Rafael Moreira
 
There is something about Rafael Moreira that strikes me differently than a lot of other amazing musicians. He is humble, open, and just as passionate about his playing as the other greats in the guitar world. His depth of style and influence is mind boggling. Acid Jazz, Rock, Metal, Free Style solos, a great singing voice and way more than above average song and lyric writing.

It seems he takes nothing for granted with his ability to perform and entertain. Over the years I have followed many greats, the Eddie Van Halen's, The Satriani's, The Gary Moore's, and the Rik Emmett's.

With Acid Guitar now ready for fans to pick up, Rafa is getting ready to put Magnetico back into the studio, and hopefully have more of his amazing songs ready for everyone to listen to. Read on, and get to know this great talent.
Toe: Rafael Moreira, thank you for agreeing to be the first artist to take an International showcase and interview on www.greentoe.net. I know you have been extremely busy.

Rafael: It's my pleasure.

Toe: Let me start with the current. Rockstar INXS. How and when did you get the call to be a part of the House Band? Who put that monster of a band together?

Rafael: After being on the road with Pink throughout Europe for almost a year and a half, I got an email from Paul Mirkovich (House band Musical Director) saying that he saw me playing with Pink and that he thought I was terrific (nice complement!!) and wanted to know If I would be interested in auditioning w/ him for the Rockstar INXS TV show and my reply was "lets do it!" At the Auditions we got to play Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen), Need you Tonight (INXS) and Suffragette City (Bowie) and when we finished playing, there was excitement in the room and chemistry on the stage!! Sasha also auditioned on Bass w/Paul and I. To complete the house band, the producers of the show ended up choosing drummer, Nate Morton, and rhythm guitar player, Jim Mcgorman, who were also auditioning with their own bands. And that's the Houseband!

Toe: You have been playing an amazing selection of tunes over the last weeks that I have been watching. Was there a lot of time spent rehearsing with the House Band to prep for those? Did you have more than the week lead time to learn them than the week the singers were given to prepare?

Raphael: Basically, we had Wednesday with the band, Friday and Saturday with the contestants and we would tape the Tuesday show on Sunday!

Toe: How trying was it during all of the weeks of rehearsal with the singers, when they would want to re-arrange tunes to give it their own flair? Was it tough to go ahead on some of those songs, even when you guys would see it may become a train-wreck?

Rafael: Musically It wasn't that difficult for us! We (The HOUSE BAND) pretty much new if any of their arrangements would work or not. And, for the most part, the contestants were really cool about listening to our advice.

Toe: My last comment on INXS. When you are shown playing, especially during solo's, one can see that you are in a zone. The eyes are closed, the head is tilted back and there is sheer joy on your face. I see pure enjoyment in the performance. Is it tough to go out and play covers night after night, in a show like INXS, but have that same flame in your playing, that I hear in your solo stuff?

Rafael: Great question! I'm a passionate kind of guy ! And I put my heart and soul into everything I do! I gotta say "I love playing guitar" and its a Honor to pay tribute to some of my favorite guitar players like Brian May and David Gilmor! However to sing and play my own songs its even a greater feeling.

Toe: I have been to your site, www.rafaelmoreira.com and listened to the clips you have there. I have never heard a broader scope of styles and influences pour out of a person. I can lean back, listen, and at times wish it was Frank Zappa belting out lyrics with some of your stuff, or sitting in on a tune with Pantera. Was this a direct result in your mothers' love of classical and jazz?

Rafael: My mother is definitely a major influence! I grew up listening to rolling stones, Led zepellin, AC/DC, KISS, Deep Purple and many others and then it got heavier, much heavier and it translates into my sound! As you know I was born in Brasil and I just love brazilian Music! Artists like, Tom Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Djavan, have an very rich sense of melody and rhythm and it's unique in It's own way! And I love jazz and fusion, I love improvising in any form of music ! Music like Weather Report and Jaco Pastorious, Scott Henderson , john Maclaughlin and the list goes on and on! I think that's what makes my music so eclectic and original!

Toe: The Spawn video game stuff and the Nospheratu stuff is insane. The licks in the beginning of Fear and Loathing are crazy. It is speedy stuff, but tasteful Vai style..not Yngwie neo classical speed scales. Really tasteful, for the heavy nature of the music. Do you find it at times hard to keep the speed out and stay melodic?

Rafael: I don't think it's Vai style ,It's more Rafa's style!!(HAHAHA) No matter what kind music you do, you have to be musical! Being fast it's just an expression of my attitude and not a musical necessity! I have the facility to play fast, but I also love to be soulful and take my time! Thank you for acknowledging Nospheratu, Those were fun times and we were crazy, testosterone-filled 18 year olds!

Toe: Who were your biggest musical influences..outside of Brazil?

Rafael: I grew up listening to a lot of British rock bands!!! One of my major influences is John Sykes (Thin Lizzy,Whitesnake)! I remember being eleven years old and watching him play on TV w/ Whitesnake at "Rock and Rio", one of the biggest rock festivals in the world. I was already gigging as a guitar player, but that day changed my life! Also as a six year old KISS and of course Ace Frehley , touched me forever to be a rock and roller!

Toe: Tell me about Magnetico. This band just goes in such a different direction than Nospheratu. I saw a very short live video clip of a solo on your myspace page (www.myspace.com/magnetico). Mind blowing. Tight heavy grooves, intelligent lyrics, and blistering solo work. It is a total package. The tracks Psychological Control and Back Home blew me away. How is the writing split up in this amazing power trio?

Rafael: Thank you for the kind words. Magnetico is a Rock Power Trio and we always make sure the songs come first , but as you mentioned, we like stretching ourselves musically , either with really heavy grooves or free form solos. As for the writing, I basically write all of the music. I write most of the lyrics myself and collaborate with friends on others.

Toe: You have a great singing voice. People I talk to are amazed at the high parts you hit in Bohemian Rhapsody on Rockstar. Do you sing for the necessity of having your lyrics performed as you have written them, or is it another tool you love like the guitar? Have you ever considered laying down the guitar for a project and just singing? Most artists have the skills to really only choose one. But there are the Jerry Cantrell's, the Ritche Sambora's and the Nuno Bettencourt's that have the chops to do both.

Rafael: Thank you again! I've been singing since I was little. When I was a teenager all I wanted to do was to play the guitar, but the singers that I was in bands with, wouldn't do justice to my music, so I had to step up and take over! If a have an opportunity to sing without the guitar I would, but for now, singing and playing is what I'm doing!

Toe: Do you find it tough to hammer out those vocals, while taking care of all the guitar work also? Singing leads, as well as playing solos, takes an enormous amount of agility. Physically and mentally.

Rafael: It takes a little bit of practicing ,but once you get it ,It becomes second nature!

 Toe: Can we expect a disc or a tour from Magnetico?

Rafael: Hopefully we'll be able to do Magnetico's record before the end of the year, since we have over two CDs worth of material! We're still doings gig's though. Who knows, maybe we'll come up to Canada to play a couple shows!

Toe: Let me know if there will be preview copies of the CD. I would want to get a review of that one for sure!!

Rafael: I'll send you the "Acid Guitar" CD which is ready!

Toe: Tell me a bit about "Acid Guitar". I see the project on your site, and have listened to Sentado, Sozinho sem caminho, basically Lost. What a tune. Again, Rafael Moreira shows that he is multi-dimensional. Acid Jazz, Brazilian Music, Rock and more of the ever amazing guitar solo's. What brought this project to light? How long have you been working on this? And as I asked about Magnetico, when can we hopefully be able to get a disc of this project?

Rafael: I've written "Basically lost" maybe eight years ago. It got released in Japan and US five years ago in a guitar compilation right after I won the "GIT MASTER" International Guitar competition in LA! From then on I started to do my own gigs at "The Baked Potato"( World Famous Jazz joint) and writing music for what would become this CD, Rafael Moreira "Acid Guitar". By the way, all the Photos in the CD were taken by a great friend of mine who happens to be Canadian, his name is Josh Case, he is amazing ,you'll have to check it out!! The CD will be available next week at www.cdbaby.com  and  at www.rafaelmoreira.com

Toe: Do you have guest musicians on the Acid Guitar project? How do you find the great caliber of musicians that always seem included in your music?

Rafael: Yes, I do have great musical guests on "Acid Guitar". Danilo Labovic (an amazing skat singer) whom I went to music school with; Alex Alessandroni (Keyboards), Musical Director for Christina Aguilera and Pink; Cheche Alara (Rhodes) played with Christina Aguilera and Alejandro Sanz; Cassio Duarte (Pandeiro) Player with Djavan and Dori Caymmi; Harold Bennett
(flute) whom I met in a Jazz Jam session and of course my Bros Joey K. on Drums and Corey McCormick on Bass who happen to be my comrades in Magnetico!

Toe: So, we know you are a great session player from INXS, but you have also toured with Christina Aguliera, Marc Anthony and others. But it seems the large gig that keeps on coming is with Pink. Will you be going out on the road with her again?

Rafael: I just had a gig with Pink in New York last week , as far as touring with her again, we'll see.

Toe: Do you get studio time in with her for her CD's? If so, how much input are you given on tracks that are recorded?

Rafael: I just recorded guitars on a few tracks for her new CD.

Toe: Do you have any favorite Canadian musicians or bands? Did you like it up here when you were gigging with Pink? Do you have a favorite Canadian city?

Rafael: I really like Rush ,they are one of the greatest rock power trios ever! My favorite Canadian City? I had fun in every Canadian City I visited while on tour! Vancouver has a really cool vibe, I also would love to check out the French part of Canada and Victoria!

Toe: What is on the radar for the next few months? What can we all be looking forward to? You HAVE to get up to the Vancouver area of Canada ...soon.

Rafael: I'm gonna work on making my CD "Acid Guitar" available to the fans as much as possible and also keep working on Magnetico's music! And I would love to come up and rock with Vancouver!!

Toe: Thank you so much for letting us get to know you better. I still had about 50 questions in the bucket for you, but maybe we can do this again

Rafael: Thank You!! I'll be waiting