Nuvem Leopardo - The Nuvem Leopardo Experience

The13th AÑO: 4 | NÚMERO 40

UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA

NUVEM LEOPARDO THE NUVEM LEOPARDO EXPERIENCE

[ Interview with Marcel Willou from Nuvem Leopardo by Pablo Müllner ]

THE NUVEM LEOPARDO EXPERIENCE

Nuvem Leopardo is escencially the musical proyect of Marcel Willou, Singer and prodigious guitarrist born in Brazil. Only two years on the road, and two albums recorded: “Mercurio Revolver” 82015 and the recent “Quintaessencia” (2017), Nuvem Leopaldo succeed at devoloping a personal and state-of-art sound, that finds its main inspiration in the sixties psychodelia, but that also is linked to the contemporary indie rock scene and it doesn´t deny its tropical roots Nevertheless to go through the “Nuvem Lepoardo Experience” fully it is a must to listen to them live. And that is just what we did. Joined by Florencia López in bass and Roberto Figueroa (Knei) in drums, during the Psychodelic Night that took place in Niceto B Side on August 3rd, Nuvem Leopardo was a surprising display of wildness and elegance. Light and darkness. Overflowing energy and peaceful insight. In

and Dionysian.

interview with The 13th Magazine, Marcel spoke of all extremes, contradictory only at first sight, that get together in the shape of Nuvem Leopardo.

“I'm heavily influenced by the art and psychedelic culture, old and new. The desire is to lead an electric soul to the outskirts of my body as music and manifesting these visions bringing the messages as enchantments, opening and cleaning the eyes and doors and with that healing myself and possibly others”. That seems to be like a “manifesto” for the band, Marcel. At the same time sounds that the true essence of the band is being live in the stage playing for an audience?

The albums are always the first part of our goal, but playing live, manifesting our music this way brings it to a whole new level.

musical revolution like was hippie movement in the 60´s or the punk revolution in the 70´s? Or at least does this idea is a good way to look forward? How did those vanguards influence Nuvem Leopardo?

Yes, absolutely! I feel it more and more, it's something like the Age of Aquarius finally coming through, the Counter-cultural movements against times of oppression. These vanguards have a huge influence on Nuvem Leopardo and they always guided us with their accomplishments, but also with their mistakes and flaws that we are determined to avoid when it's possible.

During at least the last two decades bands were concerned with express only emotions through their music and make it clear that there was no further message beyond music. Is it possible that the band like some classic 60´s bands find in music a vehicle to express something transcendent, like it happens in philosophy or in mysticism, or with other art expressions more focused on a message?

Yes, definitely. But I believe those bands are still very focused on the feel and on transmitting a lot of emotions as well, for me the best bands in the 60's and at all times found a perfect balance between Apollonian

Do you think that is just a isolated case, the Nuvem Leopardo experience? Do you identify a “scene” or at least group of bands that “have a similar approach” to the music than yours?

Yes, for sure. Especially with the way we produced our music and the more contemporary approach to do that. We record and produce ourselves in our computers and we always have. In our studios we are limitless and the live performance is an adaptation of that.

Examples are everywhere, from the new psychedelic scene there are bands like Tame Impala, Pond, The Dandelion, Jacco Gardner, Tagore, Boogarins and Terceiro Olho de Marte, all of them had or have the same approach to do it.

Do you get the feeling that there could be a next

In ancient times “Quintaescencia” was a fifth element, some kind of energy that came from nature and everything living, but that couldn´t be trapped. ¿What does “Quintessencia” mean for Nuvem Leopardo?

It referencesAristotle and also talks about Quintessence as dark matter and how the most attractive property of it is dynamism, how it interacts with other matter and evolves with time. The Hermetic Seal of Light, the synthesis of alchemy. The record tries to synthesize that in its concept.

The new album really sounds very fresh, and full of energy and edge. Was that part of plan before the recording started or did it come across naturally? Is it possible that catching the vibe of the band

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playing live we get the “Quintaessencia” of Nuvem Leopardo?

It was part of the plan to transmit these flowering feeling. Yes, definitely, the vibe of the band live tries to go deeper in the concept the recorded version brings.

“A Nuvem Leopardo nasce em flor, da serpente, semente, ácida e persistente/ Forte e valente, nunca morrerá!” (A leopard cloud blooms in flower from the snake, from the seed, acid and peristent/ Strong and brave, it will never die”) those are some lyrics from the song “A Nuvem Leopardo” from the last LP Quintessencia. It seems to be more than just good sounding words, they seem part of some mystical experience. Could you explain some of those visions?

The song A Nuvem Leopado is the motto of the band in a poem I wrote by the time I was writing the songs for Quintessencia in Brasil back in the summer of 2015/2016. And yes it is part of a private mythology of the band.

“Revolver Mercurio” is just two years away from “Quintessencia” and sounds already a Little bit different. Probably the main difference is that songs are longer and they rock harder. Someone des-

cribed like a cross of Beatles and Black Sabbath, with the unavoidable mention of Os Mutantes. Do you think your sound “evolve” or just “change”?

Does it has to do with playing live or the change of the line up? Do you think that as a band you live in state of constant transformation?

I guess Quintessencia is more based on the format of chanson and it's more vibrant and solar. By the time I recorded Revolver Mercurio the band was a solo project of mine, Quintessencia still contains only my songwriting, but was arranged more in a band like-way.

Our sound evolved, but kept some characteristics from Revolver Mercurio's concept if you notice. By the time I recorded Revolver Mercurio the band was a solo project of mine, Quintessencia still contains only my songwriting, but was arranged and recorded more in a band format.

Absolutely, we are a never ending metamorphosis.

I saw you playing at the concert of 03/08 in Niceto B with a group of great bands, like Los Ácidos and Hurricane Heart Attacks. It was a wonderful date. I wrote a review of the whole night and in your case I pointed out how passionate, fiery was your deliver, Marcel, beyond virtuosity it seems you really got into a trance. At the same time noted that

5 Florencia, the bassist, kind of balance that raw power with her coolness and detachment and femininity. It reminds me a lot of the ying/yang thing that bring a male/female duo in rock like in the case of The Cramps or The White Stripes. Did you noticed that?

When performing live I really get into these trance- like states and my delivery comes purely from the soul. I didn't notice until I read the review and it makes perfect sense.

You are an Argentine band in terms of location, but for obvious reasons (Marcel Willou is Brazilian) all your lyrics are in Portuguese. I think the foreign language helps the audience to get into the trip of the sound easier… But how does it feel for you?

Would you tell us the little story of how it all started this way? Would you consider singing in Spanish in the future?

The project started in Brazil and it is part of the concept singing in my native language and without minding where I'm located. When I listen to French bands for example, a language I don't speak, sometimes it's easier to get into the trip more by feeling than paying attention to the lyrics, it's easier to dive, most of the

time and later when I check the lyrics from bands who made me trip or feel something extraordinary, the lyrics are compatible and they match the vibe. Perhaps I would record something isolated in Spanish like Os Mutantes did with El Justiciero, for example.

We mention Os Mutantes, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, and I would add Jimi Hendrix and Tame Impala and a lot of names that come across when you search for your “sound-alikes”. Can you mention artists who influences you which don´t come across so obviously?

I guess it would be Ravi Shankar, Ludwig Van Beethoven, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Jupiter Maça, Tim Maia, Fela Cuti, The Night Beats, Dungen, Connan Mockasin, Nicolas Jaar, The Velvet Underground, Country Joe and the Fish, The Kinks, The Seeds, The Dandelion, Acid Bath, Knei, Pescado Rabioso y El Kinto among several others.

Anything you can tell us about projects for the near future?

We are beginning to record a new album and there's a upcoming tour to be announced soon.

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