During his podcast Amplifica on YouTube, Rafael Bittencourt placed Andre Matos on the same level as Freddie Mercury . The episode on February 9th featured Hugo Mariutti , from the defunct band Shaman , to promote his solo single " Blur ".
“I put him on the same level as Freddie Mercury. Of course, Freddie is more well-known, but in terms of ability and talent they are equal. I have a special memory of ' Never Understand '. I remember the learning process, it had baião mixed with heavy metal,” revealed the Angra (via Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos! ).
The conversation in the interview arose while the musicians were reminiscing about moments they shared with the late Andre, who passed away in 2019 .
“Andre Matos was very special. He listened to a lot of classical music,” said Hugo. “When I started composing with Andre Matos, I began to think in a different way. I started to see how he did things and I learned a lot. I knew you guys from the Angra days, I saw the rehearsals and stuff. Then came the Shaman thing and when we went to record the album, I shared a room with Andre. We spent about 60 days together and I learned a lot.”.
Rafael Bittencourt added: “He was very strict about the rules of how to compose music. He was much more erudite and paid attention to this thing about language. When I think about it, I always remember a video of Frank Zappa where someone asks him about his approach to guitar and he says he doesn't play like most people.”
“For me, it was a privilege in my life to have met Andre Matos. First, because I might not even be here. He already had two albums with Viper , he knew the people at the record label in Japan. I took a shortcut thanks to Andre. I started at 19, inexperienced, already with a system. Second, I am grateful for the privilege of having worked with one of the greatest musicians who ever lived.”
This wasn't the first time Matos had been compared to the legendary Queen . Previously, Alírio Netto stated that, in his opinion, they both shared similar characteristics .
Check out the full episode of the Amplifica :
READ ALSO: Rafael Bittencourt recalls his last meeting with Andre Matos: "We didn't speak"
