Canja Rave Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 17th 2010 11:01PM by Kiko Martinez
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In 2009, rock duo Canja Rave -- Chris Kochenborger on guitar and vocals; Paula Nozzari on drums and vocals -- released their second album, 'Badango,' with music producer Jim Diamond (White Stripes). Canja Rave formed in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro before moving to Porto Alegre, Brazil, where they released their first album, 'Da Canja a Rave,' in 2008. During an interview with Spinner, Kochenborger talked about returning to SXSW and how the Brazilian music industry is different from the industry in the US.

What was your experience like at SXSW last year and what are you looking forward to the most this year?

SXSW is simply one of the most amazing experiences a musician may have in their career due to the intense and incredible cultural exposure and worldwide networking opportunities. We played with bands from all over the world and made friends for life. We were also able to play at other festivals and get in touch with labels because of SXSW.

What's in your festival survival kit?

When we are artists in a festival we need to carry all our gear -- guitars, drums, cymbals, stands, mics, merchandise, bags to put stuff in and our wristbands.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Maybe liking music so loud. It is just the way we play. We are glad people enjoy it the way it is. Paula has iron wrists with a gorilla's grip, and my guitar fuzz and feedback just tears through the eardrums. We love to see the peoples' faces in the first row.

Describe the music scene in Brazil. How does it differ from the US?

The music scene in Brazil, like in the US, has a wild variety of styles and rhythms. Brazil is a continental country as well, so the popular genres depend on where you are at. In Rio there is a lot of samba, bossa nova, funk and electronic music. The rock scene got smaller this past decade. In Rio Grande do Sul there is some reggae, rock -- which is very strong -- and nativista. People in Brazil enjoy rock and music in general. One of the main differences is that Americans have more money, especially in the middle class. Music is accessed in different ways. In Brazil, people still depend on radio and TV to get to know new bands. Major companies with money will have more visibility than somebody whose only exposure is on the Internet. In the US we are sure the same happens, but you do not depend on these radio stations and TV channels as much as we do for music.

What does it mean for a band to get government support in Brazil? Music and government don't really mix in the US.

We are independent artists and are always seeking for private and public support to keep our career going. We have been supported by the government twice for our tours. We got a project approved by the Ministerio da Cultura (the Federal Government's Department of Culture) for our participation at SXSW in 2009. We were the only band from Rio Grande do Sul. Also in May, we got support from Secretaria Municipal de Cultura de Porto Alegre [the city's Culture Department] to play at Liverpool SoundCity 2009. They are interested because we represent the country, and highlight our country in festivals all over the world.

Since you and Paula are not only band mates but also in a relationship, does that change the synergy of the band?

We are lucky to work together very well and just love doing all sorts of stuff together, personal and professional. We are proud of one another. It is definitely not like playing with anyone else. Before, in other bands, I used to be in fights and disagreements all the time. Now, Paula and I just talk and see what is best for Canja Rave. We discuss and analyze things. All our arguments are very healthy for the band. In the end, we agree on almost everything.

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