www.metalprovider.com/metalcoven
a/c Tobi
The idea back in 92 holds the same: we are just a bunch of friends who enjoy playing Heavy Metal. The difference is that back then we didn�t take it too much serious, we did just a few gigs at some friend�s parties or some college�s parties with just few rehearsals, just for fun. Only in 98 we began to take serious, compose our own songs, rehearsal every week, promote ourselves etc. We used to play some NWOBHM since then, but only in 98 we decided that all covers should be from the NWOBHM. Right now it is much easier to find CDs, and even LPs from those bands, so now we have more material from those bands and we are more fans now.
2.) Wasn't it hard for a band, who's music was already out of fashion since nearly 10 years, to get a part of the scene and win the fan's goodwill? Was it a hard and rocky way untill Denim & Leather got established to the metal scene? How were your first days alike, what problems and complications did you have to deal with?
Yes, the first days were really hard, but telling the truth, we didn�t care!! These are the songs that we like no matter what, and we are still playing them. When we start to decide our set list, we knew that just a few people in the audience would recognize the covers, but so what, let�s show them some good bands that they don�t know. There was even once when we offer a beer if someone could recognize the song we were playing.
3.) You're first Demo was released in 2000, nearly 8 years after the band has been formed. Why have you needed so much time untill your first release was out?
For me, the rehearsals are the soul of a band, and during these 8 years there were just a few rehearsals. I think that is most my fault, because I was playing with several other bands, and didn�t dedicated much time to Denim And Leather. Only in 98 I left all the other bands and we started to grow as a band, and that was the right time to record something. Also back in 92 we had another bass player, whose ideas weren�t the same as ours. Then, in 94, Gustavo (Marcelo�s brother) told us that he would learn to play bass if he would join the band, so we had to wait about a year and a half until he did it. It worth.
4.) Your second demo "Too damn loud!" followed one year later in 2001. Among a Tygers of Pan Tang cover and three own songs, it also features the three tracks from your first Demo. Why have you put them on the second CD again? Are the versions on the second CD in any form different from the ones on the first CD?
No, the versions are the same. We decided to include them, first because we think the songs from the first demo are pretty good, and second because we didn�t made a big promotion of the first demo, we only made 100 copies in tape format. So we thought that just a few people had the chance to hear it, and that would be a good chance to promote all of our songs.
5.) What Band's were the biggest influence for you? Who were your idols?
The bands from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, like Saxon, Angelwitch, Holocaust, Witchfinder General, etc are clearly our biggest influence. Besides that, we all love bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, etc.
6.) Above I mentioned your cover of Tygers of Pan Tang ("Gangland"). Next to that there is also a Medley of Witchfinder General ("Witchfinder General" & "Free Country") and Holocaust ("Deth or Glory") on the CD. Are these your only cover versions or do you, for example when you play live, also play other NWOBHM classics? If yes, which ones?
Half of the set list is based on our own songs and half on NWOBHM classics, we love to play those songs live. We have a big set list that includes SAXON, DEMON, SAMSON, HOLOCAUST, WHITE SPIRIT, TYSONDOG, GIRLSCHOOL, VENOM, ANGELWITCH, DIAMOND HEAD, and of course WITHCFINDER GENERAL and TYGERS OF PAN TANG. We always tell the fans, if you wish to see us playing any NWOBHM tune, just ask us.
7.) What themes do your lyrics deal with? What are they about?
We are not fixed on a single theme. �Watch Out�, for example is based upon a terror book; �Fists In The Air� is about a big Metal Festival that we used to have every year here in Brazil; �Hatred� is about suicide; �More You Sweat� is about going after what you want. As you see, we try to write about a lot of things.
8.) What's the live situation alike for you? Do you play many Gigs? How many people come to your shows and with what other bands do you share the stage?
We try to play as many gigs as possible, but unfortunately there are no many venues to us. Nowadays, there is a number of Melodic Metal, Prog Metal and Black Metal bands that are playing a lot here, but to a Traditional Heavy Metal band like us is very difficult. We already played for crowds of 20 to 400 headbangers. It�s very difficult to preview how many people will be at each gig. We already shared the stage with a lot of kinds of bands, like punk bands, blues bands, death metal bands, grunge bands, etc, but we like to play with some other Heavy Metal bands.
9.) Can you recommend any more cool Underground Bands from Brazil to our readers? Which groups are worth to be checked out?
If you like Heavy you can check HELLISH WAR, DOMINUS PRAELLI, YDRIS MORTEN. If you like Death/Thrash you need to hear TORTURE SQUAD, BYWAR and DROWNED. It will not be a waste of time. Brazil has a very good Underground scene since the 80�s, but now, every time there is a new band surprising me.
10.) Since there are not many other Bands of the 90s, who play traditional NWOBHM styled music, I wonder if you can give us any more names next to Denim & Leather? Such Bands are always very cool, but unfortunatly it's hard to find them, cause they're only a very very few... so probably you know some?!
GORGON! This Japanese band is the best band in the NWOBHM style. GORGON Rules!
11.) A lot of old heroes, for example Gaskin, Blitzkrieg, Mythra or Savage, have started Reunions a few years or months ago... what do you think of their re-births? Do you like their new albums? Or do you think, that they destroy their own legend with these second tries?
I don�t think any of these bands are back for money. They didn�t get to much back in the 80�s and they won�t get now. So, I think, they are all back because of the music itself, even if some of their new albums are not as good as their previous, they are better than much of the new bands around. Gaskin and Blitzkrieg released excellent reunion albums.
12.) Are there any Bands which you would really love to play a reunion gig?
We would love for sure to see a WHITE SPIRIT reunion and a WITCHFINDER GENERAL reunion, specially because there are some rumors that W. GENERAL never played live, so that would be fantastic! Unfortunately just a few NWOBHM bands played here in Brazil (just IRON MAIDEN, SAXON and DEF LEPPARD) so to see any NWOBHM band would be great.
13.) What plans do Denim & Leather have for the future? What can we expect to come next from you?
We recorded a song to a MOTORHEAD Tribute album that should be able very soon. We have already some new songs, and we are about to record a new promo CD, which will include some NWOBHM cover, as the other releases.
14.) What are your current and alltime Top10 albums?
OK, we met together once to try to write down only one list of the Top 10 albums of everyone in the band but it was impossible. So we decided to choose only albums from the NWOBHM, but then it was impossible to choose only 10. So here are our top 25 albums from the NWOBHM. ANGEL WITCH - Angel Witch; BATTLEAXE - Burn This Town; BLITZKRIEG - Time Of Changes; CHATEAUX - Fire Power; DEF LEPPARD - High'n'Dry; GIRLSCHOOL - Demolition; GASKIN - End Of The World; FIST - Back With A Vengeance; DIAMOND HEAD - Lightning to the Nations; DEMON - Night of the Demon; GRIM REAPER - Fear No Evil; HOLOCAUST - The Nightcomers; IRON MAIDEN - Killers; JAGUAR - Poer Games; PRAYING MANTIS - Time Tell No Lies; RAVEN - Wiped Out; SAMSON - Shock Tactics; SATAN - Court in the Act; SAXON - Denim And Leather; TANK - Fifth Hounds of Hades; TYGERS OF PAN TANG - Spellbound; WITCHFYNDE - Give 'Em Hell; WITCHFINDER GENERAL - Death Penalty; WHITE SPIRIT - White Spirit; VENOM - Black Metal; TYSONDOG - Beware of the Dog. We run a web site about the NWOBHM at http://www.nwobhm.cjb.net, there you can find that list and a lot of other informations about it.
15.) Are there any funny stories from your rehearsals, concerts, parties, etc. which you'd like to tell to our readers?
Once we were invited to play in a concert dedicated to the Rolling Stones, and the promoter asked us to play some songs from the Stones, and we said ok (liars, haha). We hit the stage and played the most pure Heavy Metal. Half of the crowd were formed by headbangers who really liked the show and the other half were just hippies that had no idea of what was going on. Other funny story happened about one month before Rock In Rio 3, we went to play in a venue and there was a big doll (human size) hanged upside the stage wearing a Rock In Rio t-shirt. That was weird.
16.) OK, that's it... if there's anything left you wanna say, here's your chance to say it:
We would like to say THANKS to Tobi and Metal Coven, for the support. Thanks to everyone that is reading this. Stay Heavy!