Interview: David (Nossa Vingança)
by Rafael Karasu (rafael@karasukiller.com)
Photos: Mauricio Santana
originally published in DOLL (Japan) #251
2008/06

1- Nossa Vingança, how are you?
Well, we are doing good, we are very happy with the result of our work on this split that will be released, the songs have exceeded our expectations, we have evolved much as a band, and not to mention that we are doing this split with our friends from Nerds Attack!. Yeah, this year will be amazing.

2- Who is Nossa Vingança nowadays? Tell us a little bit about the band's history, how and when you got started. What has driven you to start a band?
Nossa Vingança nowadays is David (me) and Jacko on vocals, Clayton (guitars), Marcos (bass) and Marcelo (drums), the band was formed in mid-2005; at the time me, Fabio and Daniel Azeitona were at a show talking about how we wanted to play, and I already had some lyrics without melodies laying around for a while. Marcos was around, and the other Daniel (our former drummer) was too, so we called them to be a part of it, but later Azeitona couldn't do it anymore, so Jacko, who had left World Disorder, where he shared vocal duties with his brother. We called him in, and from that point on, all we had to do was rehearse and play. So, we recorded a demo still in 2005, but a while later Daniel (our drummer) had to leave the band, we was a Christian and said that he couldn't go on playing because his religion didn't allow him to. We respected his decision and decided to call Clayton to play with us, since he was in Jacko's old band. After recording the split, Binha also left the band for reasons still not made clear by him, but now we will rehearse and play as much as we can and that's it.

3- What are the band's main influences?
We're really influenced by bands like Black Flag, Vieja Escuela, Youth of Today, Minor Threat, Spazz, Vitamin X, and even bands with a dance vibe like Cibo Mato and Pizzicato Five.

4- What does punk/hardcore mean in your lives? Do you consider yourselves a punk/hardcore band both musically and in your posture?
Punk/hardcore means a lot for each one of us, starting from the famed “do it yourself”, that molds our stance regarding our vision towards liberty. We really respect each individual's stance, no matter what that is, we play fast and with a lot of rage, with emotion, I don't know how to label our sound, I call it Zona Leste fastcore (Western Area fastcore).

5- Does everyone in the band have a job?
It's kind of hard because all band members are working at the moment, and we only have weekends to rehearse and play, but we do our best to avoid leaving the band aside.

6- Brazil is a very big country, the band has been to many states and cities, tell me, what's the audience's reaction in each place? Is there a difference?
We played only a few shows outside our state, but the response we got at the places we have played in, well, I don't know, it seems the audience is more energetic, you know? I'm not saying things are bad here in São Paulo, we have a very good response here also, but wherever there's someone who's into good music, that's where it's good to play.

7- The songs are sung in Portuguese, can you explain the content of the lyrics? How is the writing process?
We think it's important to sing in Portuguese, after all we live in Brazil and it's not like everybody can speak a different language. We want our songs and the lyrics I write to be understood perfectly. Basically all songs on this split talk about freedom you know, because without it, we can't live. They talk about respecting other people's choices, after all we all have our own lives to mind, not other people's. I write songs when I see something that has a message worth being spread. I write what I see and live you know? Because if we don't believe in what we do, then who will? Me and Jacko think the same way and we can't forget that one of the main reasons why we started out was to express the life we live here in this area, the friendship, our everyday living in this region of São Paulo which we love so much.

8- Are all the band members straight edge? How is the straight edge scene in Brazil?
We are not all straight edge, only me, Binha and Marcos adopt that lifestyle within the punk/hardcore scene. But like I said before, this is a personal choice and I can't criticize others, I know what's best for me, my truth, and I respect the individual's truth, whichever that might be. The straight edge scene here in São Paulo is growing, there are many shows to go to, a lot of straight edge/vegan events going on like one we had a while ago here in São Paulo called Jornada Vegetariana [something like Vegetarian Conference] where there were shows, videos were shows, lunches and a manifestation, a fair with vegan and vegetarian products. I think the straight edge/punk scene is more and more positive with many good things being done and I think it has got to go on like that, new people coming, after all we won't be here forever but I hope our ideas will.

9- For a few years now, we've been seeing a new wave of punk/hardcore bands in Brazil. How do you see this renewal? Which bands do you like?
I hope bands keep on coming, with cool ideas, with something to say. I love going to see new bands you know, even if it's their first show, or going to see bands I have never heard of. When I listen to new music I put a smile on my face and I go to the circle pit, there's nothing better than that, it's too good! New bands have to keep on coming so that punk/hardcore will never die. To me, the highlights now are Positive Youth (a straight edge band from the Western Area), X-Punch, Nerds Attack!, XódioX, Non sence, New force, Wounded by life, Trust your self, Hiraki.

10- Soon the split CD Nerds Attack!/Nossa Vingança will be released in Japan, how is the response to this release in Brazil? What do you expect from the distribution here in Japan, through Karasu Killer Records?
Well, people always ask me when it's coming out, I hope it keeps up with the expectations. About it being released in Japan, the only word I have to say is “surreal”, I didn't expect this much, not when we started out as five brats who only wanted to play. I think it's a strong recognition of something we got right.

11-More and more people talk about corruption, violence and unemployment in Brazil. What do you see in the future for the country?
Look, Brazil is taking baby turtle steps, but I think one day things will change, maybe I won't be around to see it, but I think one day Brazilians will care less about the results of the soccer game, the carnival, the last chapter of the soap opera, and will start to care about what we ought to change, and who we should vote for. Recently we had the “Mensalão” scandal here where deputies received a monthly bribe payment, and it made the news for a while. But later, a major soccer team from São Paulo called Corinthians lost a series of games and eventually was relegated to the second division. That made more news and generated more arguing and rebellion than the news of the bribe, which affected the lives of all citizens. If this happened in another country, people would go out to the streets and bang on pots and have signs or something like that, to show that we at least know that politicians are doing something wrong, and that there are drugs and violence, things that, like people say, they could put an end to if they wanted. But where's the will? And what's the cost of doing all that? So people think it's better to leave things as they are, it's cheaper. We have to change this attitude, am I going to be here to see that? I don't think so, but I hope my kids see it.

12-Tell us, what are the positive and negative aspects of living in São Paulo?
Here you'll find everything, from nights out to places where you can play and watch bands, parks, theaters, movie theaters, but also there's a lot of violence and crimes. Still, it's a very good place to live in, specially if you're in a place close to those you like, your friends, families and girlfriends. It's a good place to know and live in.

13- The Brazilian culture is completely different from the Japanese one. What do you know about Japan? What do you admire in this country?
I really admire Japan, a fucking amazing technology and I can't lie, I'm addicted to anime and manga, the Japanese culture is extraordinary and very rich, every time I can I read about it and I hope to one day know this wonderful place.

14- Which Japanese bands do you know? What impresses you the most about Japanese bands?
I only know a few Japanese bands, I don't go online as much as I wanted to, so I can blame it on that, but I know Razord Edge, Vivisick and I Excuse, the speed and the sound are very exciting, it makes me want to ride on my skateboard, play, do everything at the same time, see these bands live, I don't know how to explain.

15- Leave a message from Nossa Vingança to Japanese readers.
I hope to see you soon, maybe on a possible tour throughout Japan with Nerds Attack! to promote our split, we'll see you. Always listen to punk/hardcore. If you want to get in touch with us, you can email us at poweremoxxx@hotmail.com, and access www.fotolog.com/nossa_vinganca and www.myspace.com/nossavinganca