By Vix (SugarBuzz Oklahoma City Correspondent)

February 28, 2005

SugarBuzz Magazine

Basically there wasn’t a choice, the house was always full of musicians and singers. There was no escaping it no matter how much you tried. My whole family is musical going back to my grandparents, it’s in our blood. Some of the first bands in the house were started with my brother Luis, who himself is totally an incredible guitar player, and he was already fronting a band at the age of 15-16. Here he was a little kid taking charge with adults, he was leading the band, in control. And then there’s my brother Robert with his awesome voice that would make everyone around melt. Both Robert, Luis, George, John and Nuno as well as my sisters Teresa and Helena went thru a sleuth of bands. There was Robert’s band called Sombras, and a mini Sombras with Luis on the guitar. Pretty much everyone just followed.

What or who are you major influences and inspirations?

First of all I would have to say my family, and then the Beatles, Steve Perry (Journey), Phil Collins, Greg Lake, Steve Walsh, Peter Gabriel, Freddie Mercury, the Bee Gees.

Most definitely it would be the Beatles. The reason being that their music is simple, great melodies and harmonies. And they have a major catalog--what else could be better. Artist would have to be Steve Perry or Freddie Mercury. Just listen to these guys’ voices, they’re totally incredible. Case closed on my end. Wait, did you ask for just one artist?

Tell me about the “Me” album. What is the overall tone of the album? Did you collaborate with anyone on any songs? If so who and to what extent. Any special appearances on the album by other musician?

Basically “ME”, the title pretty much says it all, this is something I did for myself. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. The tone is pretty much right in the middle, between heavy & soft. If you have to choose a genre, I guess you’d say rock/pop. In the past I was in a band called Flesh and they were really a major part of my life and we were rockers splitting our heads open and doing all the good thangs that rockers do, but I just wanted to take a break and venture out like everyone else does in their life and do something different and so I did and I’m proud of it. As far as appearances, there was pretty much one other musician I worked with, Pedro Silva. He played basically all the parts and helped produce it with me.

To me there really isn’t a favorite song it’s basically what song is more interesting. If I had to choose a song I’d say "God Will" stands out to me because it was just one of those that I had written when I was going thru a major change in my life, one of the biggest changes ever. I had worked on it here and there and then one day decided to throw it in the trash. Later on I was sitting around at home with Pedro and we were listening to Julian Lennon. Afterward he started messing around on the guitar and I got to thinking about the song I had thrown away. For some unknown reason I told him that I would be right back and I went into my room. I grabbed it out of the trash and started working on it and from then on I knew it was something special.

Any plan on a tour soon or in the near future? If you do a tour will it be small out of the way clubs or larger musical venues?

Most definitely, a tour is my number one priority. Playing out is what it’s all about. I so much look forward to it, for venues I’m sure it will be clubs, or a house tour, maybe even your house someday.

Mae is for mother in Portuguese and that’s what we use to call her. She was basically the most incredible woman, it’s hard to explain, and when she passed she took a major part of us with her, us being all of my brothers and sisters. It’s basically as if you are connected thru the umbilical chord and that was your lifeline and once it’s cut from you it’s totally over and yes they say take what she has given and taught as far as compassion and caring and everything else that you can think of. But I truly believe we are also cheated unfortunately, but it’s okay, once I catch up with her I’m going to kick her butt and tell her that it wasn’t fair, but I love her with every piece of me and she’s so majorly missed sometimes I haven’t a clue what to do without her, not that she ever said much, but the comfort was always there of a mother.