Scuttlebutt

By Jason Ashcraft

Hugo Ferreira of Tantric

Ferreira talks about Tantric's Reemergence and Politics

Interviewed by Jason Ashcraft

Tantric's Hugo Ferreira chats with S cuttlebutt of Louisville Music News on their recent comeback album, The End Begins , and the current political landscape, from a career musician's perspective.

LMN : You guys have been on the road a while, doing a lot of touring?

Ferreira : Just a little bit…yes.

LMN : Tell me about the road life, man, what kind of good stories you got for all us Louisvillians?

Ferreira : I mean, really, it's just been consistently like show after show. We've been on the road for about nine months straight and I think total, we've maybe had fourteen days off. They were never really consecutive. So, it's definitely getting to the point where it's, it's you know…

LMN : You need a break?

Jason Ashcraft and Hugo Ferriera

Ferreira : It's definitely starting to take it's toll, but you know, we were fortunate enough to have a record that's doing really well, so, whatever you got to do is whatever you got to do.

LMN : Yeah, I know how that goes. Tell me about, speaking about the record doing well, where's it been in the charts?

Ferreira : Well, Down and Out topped out at #3 in the rock charts; mainstream and active rock and the record got on the list for The Grammys. We're like on five different categories and possibly being nominated for a Grammy so that's pretty exciting. Now we have a new single that's coming out. It's called " Fall Down," it's actually – it wasn't actually on the original record, so we just re-recorded it and it's going to be added on. The single drops November 4 ^th, or people can go on www.myspace.com/tantric and they can listen and download the single.

LMN : Is there a new album in the works or anything along those lines?

Ferreira : I mean, I'm always writing and I probably have about 20 songs already written. So we haven't sat down yet and really started working on it as a band just because of the fact that you know, we're still 'first-single' into this CD and the single lasted so long. But, you know, I'm sure that there's definitely not going to be that lull period between this and the next record as there was from 2004-2008.

LMN : How does Louisville still rank in all the places, cause I know you all go all over the country. So, is Louisville still kind of a cool place for you to come back to and play or…

Ferreira : Dude, I mean, I'll tell you, I have a house in New York and I have a house here in Louisville and I, Louisville to me is still the greatest place on earth and I'm not just saying that to like kiss anybody's ass out there. Every time we come here, it's the feeling of home. I miss it a lot. I miss my dogs, I miss my friends and I think this is the best city in the whole world. Everybody, when I say "I'm from Louisville", they're like, "Oh, you're a hick, so…", I'm like "I'm glad, just keep on thinking that way, cause I don't want you to come down here and ruin my f***ing city.

LMN : I do a lot of traveling myself and I have to agree with that. I was in New York a couple weeks ago and it's a huge traffic jam, so…

Ferreira : Oh, gosh.

LMN : So, you come here and you still kind of got that big city vibe….

Ferreira : And I love being right down like three blocks away from Times Square so it's just like I walk out of my apartment, it's just like beep and it's just everything and it's just like people aren't…or in Louisville, Louisville still kind of has that small town like friendship-wise, but it's still big enough where you don't have to see everybody, you know, there's different places and it's just and it's an awesome place to live; I probably will never move out of here, I just live in New York also 'cause of work.

LMN : That's cool. Uh, this is going to sound crazy, but I got to know. We're four days away – yes, four days away…

Ferreira : From a new President?

LMN : Very important Presidential election.

Ferreira : Yeah.

LMN : How old are you?

Ferreira : I am 34. I mean 22 (laughing).

LMN : Still young. I'm 31, but this is going to be one of the most life changing decisions that you'll make. Who do you endorse?

Ferreira : I totally endorse Obama. Like a hundred, million, kazillion percent. I mean, he's such the obvious candidate on so many fronts. It's time to get somebody young enough to be able to relate with what's really going on in America; just inter-continentally and also somebody who's hip to what's happening. I mean I'm just scared of Republicans in general…

LMN : I don't blame you. What are you scared of specifically by saying that?

Ferreira : They're just so easy to pull the trigger on everything. I mean, whether it be war or you know, just there it always seems like there's always a special interest that they protect and I think it's a Democratic country and it should be about getting middle class people who work everyday with normal jobs, that aren't rock stars or baseball players, a break so they're not losing their homes and our economy doesn't go to s**t, you know? It's just crazy, I mean, it's affecting a lot of Americans and I think we not only need to fix that problem in the U.S., but just fix our foreign policy with all these countries that are hating us and we're hating them and you know, meanwhile, a lot of our friends, you know, peoples' kids are going and dying for a war and we still don't really know why the f**k we're there, you know? … But ultimately, we just need to get rid of oil altogether and just develop, I mean, we can f***ing invent tons and tons of different things. You know, the technology that exists out there is amazing. You're telling me you can't find a different way to power an engine?

LMN : Well, it's always been there, it's just always been suppressed.

Ferreira : Of course it is…but I'll tell you this also just out of respect for the other candidate. I do respect John McCain a lot, I mean, he's obviously been a person that has dedicated his whole life to his country; and we definitely owe him a salute, I just don't think that that necessarily qualifies you to, to be able to have the level head to run this place right now. See, there's too much at stake, we need to have someone who's really got it together – calm. Not bitter, you know? If I was a prisoner of war and somebody f**ked with me, I would just blow 'em up, you know? So, you know…

LMN : Every musician I've talked to, they all seem to be kind of all going with Obama. A lot of them have told me about the whole touring aspect. It's hard to make a living in this environment right now.

Ferreira : I mean on album sales, when we first came out, to sell a million records wasn't an easy thing, but it was realistic. Now I think that where people would be selling 250,000 copies in a week, they're selling 50,000 copies and it's just all affected by everything. I mean, technology, yeah, the downloading yes, but…

LMN : This is why you're on the road for nine months?

Ferreira : Yeah and it doesn't help when you're paying you know $5 a gallon for diesel in a tour bus that gets like 4 miles to the gallon.

LMN : My position has always been that the music industry really needs a guy like Obama that's going to transition us to alternative energies.

Ferreira : That's true.

LMN : And we just need to continue to proliferate it because if it stays on gas and oil the technologies….

Ferreira : We're still going to have to buy them from all these crazy bastards, I mean we just need to help our planet stay healthy for our kids and our kids' kids and not just live to screw everyone in the future, as long as I'm cool and I'm happy. But um, obviously there are tons of problems. You can ask anyone in America, and they'll give you a different one. But our country needs some help and it has to start with good leadership.

LMN : Ok, back to Tantric. Last question I got here is there anything big on the horizon that you want to kind of announce to everybody here?

Ferreira : Well, like I said, our new single Fall Down comes out November 4 ^th . And for people who've already bought the record, we're arranging for them to download that song for free since it's not on the first printing. They can go to www.myspace.com/tantric

So that people who've already bought the record aren't getting screwed out of a song. We have a new video that we're making, um, and hopefully just you know, crossing our fingers that we get nominated for one of the five categories in The Grammys .

LMN : That would be cool. I don't remember if any "rock" band from Louisville, and I probably should, but I remember of any "rock" band from Louisville has been nominated for a Grammy.

Ferreira : I mean, when I just got the news that we were actually being considered, that you know that we made the first cut, and especially for so many categories, I mean, I was just like "Yeah." But, I do believe in my record and I know there's a lot of crap out there and you know, why not? Why not us?

LMN : Absolutely. Well, I hope all of us get to see that become a reality. It wouldn't surprise me or anyone I think, for that matter. So, good luck with that.

Ferreira : Thank you, and thank you Louisville for staying true and proud and supporting us and loving us. I'll see you guys when I'm back home at the bar or something.