Alkateya
ALKATEYA have released
in 80's and early 90's 3 demos which included some great songs of classic
heavy metal. Thanks to their singer, Joao, we all have the chance to listen
to this great compositions, because in 2003 has released them in one cd
under the name "Replay". For those great years and about the future of
ALKATEYA and many other things we had a chat with Joao, which is a great
person. So grab a beer relax and take a look at the interview...
1. HELLO! THE ALBUM “REPLAY” IS VERY GOOD!
NOW, SINCE YOU ARE NOT SO FAMOUS IN GREECE, CAN YOU INTRODUCE THE BAND
AND ITS CURRENT LINE UP TO THE READERS?
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Thanks for the appreciation! Alkateya was reunited
in June 2003 with 4 of the mark II line-up (João Pinto on Vocals;
Beto on guitars, Paulo Rui on Bass and Manel “Animal” on drums) plus a
second guitar João “Puppy”. This guy didn’t work out and in January
2004 is place was taken by Nuno “El Cid”, which, by the way, was great
fan of the band since he was a kid, back in 1986. In May, this year, Beto,
a very hard character to deal with, decided to leave the band for a personal
project and we’re just starting with another guitarist, Pedro Duarte.
2. IN 1991 THE BAND SPLIT UP. WHICH WERE THE REASONS
THAT LED YOU TO SUCH A DECISION? WHICH WERE THE REACTIONS OF YOUR FANS
IN PORTUGAL WHEN THEY’VE LEARNED YOUR DECISION, SINCE YOU WERE FAMOUS THERE?
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The major reason was in fact the great expectations
for a deal with a Portuguese record label that didn’t consummate along
with growing professional demands (we couldn’t afford to live from music!)
and personal problems of some members…
3. SUDDENLY IN 2003 YOU DECIDED TO RELEASE ALL
THE SONGS FROM YOUR DEMO TAPES IN ONE CD. WHICH WERE THE REASONS THAT MADE
YOU REUNITE? AREN’T YOU AFRAID OF HAVING TO WORK AGAIN FROM THE BEGINNING,
AS IF YOU WERE A NEW BAND? DO THE FANS FROM PORTUGAL STILL REMEMBER YOU?
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Well, mostly it was my idea (João), since
I was always hearing people saying it was a shame that our music will be
forgotten. Therefore I manage to find a way to digitally remaster the songs
and in the beginning it was meant to be just a close circle private edition…We
reunited for the fun of playing together (music inside you really never
dies…) and without great expectations. Anyway, we had a very fine reaction
from old Alkateya’s fans as well as from Portuguese metal magazines and
radio programs!
4. I READ IN YOUR BIO THAT YOU WERE ABOUT TO SIGN
A DEAL WITH A LABEL. CAN YOU TELL US WHICH LABEL THIS WAS AND DIDN’T YOU
SIGN AFTER ALL?
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This was a Portuguese label that was planning
to start spreading internationally with the hard’n’heavy music back in
1989 and Alkateya was the first choice for that. Unfortunately, inside
company changes killed that strategy along with the record deal with the
band.
5. I’VE NOTICED A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE AMONG THE
TRACKS OF YOUR FIRST DEMO AND THE REST ONES. THE FIRST ONE WAS MORE NTO
CLASSIC HEAVY METAL AND AFTER THAT YOU BECAME MORE EPIC. DO YOU AGREE?
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?
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Yes, the first demo is very much guitar and hard
rock oriented. The other two were much more power metal, although, I think,
always with a strong melodic sense present.
6. EVERY BAND IS INFLUENCED IN ITS BEGINNING.
SO, CAN YOU TELL ME WHICH BANDS HAVE INFLUENCED YOU? ARE THERE ANY NEW
BANDS YOU LIKE AND YOU THINK CAN INFLUENCE YOUR STYLE? WHO ARE THEY?
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We’re basically influenced by the mid 70’s (Deep
Purple, Free; Mountain; Thin Lizzy; Bad Company; Black Sabbath; Uriah Heep;
Triumph; Led Zeppelin, B.O.C.; Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blackfoot, Mollyhatched,
Scorpions, UFO, Rainbow; etc) and 80’s (Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Manowar;
Riot, Manilla Road). From the 90’s we can mention Dream Theatre, King’s
X; Threshold, Spock’s Beard. Today’s bands they all sound much the same
way and that must be the reason that so many of the “veterans” are come
back again!
7. USUALLY, WHEN A METAL BAND FROM THE 80S RE
- UNITES, DISAPPOINTS ITS FANS BECAUSE THEEY TRY TO PLAY IN A MODERN WAY
AND THEY LOSE THE FEELING THEY HAD IN THE PAST. HAVE YOU COMPOSED ANY NEW
SONGS AND HOW DO THEY SOUND?
-
We are planning a new Demo with new stuff that
we have already played live and all the old fans approved as typical Alkateya’s
metal!
8. THE GUYS THAT WILL BUY “REPLAY” WILL ALSO HELP
IN THE PROTECTION OF THE IBERIAN WOLF. CAN YOU TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT
IT AND HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO DO SUCH A NOBLE GESTURE?
-
It was an old idea of mine to help some kind of
institution. This is a Reservation Park near Mafra were the Iberian wolves
live free and, curiously, it was established in 1987, in full Alkateya’s
period!
9. IN MAY 2004 YOUR GUITARIST BETO LEFT THE BAND.
WHICH WERE THE RESONS THAT LED YOU TO THIS DECISION? HAVE YOU FOUND A NEW
GUITARIST OR ARE YOU STILL IN THE SEARCH? WHAT KIND OF QUALITITES NEEDS
A GUITARIST TO HAVE IN ORDER TO BECOME AN ALKATEYA MEMBER?
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He just left! It was sad for us, since he was
a founder member of the band, along with Paulo (bass) and a guitarist with
a very personal sound and style. Unfortunately he’s also a very difficult
character to deal with. We whish him all the best and he will always be
an essential part of Alkateya’s history!
10. GIVE ME YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR EURO 2004. DO
YOU THINK PORTUGAL HAS ANY CHANCES IN WINNING?
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By the time I’m answering this interview, Portugal
will be playing against Holand later on. I think we have a better team
and we are very tight now. I’m confidant that we will be present in the
final, probably as we started, against Greece, but this time to take the
victory!
11. IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD
IT BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
12. IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHICH PERIOD
WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIMES?
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Personally, the pre-historic period of Mankind.
The electric guitar riffs!
13. IN WHICH FIELD DO YOU THINK YOU NEED FURTHER
IMPROVEMENT AND WHICH IS YOUR BEST ELEMENT AS A BAND?
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Money to have an open budget to record! We are
a tight band, mostly like the triumphant football teams of this Euro 2004
Championship.
14. BY THE WAY, WHAT DOES ALKATEYA MEAN? HOW DID
YOU CHOOSE THIS MONIKER?
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Alkateya (alcateia in correct portuguese terms)
means Wolfpack (that’s also the connection with the Iberian Wolf Recovery
Center). It’s all about tightness, strong and solid bond! Much the feeling
that makes metal fans the very best of them all!
15. THANK YOU! LEAVE YOUR MESSAGE…
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Keep the Faith alive! Support the true metal bands!
Find ALKATEYA and became a Wolfpack member! Thanks to you all at
The Veil!!!
Nikos "William_Kidd" Parastatidis
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