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Auras is a band from Brazil which just presented their album New Generation and it seems they are the new generation following bands like Journey, Survivor & co. Time to learn a bit more about Auras and I have to thank Gui for his quick reply!
Please tell us a bit about how the band started!
We started back in 2007, myself and Ferpa were playing in a cover band and we decided to quit the band to form Auras. Actually... We wanted to make our own music and we knew that we could go further, we had confidence in what we were doing... We received a lot of support!
There are some villages called Auras, but I don't think that's why you choose the name.. So, what's behind the name Auras?
Thanks for the information... That's cool! Well... We were looking for an international name, a name that had the same meaning in different languages and that could be written the same way... We also wanted a short name... And one day I was taking a look at my CDs and I saw the Asia album Aura, I thought that was a great name for the band... and... afterwards, we changed the name to Auras.
With New Generation you present your debut to the rock fans. How long did you work on the songs off New Generation? And how long did the recordings?
The whole process was really fast... We were very excited to make music and also we were very happy to be part of the Frontiers crew... I really don't remember how long we take to complete the album... Maybe five, six months... We already had five songs written and to complete the album we needed eight more songs. Some songs were written in a day and recorded the next day... We needed to do it fast... Hehehehehe!
In your home town Curitiba you opened for Jeff Scott Soto and Jimi Jamison, and it looks like this helped you to get a deal with Frontiers... So, how was it to share the stage with them? Do you think it was destiny?
I really don't know, if they helped us, but for sure when you have a chance to share the stage with great musicians people pay attention in your music. It was really amazing to be with them, it was like a dream come true... We had already shared the stage once with Jeff when we were in our cover band and both times he was very nice to us, he's a great singer and he's very popular in Brazil... He's lived here! For me it was also a dream come true to be with Jimi Jamison, he's one of the best singers I have ever heard... And it's great to know that one of your heroes is also a great person! Well... I'm a believer... I think there's a reason for everything in our lives!
It seems that only a few bands get recognized outside Brazil, but there are quite a few bands.... Is it difficult to get attention in your home country?
Very very difficult... Don't know if it's our culture, but a Brazilian band has to have an international success to be recognized here, Sepultura and Angra are examples... Also... sometimes the audience and the concert promoters prefer cover bands than original bands... It's really a shame!
You did a video for Beauty Of Dreams... Is the beauty of dreams that a dream can come true? Is that why you choose this song, coz a dream came true for you?
Yeah... A dream can come true, we are living this dream! This song has everything to do with us, I really love this song... But the song for the video was chosen by our record label. But anyway, I think this song represent what our music is all about.
It seems that you are influenced by bands like Journey, Survivor & Co. ... And you sound quite American, what other bands / artists influenced you? No Brazilian influences? Or did you decide not to let them influence you when you write music?
I grew up listening to this kind of music, actually it was my father's fault... Hehehehe... It is something really natural to us. When we talk about rock music we can't say much things about Brazil, our music is samba and bossa-nova... Of course there are rock bands here, but our influences are American and European bands. We love bands like REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Chicago, Toto... Bad Company, Led Zeppelin... I'm also a soul music lover... So, we take all these influences and make our own music.
Btw, are the songs a band effort? Or do you have one main songwriter?
All the songs are written by myself and Ferpa... Normally I write a song and then we discuss about some changes that could make the song better, but there also songs that we sit and write together from the start to the end, about the lyrics... I write all the lyrics. But... when we record a song we let the other band members put their own thing in, if the ideas are good we keep them.
If you impressed Jimi Jamison live, I guess you already did play some shows and so have some experience. Mainly played your home town? Or also in Paraná state? Other parts of Brazil?
We still haven't had the chance to play live outside Brazil, but now that our album is out in Europe and America I think we will play in different countries. Our band is really young... It was formed in 2007, but as musicians we have a lot of experience... We all have already played in other bands and in different places.
These days more bands tour in South American and so Brazil, but not that many come to your town... Most people just think of Rio de Janeiro and Såo Paulo when it comes to Brazil... But Curitiba isn't a small city, do you have a real rock / metal scene there? Do you expect more bands to visit your town in future?
Curitiba used to be called the Brazilian capital of rock... We had huge festivals, even more than Rio and Såo Paulo. But unfortunately the big venues were closed and everything was over. Some bands still plays here... Last week Dream Theater was here. The rock and metal scene in Curitiba is not big, but there are lots of different bands that goes from the extreme metal to pop/rock bands. Really hope that the big bands return to Curitiba... But the promoters have to have more courage.
If you would get the chance to tour, which band would you love to tour with?
Hummmm... Thinking big... Journey, Def Leppard, Foreigner... Bon Jovi!
Last, but not least.... What's on your schedule for the next months?
We want to promote the album playing live in Brazil and outside Brazil.
I have to thank Gui for enlightening us! And I really hope to hear more of the Brazilians!
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