The Aristocrats this August. is a heavy/prog instrumental power trio formed in 2011, composed of three renowned musicians on the world stage: British Guthrie Govan (ex- Asia and Steven Wilson ), American bassist Bryan Beller (who has played with Steve Vai and Joe Satriani ), and German Marco Minnemann (who has played with Steven Wilson , Joe Satriani , and Kreator , among others).
The first show takes place on the 20th in Curitiba, at Basement Cultural, starting at 7 PM. Following that is the São Paulo show on the 22nd, at Carioca Club, also starting at 7 PM. Tickets are available at Clube do Ingresso .
In an interview with Wikimetal , Bryan Beller talked about the trio's new album, DUCK (2024), and their return to Brazil. The questions are by Jéssica Marinho.
It's been almost 10 years since The Aristocrats last came to Brazil. What are your expectations for this return?
I'm expecting a loud and insane show, just like the last time we came! But our fanbase has grown since then, so I have a feeling it will surpass my memory of that show. 🙂 I love Brazil and the Brazilian people, and their passion for music. It's a wonderful place to play.
Do you have any particular memories or stories from the last time you were in our country?
I remember incredible people, wonderful food, and great moments after the show. The energy of Brazil truly affects everything!
Are you fans of, or do you know any, Brazilian bands?
I think I know more Brazilian musicians than bands. I'm in touch with Felipe Andreoli from Angra (which is a great band). I've played with guitarists Lari Basilio and Kiko Loureiro at a Joe Satriani guitar camp, and they were both incredible. More recently, I went to a show here in Los Angeles by the Brazilian blues guitarist Artur Menezes. At the same show, I saw the bassist (also Brazilian) Poliana Magalhães, who sometimes uses the stage name Pops Magellan. She plays very well, with super smooth funk lines. I can't even keep up with all the amazing Brazilian musicians!
Tell us a little about the shows in São Paulo and Curitiba. What can fans expect?
We'll be playing several songs from our new album DUCK , and it's already been very well received in other parts of the world. But we also know that we haven't been back to Brazil since the release of our 2019 album, YOU KNOW WHAT…?, so maybe we'll play some songs from that one too, in addition to fan favorites from our older albums.
When you play live, do you prefer a more planned and rehearsed approach, or do you like to leave room for improvisation?
We're always looking for ways to improvise, and I feel that each show is different in that sense, even though we have a setlist defined for this part of the tour. But we also know that the music itself is important, so it's good to know when it's the right time to expand and when it's time to play exactly as written. I think there will be plenty of improvisation for people to enjoy. 🙂
The Aristocrats' music blends different rhythms and elements, but also showcases great technical skill. How does the band's creative and songwriting process work?
Each of us composes our own music and makes demos individually, usually at home. It's always been that way, since we live far from each other, but we know each other so well that we can write thinking about each other, and we know where to put in an improvisational part, where to be more technical and where to leave more space—basically, we know how to be ourselves. I think that's what comes through in the music more than the technique or the details. The songs are "Aristocrats songs," we hope.
You've played with artists like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Does that experience influence the music you make with The Aristocrats?
Steve and Joe are incredible, and it's wonderful to make music with them. And I think everything we do musically influences us in some way, so it's impossible to say "no" in that sense. But I believe we're all already well-developed artists independently at this point in our lives, so the influences on our music come from "everything"—everything the three of us have listened to throughout our lives, which, of course, continues to change to this day.
Your last album, Duck , was highly praised by critics. Was there anything about the creative process behind this album that stood out compared to your previous ones?
We're always grateful when someone says something nice about our work, but overall, we use the same process as always. Perhaps the long interval between albums, and the isolation of the pandemic between YOU KNOW WHAT…? and DUCK , brought a new energy to our writing. But, in the end, it's the fans who really judge—and if they like it, we're happy.
Are you already working on new music? If so, what can you tell us about it so far?
We can't reveal secrets like that... yet. 😉
