A Dirty Dozen with FÁBIO CALDEIRA from MAESTRICK – July 2025

We get lead singer / keyboardist Fábio to discuss new music, influences, and 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 you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Yes! We have a lot of hidden nuggets! I would say that the reason for the album titles being in Italian is very interesting. We divided each album (Solare and Lunare) into three movements: the first four songs of Solare have the theme “Paradise”, the next four “Purgatory” and the last four “Inferno”. Lunare starts with “Inferno” and continues through “Purgatory” until the last four, with the theme “Paradise”. The idea is that in our lives we go through many good and bad moments, trials, like a “Divine Comedy.” Sometimes, in the same day. Which makes us, in a way, “Dantes.” The farewell words “Good bye Dante” at the end of Last Station is for the protagonist who gets off the train, but also for the listener who has finished the album.

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

I come from a very musical family, with really talented people, but who didn’t have the opportunity to study music formally. But when we got together there was always music, everyone sang and that always came very naturally to me. So my sister and I were encouraged to study, she the piano and I the acoustic guitar. I was seven years old and really liked it. When I was 11 I already had the outline of my first rock band and since then I haven’t stopped. I also studied classical piano, conducting and singing; I have a great thirst for learning.

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

My mother used to buy vinyl records with children’s stories narrated on them. The soundtracks were always incredible, it was as if they told the stories with the notes and arrangements of the instruments. I believe that this was the first marker, because I am still very visual when it comes to creating stories and songs. Years later I discovered Queen and Iron Maiden through video shows and fell in love with their live performance. They were two bands that had a huge impact on me.

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

Brian May from Queen. He created some of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. And he seems like a great person to talk to. I would also say Danny Elfman. I love the way he develops his themes with irony, sarcasm and a peculiar dose of humor. I identify with him a lot.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour? What do you like to do to unwind?

I love playing soccer, reading, watching movies and visiting different places.

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?

I would say it is plural and cinematic music, with roots in heavy metal. We are open to any style and approach, as long as it contributes to the bigger picture. I usually disagree with reviews where the reviewer hasn’t properly listened to the work. When they decide to write more about themselves than the record.

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

Heitor is the cook, Montanha takes care of the drinks, and Guilherme is the one who picks up the guitar to sing along. I am the comedian.

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

I would say Gentle Giant! I confess that I recently delved into their work and the way they were virtuosos on several instruments and the way they constructed songs with counterpoints and dissonant harmonies impressed me a lot. To name a contemporary group, I would say Haken. I really like the musical variety that they impose with great personality.

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?

In my opinion, it is the ability to connect with people and create musical landscapes. That is so powerful. The right music at the right time can save a life. Understanding that it is something much more than just entertainment. It is a mission to try to make places and people better. If I could no longer be a musician, I think I would be a game developer or a film writer.

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?

Interesting question! Maybe that’s the one you asked! But I would say who my favorite composers are. The answer would be Andrew Lloyd Webber, Freddie Mercury, Paul McCartney, Danny Elfman, Camille Saint Saëns, Hanz Zimmer and John Williams. And about a question I am tired of answering. I really don’t have any questions that bother me. It’s always great to talk about music and our work with Maestrick.

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?

When we released our first album Unpuzzle! we had a wonderful script for a music video, but we didn’t shoot it for some reason I don’t remember. I regret not having insisted enough to do it.

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?

A Night at the Opera by Queen. This album had such an impact on me, on so many levels, that it would be incredible to be a fly on the wall and witness the creation of those timeless performances.

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Category: Interviews