» posted on 4:29am - September 24 2007 | posted by Flavian Greece

By Flavio Goncalves/Flavian Greece

I was very curious regarding the success and talent of the Brazilian punk band Blind Pigs (that some might consider the Brazilian Dropkick Murphys), but they ended before I could ever reach out to them.

Now they are back, since last year they nationalized their lyrics and name (now going under the name Porcos Cegos) and I just had to bother them, here’s the result exclusively in English for the Mathaba News Agency readers (copylefted, of course) from my interview with Henrike, their frontman. You can visit them at http://porcoscegos.antimidia.com.br/ (and even download in full version all of their albums).

FG- Before hand, the essential question: why the name change from Blind Pigs into Portuguese language? Did it include some line up changes?

BP- Well, first I’d like to make it clear that it’s actually a translation. Porcos Cegos means Blind Pigs in Portuguese. I couldn’t stand it anymore that people here in Brazil mispronounced the name Blind Pigs and some had no idea what it meant. I also thought it was about time for us to value a bit more our own culture and language. It was a hard decision, not all band members agreed with it, but in the end the change actually took place. We already had recorded a new album when the Blind Pigs ended (in the middle of 2005) with all the lyrics being sung in Portuguese but scheduled to be released under the name Blind Pigs before we called it a day, but that project ended up being filed when I moved to California. When we decided to get together again (early in 2006) we re-recorded some of the vocals and remixed the record and released it under the new translated name, and that’s the story behind the “Herois ou Rebeldes” album. Regarding line up changes, Mauro, our former bass player, disliked the path we were taking so he got off the boat, to replace him we placed our comrade Galindo, from the Sao Paulo city punk band General Bacon, in his place. The rest of the line up remained the same: myself (Henrike) singing, Gordo doing vocals and the guitar, Fabiano in the other guitar and Buda in the drums (who recorded the CD with us was Arnaldo, the drummer that played in the “Sao Paulo Caos” album, our first CD. At the time of recording Herois we had no drummer and given that Arnaldo was in Brazil for a visit, we asked him to record the album with us).

FG- Some of your songs [like Para Incomodar (Just to Disturb) and Herois ou Rebeldes (Heroes or Rebels)] reminded me of Dropkick Murphys, are they an inspiration? Or is it just me?

BP- Sure Dropkick Murphys was an inspiration. Having heard their “Do or Die” album back in 1997 was very revealing. I also got a chance to meet them personally in San Diego, CA in 2005 and they were amazing people, very honest and humble. I went backstage, met the whole band and even got to sing Skinhead On the MTA in the show together with Al Barr. Unforgettable!

FG- You opened up shows for The Dead Kennedys and NOFX in Brazil, did you keep any personal relationship with those bands back then? Any particular memory from Jello Biafra?

BP- We played with NOFX here in Brazil way back in 1996. It was great, but we didn’t keep in touch with them after that. They are good people, at the time I was a big fan of theirs and it was an honor to share the stage with NOFX. Now, when Dead Kennedys came here to play a few shows, they came here without Jello, that was very sad. Sure, it was great to see East Bay Ray in the guitar, Klaus Flouride on the bass and Peligro wrecking the drums, but the showman was missing, the soul of the Kennedys, Mr. Biafra!!! The vocalist they brought didn’t have even half the charisma and vocal talents of Jello. But it was an interesting experience, nonetheless. We played with them in Rio de Janeiro. But I would say the highlight of our career was going on tour in Brazil for three gigs only (in 2006) with the mighty US Bombs! One of our favorite bands! Kerry Martinez, Duane Peters and the boys are wonderful characters! True punks! What a fucking honor! We still keep in touch! Long live the Bombs!

FG- Even though you are a punk band (as in rebel) Porcos Cegos claim to be non-political, but some of your lyrics [Não Vou Parar de Lutar (I Won’t Stop Fighting), Plano de Governo (Government Plan), among others] will cheer up any revolutionary, be him from the right-wing or the left-wing. What sort of audience do you attract to your shows?

BP- Hummmm, good question. Well, we claim to be non-political due to the fact that we are five individuals that have very different thoughts. We are not a left-wing band, nonetheless we also are not a right-wing band, but I think it’s part of our work to try to add to the conscience of the people, meaning that we should write intelligent lyrics so they might learn something. History fascinates me, and I guess that shows in my lyrics. I like to sing about people that made a difference, which had the courage to stand up against all odds, the true heroes or rebels.

FG- Have you ever played in Portugal? Do you know any Portuguese band?

BP- Sadly that’s a dream yet to come true. Portuguese bands? Sorry, I’m an outsider.

FG- Is it possible for bands like Porcos Cegos to live solely from music? Or do you work 9 to 5 jobs?

BP- It’s hard. All band members have to work. Not necessarily from 9 to 5, but everyone in the band has a job.

FG- Last 7th of August you played with Garotos Podres, another legend of Brazilian punk, it went well? Is there a good relationship between both bands?

BP- Garotos Podres is a great band. I was a big fan when I was just a kid, and I love their work. I’m a good friend of Portugues, their former drummer that now owns the independent Rotten Records label. Yes, it went well, why wouldn’t it? It wasn’t the first time we played together.

FG- I know I promised to keep this interview non-political, but even though the members of Porcos Cegos have their own political insights, can we claim that the band, as a whole, ends up being the voice of the oppressed, poor, working class?

BP- I’m not sure; I’d rather think we are the voice of the misfits.

FG- I warned you I was going to ask you about the “Patria Libre o Muerte” (A Free Fatherland or Death) still from when you were the Blind Pigs… is it some Sandinista tribute?

BP- No, it’s actually more of a war cry for the union of Latin America. I think all the countries in South America already went through the negative experience of being controlled by right-wing dictators that were pushed to power by the United States by force. All those countries also had a dark and violent past with secret polices, political abductions, armed guerrillas on the streets and puppet dictators.

FG- The band, as a whole, thinks there should be placed a limit as far as free speech goes? Or do you believe that all political tendencies, no matter how stupid, have their right to be heard?

BP- No. I think free speech is a fundamental right.

FG- Have you ever played in the USA? If so, what was your impression of the American people?

BP- Never, but I lived there many years. You can say I grew up in America, since my father is a Brazilian Navy Captain, we used to live in different countries from time to time. I hold no grudges against the Americans, only against their policy of unjust wars.

FG- Why are you providing the free download of your latest album in your official website?

BP- Actually all of our records are available for free download in our official website. We have no ways if fighting downloads. So if someone wishes to download our records, they will eventually find them somewhere else and download them, so we figure we would rather have them downloading straight form the source. I still believe that a few people, like myself, prefer to own the original cd, but given that we are in an independent label and our distribution is not all that good, our records are hard to find at stores, that just gave us another reason to make them available in our own website.

FG- I guess that’s it for now, I hope to bother you again, thank you Henrike for your time, and I’ll see you in Portugal?

BL- I hope so!!!! Thanks for everything!

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