Hrvoje Bubić; Henrique Inglez de Souza Interview

Hrvoje Bubić  |  Velj. 25, 2024

Henrique Inglez de Souza je glazbeni kritičar i novinar iz Sao Paolo, Brazil. Za SolinLive govori o sebi, svome radu i suradnji s brojnim časopisima.

First, could you introduce yourself to our readers and say something about yourself?

Yes! I am a Brazilian journalist and music critic working since 2002. I’ve written for major publications dedicated to music in my country, and I’ve had the opportunity to interview numerous icons from my country and from many other countries. In short, I love what I do and feel blessed to be able to turn my passion into my profession for so long.

You are an unconditional devotee of music and culture with a passion for writing. How did you start your career as a journalist?

Well, it started around the time my career began. Actually, before 2002, I hated writing. However, a local newspaper opened space for readers to contribute, and I became interested. Initially just as a hobby, but after writing about a concert I had just attended, something changed in me. The mental switch was flipped, and since then, I’ve become passionate about writing about music.

You have written for numerous magazines such as Bizz, Revista da MTV, Outracoisa, Guitar Player, Bass Player, Rock Brigade, and Rolling Stone. Please tell us more about it.

Yes, I wrote for all those magazines. For some of them, I was the editor – Rock Brigade and Bass Player (Brazilian version). I think I followed the path that those who write about music end up taking. I mean, we seize the opportunities that come our way in the best possible manner. That’s how it has to be. Your future doesn’t come to you. You have to pursue it.

You have done interviews with various famous names, from music to literature. Could you tell us which names you had interviews with, and if there are any interesting anecdotes?

I have interviewed names such as Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, B.B. King, Lemmy Kilmister, Jason Newsted, and bands like Kiss, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Accept… the list goes on. And, of course, I have also interviewed several great names in Brazilian music, from Sepultura to icons of bossa nova. As a funny story, when I met B.B. King, he looked at me and said, “You look like a movie star”. And then, I said: “And you look like the king of Blues”. He smiled, and we shook hands. There are many other funny moments.

You collaborated with Rede Globo during Lollapalooza 2022 and 2023, Rock In Rio 2022, and The Town (2023) festivals. What kind of cooperation was involved and how did the cooperation come about?

I provided artistic guidance to the camera teams covering these festivals. You know, I talked about each performance, highlighted the type of stage each artist was using, special effects… things like that, so they could prepare for TV coverage. It was very funny and a great experience to me.

You just published a book about the illustrator Micheal Whelan and his collaboration with the band Sepultura. How did you first come up with the idea for the book?

This came from a series of articles I did for my website about some cover arts for albums of Brazilian and foreign bands and artists. Among the covers I wrote about are Black Sabbath’s ‘Born Again’ and Kiss’ ‘Unmasked’. The covers of Sepultura albums that I wrote about are classic worldwide – ‘Beneath the Remains’, ‘Arise’, ‘Chaos A.D.’, and ‘Roots’. So, I thought it would be very interesting to learn details about each artwork. I interviewed Michael Whelan, who is a fantastic artist. The article turned out so well that I decided to release it in ebook format. It turned out amazing and illustrated. Whelan shared very interesting details and even gave me a discarded idea for the ‘Arise’ album cover. It’s a really cool ebook for those who are into the subject.

In 2016, you created the magazine Piapara Cultural, which was based on the cultural scene of the city of Piapara. Tell us more about it.

The city name is actually Piracicaba. Piapara Cultural was the name of my culture channel. Well, it was my love for musical/cultural journalism that made me start this project. It was focused on the local scene of Piracicaba. And I wrote about music, movie, theatre, shows, and so.

For the end, what are your future projects? What would you recommend to our readers?

Well, I will continue making interviews and writing articles for my website (blogdoinglezdesouza.com.br). For now, I have other ebooks in preparation that should be released in the near future. What I can recommend to readers is: never lose your passion for music. Music is a treasure that saves our souls all the time and bathes us in energy and joy. For those who are journalists, like me, I leave here an encouragement to continue in the field. Music journalism can sometimes be a challenging profession, but it’s important that we hold onto it tightly and stay strong. Also, always strive to improve your writing and the questions for the interviews you do. Quality is something that has been underestimated lately, but it is still fundamental (and it will always be). That’s it. So, take care, stay healthy, and have a great 2024.

by Barezi