We were lucky enough to catch up with musician Luigi Carneiro, following the release of his stunning Album, ‘Staring in Paradise in Times of Chaos’. What out what he has to say below!
Hi Luigi, for those of us who don’t know, tell us about yourself!
First of all, it’s a pleasure to be talking to all the FVMusicBlog readers around the world. I am originally from Brazil and have lived in the United States for over 20 years. I have been playing since I was 13 while in school. Singing, basically since I was born. I come from a family of classically trained singers and musicians. That was great because I have been surrounded by music since birth.
What is your songwriting process?
Hum, it depends. Sometimes a melody pops in my head, and if it is any good, I record it on my phone to work on it later. Sometimes I see a situation in life that inspires me with lyrics. I write those does down and add music to it. Or in other situations, I create a grove on the bass and add melody then lyrics to it.
What is the best gig that you have played?
I love to play live, but I am a studio rat. I had incredible experiences in countless recordings I took part over the years, either by singing on other artists projects, singing jingles, recording in my own studio Cloud Mixer Studios. One of my favourite times in studio was with my late friend Lollo Andersson’s Album. The recordings would always be from 8 pm till whenever we could keep going to save money on the studio’s cost. Lollo had incredible respect for my work, and he is, in my opinion, one of the most complete musicians I have ever worked with. Those sessions in 1997 in São Paulo, were always fun, relaxed and with many great songs produced.
Tell us about your latest release?
I am very happy with the new album ‘Staring in Paradise in Times of Chaos’, which has a message of optimism despite the daily hurdles we face. We should always aim for the best outcome on everything, even when we find ourselves in an impossible situation. I have been putting off the completion of the Album for a very long time. I had some of the songs “ready’ for a while, but not enough for a full release. Then in November of 2018, I mentioned to a long time friend of mine and brilliant musician Marcelo Lima who lives in São Paulo Brazil; that I had some songs and I was thinking about getting them done and have them out. Marcelo immediately said: – Let me produce your Album!! And that is how it started to become a reality. I wanted to write a few more songs and one of my favourite songs; We Work Well Together came from this new period. We have incredible musicians in the Album: Bruno Bona played keyboards in some of the tracks, Brenner Bianco and the late Lollo Andersson played the guitars in others, Marcelo Effori drums, JJ Franco played a majestical bass on “For You”. Marcelo Lima played the majority of guitars and keyboards, and I played bass on most of the tracks, and of course the lead vocals and backups. To me, one of the biggest rewards was to have my 12-year-old Gabriella singing one of the lead vocals and backup voices on many tracks. The Album was brilliantly mastered by Alpine Mastering in Toronto Canada, by the multi-talented Glenn Morrison. We release the Album thru Canadian label Dying Light Records, and we have an incredible experience working with them.
What has been your funniest gig moment?
It is kind of gory but also funny (many years after). I was playing with Marcelo Lima and drummer Cezar Belmonte in a birthday party with our trio Rio. We were playing by the swimming pool of Marcelo’s building. At one point, I started to feel as if someone was spitting on me. I looked up to see if someone could be spitting from one of the apartments windows. Nothing. Then it became more intense and when I looked behind me, our drummer Cezar was bleeding profusely while playing his chops with an absolute drive. He had so many blisters from the performance from the night before, and it looked like a bloodbath LOL. I looked at him in the middle of the song, and he screamed at me: “-DON’T STOP! I am fine”. Oh well, kind of. After we were done, his black drums were red, and so were our suits, hairs, gear. Pure passion, no regrets and all that to perform to maybe 15 kids that were not really paying attention to us. But absolute commitment. The real blood, sweat and tears story, just to play music.
What message do you think your music conveys to your fans?
Music should never be a depressor or a channel for anger, or discrimination Music should unite people, no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, or beliefs. I am not saying you should only write ethereal songs and live in a bubble. I believe in taking a stand. Especially for those who can not share their voices. I firmly believe that inspiration speaks more than alienation. So my message is to support each other and motivate those who are going thru difficult moments in their lives.
Who are your musical influences?
My first big influence was The Beatles and more specifically, Paul McCartney. Duran Duran is also a huge part of the musical fabric. Musically and aesthetically they became part of my DNA. Sting, Seal and Michael Jackson are also big influences on me. 8) Who are your non-musical influences? That would be 3 Times Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna. He has been an inspiration as a constant fighter, someone who never believe in quitting your dreams and helping others to succeed in life.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles for bands/artists today?
Interestingly enough, I don’t see many obstacles as I had experienced back in the ’80s with my band Alderan. Back then, everything was controlled by the mega record labels. The media, the critics, the PR was all about the record labels. Nowadays, if you have talent, you can at a minimum get your music out there, you have access to Apple Music, Spotify, etc. You also have the opportunity that would never exist back then to have qualified media like FVMusicBlog, writing about your work and supporting up and coming artists. So I feel the musical scene nowadays is more open, more diverse and generous.
What advice would you give to other bands/artists starting out?
Never ever give up. The musical world is vast, and you never know when an opportunity may arise. Promote your work with passion, and be grateful for those who give you a space to do so. Also, never forget to promote someone who needs your support as a musician. If someone needs your help, do it and realize that you are privileged if someone respects your work and your opinion.
Finally, What are your hopes for the next two years?
To keep writing and promoting my music. The biggest thrill I have is to imagine that someone, somewhere in this immense world we live in, is listening to one of my songs and maybe taking the messages to heart. I never played music with money as motivation. If anything, the money goes back in buying another instrument, a new mic or to help produce a new artist that needs a voice.
Make sure you check out ‘Staring in Paradise in Times of Chaos’ from the link below and you can read our review of ‘We Work Well Together’ here.
FVMusicBlog March 2020
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https://www.instagram.com/luigicarneiromusic
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