Riviera Gaz doesn't seem interested in repeating formulas. Formed by Gustavo Riviera (Forgotten Boys), Paulo Kishimoto (Pitty, ex-Forgotten Boys) and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth), the multinational trio transforms references to rock, psychedelia, glam and experimentation into a sound that's difficult to categorize.
This approach takes on new dimensions in Catacroma, the band's second album, which arrives this Friday, the 21st. Unlike their first work, built mainly from Gustavo's compositions, the new album was born from a much more collaborative process, with all three musicians involved from the beginning.
With Catacroma, Riviera Gaz seems to operate at its own pace, far removed from the rush for formulas and immediate results. In an interview with Wikimetal, the trio spoke about the album's creation process, the different backgrounds that make up the trio, the production choices, and what has changed in Riviera Gaz's identity since their first album.
Catachrome and the creation of a new language
Wikimetal: The first album was largely born from Gustavo's compositions, while Catacroma was built in a much more collective way. At what point did you realize that the band's dynamic needed to change, and what kind of things emerged in the songs precisely because the three of you started participating from the beginning?
Gustavo Riviera: The idea for the band's beginnings came about when I was living abroad, without Forgotten Boys, and I started writing some songs that didn't fit into Forgotten Boys. That's why I decided to do this new project. Then, when Paulo and Steve joined, we formed the band and started recording. In the beginning, it was mostly just my compositions. After that, we did one, two, three tours, started recording new songs and composing. This album, the band is much more formed, with everyone participating a lot in the songs.
So, Paulo comes up with an idea, I come up with an idea, Steve comes up with another idea, and we write together, compose everything together. I think things happened naturally, as we became more familiar with each other… I already played with Paulo, and with Steve being more present, it was natural for us to get together to rehearse and for things to be created by the three of us. That's the result of the new album, this album entirely made by the three of us.
WK: The title Catacroma suggests an idea of transformation, displacement, and mixing. How does this concept relate to the way you composed the album?
GR: The album title was created after the songs were finished. So, we listened to the songs and thought, “what is this?” It’s not something you can explain, that you can define. So, we invented a word that doesn’t mean anything, you know, specifically for something. So, it’s something you can imagine related to songs that are very, very different from each other. They have many different parts. That’s what we thought about when creating the album title.
Steve Shelley: Also, when we were creating the name, we discussed a bit about the different languages and how we deal with Portuguese, English, and Spanish sometimes, and how we don't fit perfectly into one place. And we were talking about new words or new words to represent things. So, it's a bit like that. Language barriers and the creation of a new language.
WK: Steve Shelley has already participated in one of the most experimental chapters in the history of alternative rock with Sonic Youth. Gustavo has a long history with the Forgotten Boys, while Paulo moves through different musical universes. Did Riviera Gaz emerge precisely from the clash of these experiences, or do you try to leave that past outside when you enter the room?
Paulo Kishimoto: Well, I think we can, we can simply leave our past behind. I think everyone brings their own baggage to everything. I mean, everyone reacts differently, according to their own perspective, based on their experience, the bands they've played in, the bands they've listened to, or the things they've studied. So, it's very natural that everything you have inside is connected to the other guys.
An album without limitations
WK: In an era where virtually any imperfection can be corrected during production, you chose not to use click tracks, pitch correction, and instrument plugins. What were you trying to preserve with these limitations?
SS: I think that's what music is. It can be alive and pulsating, it can move, speed up and slow down, and still be successful and sound really good. So, I think the trend of quantizing things and using these grids is great for certain things, but I don't think it's great for everything. When I'm recording backing tracks, I ask them not to record with a metronome if possible. Sometimes you need to use it, if someone is recording an orchestra later, and you know that sometimes you need the metronome. But I really like playing with these guys without a metronome.
PK: Yes. I think part of music is breathing, floating, speeding up and slowing down. That's naturally part of music. And it also has to do with perfection. I, personally, don't like perfect things. I don't like things that are clear, very clear, perfect or crystalline. I don't know if those are the right words, but I prefer things that are messy and flawed. And when I was a child, listening to many bands, I could perceive some small mistakes they had. In fact, there are many small mistakes in very famous classic tracks.
SS: And sometimes that's cool, right?
PK: I mean, everything else is so cool that it doesn't matter. I'm not saying we left mistakes on the record, but there were some strange noises or… I like the way the music behaves that way. So, it's not so perfect in terms of timing or pages with a tuned melody and vocals. I have no problem with any of that. But nowadays it's not that you don't hear this kind of music live, or recorded music, as much as before, but… And there are also still concert pieces with orchestras. Music sometimes needs to have variations in tempo.
SS: True. That's why there's a conductor.
PK: Yes, yes. And sometimes, if you listen to the same concerto with different orchestras and conductors, you notice how the speed varies from recording to recording, how the tempo slows down or even the accentuation. And it's the same composition. But you have that. All that part for interpretation. And remember that we're all human playing. That's cool.
WK: Gustavo, after so many years leading the Forgotten Boys, what does Riviera Gaz allow you to do that perhaps wasn't possible within that band? Is there any artistic freedom that you only found working with Paulo and Steve?
GR: Yes, totally. It's true. I had forgotten that Boys had a history. We, of course, can do whatever we want. But the band is sometimes stronger than us, you know? So the band shapes you. Sometimes it influences you, you know? So, in Rivier Gaz, I have more freedom to experiment with new things.
WK: Steve, what's it like working with musicians from a scene and tradition different from your own? Is there any specifically Brazilian element in the way Gustavo and Paulo create music that has altered your way of playing within Riviera Gaz?
SS: I don't think there's anything different between Brazilian and American actions, but… I think all our experiences are so different that I really love playing with the guys… Because they're from Brazil and because they're unique. And I learn a lot from them. And one thing I've learned about Brazilian music is that when I learn a little, there's always so much more. So, I think I know a little and then… Paulo plays something that's breathtaking. You know, something from the 70s in Brazil. And it's simply… It's been a learning experience to be able to come to Brazil more than once or twice.
WK: You say that Riviera Gaz “lives in its own time.” This seems to go beyond an aesthetic description. In an industry that demands speed, constant singles, and increasingly digestible music, is this idea of its own time also a form of resistance?
GR: Yes. We didn't plan to follow this idea of being part of a scene. Things are being done this way, like connecting quickly with people or making short songs just to reach listeners easily. So, yes, we're making the music the way we enjoy it, the way we like it, and without thinking about it.
WK: If Catacroma represents an evolution from the first album, what was the main thing you discovered about Riviera Gaz during this process that wasn't clear when the band started?
SS: No. I think we didn't know anything when the band started. We had no idea where it would take us. I think we just… When you start a project, a band, you hope to make a song, a single or an album, but… beyond that, you know? Then one day we do a show.
WK: Does the band have plans for a tour to promote the album?
PK: To play shows in small towns. It would be interesting for me to adapt. Yes, we would be very grateful to tour. We don't have anything planned yet, but we hope to do some shows. Yes, we've toured before. We played in many cities in Brazil. We also played in Argentina, in some cities. And in Chile, in some cities. And also in Montevideo, Uruguay. So, we're excited to get back to playing shows.
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