Blue Sound Traffic (2004)

1 – Being this my first interview to the band and being always taken by a certain curiosity, I would like to return in Time and know why the change towards a sonority that took them from Doom/Death and approached them to a Gothic/Rock with certain light Metal touches? An attempt to let you be known by a wider audience (captivated by the mainstream just like Paradise Lost, Amorphis, Sentenced) or because you thought your growth at an instrumental level would only be visible with that change?

We have grown both as musicians and people, our sensibility has changed as well, it is unavoidable. The creative process is extremely personal, people change constantly and the music reflects those changes, I guess that is what makes us interesting. We were trapped in a very specific genre and it became suffocating, especially if you keep in mind that at the time there were many bands emerging with a similar sound. We have changed the aesthetics but the force that drives us is the same. I think it is natural for an artist to look for alternative ways to express himself.
The bands you mention have a very specific audience. I don’t think of them as mainstream, they are just more accessible, but even that is arguable...In my opinion, the latest katatonia album is their best so far, I think such changes are important to enrich the music of bands that otherwise may have already fallen apart.
We follow our instincts, we’re doing something we love and those differences in our song writing appear as we grow. Our skills also improve which makes it easier for us to explore new grounds.


2 – I thought it was a somewhat drastic your “evolution”, if one could call it as that, from the first demo, “Abstract Melancholy”, towards the second one, “Deep”, than the band’s musical refinement on the latter demos. The change from “Drawned in tears” to “Blue Sound Traffic” before the release of the third demo, “As we sit and watch” was something that seemed important due from what criteria?

At the time, some elements were leaving the band so we decided to close that chapter. Drawned in Tears had their moment in time. I am very proud of that period but considering what was going on it made sense for us to change our name.
We also wanted to get away from the “label” that our moniker was throwing us to, it was important for us to have a name that would not put us immediately in such a specific bandwagon. We were searching for something wider. Blue Sound Traffic really suits our mood.

3 – Could you let us know the lyrical themes created since the first demo until know? I ask that thing due to the interest that their titles transmit, as certain embrionary concepts that reflect not only on the sonority executed but also individually, in each song.

That component has evolved a lot during the last years. In the beginning, our lyrics were very abstract. It was an ingenuous poetry effort. Now we try to simplify our music lyricly and sound wise. Dieter writes the lyrics now, but as in the past, we sing about experiences that all of us relate to in one way or another.

4 – You have had certain songs included in several compilations, which only served as a promotional factor. Shall you, with Time, still consider to be known through that way or is it a waste to time to think about it?

Every mean of promoting our music is welcome. Compilations are still of our interest. The feedback we get from that kind of work is less visible than what it was some years ago. I think it is mainly because of the internet, which is a lot more noticeable. Nevertheless, I still think we must take advantage of every mean at our disposal.

5 – As Time passes by, and the band’s musical “evolution”, what have been the press and fans opinions? I ask that thing because I observed, at least on the last two demos, that your songs possess more energy in concert than on cd. That could be a negative factor, although on the demo “Oxygen” one could gather the Studio and producer’s greater quality (Rec N’ Roll and Luís Barros ) in spite of certain sound faults on the “As we sit and watch” (Paulo Ferraz Studios and Luís Nunes).


The press, and especially the fans, have always respected us. They frequently ask us why we did not release a “proper” record yet. They really believe in our quality as a band.
Our songs gain an extra energy dose when performed live. I‘m glad it turns out that way. It means that our talent does not depend on studio tricks. On the other hand, it would be great to capture that energy onto CD. In Oxygen, things worked a lot better, but we can improve if we have more studio time on the next recording. We do not have many opportunities to play live. I believe if we did play a lot more nobody would be indifferent about Blue Sound Traffic. It is important to have the band talked about, the shows are excellent in that matter. Until now we’ve left a very good impression wherever we go.

6 – You presented in May 27th a variety of new songs, nevertheless, was it a form of letting the audience know not only the new vocalist, Dieter, but also the new musical direction of the band? If you didn’t had that technical problem with the pedaleira you could let us know how the new voice would accompany the older songs… Nevertheless, Dieter showed to be at ease on stage and must be congratulated! How did you knew him and since when did you began to rehearse with him? Had you created the new songs before he entered the band?

The set we performed was exactly what we had planned. We were thinking about playing some older stuff but we decided that those songs needed to mature a bit more. It may seem strange to some people but it is easier to write a song from scratch than to rearrange an already existing piece.
With Nuno quitting the band, we started looking around for singers to try out. Dieter’s name popped up, Saul talked to him and he accepted our invitation. We’re very satisfied about how he participates in the song writing. He’s already contributed in all the songs we played in the last shows and wrote all the lyrics in them. He has a very good stage attitude that affects everyone in the band, we are very happy about having him with us.

7 – I knew, only by chance, by reading a local newspaper, that you participated on the final of the “Lousã Rock” contest with some other national bands… Wander a bit through your entrance on that contest, the gig and the reaction to your sonority…


It was good to play for a different audience. It was also the first time Dieter played live with Blue Sound Traffic. Both the shows were very good. Unfortunately, it was a contest in which each band could only perform a short set. However, regardless of all that, everyone we talked to afterwards seemed to be very surprised and curious about the band and our work, which is obviously very good for us. It was a situation that appeared purely by chance, but we decided to go for it and it was worth the effort. We don’t get chances like that everyday, especially if you consider that we live in a city that is in a deep coma.

8 – In this same year, you celebrate 10 years as a band and, in spite all the obstacles regarding a band which situates itself in a region so limited at an artistic level as the Madeira’s island is, you released four demos and gave several gigs at a national level. I know how frustrating is the fact that the desirable discographic contract hasn’t yet appeared but the fact that you’re still “alive” only demonstrates your will and appeal for Art. Nevertheless, has something changed since the release of the last demo until now? Could we wait for a new release this same year be it as a Demo or as a debut Cd?

The most visible change is the singer, no doubt about that, but we’re all a bit more secure and relaxed. We try not to take things too seriously. We caught the attention and interest of some people that may work with us in the future. We want to record as soon as possible, but I still don’t know exactly when. We have been talking about it within the band. There are several options, we just need to decide what’s best for us. Right now, we have a very powerful set, we’re going through a very creative writing stage. It will be very complicated to choose which songs to record, but it’s always fun to do it.

9 – Bearing in mind what happened in these 10 years, I still wonder if your sound will remain what we have heard until now or, like an eclectic mind in constant maturity, one will hear you, as time passes by, in constant mutation, distancing yourselves from the roots that made you born: Metal… Shall it be that the affection that you feel for that sonority will make you gather diverse influences within that same style instead of putting it aside? This is a question that only time will answer but tell us your opinion these days…

I sincerely think that everything we do will relate to metal in some way. We like other kinds of music and we do try to explore other stuff in our songs, but that is only a reflection of what we are as persons. We look at music as something wider and we’re always searching for other ways to communicate not only as musicians but also as music fans. Metal had a great role in our growth and our roots as musicians. I think it’s impossible for us to break up completely with something that is a huge part of us as human beings. If you ask me what other people will think about the way we sound, that’s a bit trickier. In my opinion, they worry too much about those things.

10 – Well. I would like to thank you for the time given and wish you all the best. That you make from oxygen fire and free the dramatic intensity that the soul possesses. The last words are yours…

Thank you for the interview. I hope people keep developing their taste for music and art in general. We have to keep open minds and keep the criticism constructive.