Photo: Sebastian Cauvet
Many years later, here I am doing what I've always dreamed of doing in life.”
A CHILDHOOD DREAM
By Ricardo Batalha (*)
I discovered Heavy Metal by chance, at the turn of 1979 to 1980, listening to the album "Volume 4" by the English band Black Sabbath, the great precursor of the style. The album was lying around somewhere on a shelf in my family's living room, but I had never listened to it. Until then, what I knew about Rock had been passed down to me by my mother, who liked Elvis Presley, Billy Haley, Little Richard, The Platters, Paul Anka and some other Rock and Roll stars from the 50s.
In Heavy Metal, it's common for someone older, from your own family or circle of friends, to show you a certain sound, and if that heavy guitar sound really grabs you, you can be sure it will be a part of your life forever. In my case, as my mother always says, I've always been obsessed with music, and since I was little I was torn between sports, studies, and my sacred portable record player.
Although I didn't dance at school parties, I was always up-to-date with what was happening at the moment because my late father had been a lawyer for the Odeon record label (now EMI) and habitually brought home boxes and boxes of LPs. Even though I focused all my efforts on studies and sports, I was an occasional radio listener. But I maintained my passion for vinyl records. So, I got excited and started listening to everything I had at home. Among many compilations, mostly Disco Music from the late 70s, was the album "Volume 4," which became my favorite. From then on, I listened to it every day.
In yet another twist of fate, my father's office was located on José Bonifácio Street in downtown São Paulo. That was exactly the address of the famous Woodstock record store. Because of this, I started visiting the store and buying LPs, always following the recommendations of an employee at my father's office, João Carlos de Oliveira, who knew a lot about heavy rock and recommended various bands to me. I became mesmerized and enamored with the heavy guitars and that characteristic metal sound. It started to become addictive because I wanted to know everything, and so I began frequenting Woodstock Discos weekly. Some of the first LPs I bought were: Judas Priest “Unleashed In The East”, Judas Priest “Screaming For Vengeance”, UFO “Obsession”, Kiss “Dynasty”, Aerosmith “Rocks”, Scorpions “Virgin Killer”, and an imported Iron Maiden “Iron Maiden” that had just been released.
To increase my knowledge, I bought all sorts of literature related to Rock that I could find at newsstands or bookstores. I acquired encyclopedias, magazines, books from here or published abroad… Absolutely anything with the word Rock on the cover, I went after. I even went so far as to make my father take me in the middle of the night to a newsstand – the only one in São Paulo at the time that was open 24 hours – near Ibirapuera Park, just to ask if a music magazine I wanted to read had arrived. Even at school, Liceu Pasteur, I would occasionally spend extra hours with the teacher helping me read articles about Heavy Metal in French publications.
Since the school had ties to France, I would go with the magazine Enfer in hand and ask for help translating the articles. While the teacher seemed shocked by some of the album cover art and the bands' visuals, I was fascinated by that publication, which appeared on the publishing market in 1983 and disappeared some time later.
It was also my habit to write letters to various publications or directly to bands, especially after I got an autographed photo of vocalist Ronnie James Dio. It's a shame I never got a reply to the letter I wrote to Enfer magazine trying to subscribe. Years later, this was a great lesson for me, as I learned that the treatment and respect shown to a publication's readers had to be impeccable.
A few years later, there I was accompanying my father – who was a renowned lawyer in the area of Commercial Law – on yet another visit to a client. This time the meeting was at a printing company that was experiencing difficulties and considering filing for bankruptcy protection. At that meeting, the then-owner of the printing company asked me what I most wanted to do in life. I replied that I wanted to make a rock magazine, and he gave me a kind of dummy and told me to sketch my project. The cover of the imaginary magazine would be Black Sabbath.
As I've always loved writing, especially about music, I used to write album reviews in diaries or school notebooks, and I envisioned myself working for a magazine, a publishing house, or wherever. I studied other things and leaned towards Law, but music took up much greater importance in my life. Basketball was another great passion, but because I was frequently injured, I couldn't pursue the sport professionally as my father wished.
In the late 1980s, unable to find work at Rock Brigade magazine or in the existing rock media, I started editing my first fanzine alongside brothers Caio and Conrado Tabuso, two friends from basketball. We went out searching for new releases and did everything to make DeathCore Zine appealing. Caio was a skilled illustrator, Conrado made the contacts, and I took care of the creation and production. Everyone was responsible for the writing. Because our contacts were extensive in the underground scene, we were able to conduct interviews, cover shows, and review newly released albums (some even on 'advanced tape') and demo tapes. Furthermore, the fanzine's sales in record stores were significant. Walcir Chalas, owner of Woodstock Discos – which had moved to a new address across from the Anhangabaú Metro station – helped us by providing some new releases and selling DeathCore Zine, which quickly sold out there.
Many years later, here I am doing what I've always dreamed of in life. ROADIE CREW magazine, specializing in Heavy Metal and Classic Rock, is a reality. The goals of Brazil's leading heavy music publication remain the same: never think it's good enough to avoid stagnation; take one step at a time; always strive to surpass ourselves; create interesting things and provide Metal fans with enjoyable reading experiences. We did it!
(*) Ricardo Batalha is editor-in-chief of Roadie Crew magazine; director of Brasil Music Press/Press Office; contributor to the TV programs Maloik, Stay Heavy and Rock Forever; to Shock Box Radio, Sleevers Rock Channel; to the Heavy Nation Program (UOL Radio); and columnist for the Momento Notícias newspaper.
Click here to learn more about the Roadie Crew.