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12/06/2006
Samir: How are you doing?
SD
: Great & excited
Samir: Above all can you
give a small history of your band ?
SD:
Well its in no way a asmall history. Aghora is now more than 10 years old. We
have been doing this for a while now. The only difference is that now the
members in this band are more geared towards performance and being a abdn as
oposed to a "project". We started in 1995. It was really just me writing all the
music and then getting the musicians to record for me. Then in 1997 it became
more of a band and we started recording demos ("transitions 1997-99 demos
available at
http://www.aghora.org/).
We have had members come and go and in the last 10 years i have learned how to
maximize band relations, organize things so they actualy become realities. A
band is not easy to have. You have to really treat it like a family and
structure it with foundations and focus so everyone stays interested. The
members we have now, Alan, Diana, Giann are all very hardworking and very much
into their instruments and their musical expression. They want to do it. They
want to be in the band. Before people either wanted money to do it or where to
impatient to see results. Its a tough business. Aghora is better than most of
the bands out there and we have had an ongoing upstream battle with the industry
standards and labels. I remember lables like century media telling us we are
good but female fronted bands wont go anywhere. Look 10 years later Lacuna Coil
is there top selling artist.
Aghora has been doing it before all those bands with the
exception of the Gathering. I have strayed from the original question but the
history of aghora can be heard in its music and in our performances. It has
taken hardship, diligence, constant forward pressure and maturity to make aghora
what it is.
To me its one of the nest bands ever. I knoweveryone
thinks their kid is always the best but in this case as i look at it from the
outside looking in, there is no other band like aghora.
Samir: Who decided on the
name Aghora and why did you choose it?
Santiago:
I chose it. It is a way of life in mysticism. Aghora is a tantric path of
transformation and alchemy. It is to take the bottom of the shit in the pit and
turn it into gold.
Samir: I think, to say that
there is a strong influence of prog-rock/metal/jazz.
Santiago:
Yes aghora is a mix of all styles of music. There is a lot of Fusion, world
music, world rhythms, and intensity of metal in this music. You hear it in the
new album especially.
Alan:
I LIKE JAZZ FUNK METAL TECHNO, AND 80;S AND CLASSIC ROCK
Samir: How did you first
come into contact with Sean Malone and Sean Reinert ?
Alan:
AT A CLINIC AND AT CYNIC WAREHOUSE SEAN R
Santiago:I met them
when cynic played at the plus 5 in ft.lauderdale. I became friends with Sean
Reinert and Paul Masvidal and have been friends with them since 1994.
So when i needed to record I called Sean Reinert and
asked if he wanted to be involved. Sean Reinert is recording 6 songs on the new
album.
Samir: How was it to play
with the Cynic Members once again?could you see an evolvement of musicianship
when you played together?
Santiago:
It was great. They are great musicians.
Alan:
I deffinetly learned a lot.
Samir: What are the future
plans of your band?
Santiago:
TOUR TOUR and more TOUR
Alan:
TOUR RECORD DOMINATE
Samir: Tell us about your
Discography .
Santiago:
We have the debut album that came out in 1999. A set of demos I just released
called "transitions". And our new album that will be released sometime in
2006-07.I am also working on some good dvds with live footage.
Diana:
"Formless" The album's titled is I believe derived from the different components
involved in the sound of Aghora. There's no especific shape or sound to
categorize us under a precise scope. There's much more to Aghora's entity,
transforming into a void.
Samir: What extent do the
other band members contribute to the writing process?
Santiago:
Before only a bit of arrangements where colaberated. Now We have the idea that
if anyone has anything good to offer we use it and we write around it.
Diana:
Vocals, lyrics (4 tracks off of the album "Formless.")
Samir: Were the band members
in other bands before Aghora ?
Santiago:
Yes everyone in the band has had other band experiences.Except Diana. Alan was
in Madsic. Giann was in Sattiva.
Alan:
MADSIC, ATM, ABSTRACT, THE AGENCY , TRASH
Diana:
No, never.
Samir: To what bands do the
band members listen to, is it mainly metal or also stuff like Jewel, classical
music or jazz? By what bands is Aghora influenced?
Diana:I
listen to everything I can get my hands on. Anything that gets my attention and
that's well constructed. I pretty much give everything a chance and try to stay
open minded.
* Alice in Chains
* Tool
* Peter Gabriel
* Ronnie J. Dio
* Death
* Black Sabbath
* Bach
* Judas Priest
* Opeth
* Iron Maiden
* Pantera
* Cynic
* Dokken
* Deathbringer
* Arch Enemy
* Portal
* Maria Callas
* Kiri Te Kanawa
* Aghora has of course derived from different sounds,
but it has an essence of its own and stands alone in terms of sounding like
something else when carefully thought. Cynic's a crucial part in the way Aghora
evolved, and many people relate our sound to that of Cynic's, but their sound
and ours remain unique.
Santiago:
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Cynic
Death
Carcass
Racer X
Pantera
Athiest
Alarum
Tool
Peter Gabriel
Sting
Led Zepplin
Extreme
Van Halen
Everything Alan Holdsworth does.
Samir: What's your opinion
of the music industry, especially the way people gravitate towards what's
popular?
Diana:
Find it misleading to see how some people aren't able to find their own
identity, and instead they become part of the flock. It's very much centralized
and lacks broadness.It's a brutalized perception, that avoids giving the chance
to other sounds from being received. Many people are induced into what's popular
now adays and so they make remarks about the underground or unheard. Again, if
they decide to remain in the same place or remain locked, it makes it hard for
them to have an actual opinion.
People's ears seem to be satisfied with whatever the
industry selects to feeds them. Sometimes, it's disturbing to see how they let
it go through. In a way, most people are brought up inside a certain line, but
music shouldn't have a boundary, specially that which happens to be good.
Santiago:
Its ridiculous. Labels don't really have a clue as to what the kids and
musicians want to hear and support. So many bands are considered good simply by
default cause really good music is hard to come by these days. The internet is
starting to prove to be a huge assit to the artists out there trying hard to
deliver good music. Lables just can't keep up with the amount of talent that is
out there.Aghora has survived with out the help of labels. We are still
considered by many labels as a waste of time. But in that "time"I have seen
bands come and go while Aghora continues to do its on thing.
Samir: Can you explain the
last AGHORA album in your own words? Maybe you can describe some of the songs so
we can get an idea of what to expect?
Santiago:
The first one was a huge spiritual message for me. It was also like me cleaning
out the closet of my entire musical history and influences. That album has a lot
of sides to it. I listen to the debut now and I am like "damn what was i
thinking when I wrote that?" there are a lot of mistakes but there are also a
lot of incredible moments in musical history. As for the new album. It worth the
wait. It is a really mature sound for us. I am exited to see the reaction of
people when they hear it.
Diana:
The last and upcoming album "Formless" is very well developed. The sound of
shredding guitars are impecable. The bass is phenomenal and the drums
execute.Vocals are different from the first considering the change in lineup,
and so they bring both soft melodies as well as solid character.
Samir: How do you see
yourself as part of the metal scene?
Diana:
I think that's a broad question, but generally I think we're and will be doing a
lot better in terms of writing, fan base, exposure, etc. It's all a process in
which we're constantly growing and expanding.
Santiago:
Aghora has made a huge impact on kids and bands that are
expolring their own way of doing things and not doing what the "industry" thinks
is correct.
Samir: What albums made the
biggest impact on your life?
Diana:
Black Sabbath - Paranoid/Sabbath Bloody Sabbath/Mob
Rules
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
Joni mitchell - Blue
Lorenna McKennitt- Book of secrets
Beatles - Revolver
Santiago:
Steve Vai - Passion & warfare
Allan Holdsworth - Secrets
Cynic - Focus
Pantera- Vulgar display of power
cowboys from hell
Tool - Aenima,Lateralus
Meshuggah- Destroy Erase Improve
Dream Theater - Images And words
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Metallica - And Justice For all
Extreme - II, III, IV
Carcass - Heartwork
Pestilence - Spheres
Samir: What was the favorite
band you toured with?
Diana:Even
thought we haven't toured since the lineup of the band was recently established,
I do have to say we have had several shows, one in which we met Alarum, Arsis,
Necrophagist, Neuraxis as well as The Absence. Seeing what they had to offer
live was a great experience. Hopefully we will be touring the States, Europe,
and South America.
Santiago :
Best shows where with Sonata Artica, Amorphis, Necrophagist, Alarum, Arsis, The
Absence.
Samir: What kind of
festivals have you played ?
Diana:
None yet.
Samir: Tell us something
about your gigs.What was the best live experience.
Diana:I
think the best live performance was the first I ever had with the band. It had
been approximately less than a month since I had joined the band when we had our
first show at the Culture Room in Ft. Laurerdale, Florida.By then the lineup
hadn't been established. The crowd was very possitive. A few weeks back we had a
gig at two venues, The Factory and Starshooters with the new members of the
band, where we met national acts.
Santiago:
We get on Stage and we play a non stop ass kicking set of full of balls. The
best show was with Necrophagist and Alarum.
Samir: When did you start
playing and how old were you when you became interested in metal?
Santiago
: 11. I think I first wanted to play metal when i discovered the pinch harmonic!
Diana:
I started taking voice and piano lessons when i was seven, & began taking music
seriously when I was about twelve. I became interested in metal when I was
thirteen.
Samir: Which bands are on
your list of favorites?
Diana:
* Alice in Chains
* Boston
* Nevermore
* Communic
* Tool
* Pain of Salvation
* Deep Purple
* Judas Priest
* Pantera
* Damage Plan
Santiago:
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Pantera
Cynic
Death
Tool
Extreme
Van Halen
Aghora
Samir: What are your touring
plans?
Alan:
LETS GO SOON AS POSSIBLE
Samir: Are you involved in
any other band/project besides Aghora?
Diana:
Before meeting up with the band I was working on a personal side project, but
Aghora is now my focus. I still write and get ideas that aren't generally meant
to become part of Aghora, but pieces of it end up falling underneath it.
Santiago:
I have my solo album I am working on and also I am doing an album with Derek
Roddy called "NAGA".
Samir: Are you working
outside of the band? Do you have your own families?
Alan:
MOM ANIMALS, GF , TREE SERVICE AND RESTAURANT KITCHEN JOBS
Diana:
Yes, I work and pay the bills. So far I've had three jobs and two which I
haven't been able to stay in. Families? yes, I believe most people have those.
Santiago:
I have 3 kids and one on the way. I am married. I teach Martial arts (Silat) and
Qi Gong, also I teach Guitar, and I have a recording studio.
Samir: In your opinion, why
was Florida the center of the death metal scene?
Diana:
I don't know, maybe the weather was responsible for bringing different cultures
together becoming a melting pot of different ethnicities & influencing each
other's sound. The support they received back then from local venues gave access
to recognition.
Santiago:
Supposedly 90 miles of the coast of Florida are remnants
of Atlantis and a killer vortex of energy. This could explain why florida always
has had the best bands and the most brutal sounds.
Samir: Any special greetings
or last words to fans?
Diana:
Thank you for the unmeassured support, and hopefully we'll meet you all in many
parts of the world once we begin touring rigorously!
Santiago Dobles:
Thanks samir for this interview and Thanks to all our fans
be patient album is on the way!
Samir: Thank you for all of
your time
Diana:Thank
you!
Genre(s) :
Progressive/jazz metal
Members :
Santiago Dobles - Guitar
Alan Goldstein- Bass
Diana Serra - Vocals
Giann Rubio - Drums
Sean Reinert - Studio Drums
Links:
http://www.myspace.com/aghora
http://www.myspace.com/santiagodobles
http://www.myspace.com/seanreinert
http://www.myspace.com/alangoldstein
http://www.myspace.com/megabyteoldspice
Albums:
Demo Demo, 1998
Demo 99 Demo, 1999
Aghora 2000
Dual Alchemy Demo, 2005
