Primitive Reason
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Primitive Reason are an alternative cross-over rock band based in Portugal, with Guillermo de Llera (voice, percussion, didgeridoo), James Beja (bass), Abel Beja (guitar), Ricardo Barriga (guitar) and Pepe de Souza (drunks). Known for their musical experimentalism and fusion, hey are one of the main alternative acts in the Portuguese musical scene,with a strong fan base in the country, as well as in Spain and in the U.S.A. (where they lived from 1998 to 2000). In 2008, while preparing their 6th album release, they are celebrating their 15th anniversary.
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[edit] Band History
Long time friends Guillermo de Llera (bass and voice), Jorge Felizardo (drums) and Brian Jackson (main voice) originally met in the coastal village of Cascais (a few miles from de Lisbon, Portugal). In 1993, they decided to pursue their dream of becoming professional musicians and founded Primitive Reason. Soon after, they called in good friends from the Cascais night scene, Mark Cain (sax) and Mikas Ventura (guitar).
Their diverse backgrounds (Portugal, Spain, UK, U.S.A., Switzerland), musical tastes and lifestyles of each member were, from the first moment, a trademark in their first songs, and their anarchic and intense concerts soon became famous in the local scene.
Primitive Reason emerged in the Portuguese musical scene in 1996, when they released "Alternative Prison" (União Lisboa). Their first single, "Seven Fingered Friend" (reggae/ska mood, in an ode to marijuana), was an instant hit and, along with "Hipócrita" (afro and ska fusion), showcased their unique and unexpected mix of musical styles from rap, punk, hardcore, reggae, ska, tribal and African rhythms to jazz and funky. Songs like "So you say" and "Devil in June" are classic examples of their anarchic, no-rules sound. With "Alternative Prison", Primitive Reason won the major musical awards in Portugal (Blitz Awards), for best new act and best single.
This success took them to countless tours in Portugal and to the stages of the most important summer festivals in Portugal (Paredes de Coura, Super Bock Super Rock, Vilar de Mouros).
Amidst the success, the band works, in 1998, on a second studio venture, "Tips & Shortcuts" (Farol Música), that revealed a tighter production. The impromptu and aggressiveness of "Alternative Prison" (brilliantly captured by Joe Fossard) gave way to a more technical, experienced and clean production by Marsten Bailey. The album has brilliant moments, such as Guillermo's breathtaking rapping in "Man and the Mask" or the Madness-inspired ska piece "Object"(the chosen single). In this second proposal, the lyrics (composed by both Guillermo and Brian) are less politically explicit and more storytelling (from Indian paths to LSD trips).
Not long after releasing "Tips & Shortcuts", frustrated with the label's lack of interest in promoting the band internationally, Primitive Reason decide to take a bold sep and move to New York, where they sign a contract with independent label Jah Notion
This move turned out to be a crossroad situation for the band. When they started working on new material for their U.S.A. debut, Guillermo and Jorge Felizardo found themselves alone after the other members of the band decided, one by one, to leave for different reasons (musical differences, personal problems or desire to change lifestyle. Nevertheless, they decided to keep going: Guillermo took on the lead vocals and the band completed their third record, "Some of Us" (2000), recorded with the help of friends from the NY musical scene, including members from the Scofflaws, Toasters and the New York Ska Jazz Ensemble. Musically, "Some of Us" extends the paths created in the previous records, although perhaps closer to a more extreme, hardcore style. In the record, a hidden track reveals a surprise guest: Darin Pappas, from Ithaka.
With the turn of the millennium, the band eventually recruited two NY locals and long time band fans, James (bass) and Abel Beja (guitar), and started touring in the NY club circuit, playing in landmarks such as CBGB’s, Mercury Lounge, Knitting Factory and Wetlands. To promote their first U.S. release, in the summer of 2000 the band performed several tours around the country, playing with acts such as Fishbone, The Urge, The Misfits, Murphy's Law and The Pilfers. In 2001, they eventually returned to Portugal to promote the Portuguese release of the record. The following year, Primitive Reason decided to relocate to Lisbon, and toured intensively around the country, sharing the stage with bands like Soulfly, Rammstein, Manu Chao, Suicidal Tendencies, UB40, Slipknot and Nickelback, among others.
After a whole year on the move, the band decided to pause the touring and explore their individual interests in other settings. Each member traveled to different parts of the globe: Asia, North America, South America and Europe. These experiences would have a musical input in their subsequent releases.
In 2003, a 'refreshened' Primitive Reason finished recording what would become their first release in their independent label, Kaminari Records. "The Firescroll", the band's fourth record, made good reviews and feedback, both in the media and among the public. Songs like "Kindian" and Shadow Man" soon became new classics, and others previously released in a limited edition EP ("Primitive 4.0") were reinterpreted ("White Tree" and "Breath", among others). Musically, "The Firescroll" took Primitive Reason to unprecedented levels in their classic proposal: on can hear from Portuguese guitar to Indian sitar, African percussions and Didgeridoos in hardcore, thrash, reggae cuts.
The national tour for "The Firescroll" included performances for thirty thousand people in the Rock in Lisbon festival, along with Marylin Manscon, Audioslave, Deftones and Disturbed. Video clips for "Kindian" and "Had I the Courage" had extensive airplay, and Primitive Reason were nominated for Best Portuguese Act in the MTV European Music Awards in 2003.
Yet, in the end of the summer, Primitive Reason suffer an important line-up change, with the sudden farewell by Jorge Felizardo, who moved to London. The band quickly found a substitute and finished the national tour, but was forced to abort their plans for an international tour.
In the following months, the band tried many different drummers, while still playing in Portuguese venues. This also didn't prevent them finishing their next album, "Pictures in the Wall" (Kaminari 2005), their fifth and conceptually most ambitious release up to date. The album was conceived as a 74 minute soundtrack for a short story written by Guillermo the Llera. As he explains it, “The book, and the music that accompanies it, describes a deep sleep, in which several distinct dreams tell their own story, filled with hopes and desires, living on memories and suffering through its own sorrows, like a wall filled with photographs that seemingly mark the passage of time”.[1]. Originally written in English, the book also includes Portuguese and Spanish translations.
After releasing "Pictures in the Wall", Primitive Reason promoted the record in Portugal, Spain and the U.K., and played in the major festivals, alongside international acts like Tool, System of a Down, Placebo, Prodigy, Deftones and Incubus. Both Kaminari Records releases were later made available worldwide through CD Baby, Super D Distribution and the main digital music services, including iTunes and Napster.
[edit] Today
In 2007, Pepe de Souza (drums) and Ricardo Barriga (guitar), joined the band. Primitive Reason finally stabilized their line-up and returned to studio to work on new material. The first results were edited in a limited edition EP, "Cast the Way", that revealed a more agressive, compact and technically complex Primitive Reason,though maintaining their trademark diversity.
In 2008, they are composing the upcoming 6th release (expected after the summer), and celebrating their 15th anniversary. The happening was completed with the reissue of the band's first album ("Alternative Prison", that was sold out for many years) and a tour in Portugal and Spain (ongoing).
[edit] Current members
- Guillermo de Llera - voice, percussion and didgeridoo, founding member
- James Beja - bass, since 2000
- Abel Beja - guitar, since 2000
- Pepe de Souza - drums, since 2006
- Ricardo Barriga - guitar, since 2007
[edit] Former members
- Jorge Felizardo - drums 1993-2003
- Brian Jackson - singer 1993-1999
- Micas - guitar 1993-1999
- Mark Cain - sax 1995-1999
- Rato - guitar 1996-1997
- Rob Dinero - DJ 2000
- Tó Bravo - trombone 2003
- Nélson Sobral - drums 2004
- João Marques - trombone 2004-2005
- Marcos Alves - drums 2003-2006
- Hélder Brazete - drums 2004-2006
- Ricardo Magala - trumpet 2004-2007
- Jorge Mata - sax 2005-2007
[edit] Discography
| Discography | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative Prison | 15-05-1996 | União Lisboa |
| Tips Shortcuts | 10-12-1998 | Farol |
| Some Of Us | 30-07-2001 | Jah Notion |
| 4.0 EP | 00-12-2002 | Kaminari Records |
| The Firescroll | 19-05-2003 | Kaminari Records |
| The Firescroll (Fan Edition) | 06-09-2004 | Kaminari Records |
| Pictures in The Wall | 12-04-2005 | Kaminari Records |
| Cast The Way EP | 17-12-2007 | Kaminari Records |
| Alternative Prison (Reissue) | 12-05-2008 | Kaminari Records |
