MÄGO DE OZ' CRIES OUT FOR HELP ON THEIR LATEST ALBUM, "GAIA"
by Don Sill
Madrid's MÄGO DE OZ' creative and distinctive blend of Heavy Metal and Celtic styles plus dynamic in-your-face performances have won them acclaim from both fans and press. Produced by Goyo Esteban, Gaia is a powerful album with sensitive melodies embracing the listener and resulting in masterful Spanish Worldrock.
Accompanying the album is a bonus DVD including interviews with band members on the production of the CD, the concept behind Gaia, footage from the studio, recording with a choir in the church and a music video.
Gaia has already gone platinum in Spain and is currently the #2 album in the country as well, ahead of Iron Maiden at #3. MÄGO DE OZ are constantly touring Spain, Mexico, Portugal and South America.
Ballbuster recently caught up with Mago De Oz front man, Txus, and riffed about the band and how the state of the world has effected his art.
BALLBUSTER: Where are you from?
TXUS: Mägo de Oz are from Madrid. Its our hometown, and we all live here.
But I was born in Bilbao, when I was a child we moved to Madrid.
BALLBUSTER: What is the music scene like over there?
TXUS: In Spain we have big Rock bands and the musicians' level is very high. In Spain there are many musical styles (Grunge, Hardcore, Metal, Rock, Nu-metal, Gothic, Death, Black, Punk, etc ..) and all of great quality.
BALLBUSTER: How popular is metal music to the Spanish speaking community?
TXUS: The Heavy sound is very important in Spain. There are a lot of big festivals and concerts on the weekends. We have a lot of metalheadz here. Spain is, beside Germany, one of the european countries where Rockmusic is an important part of the music-business, with a lot of sales.
BALLBUSTER: How important is it for you to make it in the states?
TXUS: USA is a very difficult country for Heavy Metal. There is no big support. But I believe we can open this closed door with our music.
BALLBUSTER: What makes Mago De Oz different from other metal bands?
TXUS: The violin and our original way of making music.
BALLBUSTER: Who are some of your musical influences?
TXUS: The Heavy Metal of the 80s and folk. From Iron Maiden up to Gwendal. From Rainbow up to Jethro Tull
BALLBUSTER: There are eight of you in this band, who has the final say in the music?
TXUS: If your you read our credits sides. I (Txus) am in the habit of taking charge of the lyrics and of the majority of the musical ones, but we all collaborate.
BALLBUSTER: What is the pecking order?
TXUS: Here there is no pecking. We all are equal.
BALLBUSTER: What kind of dissagreements occur in the studio? (Examples)
TXUS: There are many anecdotes, in the studios where we recorded the new album. Check out the Gaia DVD, there you can find those anecdotes.
BALLBUSTER: What is the meaning behind "Mago De Oz"?
TXUS: Mägo de Oz is a name that makes a sense of fantasy, the music is a fantasy.
BALLBUSTER: Tell me about this album, "Gaia" what does it mean?
TXUS: ‘Gaia’ is the goddess of the planet Earth and this album is a "cry for help" concerning that the human race should stop mistreat our planet
BALLBUSTER: What would you say it the overall vibe of this record? What inspires you lyrics?
TXUS: This album is inspired by the conquest of America in the part of the Spanish. Also there is a song that speaks about an American governor who hasnŒt saved a women from the death because of a sentence. In his house he found a letter from this dead women. It is the struggle of the Mother Earth against the self-destruction of the man.
BALLBUSTER: What mind set do you write best in? (happy, sad, depressed, angry, ect)
TXUS: It depends on my condition. All the situations are good.
BALLBUSTER: What song on this album best describes Mago De Oz? and why?
TXUS: Gaia because it speaks about like a man can kill another man without pardon asks For Earth the Mother
BALLBUSTER: How has the "war on terror" and all of the other world issues effected you?
TXUS: The war is important but the worst thing is that our leaders (Aznar) kneel down in front of the president of USA.
BALLBUSTER: Have these issues inspired you as an artist?
TXUS: The War?. In Spain we live since 30 years with the terrorism. The bad thing is that ultimately you get used.
BALLBUSTER: What would be the perfect world?
TXUS: I don¹t know. I imagine a world where the man respects the man and the man respects the planet Earth.
BALLBUSTER: When will Mago De Oz play in the states? When?
TXUS: Tomorrow, ja ja ja. In February we will begin a tour of two months across America (Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador...). And if you support us with a great article, probably a promoter of your city invites us to play in your town. In Spain we sold over 200.000 albums in only one month, and in Spain and America we played in big venues (soccer stadiums, pavilions of sports, bullrings, etc.) in front of 10.000 fans.
BALLBUSTER: What do you want people to walk away with after seeing your show?
TXUS: We want that our fans enjoy our shows. They should go home with lots of memories and we hope with a good mood.
BALLBUSTER: What are your Ultimate goals?
TXUS: Goals? To play great concerts of course. Is that the answer you expect? You have to ask our groopies. |
