These Go to 11: interviewing Postal Blue

Keeping with our interview series, this time we the pleasure of having Adriano do Couto Ribeiro, the man behind Postal Blue responsible of, in our opinion, one of the best records of 2015, answering our questionnaire. Big pleasure, hope you like it and These Go to 11!

Adriano do Couto Ribeiro, Postal Blue

Pop postals in the sunlight

This Brazilian musician has been making pop waves since 1998, first leading a quartet which released two EPs on Drive-In Records and our dear Shelflife Records and. But then came changes, first with the bossanova tinged folk-pop debut LP 'International Breeze' in 2004, the EP 'Road to happiness' sung in Portuguese in 2006 and, finally, the band dismembering, Luckily, Adriano still got plenty to say, so kept the band's name, and after a couple of singles, 3" on Cloudberry Records and a 7" part of the Dufflecoat / Jigsaw Singles Club co-release, at the end of last year, he came out with sophomore album 'Of Love & Other Affections', also on Jigsaw. It might seem a slow ride, but when a career is flourished with so many memorable tunes of pure, elegant indiepop gems echoing legendary bands like The Byrds, The Smiths or our beloved Go-Betweens, you know it has been worth the wait. Adriano pens pop classics, folks! Here we go!

Devotional and controversial

1.First record that you bought (be honest)
I have no idea. My initial record collection was inherited from my parents, my mom mostly, as my dad has always had awful taste in music and doesn't care much for it. I remember there were some Elvis records, some horrible soap opera soundtracks, a Bill Haley live album, some Roberto Carlos and a 7" with George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord' that I played into oblivion.

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)

The first was some unknown punk band in high school. It was horrible. Does that count? Last was many years ago, it was a sort of local festival with many bands whose names I can't even recall. I'm not much of a concert goer and I have terrible memory, unfortunately.

Blogger's note: Neil Finn rules. A kiwi-pop legend

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)

I really don't feel any guilt about liking or listening to anything as I have a pretty open mind about music. I had my metal phase when I was a teen, and I can still appreciate some of it from time to time, although I never listen to it on purpose. I like Neil Finn, who I think is an amazing songwriter. Is that uncool? I don't really know. I like some disco music, but again I don't usually listen to it.

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)

I'm not a big collector, but I have an old copy of Adrian Borland's 'Alexandria' that I've seen go on Ebay for a couple hundred bucks.

Brisbane's staples!

5.Favorite lyrics (not yours)
I recall a schoolboy coming home / Through fields of can / To a house of tin and timber /And in the sky a rain of falling cinders. /From time to time /The waste memory-wastes /I recall a boy in bigger pants /Like everyone /Just waiting for a chance /His father's watch /He left it in the showers / From time to time /The waste memory-wastes /I recall a bigger brighter world / A world of books /And silent times in thought /And then the railroad /The railroad takes him home /Through fields of cattle /Through fields of cane /From time to time /The waste memory-wastes /The waste memory-wastes / Further, longer, higher, older. 'Cattle and Cane', The Go-Betweens

O maestro du 'Saudade'

6.Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
I'd like to hang around with Johnny Marr sometime. On the dead front, probably Tom Jobim.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
I love Peter Saville, and a bunch of his pieces are not only beautiful but very iconic, like Joy Division's 'Closer' and 'Unknown Pleasures', OMD's first album, New Order's 'Brotherhood'. But you only wanted one, right? Sorry.

'Incognito': exploring the
limits of consciousness

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 

Both, definitely. I majored in English, so I had to read a lot, which I've always loved. Besides literary fiction, I'm a huge sci fi and fantasy fan. If you're looking for a recommendation, I could make you a list, but let's start with the last one I read which is Margaret Atwood's 'Oryx and Crake'. I have a thing for science books too, and one of the best I've ever read is David Eagleman's 'Incognito - The Secret Lives of the Brain'.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
Hm, that's really hard. On the last album, I suppose my favourite is 'I Always Knew'. Although 'Isn't It Funny' comes very close behind.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
To me it means DIY. It also means freedom to do whatever I please regardless of whether other people like it or not.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 
Pretty much the same, only better.

                                                                                                                             Zillion thanks Adriano!