active in recent years and there's union and a good level of cooperation among the punks, anarcho, hardcore, thrashers, etc... this is one factor that I consider very good for our scene. Goiania has shows every week and there have been many new bands and producers as well. Currently we have fixed the following events: Noise For Heroes, Music For Zeros that I do, and had brought Darge from Japan to play. Punks Not Profits, Underground Forces, Thrashcore Fest, among other events more sporadically but with some regularity."
"I've had many projects in the past. I played in Neurose Urbana from 1993 to 2004, in Chaotix from 2003 to 2005, and in Refuse from 1994 to 1996. Disastre was formed by me and Wilton, along with Fofão and Ratao but this line-up lasted a short time. I played in the Besthoven in a time where both Neurose Urbana and Besthoven had no bassist, and we were sharing the same drummer. I played bass in Besthoven, Fofão and he played bass in the Neurose Urbana in 1996, but we didn't gig. I also played in the band Lixo when they moved to Goiania, the band included the Marcelo Holanda aka Kamikazi drummer in Nailbiter. Besides doing the vocals in WCM, Slake plays in Asas da Vingança, but that band stopped, for all I know. Danny played in the Desastre for a long time, but he also played with me in the Chaotix, and he also played guitar in Asas da Vingança."
What the band members listen to nowadays?
"I listen to many different music style, but two bands that I'm a fanatic about and I never stop listening to are Discharge and The Cure. I like many classics of different styles, like punk, hardcore, post punk, goth, rock etc... Danny listen to similar music like me, but I don't know what he's listened to recently. Slake like tons of hardcore, fast, crust, punk and rap. I do not know which bands he's listening to right now but I know they're fast bands hehehe!"
Since 2003 there’s a new wave of punk/hardcore bands coming around in Brazil. How do you see this revitalization? Which bands/artists do you consider prominent?
"Yes, some good and great things have been happening over the last few years and that is very encouraging. We were in need of good bands again in Brazil, and the best thing is that they are are treading their own paths without relying on others, and even without creating intrigues and competition. It has been of great value to the current scene that many friendly bands that help and work together have appeared. For me the strongest bands are Whipstriker from Rio de Janeiro, Unfit Scum, Nuclear Frost, and Social Chaos from São Paulo, Terror Revolucionario, Murro no Olho, Subterror, and Violator from the area around Brasília, Gritos de Alerta and Chaca from Rio Grande do Sul, and more ... they are many good but these are the ones that I can remember now."
"Man, sincerely I do not know. I've been a punk since I was young, when I was forming a personality, so it's hard to think about what it would be. I always liked music, I do not know, but perhaps I might have been a professional DJ, because I remember a moment before becoming punk that I liked the DJ world, observing the guys playing vinyl in the parties etc... that never went out from my head. Perhaps I would have gone by that way. I think that the same thing for Danny and Slake, they are already everything that they want to be. Danny has been a punk since he was 13 years old, and he's got no motive to change, and Slake was also in this since he was kid. Perhaps they wins in lottery! Hahaha!"
More and more we talk about corruption, violence and unemployment in Brazil. What do you see for the country’s future?
"These things have been happening in Brazil systematically, for decades until today and have not had a significant attitude on the part of governments to change this depressing situation in which Brazil finds itself. Every election comes new promises of change mainly to health, education, work against violence, corruption, unemployment these basic things for life to proceed. But what happens are more scandals involving politicians and no improvements. People are tired of being cheated and lack of confidence in the government is growing, and it's only going to worsen. As for me, I don't believe in government. I know it's there to fuck me."
How would you like Brazil to be?
"In the financial part, the same as the Swiss. With regard to culture, literature, cinema and music as in England, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain. In Italy as a culinary item, but Brazil is well served, there is lots of good food here. Well, this is just a dream, there is no perfection in a nightmare world!"
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