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SUPREMA

SupreMa website: www.suprema-online.com

SupreMa Facebook: www.facebook.com/supremabr

 

 

* Interview was done in March 2014.

 

 

- Thanks for your kindness and time, Jen.

- Hello! Thank you for the chat.

- Let's start as it usually goes: please tell me more about last SupreMa album “Traumatic Scenes”? What's the audience reaction was like and what you yourself think about this album?

- The “Traumatic Scenes” album is a conceptual one and it was based on “The Invisible” film, but it isn’t a narration about the film, I’ve written about some aspects and feelings implicit inside the story such as love, hate, fury, rage, memories, nightmare, suicidal and other ones. About the songs, I wanted a powerful album with heavy guitars, mixing an intricate and complex instrumental with beautiful choruses, I think we’ve reached what we wanted.

We’ve received amazing comments about this album coming from the audience, press and promoters also. Brazilian fans could watch SupreMa playing alive this album with a giant scenario, lightning and all structure that we’re traveling with throughout the country, because the concert shows all elements of the album, the lyrics, the concept and the story. All is linked and all people that have listened and paid attention to the lyrics and artwork could understand and enjoy each detail. I’m very happy about it cause when I wrote the songs I could see what it could reach and show alive, but most of them have surprised me a lot, I was unaware how powerful some of the songs would be like “Fury and Rage” and “Before the end” for example.

- Maybe it's time already to make a worldwide tour? Btw, what you like most during tour? I know that it's funny but also pretty hard.

- SupreMa received a lot of offers to tour in Europe since 2008, but we’re awaiting the right time to do it. We really want to take with us all structure that we use in Brazil, all scenario and crew, and we’re planning the best manner to do it. The album has received good comments in Europe and in many metal sites around the world. We don’t have the exact date but we want to do it shortly. Myself and all musicians from SupreMa love to be on the road, this is our life and we dedicate most of the time of our days talking about it. Really, it’s so hard but when you love what you do, you can find the best way to face all difficulties. We try to enjoy the travel, know some places and landscapes of the cities and be together with our fans after the show, the energy that they give us makes the tour worthwhile.

- How you understood that music is your life? And when you understood it? You never regretted the life choice?

- I began playing guitar 17 years ago and since my first contact with it I dreamed to become a musician. Four years later I began teaching and in 2004 I left everything to follow my dream, my last paid work, other bands that I played with and all activities around. That was the time I founded SupreMa and since then I decided to follow this path. Of course, in the beginning my family and all people by my side didn’t believe that I could reach some success or make a living only by playing guitar, but my dream talked loud and I had to follow it. Sometimes it’s so hard and perhaps I thought to regret, but the will to reach the target and new horizons always keep me with my eyes on the goal! My will to win always screams louder than the choice of resign.

- What you actually want to achieve as a musician?

- I want to contribute with my insane ideas. I always created the concepts and don't write any song without motive. I love surrealistic art and paranormal themes. I love heavy songs and intricate instrumental and this is SupreMa, this is Douglas Jen. I want to show different states of spirit that I live, sometimes sounds intense and aggressive, or so calm and tranquility.

- Please, describe what you feel when you play the guitar. And do you remember what you felt when played for the first time? I mean “played” but not just took.

- When I was a teenager I heard rock and metal bands with my friends and I freaked out with some videos from Iron Maiden, Metallica, GnR as well, and when I saw Slash leading the crowd playing his guitar solo I pictured myself doing that someday. I would take an old acoustic guitar in my living room and would imitate him and others ‘guitar heroes’. Shortly I was trying to learn to play guitar alone and I got playing some melodies and chords. I remember when I took some classes and learned a couple of chords I was fascinated and couldn’t think about other things, it was ‘love at first sight’. I couldn’t predict if it could be my real work someday, but it brought me a happiness out of control and I wanted to play every time! I remember when I arrived from school, I would leave my book aside and run to play guitar!

- What disappointed you when you chose music as your profession? Everything have dark sides but very often we see it only when touch it. So, what about music and you.

- Actually you can be disappointed with any profession and before I decided to be a musician I talked with some friends and professional musicians to know better what happens and how to follow it. Thus I wasn’t disappointed about some issues cause I already knew what I would need to face. My sole issue that I always need to handle is when the business is above the art, cause I don’t do my songs and my career only for money, the artistic question is very important to me, and it always needs to talk louder than the rest.

- What your friends and family said when understood that play the guitar is serious for you? And if they were against you – how you deal with it? If they supported you – how it helped you?

- As I said before my family and friends didn't understand that I could be a musician, they believed it was a hobby only and after some great concerts and when I really began teaching guitar some of them perceived that it could turn into my real work. Of course I was amused but since the first time I took it seriously and didn’t take long for them to support me. Working late at night and all weekends but on Monday or Tuesday being free to relax was so strange to them, but in the course of time my parents have learned to deal with it. Today they like it a lot and always support me, they understand my crazy time to sleep and when I need to stay away from home for a long period.

- What do you actually think about dreams? Is it necessary for people to follow their dreams or it's ok if they try to forget about them because of fear of changes?

- The dream is the key for you to reach anything in your life chiefly inside the music market. While you keep the dream alive you have strength to overcome all problems. Regardless of whether you succeed or not you need to have a dream, and if you really want to reach your goals you must accept some changes, cause opportunities appear suddenly and some of them can change the way drastically and if you are not sure what you want for your life perhaps you lose what could make your dream come true.

- And you, as person who dared to follow your dream to be a musician, what can you say to people on the crossroads? It always a choice between dream and smth.

- I am always honest with all people who ask me about a musician’s life. If you are not certain of what you want, don't think of going ahead cause you'll have a lot of deceptions, several sleepless nights and in the beginning you'll earn very little money and if you aren’t sure of what you want you'll resign in two or three years or less. But if you're sure about your career, don't be afraid about it and go on without looking back, don't pay attention to bad criticisms and don't hear jealous people who want to be where you are. The size of your dream and your willingness will define the best choice of your way. 

- How you see your ideal world? Describe some “fundamental” terms, please.

- Patience! In all places that I‘ve been to I perceived it, people don’t have patience with one another, inside a confusing situation or under stress nobody breathes, counts to ten, thinks twice and finally does the action. People don’t have patience to wait for the right time do to things and it drives them to worst choices or premature ones.

- What do you think about friendship? What it means for you? And could you forgive someone who betrayed you?

- I think it’s really hard to believe. Your real friend is that person who is at your side in a good moment or when all goes wrong, inside the problem you’ll find the real friends. I’ve already forgiven some people that betrayed me, but I’ll never believe them again. Real friendship is increasingly rare.

- Similar question about loneliness. What it means for you and how you actually deal with it?

- I’ve heard some histories of musicians living inside total loneliness, it’s very sad! Sometimes in the past I really felt it cause I couldn't handle stress, hard work, travels, etc. But when you have amazing people by your side you can face it and never let it come back again.

- And a few last simple questions: first thought when you wake up?

- “I need to take my coffee, whether to begin my ‘guitar day’ or to do SupreMa's activities.”

- Your favorite book?

- I’ve read few books and between travels and classes I try to keep studying guitar and musical theory. I'm a real addict to music studying.

- Your way to relax.

- I take my acoustic guitar and play in my room. I like to walk around to take a coffee with my fiancee in coffee shops also.

- And your way to find inspiration?

- Either inside a silent room late at night or with my acoustic guitar in the farmstead. Always when I want to write I search for inspiration far from large cities, cause landscapes and birds usually bring me this peace to inspire me.

- Last one: tell me please about future SupreMa plans and a few your last words to your fans.

- For now SupreMa has just released the newest official video for the song “Fury and Rage”, it’s a superb production filmed by mainstream Brazilian producers and we’re promoting this one now, check it out here. This year SupreMa completes its 10th anniversary and we might do some surprise to the fans. Finally the band will keep on the road playing in several Brazilian cities until July and after that we really want to do our first run overseas. I want to see the fans around the world and show them all our best. Thank you for the interview! See you soon.

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