As summer approaches, one of the most prominent names in Brazilian hardcore, Dead Fish, is gearing up for their European tour. This season, fans of the band will have a chance to experience their high-energy live performances firsthand. But before they embark on their European journey, we caught up with Dead Fish to delve into their views on European punk, their unique place in the Brazilian hardcore scene, and their take on politics in Brazil during these turbulent times.
Dead Fish has made a significant impact on the Brazilian music scene since their formation in 1991. With their uncompromising lyrics and powerful sound, they have become one of the most celebrated bands in the Brazilian hardcore community. Now, they are excited to take their music overseas, to engage with fans in Europe, and bring their unique sound to a broader audience.
In our interview with Dead Fish, we explored their perspective on European punk and how it differs from the Brazilian scene. We also discussed the political situation in Brazil, and how the band’s music reflects their stance on social and political issues. Their music has always been an outlet for expressing their views and addressing important topics, such as inequality, injustice, and corruption.
As Dead Fish prepares to embark on their European tour, fans can expect an explosive and captivating live experience. The band’s signature sound, combined with their passion for social activism, promises to deliver an unforgettable performance. So, keep an eye out for Dead Fish on their European tour, and don’t miss the chance to experience their unique brand of Brazilian hardcore in person.
Hey there guys! Pleasure to have you here! Please tell us a bit about your early days. How do you recall that era in Brazilian punk and hardcore?
We are not from the Southeast center area of ’80s Brazillian punk, places such as São Paul and Rio de Janeiro. But for Brazilian standards of distance, it was not that far, the state of Espírito Santo is North of Rio and South of Bahia state, we were kind of a transition area.
We as a band were born in the skate scene in 1991, at that time skate and punk were very close in aesthetics. In our early days, the Vitória/Vila Velha area was a very mixed scene of classic metal, punk, skate, surf and neighborhood gangs, and that was the core root of our beginnings.
How about your first time in Europe? How it came to be? What are some of your instant recollections?
It was a Germany/ Czech Republic tour all done with our friend Humberto Pereira/rocky beach club booking in 2007 February, during the winter. We played youth centers (that’s the word in English, right?), squats and some pubs, we really loved the experience that time, things seemed to work quite well, and people seemed to work hard and happy to keep the scene prolific. We met many inspiring and generous people.
Have you visited Europe since then?
Yes, I went with my wife before the tour in 2006, and after the tour in 2014.
So what’s your take on European hardcore?
Not much nowadays, but we grew up as kids/teenagers listening to European punk/hc, all the English bands we listened to, from Crass to The Clash, and some Finnish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and German bands.
How do you compare it to other hardcore scenes around the world?
I think it is more diverse and open in my opinion, but I could be wrong. I know much less about it now.
How did you arrange this tour? What’s your motivation to play here again?
The Rebellion Festival promoter invited us to the festival. A friend of ours Raquel Coutinho, who lives in the UK, showed our music to the festival in 2020 during the pandemic, and for this year they invited us, we are very honored and happy, and then we started to schedule the tour.
What’s new in Dead Fish camp in 2023?
A new album and this tour.
The whole world knows all the harm that the Bolsonaro government has caused to the Brazilian people. How do you analyze these dark years and what are the perspectives of the new Lula government?
Fascism won the elections in 2018, people were not only convinced by, but also normalized fascist speech and actions, but the process of fascistization didn’t begin in the 2018 election scenario. In my point of view, it began in 2013, when liberals, mass media, pentecostal Christians, and military dictatorship-era nostalgics backed the Dilma Rousseff coup which was consolidated in 2016. We strongly backed the Dilma government, even though we did not agree with her attitudes as a President, we also backed Lula’s freedom when he was jailed, and we even took part in a benefit campaign for “acampamento da democracia”, the vigil camp in Curitiba during his imprisonment. We also participated in the “LULApalooza” too, which was a big free presentation to demand his release.
Personally — and that’s not unanimous inside the band — I think Lula is the biggest statesman in the South American republican era, one of the most intelligent men in the present political world in world. So, his victory is an important political fact to South America, and in the fight of local fascism, our territory faced tons of attacks of our democracy, from the facilitation to buy guns legally for “hunters and collectors” and a neoliberal economic policy that put hunger back in our country, and many other unacceptable things. Lula is not going to solve all the problems, politicians never do, but he is a huge turning point.
And how is the engagement of Brazilian hardcore/punk with politics? How does Dead Fish position itself?
I think punk/hardcore tried to make the difference before the coup and before the Bolsonaro Era with “hardcore contra o fascismo”, a public act in public places that united different political left-wing tendencies against the increasingly right-wing fascist ideas. we tried but in that time we lost, but we, in our way, made a difference for the future/present 2023.
As I said before, we’ve always had a clear position against fascism, and the extreme neo-liberalization of this country.
DEAD FISH EUROPEAN TOUR dates 2023:
31.07 – Fiber Magee – Dublin/IE
02.08 – TBC – Ireland
03.08 – Rebellion fest – Blackpool/UK
04.08 – TBC – UK
05.08 – TBC – UK
06.08 – Black Heart – London/UK
15.08 – SO36 – Berlin/DE w/ United And Strong
18.08 – Musicbox – Lisbon – Portugal
19.08 – TBC – Portugal
20.08 – Hard Club – Porto – Portugal
