2014.02.04 – FUGHU – Ariel Bellizio (interview)

fughu

Agrentinian group FUGHU is worth presenting. Not only because of the performance alongside Dream Theater, although the accelerated their career. The reason there isn’t also a star cast on their latest release. And not even the fact that they released two albums at once, or if you prefer a double album …
FUGHU’s music is simply excellent
. Therefore devote some time to read our interview with guitarist this unusual formation, then we encourage you to reach for her sounds.


What is the meaning of your bands brand?

Fugu is the name of a Blowfish in Japan, we found it very interesting the idea of knowing who is considered a delicacy but has a powerful venom can kill you in minutes, is a dish that only experts can prepare it. In Japan the word Fugu means prosperity. We added the letter „H” , because we are five, and five is a good number.

Let’s start from your latest albums. What was the reason to record this material as double album? Or should we treat it as two opposite albums?

These two new albums are available as units or in a special deluxe edition with full color booklet. Two individual albums, because each has its own sound and its own personality, yet have one theme in common and reflect a particular moment of the band, who has decided to kick the board, and not be tied to doing things as they are supposed to be in the music business.

It’s hard to catch the moment of changing album, when you listening them in the row… They complete one to the other in my opinion. What was the criteria of selecting tracks for particular album?

Human – The Facts is a conceptual artwork, the order of the songs was designed around the story, we had the challenge of writing songs thinking about what was going on, in every moment where the characters are living within the story.
Human – The Tales are 7 Songs. We try to find a balance between songs, It start with a strong song „The Human Way”, the second theme „Inertia” a very fluid changing between power rocks and calm valleys. Then we go down a bit with „Dry Fountain” moving us to a more rare item as „Twisted Mind” to continue with the enigmatic „Goodbye,” a song who has a very strong climax, and explode with the last two songs, „Evil Eyes” in a good rock lineage and „Mayhem” a beauty prog song that walks through differents atmospheres with a marvellous guitar solo of Jeff Kollman. There was a strong discussion about which theme choose to start the album between „The Human Way” and „Mayhem”.

How did you record them? Did you do it all together?

Each song had his own ” method” started from the idea that was had planned in the preproduction .

Unlike Absence this album was produced by us, and we was very clear about what we wanted to achieve with each theme , so the sound was thought before get in the studio, and we use the method of recording we consider optimal to reach the result that was planned. In some songs like „Dry Fountain” we recorded all together in one room with a single stereo microphone, taking the reality of the sound without processes.
In Goodbye , we decided we had to destroy the song to ashes, the theme was already completely composed, but the album needed another mood. So we pick the ashes and starting to make crazy things in a long live jam with the the atmosphere we wanted to achieve in our minds. That long jam session, is what ended (after Ale´s scissors) in to the album.
In other songs we recorded the drums first and alone, in a more traditional way as we wanted a very powerful sound and later the rest of the instruments was recorded. I like to record the rhythm guitars in the studio and then bring the material to my home and make overdubs and arrangements and solos. Marcelo and Alejandro were responsible for the overall production of the project and then was mixed with Pablo Rabinovich in Studio Orion .

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We would like to congratulate you playing as a support for Dream Theater. How did it happen? Was this event had influence for your self-esteem? What your impressions regarding this concerts?

In 2008 Dream Theater visited Argentina with a peculiarity, they themselves selected the opening band. A „casting” where they choose from more than 520 bands.
Santiago had recently joined Fughu, that was his 3rd show. DT made us feel very comfortable and thoroughly enjoyed the show, we really helped to be visibles worldwide and win local recognition. With royalties from that show we record „Absence”. We are grateful for the good gesture of Mike Portnoy, Dream Theater and his team for us.

Can you unveil some details regarding guests at your albums? How did you pick them? How did you persuade them to cooperation?

When we are doing „The Facts”, Santiago proposed to give each character to a different singer, and we found a very good idea!

We decided to call Dario Schmunck who is an internationally renowned tenor who was Santiago´s teammate in many opera stages, to play Climb’s father ( Otto Climb ) in the song ” Vater ” his voice colour is similar to Santiago´s so was perfect, because Climb and Tloth are father and son in the story.

For the character of „Tloth” were lucky enough to get to Damian, and after we show him the song, we had the joy that he enjoyed it a lot.
We are very happy with the great gesture of record the song to us. Because we love him!

In The Tales I wanted to get one of my favorite guitarists, Jeff Kollman. I contact with him and showed the material and very soon he sent me the solo of „Mayhem”, And is really amazing! For the intro of „Mayhem” wanted to create an atmosphere of ” Shaman Ritual ” and GEA who is a great friend and musician shaman, was perfect to generate the necessary ritual . GEA usually join us in our live shows with his didgeridoo and his magic.

Let’s go back to your debut album? Can you say it’s style is liken your new albums?Was it much simple to write first (bur single) album?

The difference between Absence and the new albums is that on the first album many songs were arranged and composed by many members who was left the band at different times.

Some songs had more than 10 years until it was recorded , and had many many mutations .

New albums are composed and arranged by the current lineup , which comes from 2007 , the same line up who recorded Absence and the best and last .

I think this record is much more personal and we are now much more mature as composers.
The role of the voice, the role of the melodies, and the marriage between the lyrics and the music as part of the story is now something solid, and we are very happy with that.

We are lucky to be five composers completely different, but when we bring each composition to the band, we are donating the song to the band, and that idea can stay intact or can be changed completely, that process always enrich, but sometimes can be very tortuous and difficult for egos , is a great way of learning about ourselves.

We don’t know much abort Argentinian prog, or simply rock scene… Is it similar to European, or mabye rather American? Can you count on media support these days (radio, tv)?

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I do not think there is a country that massively listen progressive rock, At least I do not know, and Argentina is not an exception to that rule, although there are many followers, is not a popularly Recognized genre, so we try to address the media from the title „Rock” or „Metal” genres that are Easier to Recognize for the media and for the public.
Except for Dream Theater in Argentina there is no great progressive metal bands who do shows in big places, That speaks a bit of shortage of public in our country. Many metal journalist, radios and metal music magazines are mindful of our music and give us a great diffusion on their own. Our music is not strictly metal, but is very energetic and powerfull and is enjoyed by metal people and many crazy guys of prog and other genres.
Prog fans are fewer than Shakiras fans, but are the bests.

What are your influence? Are you fond of any Eurpoean bands? Did you listen any band from Poland?

I could name many bands that I like, and bands that appeal to each of the guys, I think there are very few bands with which we all agree. Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Queen and Black Sabbath are bands we all hear, then branches into many other bands to each member.
I heard very little of Polish bands, Behemoth is the best known in these land who came last year.

What is your idea for promotion of your music abroad? Are you focus on internet only?

Today the greatest weapon we have is the Internet, we promote a lot in social networks, mailing list, we also contact periodically with online radios, and magazines and websites abroad, we try to have the social networking site constantly updated so you can follow our steps from anywhere in the world.
But for us playing live is the strongest experience and we really like the visual and scenic developing off shows, and that is a very enjoyable to lot of people and makes us famous in Argentina.

Last line for you, please persuade Polish fans of prog music to reach your music ( 😉 )

Fughu is primarily a rock band with a strong attitude on stage. Our shows break the third wall and make you part of it. Our music tries to be really progressive, that is breaking barriers, inventing worlds and new forms. We are fans of Dream Theater ELP Genesis Crimson Deep Purple, what they did was amazing and delightful, but was already did it, and in the best way !. We, want to do something different.
Hopefully soon we will performing live in Europe!
We really want to visit you ! Keep Rocking!

Questions:
Irek Dudziński
Piotr Spyra

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