I would like to thank all the fans and friends who were with us on this tour. Not only for going to the shows, but for keeping Viper as one of the biggest Heavy Metal bands in Brazil.”
In preparation for show , we interviewed each member of the band to find out what they thought and what we can expect from this final encounter. Guilherme Martin answers our questions now!
WM: As we all know, this will truly be the last show of the To Live Again Tour. But what the fans really want to know is, will it be Viper's last show?
GM: I really wish it wasn't the last. These were incredible days, spending time with friends, and we relived a project that was very important, both for our lives and for the great contribution Viper made to Heavy Metal music in Brazil and the world. The show on December 2nd will represent the end of a very successful year-long project, the To Live Again Tour. We reunited the band and gave our fans, both new and old, the opportunity to see again the band that was responsible for a style! I confess that I got emotional many times in front of the audience just knowing that this work of more than 25 years really marked an era and still has the recognition it deserves!
WM: What was, for you, the highlight of this series of 25 shows?
GM: I have many highlights I could mention, one of them was our first meeting, at Felipe's house. We all got together again after years, talked, and decided how this comeback would be. It was a very good feeling, being among friends again. We laughed, remembered a lot of things from the past, Yves participated in this conversation, and we decided to go to the studio to rehearse some songs that hadn't been performed for at least 20 years. It was also a real challenge and a true professional one for us. Everything flowed very naturally, we evolved with each rehearsal, and we all dedicated ourselves a lot! Another unforgettable moment for me was the show in São Paulo on July 1st at Via Marquês. We had a full house of fans and friends to see Viper; it was simply a day I will remember forever!
WM: What would you say to the fans who traveled kilometers to see the band's show and to those who traveled kilometers to see several shows?
GM: That was amazing, I remember that at some shows there were people from completely opposite states to where we were playing and who made the biggest effort to come see us! I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart all the fans and friends who were with us on this tour, not only for attending our shows but for always keeping Viper as one of the biggest Heavy Metal bands in Brazil.
WM: What was the biggest lesson and learning experience you took away from this tour?
GM: The biggest lesson is to believe in what you've done throughout your life! Viper showed how years of work from each of us have remained important to so many people! And another lesson is that Heavy Metal in Brazil is very strong and powerful, and with this tour we showed that we must always raise the flag for this style of music that is so captivating!
WM: What do you think would have happened to Viper if Andre hadn't left after that show at Dama Xoc in São Paulo so many years ago?
GM: That's a good question and a difficult one to answer! At that time, when Andre left the band, of course we looked for a suitable replacement, because Andre, besides being a great vocalist, had monstrous charisma and empathy with the fans. I even remember some auditions and names to replace him. But the idea of putting Pit as vocalist and frontman was a great move by Viper; Pit's voice is very different from Andre's, but Pit also has a very strong charisma, so Viper wasn't completely out of character and made an excellent album, Evolution, just like Andre, who continued his career with several very successful bands and projects!
WM: One of Viper's greatest successes, the excellent album Evolution, was released exactly 20 years ago. Can fans expect some kind of celebration to commemorate this great milestone and this great album?
GM: As previously stated, of course we have ideas for the future with Viper; at the moment our attention is focused on the upcoming shows and the release of the tour DVD! But of course, Evolution also deserves a fitting tribute!!
WM: In 2013, the release of the DVD and double CD Live in São Paulo was already announced. How are the preparations for this big release going? Is Viper preparing something special for this occasion?
GM: The DVD is being finished and edited, it was produced by Maurício Eça on video and by my brother Mauricio Cersosimo on audio. This DVD is the result of a very successful partnership between Viper and Wikimetal, who also deserve a lot of credit for the success of this tour! Of course, we will make some noise around the time of the DVD release, we don't know how yet, but as was the case on this tour, we will have some good surprises to announce!
WM: Will you be recording anything at The Farewell Concert in São Paulo on December 2nd for the Live in São Paulo DVD?
GM: I'm not sure yet if we'll do any extra material, it would be cool to have Evolution recorded as well, since we decided to start playing it from the second part of the tour onwards.
WM: The To Live Again Tour was a different kind of tour, marked by emotion. It was clear to the fans who saw the show how much fun the band was having on stage and how you all remain friends after so many years. What was the point(s) of the show that moved you the most?
GM: On this point, I reaffirm that it was very natural; we were always friends even before the band existed. Viper, in my case, was a milestone, even though I haven't recorded with the band yet. I was one of those responsible for the band's two comebacks, the one in 2000 and the one now. I participated in all of Viper's formations. My band, Toyshop, has Val, who has always been with the band, whether as a musician, friend, or part of the crew. Gabriel was Viper's roadie during the Evolution era, and as everyone knows, Nando, who is also the bassist for Toyshop, is Felipe's brother. I even met my wife, Natacha, at a Viper show at the Mars theater, back when Renato Graccia was still on drums! Besides spending time with old friends, we had the pleasure of meeting Hugo Mariutti, who replaced Yves, who has a very busy schedule with Capital Inicial. Hugo, who joined the band later, was definitely one of my best new friends! Besides being a fantastic musician, he's someone I'll always want to have around! I also reconnected with Andre and he surprised me a lot; he's always there, has an enviable artistic attitude, and is a great friend I'd always like to have as the frontman of my bands and as a great friend as well. Then there's me, Felipe, and Pit, who spent a lot of time together for a good part of our lives; we're like brothers, and I'll always carry this feeling of gratitude for having been invited to join this band!!
WM: Will the To Live Again Tour leave a lasting impression?
GM: It will, very much so! But I think it's great that everyone has other projects. André's new album is wonderful, and he dedicated himself a lot to this project, so it's time for him to promote this work. Hugo, besides being the guitarist for all of André's projects, has Remove Silence, which is a very good band and one that I consider a great revelation. I have Toyshop, and I intend to release a new album by next year. Felipe has his career as a journalist, and besides that, he participated in none other than Paul Di'Anno's band, undoubtedly a great musician. Pit, we all know how talented he is at composing; he certainly must have about 50 wonderful songs in his archives right now!
I hope the tour leaves a good feeling of nostalgia for all of us, and that it's brief!!
WM: Leave a message for the Viper fans who insistently ask that the band not break up after this tour.
GM: Thank you to everyone who made this Viper reunion tour a success! The future of Viper still has much to be written, we are only closing this chapter of our history! We will certainly have the opportunity to reciprocate all the attention and affection that everyone has shown us in these 25 years on the road!
My personal thanks go to Wikimetal Dani Dystyler, Nando and Rafa and my dear bandmates: Andre, Hugo, Falipe and Pit.
VIPER's tour closing show takes place on December 2nd at Via Marquês. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Brasil .
