A Dirty Dozen with THEO VAN DER LOO from EGO KILL TALENT – March 2020

According to a recent press release: “Ego Kill Talent — Jonathan Dörr (Vocals), Jean Dolabella (Drums/Guitar), Raphael Miranda (Drums/Bass), Niper Boaventura (Guitar/Bass), and Theo Van Der Loo (Guitar/Bass) — may very well be the busiest and most beloved band you have never heard of — until “NOW!” The São Paulo, Brazil quintet has already made friends rock luminaries and has built up a beyond impressive touring history, having shared stages with genre behemoths like Queens of the Stone Age, System of a Down, Shinedown, and more. Four of the band members are known to quickly trade instruments amongst themselves within their set and while playing, making for a thrilling spectacle of a performance.” We get Theo to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Writing and recording this album was an amazing experience for several reasons. We really gave a lot of ourselves to the songs, they all mean so much to us and we feel really touched by them. Then we recorded the album at 606 Studios in Los Angeles and that was mind-blowing. I mean it is the Foo Fighters studio where a lot of great songs were conceived!! And we were there for several weeks recording and shaping our new record…it was awesome! With our first record we got some reviews saying we are a mix of a heavy instrumental band with some sort of a more pop approach to melodies and harmonies. I feel like in the new album we went further in both. We have some riffs that are even heavier and some melodies and harmonies that are even more “pop” than the previous album. And we are loving it!! Regarding “Hidden nuggets” you can definitely expect that in the videos and if you look close you’ll see some stuff that even connects with the first album. Also, if the listeners pay attention to the lyrics they might notice that some songs communicate with each other. Almost like they complete each other in some sense. This wasn’t done on purpose but we noticed it and love it!! I think it was a kind of unconscious thing we did because we are always so deeply involved in the writing process…

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I remember when I was 10 – 11 years old and started to listen to vinyls, especially Appetite For Destruction from Guns N Roses. I was amazed by the feelings I could reach by listening to music. That was really what got me into it. I was like “damn I want to be able to do this!” and that was it. When I was 12 I asked my dad for my first guitar and started to have classes. Although I liked trying to play songs from my idols I was always much more interested in trying to create new stuff…that was definitely my drive.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Yes! Metallica and Guns N Roses for sure. Albums: Appetite for Destruction, Use Your Illusion (I and II), Black Album, Ride the Lightning, And Justice for All and Master of Puppets. And I watched hundreds of times the VHS of GnR Live in Tokyo and Metallica’s Live Shit: Binge & Purge.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

This answer will be a bit diverse “music style wise” because although I was very much into Rock and heavy music since I was a kid I was also always listening to 70’s music with my dad. So, let’s go: Metallica, Guns N Roses, Genesis/Phil Collins, Supertramp (you didn’t see this coming right? :), Sepultura, and if I could add a 6th would be Rage Against The Machine.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Well we are very honored for having written a song with John Dolmayan from System Of A down. He is a good friend and was very inspiring to jam with such an icon of the Rock world. I could list a bunch of people we’d love to collaborate with, but I’d have to say James Hetfield or Lenny Kravitz. Hetfield is the king of riffs, period. And Lenny Kravitz mastered the craft of mixing rock and pop in a powerful and beautiful way. Would also be a no-brainer having Slash doing a solo in one of our songs… Looks like a picked 3…can I add Billie Eilish, Finneas O’connell and Dave Grohl and make it 6?

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Hmm – describing your own music is always such a hard thing to do but once I read a review about us that I loved. It said we are somewhere in between the Foos and Metallica with flavors of Tool, Pearl Jam and Incubus. Loved it! Regarding “bad comparisons” I’ve never seen one that really pissed me off…

7. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Jonathan cooks, I get the drinks and Jean or Raphael get the acoustic guitar.

8. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

On a live performance it was Biffy Clyro and TwentyOnePilots….both are so impressive live! I was also amazed when I saw RATM live back in 2010…that was like a force of nature. In a record most recently it was Billie Eilish… although she was already all over the press and the internet I wasn’t paying much attention to her till I heard “When the Party’s Over” and was blown away with that amazing melody!!

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Having fun on stage with my buddies!!! That’s for sure the best part for me. I studied psychology and I love it. I’d love to work with that too.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

You honestly did great questions here, it was fun! Can’t think of others you haven’t done. But I always like to discuss lyrics and a bit of philosophy too 🙂 A question I’m tired of answering? I guess I don’t have a problem answering any questions because I can’t think of any now! Lol

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I guess if I had a chance to go back in time to the tour we did in S. America with the Foos and Queens of The Stone Age I’d ask to take a picture with them!! It was just so much fun and they were super nice to us but we never asked for a picture together!

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

It would definitely be The Black Album. I mean that is a masterpiece!!! It is for sure the album I listened to the most in my life and I’m still blown away by how all the instruments are sounding in that album…it is just amazing.

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Category: Interviews