He started making music in his room with a computer, a sampler, and one or two synthesizers when he was 16 years. As he learn to tinker with machines and to play several instruments, in a self-taught way, he developed a unique sound . Fame comes with the theme "chewbacca's face", a viral success that helps to launch the alter-ego of Paulo Pimenta into the national spotlight. The "mother ship Messages" is his latest album, a speckled electronic travel with ironic lyrics and a certain nonsense that has become the PZ brand image.
You are a nonconformist artist or an avant-garde ET?
PZ: Not satisfied with some things, but I do not take myself too seriously, so my music has some ironic aspects, humorous and some cynicism towards society in which we live in. I try to give a very different view, but related to our culture, on certain aspects that are relevant to me, using this there, irony and some "nonsense", but always with Portuguese elements.
In my view some of the latest album reflects the themes which you already said has this nonconformity.
PZ: Some.
Note in the song "censorship" even you approach the problems that we debate now in Portuguese society.
PZ: I think so, I like to work in a modern perspective in terms of lyrics and music. Currently in Portugal we are living hard times, but at the same time is a country with good things, I like to mix it all and not have this depressive attitude to what is going on, but I try through music show a side not so gray, but with hints of black humor. The lyrics are everything that influences around me in the city I live in, the time in which we live. I like to explore these simple themes, the day-to-day in my music.
This record is more electronic than my previous work with a sounded more like the 70's, this has a more sophisticated sound.
PZ: That's why it is called "sophisticated rude" because that sound of the 70s and 80s comes from drum machines and synthesizers that use that time, I really like that kind of sounds. In this new album I use the guitar, the bass, but it is the most purely electronic, I used more synthesizers, with programming bits, sometimes I played the bits, is more programmatic and mechanical this "mothership messages". The electronic base is PZ signing, gives me the freedom to have whatever I want , it is my way and exposes my influences from techno, electronic and hip-hop have always been present.
The "sophisticated rude" there was some controversy with some of the songs in particular chewbacca's face.
PZ: "The chewbacca's face" is not from the "sophisticated rude", was a collaboration I did with DB, a musician who is from Gaia and who does the bits, so it's called DB plus PZ, we made two musics the "chewbacca's face" and "You are my bitch." It was an interesting project, because today with social networks arise these collaborations, via email he show me his music, he had an instrumental base which is the song "chewbacca's face" in are bits from the album called "retroactive" I heard the melody and remembered a refrain over a chick that had faced chewbacca, I just laughed and tried to make a story around it. From there we met, we got alone very well and he accompanies me in the concerts. Then I did a song for him to sing over, "you are my bitch." The controversy surrounding the song "chewbacca's face" came up with the provider of RTP.
Accusing you of being sexist.
PZ: Yes, at the beginning it was all about the coursing, then she went further and said it was immoral that denigrated the role of women in today's society. I think it's a very serious interpretation of the music and had no sense of humor. Most people realize that the song is a parody and I never had the purpose to offend anyone. It's a song for people to feel a different tune, that's funny, but that obviously is not to be taken seriously. I think it has to do with the usual macho conversations we have with friends, women also have this kind of conversation, I tried to explore a little, not to create taboos and explore them in a funny and entertaining way.
You considered yourself as a cocooning musician? You write your music individually, in your world that is your room, which disposes of all kinds of new technologies, almost agoraphobic. Do you think it is generational or arises rom your introvert, more intimate nature?
PZ: I think it's a mixture. As I say in "100% natural", which is almost the tone for the album "is an essential mix for my superficial way." It is also something generational, because people, 90's and 2000, can do their bit music in their private space, you can create a theme composed in your home comfort, but I'm not agoraphobic, also like being with other people obviously. In fact, I am not very expansive, I am it through music that gives me the freedom to do whatever you want inside my musical aesthetics. Yes, I am also a person who likes to make intimate music, different, explore my inner through things that come from the outside, but I think this is the basis for anyone who makes music, not just only in the lyrics but also for the instrumental parts. I've had other projects, for example, with my brother, in 2008, I launched through my "Meifumado" record company, he plays in Dixieland band that is an improv group which I also play, I have several different facets, but the PZ It is a more interior and intimate journey.
Your alter ego is also a very personalized vision, because you think there is not space for anyone else.
PZ: It is more nowadays in live concerts. I have two friends who love and know how to play my music, that's Fernando Sousa and André Simões. In Porto we have a community of musicians who we played with each other to perform live our in personal projects, then become part team. At first I started playing alone on my machine and pajamas, then I brought my musicians to play synths, bass and guitars. We now have a mothership which was a video project developed by a group of my friends, for PZ, and there's my music, part of me and my way of doing things, then to show the taste abroad involves more people and include all these elements in the performing arts.
You also have a very own image, that's why we also have created a recordr label?
PZ: I was unconsciously created it when it did not exist the PZ project. My first album, the "anti-bodies", which I launched in 2005 was perhaps the most important because it was very intimate, I was out of a clinical depression and so I started making music and was nearly a therapy, hence the name. After this gave me freedom to edit, do things our way. We have no timings, we have no deadlines and when we want to launch a video clip we launched, we contacted with other bands, this time the record labe has grown we have the "gap of mind" the "expeão" and edited the first album "we trust" which was recorded in the studios "Meifumado". Also we recorded already work for other people, my brother, Zé Pimenta has worked with the "Capicua", the "dead hand" and many more. It was unconscious, but the "Meifumado" gives us the freedom to do what comes to our mind, but always with a very personal and caring nature.
This extends to video clips? Because although they seem to be very homemade seem there is a care and are not made at random.
PZ: Did arise at random, "what matters to me is you" and "sidewalk" were ideas that came to me at the time, tried to do some takes then not so good as well. The "sidewalk", the stripes appearing in the garage were made by a cousin of mine who uses this space for his artistic projects, which is the David Gonçalves. I got there a day to make another music video and decided to do about the it. So are things that come naturally, it was three and I was with insomnia, put the camera on and I began to dance and these self-produced end up having that personal touch and I hope that is special too.
They're also OPorto. It is very important to show the city?
PZ: It's very important. Only is the city where I live, is my city where my friends live, my family although it is Famalicão, I studied in Porto and enjoy living in this city. My closest culture within the portugality is the Oporto, the North and I try to show it as well as expressions using the north and it shows in the music, I must say it. So much so that I think Portugal have fantastic sights, it is a privilege to play as PZ in places like Lisbon, the Azores or Madeira, are sites that due to my laziness would be unlikely to know, but it was possible, through my music.
I know you are an intimate musician, but the concerts do not cause you some anxiety, even though the mother ship and all the musical engine behind?
PZ: Well, you never know how many people will show up at concerts, but lately has run so well the shows that I enjoy myself even on stage, for me are unique experiences and I like more and more to play live.
Of the three albums, especially the former, there would be something would you change?
PZ: I do not think things are so, are musical pictures of the moment, would not change anything. When I want to do new things make a new album.
What better reflects you as an artist?
PZ: I think it's always the last, are the latest thinking and it's always hard for me to see outside. The "anti-bodies" was special because it is the first and defines a bit my line, "effervescent" is a personal anthem and was one of the first songs I did as PZ. The "sophisticated rude" also because I began to notice that my music has reached more people, I developed my videos, I began to give more concerts and was a milestone, I even really like the name and the last, "messagem from the mothership" for that reason. I have no favorite depends on the time.
