Interview with Pedro Anselmo and Grazy Mequita of Lasting Maze (Brazil)
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| Photo by Zenden Silva |
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Pedro and Grazy! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
CV:
Given so many major changes over the last decade, do you believe the music
industry is a practicable and stable enough environment for new artists to even
consider making it a valid career choice? Can a level of sustainable success
really be achieved in your opinion?
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| Photo by Zenden Silva |
Pedro Anselmo: Any career
choice is tough, today. The Internet made everything much easier for everyone, but
competition is much tougher too. We believe that no matter what you chose to
do, you gotta give it all to achieve its best. As a band we haven’t reach this
level of sustainable success, but we're still trying!
CV:
What do you see as the biggest change in the music industry since you first
started out?
Pedro Anselmo: Since 2014, when we started, no big changes have been made…but I think the competition is much harder now.
Pedro Anselmo: Since 2014, when we started, no big changes have been made…but I think the competition is much harder now.
CV:
How do you see your music separating itself from your peers and avoiding just
being another cog in the wheel?
Pedro Anselmo: It's complicated. At the same time that we try not to write something too obvious and average, we try to not get away from this too much. There's a fine line between doing something original and doing something weird.
Pedro Anselmo: It's complicated. At the same time that we try not to write something too obvious and average, we try to not get away from this too much. There's a fine line between doing something original and doing something weird.
CV:
Has the industry’s many changes affected how you write music? Has it influenced
your songwriting style in any drastic form?
Grazy Mesquita: The industry greatly affects the way the music sounds, thereby affecting the composition. This ends up directing us to write songs with messages and words that are in the listeners' subconscious, sometimes using repetition. With the familiarization of the message and words, the music becomes striking and heard more frequently. The biggest concern is to create a song that does not become disposable. Today many productions have an expiration date due to the large amount of information that bombards us every day in the media. So creating music that keeps its relevance over a long period of time is quite an achievement today.
Grazy Mesquita: The industry greatly affects the way the music sounds, thereby affecting the composition. This ends up directing us to write songs with messages and words that are in the listeners' subconscious, sometimes using repetition. With the familiarization of the message and words, the music becomes striking and heard more frequently. The biggest concern is to create a song that does not become disposable. Today many productions have an expiration date due to the large amount of information that bombards us every day in the media. So creating music that keeps its relevance over a long period of time is quite an achievement today.
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| Photo by Zenden Silva |
CV:
Has digital technology led the way for almost anyone to be a musical artist in
your opinion?
Pedro Anselmo: Yes, it's much easier to do something today. We can record songs using VSTs and plugins, for example. I think it's just a matter of adapting and accepting the technology as a facilitator.
Pedro Anselmo: Yes, it's much easier to do something today. We can record songs using VSTs and plugins, for example. I think it's just a matter of adapting and accepting the technology as a facilitator.
CV:
Has
music in general been broken into too many sub-genres? Why do think there are
so many classifications of music types? Can this be confusing for an artist who
is looking to build a brand? As well, can it be confusing for the fans?
Pedro Anselmo: Yes, people have a necessity to put a label on everything today. I think we're trying to explain too much that way, and this can be confusing. Sometimes you don't need to explain too much…let the music do the talking. I believe we don't choose a genre and start writing music based on it. We write music and then, we got a genre based on it.
Pedro Anselmo: Yes, people have a necessity to put a label on everything today. I think we're trying to explain too much that way, and this can be confusing. Sometimes you don't need to explain too much…let the music do the talking. I believe we don't choose a genre and start writing music based on it. We write music and then, we got a genre based on it.
CV:
How would you define “iconic” when it comes to being an artist or musician?
What do you think makes an artist iconic?
Pedro Anselmo: Style and skill. There are a lot of things we can connect when think on that, like voice, acting, clothes and skills. Not necessarily the music makes an artist iconic, but sometimes it does. When you listen or see it, you already know who it is.
Pedro Anselmo: Style and skill. There are a lot of things we can connect when think on that, like voice, acting, clothes and skills. Not necessarily the music makes an artist iconic, but sometimes it does. When you listen or see it, you already know who it is.
CV:
Who would you consider to be a modern day “rock star?” And is being a “rock
star” something to aspire to?
Grazy Mesquita: Lzzy Hale from Halestorm and Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless are both great examples of rock stars today. They are striking and inspiring. I could mention several current rock stars who have a different pattern from what we saw in the 70s and 80s. Currently, being considered a rock star is directly correlated with numbers and the success someone achieves…sometimes regardless of your lifestyle. The singer Billie Eilish is a great example since she has so many reproductions of her songs and won so many Grammys at the age of 18, that many compared her to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who was the biggest of his time. I believe that one day reaching the position of "Rock Star" is something very inspiring in itself, but we continue to appreciate all the glamour and talent that today's artists have and inspire us.
Grazy Mesquita: Lzzy Hale from Halestorm and Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless are both great examples of rock stars today. They are striking and inspiring. I could mention several current rock stars who have a different pattern from what we saw in the 70s and 80s. Currently, being considered a rock star is directly correlated with numbers and the success someone achieves…sometimes regardless of your lifestyle. The singer Billie Eilish is a great example since she has so many reproductions of her songs and won so many Grammys at the age of 18, that many compared her to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who was the biggest of his time. I believe that one day reaching the position of "Rock Star" is something very inspiring in itself, but we continue to appreciate all the glamour and talent that today's artists have and inspire us.
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| Photo by Zenden Silva |
CV: Does music need to have a message to convey to the world for it to be worth listening to in your opinion?
Pedro Anselmo: Not at all, the music itself is a message. Some music hits different types of people…even just instrumental music can transmit so much feeling that is worth listening to.
CV:
What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming?
Pedro Anselmo: We just released our second EP, “Thunder.” In the next weeks we'll release some song videos on our YouTube channel. With the COVID situation here in Brazil, concerts still aren't being allowed, so we'll concentrate on making news songs for the next releases and new content for our social media.
Pedro Anselmo: We just released our second EP, “Thunder.” In the next weeks we'll release some song videos on our YouTube channel. With the COVID situation here in Brazil, concerts still aren't being allowed, so we'll concentrate on making news songs for the next releases and new content for our social media.
CV:
Thank you again Pedro and Grazy
for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure.
I wish you all the best and continued success.
Grazy Mesquita: We thank you for this wonderful interview. We love the questions…it was great to talk about the current music industry and reflecting on its new aspects.
Grazy Mesquita: We thank you for this wonderful interview. We love the questions…it was great to talk about the current music industry and reflecting on its new aspects.
Check
out Lasting Maze at:
- Instagram
- Facebook
- YouTube
- Linktr.ee
- Spotify
Video "To The Wolves" - Link
Video "Thunder" - Link
- YouTube
- Linktr.ee
- Spotify
Video "To The Wolves" - Link
Video "Thunder" - Link
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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.
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