by Alexandra Mrozowska
— Senior Columnist —
There are musicians best at being a vital contributive part of a musical collective as well as those who are simply indispensable behind the steering wheel. But in order to embrace the entirety of the experience, it takes to know the best (and worst) of both worlds. BJ – a Brazilian singer and multiinstrumentalist experienced both as a frontman (SPEKTRA, Danger Angel, Tempestt) and a band member (SOTO, Jeff Scott Soto’s solo band, the current incarnation of Talisman) – certainly does! And speaking about SPEKTRA, the details of the project’s foundation were revealed on Hardrock Haven by no one else but Jeff Scott Soto (its co-writer and co-producer) in October 2020. Now that their first album Overload is out on Frontiers Music SRL, it’s time for another chapter of the story. And this time, it’s told by SPEKTRA’s own voice…
Hardrock Haven: Let’s start from a band name – where did the idea to call it SPEKTRA come from?
BJ: First of all, thanks for having me to talk about my brand new project SPEKTRA! The name was a gift from a great friend of mine… I was thinking about some names and he came up with SPECTRA with a “C”… he said: “I had a dream with this name and I want to give to you ‘cause it fits perfectly for your new band!”. I was stoked and I just changed the letter “C” to the “K”, and there it is! SPEKTRA! I couldn’t think of another better name for the band.
Hardrock Haven: So, before we get to SPEKTRA’s first album in detail, let’s rewind to early July, when the band members hit the stage twice in São Paulo, Brasil, accompanying a very certain Jeff Scott Soto for what I believe was the first international gig in Brasil since the pandemic started. What was the feeling of being back onstage like and was it the first time you performed since COVID hit?
BJ: I hit the stage three weeks before that show with Jeff. It was a special event – playing only Journey songs – and it was a kind of an experimental gig with only 30 per cent of capacity of the venue. But you’re right, the show with my brother Jeff was the first international gig in São Paulo since COVID, and I have to say that it was amazing! The feeling we had being back on stage after a long time was totally outstanding! People’s energy makes everything worth it… We had a blast during those two shows.
Hardrock Haven: During one of them, you also debuted two singles off SPEKTRA’s first album Overload. What was the audience’s reaction like and in general, are you satisfied with the feedback you’re getting about it so far?
BJ: Yes! I’m really happy about the people’s reaction… They were expecting something good from us for sure, but they are LOVING SPEKTRA’s material – and also, people were asking me a lot to have a Melodic Hard Rock/AOR band, cause I have to say that this is the kind of music that makes me the singer that I am, with all the influences and stuff… That night was indeed the first time we played the two singles, and people got crazy! Like I said before, I’m really happy with all the feedback – we are making some noise, and we love it! Our first single/video “Overload” hit 100.000 views on the first week of the release. Pretty good for a brand new project.
Hardrock Haven: Definitely! Looking back at your career before SPEKTRA, do you think also your experience from the JSS solo band and SOTO will translate somehow into what you do right now with SPEKTRA?
BJ: Yes, for sure! Our experiences over the years just improve who we are as artists and musicians. The opportunity of playing every night with Jeff and also my bandmates of these great bands over the years is a gift! They undoubtedly made me a better singer, musician and composer, and I think I help them with something too….. this is how life goes.
Hardrock Haven: And how does it feel like to be a frontman again after years of being a part of the bands we’ve just discussed? Do you think the experience will be similar to your tenure in Tempestt and Danger Angel?
BJ: I think every band is special in some way, cause it’s part of who you are…. SPEKTRA is really special to me, though. The band came up in a perfect time of my life personally and professionally. I think this is my best vocal performance so far – I mean, I feel like a mature vocalist/singer and I’m using my vocal abilities the best way I can, with my bandmates playing their instruments better than ever! I feel grateful that Frontiers decided to have me on this very special project with our writers and producers – Jeff Scott Soto and Alessandro Del Vecchio – they are amazing!
Hardrock Haven: Absolutely! So was it always easy for you to adapt to their ideas, or were there any modifications? And is there any difference for you between performing the material you wrote yourself (as, I believe, was so in Tempestt) and performing the material written by someone else?
BJ: Jeff and I are working together since 2009. He knows my voice and he thinks about me singing when he writes the melodies – I do the same when I’m writing songs for SOTO and also JSS band. That being said, Jeff is a genius when it comes to working on vocal melodies! I did my “thing” for sure on SPEKTRA’s album – it’s my way of singing and [I introduced] some modifications, but everything was supervised and approved by Jeff. It was super easy to work with these guys. You ask about the differences… as soon as I sang the songs my own way, I feel the same [about them] – I just LOVE the album! I sang every note with all my heart and every melody is special to me….. I think we are a great team!
Hardrock Haven: Do you think the chemistry and friendship you’ve established with Jeff through so many years actually help when it comes to interpreting the material and putting your own stamp on it?
BJ: Exactly! Like I said before, we’re working together for more than ten years, and also Jeff is like my family… I know him very well and that’s what makes things super easy. We have a great chemistry beside the friendship like you said, so everything flows in the best way possible…
Hardrock Haven: Speaking about chemistry, you’ve been working with most of the SPEKTRA line-up for years in bands we’ve already mentioned. Do you think there’s a link between this fact and the way SPEKTRA sounds?
BJ: Totally – and that’s why I chose these guys to be with me on this project. I admire them so much, and I believe they are the perfect band to sound like I ideally imagined. Edu [Cominato, SPEKTRA’s drummer] and Leo [Mancini, SPEKTRA’s guitarist] founded the band Tempestt with me back in the day, so we are working together for more than twenty years. And also, last but not least, Henrique [Canale, SPEKTRA’s bassist] is a great producer and one of the best bass players I know….. I couldn’t be happier with a line up!
Hardrock Haven: In 2012, you also released a solo cover album Acoustic Heroes showcasing your influences. Have these inspirations and influences change anyhow over the course of time, especially since you’ve become a musician, comparing to when you were a kid?
BJ: This album is very special to me. I have a lot of heroes when it comes to music, they keep inspiring me artistically and remain big influences on my music in the same way over these years… I’m inspired by good music of any style – Rock, Pop, Soul, Heavy Metal etc. I still love the music I listened to when I was a little boy. The inspirations change through the years, ‘cause we are changing as human beings, our evolution is happening and so is life… but everything’s still here, inside of me, ‘cause loving music makes me who I am.
Hardrock Haven: SPEKTRA’s sound on the first album will presumably be compared to the Melodic Rock acts from the’80s and the ‘90s. Is this musical reference what you envisioned your career to be, or perhaps you’d like the band to evolve into something a bit more varied over time?
BJ: I have to say that both statements are right… Anyway, Melodic Hard Rock in any form is my favorite kind of music, but I think we can do other things as well as long as we love the results… I think we’re doing this ‘cause we sound modern and we’re looking for a unique way – like an identity – to play Melodic Rock sound even though we remember [the way it was] in the ‘80s and the ‘90s. I want people to listen to a new SPEKTRA’s song playing somewhere and be able to say: “Oh, this sounds like SPEKTRA”! That’s what I’m talking about…
Hardrock Haven: As you’re known to be a fan of the ‘80s Melodic Rock, what do you think was so special about the music from that decade? Do you think the genre will become popular with mainstream listeners again?
BJ: I really hope so… I just love the ‘80s. The music from that decade is so rich in melodies and sounds – everything was changed in a great way in music in that time… My favorite bands are from the ‘80s for sure. To me, it was a magical time when the creative sound was everywhere! It was like it wouldn’t ever end….. amazing artists everywhere, in every genre… and I believe the best singers of all time are from this decade.
Hardrock Haven: Looking forward, there’s also a duet of you and Jeff Scott Soto on his new album The Duets Collection, Vol. 1 that’s going to be released in October. Is the song you perform together, “Holding On” (originally off JSS’s second solo album Prism), special for you in any way?
BJ: Oh yeah! I just love this song! It was like a present! Jeff knows me very well, and he also said that he couldn’t think of another person singing this song on the album but me… I’m honored to be a part of it…. This will be an amazing release with some of the greatest singers in this business.
Hardrock Haven: Absolutely, so we’re all looking forward to hear it! Also recently, we’ve had a couple of Brazilian acts on Hardrock Haven sharing their views on the situation of artists in your homeland. Raphael Mendes of Icon Of Sin emphasized that it’s difficult for a new band who plays original music to go out there with it, whereas the guys from Skyward described the scene as “specific” and “a survivor”. And what’s your opinion about the Rock and Metal scene in Brazil?
BJ: They are right unfortunately… the Hard Rock/Metal scene in Brazil is a kind of a small bubble these days… You have to be a warrior to survive doing your own art here. Back in the day, we used to have a great Rock scene happening – especially in the ‘80s and ‘90s, during MTV’s good days…. Now it’s tough! But we’re still doing our art and loving our music – that’s the only way. That being said, I have a feeling that good times are coming – I’m an optimist!
Hardrock Haven: Are you up to anything else beyond SPEKTRA right now?
BJ: All my efforts are [focused] on this project now… I really believe in this band and I also love everything that we’re doing… but I still have my other bands and projects that I love, like SOTO, Talisman, Danger Angel and I will never give up on these bands. I love everything about them! But right now it’s time for SPEKTRA to conquer the world!
Hardrock Haven: That sounds like a plan for the future! But with your and Edu’s involvement in SPEKTRA, is SOTO currently put on hold?
BJ: SPEKTRA is running at the same time [as SOTO], similarly to Jeff working in another projects like Sons Of Apollo and also his solo career. We’re gonna organize everything to have the best of each of these great bands that we are involved in. We’re gonna give our fanbase everything they want, that’s for sure! And about SPEKTRA’s future – we’re planning a tour in Europe and the USA as soon as people can go out safe and sound to enjoy a concert. We can’t wait to play these great songs live! And I can say that we are already planning the second album…
Hardrock Haven: So we’re already looking forward to it! And is there anything you’d like to add in the end?
BJ: I want to thank you so much for this interview, and say that we are really excited about this release and I hope everyone loves this album like we do! Please follow us on social media. Thanks a lot!
Visit SPEKTRA online: Official Site | Facebook | Instagram
Check out SPEKTRA’s new single and video “Running Out Of Time” below:
