SIX MAGICS
By Falber Teles • Jan 6th, 2010 • Category: Interviews
SOURCEWEBZINE – The new music sounds really good. Can you give us an update on the whole situation with the recording of the new album “Behind The Sorrow”?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – Thanx for your comment about the sound… A couple of years ago we decided to record a new album. Our main idea was getting this new album considering other sounds, rythms, melodies and lyrics. We wantedthis third album being different from the previous ones. We also thought it would be a good idea to reach this goal if we worked with a producer. Withall of this in mind we contacted some people to make this job and after some months we decided to produce the new material with David Prater. He wanted to work with us cause he thought the band had potential enough to get good results and the idea of working with him was quite attractive to us cause, talking about music, he wanted the same we wanted..I mean, we were lucky cause we found a producer that didn’t want to change according to his mind but we want to do the same he wanted!
It was a long time in which many things happened: since his arrival at the band, we had almost everything recorded and the singer quit the band, so then I took his place and David had to come to Chile again to record the vocals and me having a very serious illness…
At the end of the process we realize that everybody was very happy with the result and that all the sacrifices were absolutely paid with this new album.
SOURCEWEBZINE – The record is the first one you will be releasing through Coroner Records. How has the cooperation with you and the label been so far?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – When we finished with the recording process, we had to decide what to do with this new material. We had some offers from other labels and also from one of the previous labels we have had. We were waiting for the best proposal because we thought that this album should have the chance to be shown in the best way we could get. We also had the possibility to be signed for a very big label, but as negotiations are that, we decided to wait until we could be important for a smaller label than just be one more band in a big company.
After some moths Coroner contacted us and since the very beginning we felt we could work together in the same line. I think that the respect they showed for our music was very important in our decision and also the correct way they have managed everything. We are very happy to be with them and we hope to do a lot more with them too.
SOURCEWEBZINE – Do you have any plans or desire to do a Brazilian tour?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – We wish we could be there now! We have some friends and fans here and of course we would like to play in Brazil. We know some people who, some years ago, wanted to have us as the supporting band of After Forever… but now we preffer having the CD available here first. Then we could go and play every city we can do it! I hope it can be true this 2010.
SOURCEWEBZINE – How do you see as the future of music and recording industry? Do you think that the record sales will continue dropping?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – We could be talking about this for hours but I just can tell you that we understand that the world have changed too much since we were teenagers. We wanted to buy the last album from our favorite band immediately… now with technology and globalization, that’s different, the album has to enter in a competition with MP3 downloading, the last version of Playstation games, Guitar hero and so on and so forth… I think that intalented bands will exist forever, the problem is that in some places there is no industry… no promo agencies, booking agencies etc… so is the record sales aren’t what musician expect is not their fault… but the system allow this… I strongly believe that still there are people (like me) who enjoy of having real albums, read the booklet, watch the cover art etc. I know it can be very romantic, but I know that live shows also support record sales.
SOURCEWEBZINE – What is the metal scene like these days in Chile?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – Chile is a long and beautiful country with a population of 16 millions… inspite of that, we have had a lot of bands and a big scene for years. Chile, Argentina and Brazil are the favorite places to play for many international bands.
In Chile the problem is that we don’t have a metal industry, as I mentioned before. We have a lot of bands, talented musicians, a couple of promoters and some supporting media but we don’t professional people working 100% for a booking agency, for instance, so for a bands hard to live from this, and the members need to do other things, then they are not professional and then people know it and then they don’t go to their concerts, it’s the vicious circle we need to break… but I think we are better than in other countries at least.
SOURCEWEBZINE – Could you tell us something about you self, do you have a family and what do you do for a living?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – Erick Avila, the leader of the band, is a music teacher, he teaches at the university and spends his time playing guitar, cello and composing his own instrumental project. He’s also our music producer, so he has no time to be bored. Pablo Stagnaro, the drummer is a very well known and respected drummer, he is a session’s drummer and plays for some jazz bands too. Mauricio Nader, the bass player, is also a teacher, he gives private lessons every day of the week, Gabriel Hidalgo, our guitarist, is a well known guitarist too, but some months ago he decided to continue studying Sound Engineering in USA, so we have his replacement until he wants to come back… and me, I’m a teacher too, I teach English as a foreign language at a secondary school, last year I was the principal of it but it’s impossible to have that position and being the singer of Six Magics, so I decided to come back to the classroom and and take more signing lessons hehehe.
SOURCEWEBZINE – Take us through your typical day.
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – As we live separated I just can tell you about MY typical WEEK (Cause I don’t now what the others are doing.) In my case I work in the school and during the week I have my signing lessons after the school. Sometimes we perform live at weekends so we need to have rehearsals, we answer to the people and fans who write us emails, etc… and Erick and I prepares all the executive stuff for the band… that’s a lot of work! Believe me.
Nothing too special I think all of us make similar things: playing our instruments, studying, readyin’, listening to music… and we love food too!
SOURCEWEBZINE – What ‘image’ do you have of Brazil?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – I think the same image that the world has! Beautiful and happy people, beautiful beaches, football, carnival etc… but as we are more near from you, we meet a lot of Brazilian people here in Chile, I think that we are a quite similar, cause we are latin too… so for us, we see you like brothers and of course we admire your culture and the way in which politically you are growing up. WE love BRAZIL!
SOURCEWEBZINE – A lot of bands are more respected in other countries than their homeland. How is Six Magics received in Chile ?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – Well with Six Magics is different here, as we started playing when all the old school was decreasing, the band is seen like the referent for the new bands. We have to thank the people and the media cause of their support, we haven’t had any bad comment about our music or job ever.
Six Magics is consider as the best and bigger band of the style here in Chile and even people who don’t like the style, respect us and they tell us, too. It’s cause Six Magics was always doing the things that other bands couldn’tor they didn’t dare. So we were pioneers in things like live theatretical performances, and live shows with a lot of things that other bands felt afraid of doing.
Some magazines have also mention that in Chile there is a BEFORE and AFTER Six Magics… saying we have marked an important period in our country, for all of this we are absolutely grateful. We are very lucky for having the respect of the people here, we also respect them as they deserve.
SOURCEWEBZINE – What do you think about the Brazilian metal scene? Do you know much about our bands?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – Of course we know Brazil is important in metal scene, worldwide, not just because of the bands but what means to play here. About bands, how not mention Angra and Sepultura, icons of the Latin-American metal music. Marcos de Ros, as a guitar player and I also know some other bands cause we have some fans playing there… unfortunatelly I haven’t heard more bands but of course I’d love to.
SOURCEWEBZINE – Are you able to make a living from music, or do you have a day job?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – That’s what we are looking for, there is no more happiness than doing what you love and not spend tour time in a normal job. What we have won with the band has been invested in making the band bigger, so we have reached what we thought was the best for us… now we need to teach other things for a living but who knows what will come for us… I will continue working for being happy, and music makes us happy! that’s enough… don’t you think ?
SOURCEWEBZINE – Thank you really much for the interview and good luck with your new release. Anything you wanna say to your fans before we wrap things up?
Elizabeth Vásquez (V) – Thanx to you for the interest and time. We wanna meet you and Brazilian metalheads asap.. I hope they are as enthusiastic as the crazy Chilean ones… A big hug and respect for all of you! Love.
Falber Teles
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