Hanna Tsepesh: Olá (Hello in Portuguese) Victor and Fernando! Thanks so much for accepting this interview and Welcome to THE GATES OF METAL! First of all: how are you guys and how are the things doing with your concerts? Fernando: We are doing fine, thank you for asking. We haven’t been playing as much as our personal lives let us. But we can´t complain, we have been doing a lot of concerts.
Victor: Very well, just finished moving to our new rehearsal place, and getting ready for our “fall 2009 mini tour”! We will be playing in the 31st in the festival Gaia in Peso and more shows to be announced soon!
Hanna Tsepesh: For those who do not know Web could tell us a little how it all started?
Victor: We started in 1986, at time we all are Tarantula’s roadies an
d we decided to start our own band. In July 1987, we played our first gig in Rock Rendez Vouz, a mythical room where all the bands played those days.In these times we were considered Black Metal or Death Metal; therefore our sound did not have much to see with what the remaining Portuguese bands made.
Hanna Tsepesh: Let’s pretend that Fernando is not in here (laughs) and I would like that you tell to us what is your opinion about Fernando work so far and what you think that he bring to the band.
Victor: I will divide in two phases, the first one (1993), when Fernando entered Web as bass player, bringing much more consistency in the rhythmic section and finally someone wise enough to make choirs. In the second phase, when Fernando started singing, Web had finally found the ideal person to replace previous singer David (RIP) without depriving the band’s characteristics.
Hanna Tsepesh: Fernando, it was difficult your integration in this band and be accepted by the
fans? Now we know from Victor what you bring to the band, but in your point of view I would like to know if you think that you bring something new to the band? Fernando: As you know, my primal function in Web was playing bass, and thinking back to those days I have to say that it wasn´t difficult at all the integration in the Web family, I have to say that it was quite easy.
What is the fans acceptance? I don’t know. I think I was well accepted as a bass player.
When I had to “replace” (we can´t replace who is irreplaceable) David in the vocals, I know there were some fans that didn´t enjoy it very much, but I think it was not because of the person who was replacing but because the person who was being replaced.
Everybody always leave or bring something to what they do, I am no different. Telling you what it was, that’s the problem. Consciously, I don´t know.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are your favorite bands? You guys have any musician that you admire the most?
Victor: Among so many good bands we enlighten a few such as: Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Iced Earth, Slayer, Amon Amarth, Alice Cooper, Status Quo, Anthrax, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Pitch Black, Venom, Slipknot, Onslaught, Mercyful Fate, Nevermore, Overkill, Behemoth, Pantera, The Sword, Uriah Heep, Testament, Zed Yago, Thin Lizzy, Lyzanxia, Angtoria, Equaleft, Ancient Rites, Iron Maiden, U.F.O, MSG., Lamb Of God.
First of All - Fernando, Pedro and Filipe - The other members of the Web family, they are Great Guys and Great friends too.
Tommy Iommi – for his Riffs
Randhy Roads – for me is the Best
Francis Rossi ‘n’ Rick Parfitt - for its perseverance
Rory Gallagher – I miss this guy
Dio, Alice Cooper - for its way of being
Tim “Ripper” Owens - for being such a great singer that is always getting fired!
And all the musicians that I consider my friends with whom I amuse myself when seeing or playing concerts.
Fernando: My favorite Metal bands! AC/DC, Slayer, Coroner, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica… and few more.
Favorite musician…I don´t know, maybe Angus Young from AC/DC, because it was with them that I started to listen to real music, and because of his presence on stage.
Hanna Tsepesh: Fernando, I would like to know if you had or have any guttural technique lessons?
Fernando: No. I had some vocal lessons with Jorge Marques from Tarantula, but it was a long time ago. Some breading exercises, that was all.
Hanna Tsepesh: Victor, when you start to play guitar? Why you pick this instrument?
Victor: I started playing acoustic guitar when I was 12 years, but I gave up because I didn’t like it. When I had eighteen I started play electric guitar.
I pick this instrument because my childhood idols were, almost all, guitar players.
Hanna Tsepesh: What inspired you the most to create the lyrics? The band writes the lyrics first or first the band creates the riffs to comply with the lyrics?
Fernando: Inspiration comes from everywhere! Thoughts, movies, words, music…. Something will come out when you want to write.
We work the music first and then the lyrics, but in the World Wild Web it was the opposite. The lyrics came from a story that Victor wrote (in a very pooooooor English!!!). We took the story and converted it into 10 lyrics. The album is a story from the beginning to the end.
Victor: Our inspiration relies on the world we live in, we try to transmit our message joining a little of fantasy, mysticism and sarcasm.
Although in the World Wild Web album, lyrics appeared first, now we make the music and then the lyrics.
Hanna Tsepesh: Let’s talk about the “World Wild Web” album. I think is impossible to don’t like this album or to don’t be addicted by this album! I liked a lot this album and for me the band makes a fantastic work, I am very surprised with Web talent! My favorite’s music’s is: “Hopeful” and “Last War”. For people who don’t listen yet can you tell to us about this album?
Victor: The whole idea was to make a conceptual album. It tells a story that will happen in the future which the main characters are the children, the Mother Nature and a hermit. It deals with the effects that mankind plays on nature and what goes around, comes around.
Musically we can talk about a lot of Thrash influences and other styles as Doom, Power, and a few Rock.
Fernando: Like I said, this is a conceptual album, because it tells a story. A story from the past, present and future of a World we know or don´t know. It’s up to you to decide.
Hopeful and Last war are two chapters in the story. Just for curiosity, Last war came out on the Promo Tape in 1995 as long with Strong Winds.
Hanna Tsepesh: Everything went well at recording studio? How was working with Luis Barros? It was easy to work with him?
Victor: Luis Barros knows Web since its beginning. He was completely inside our ideas and what we want to have as final result. From these terms he delivered the production, recording and mixing of the album. It was very easy and productive to work with him.
Fernando: It went well. It is quite easy to work with Luis. He knows the band from the day we were born and he knew our intentions for the album, so, it went real well. And he is a great person and musician.
Hanna Tsepesh: The album cover is very interesting and cool! Who was the person behind this cool work? Did you think that transmit what “World Wild Web” are?
Victor: Jorge Martins is the guy who made the album cover. I think that it passes our message that the Earth evolution and the old problems will be always there, no matter the place, the time or the actors!
Personally I love the front artwork!
Fernando: The cover was made by my brother Jorge with one finger or two from Web. We gave him some ideas of what we wanted, we already had the name for the album, and he worked from there. Yes I think it does.
Hanna Tsepesh: How has the response been to the album by the fans in your concerts?
Fernando: It is great. The album has a lot of acceptance, and most of the people who listen enjoy it. In the concerts is gratifying to see the fans singing along.
Victor: It has been very good and diversified; ones ask for some songs, others ask for other, what makes me to say that the album is sufficiently balanced.
Hanna Tsepesh: If one of our readers wants to buy your album, what they can do?
Victor: It’s very easy. They can order it at: web@aeiou.pt or
www.myspace.com/webthrashmetal
Fernando: Just send us an email to web@aeiou.pt, and we make sure that is delivered.
Hanna Tsepesh: what is your favorite music in this album and why?
Victor: “If only there was light” - for its energy, structure and for its diversified riffs that all together they do not seem to be so rip off, don't look so different and perfectly match one in another!
Fernando: Maybe Strong Winds Strong Waves, I don´t know why but I like it a lot.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are the future plains for Web? The band is thinking about a future album or something?
Victor: Doing gigs and preparing our next album.
Fernando: We are composing the next album, so I must say that our future passes in recording another album. Soon we hope.
Hanna Tsepesh: What is your opinion about the metal in our country (Portugal)?
Victor: It is increasing and now is stronger, unified and ripening, having now, in my opinion, more union between the different metal styles and bands.
Fernando: It is stronger every day. There are bands with very good quality.
Hanna Tsepesh: Do you want to send any message for the people who going to read this interview?
Victor: “STAY METAL!” with proud!
Fernando: For the Portuguese readers, keep supporting our bands. For all readers, stay true!
Hanna Tsepesh: Thanks o much for your answers and time. THE GATES OF METAL wishes the entire band a big success and I hope to listen to another album very soon! See you guys very soon on stage…
Fernando: Thanks for this interview, and hope to see you soon in the crowd.
Victor: Thanks a lot for the opportunity to Web, and congratulations for your good work!
Hanna Tsepesh: You guys are very welcome and thanks for your words! All the best...
By: Hanna Tsepesh
To listen to some WEB music’s and for future information’s go at:
www.myspace.com/webthrashmetal
