Music great error that rock musicians make, according to Kiko Loureiro

Kiko Loureiroone of the founding members of the Angra and with recent passage through Megadethhas lived on music for about 30 years. Of course, he knows the intricacies of industry, for good and evil.

In recent participation in the podcast Plugged (via Metal), the guitarist was asked about the main challenges for Brazilian artists, especially in rock. For him, the great obstacle would be the very mindset of some musicians, who are supposed to be not interested in the “Business” that involves the process as a whole.

Kiko argues:

“Today happens much less because there is more information, but the first thing is the guy understands that he has to talk about money and business either. It won’t be like this: ‘I’m an artist and my art doesn’t involve business, I don’t want to mix with it.’ I always enjoyed seeing the guys outside with this knowledge, and you bring it to Brazil And it’s a little out of the bubble. “

Kiko adds the perception that this involvement between musicians and business is more common and recurring abroad, but not so much in Brazil. There is even a kind of ‘prejudice “on the national scene when it comes to.

“When you talk about it here, it looks like you are the guy who, ‘Oh, wanting to get money, mercenary.’ How do you deal with the music entrepreneur? A label guy, a guitar brand, a promoter? These guys are talking about business. The language they speak is business. If you don’t speak that language, you don’t speak to them and they don’t call you too.”

The consequences of thinking also about Business

To develop as an artist, Kiko defends the thesis that it is essential for the musician to know how to deal with entrepreneurs and think about the financial side of his art, not being oblivious to this aspect of the industry:

“When you start speaking the language of business, ‘what is our agreement here to win?’, They want to work more with you because you say the same language. I realized that doing it. And no one will do for you too. Brazil doesn’t have a structure where: ‘Look, it’s full of businessman, it’s people wanting to invest.’

Recurring Career Subject

Frequently, Kiko Loureiro addresses the business part of music in interviews and even some of its activities. After giving lectures on the subject, the guitarist launched in 2021 the book Business for Creative.

In the work, the musician claims to have the goal of stimulating those who want to work with what they really like. In an interview with Rolling Stone Brazil, Loureiro claims to have written the book during a Megadeth themed cruise and amid a 40 -daty tour of the group. He reflects:

“Making heavy metal in Brazil has never been easy, and traveling abroad I came across how music business works. I understood that it is necessary for the artist’s career and was interested in the subject. In my workshops musicians never wondered how the music industry works. That is, the guy likes it, but doesn’t want to know how the profession works.”

And complements:

“Artists have always needed to do parallel things; from those who took care of the Beatles rewrites, for example, or the bands of the bands, the biographies of musicians. Dave Mustaine himself [líder do Megadeth] Manja a lot of music business; He knows everything about the subject. “

Kiko Loureiro Currently

After leaving the MegadethKiko Loureiro turned the attention to his solo career. He released the album Theory of mind in October 2024 and left in a recent tour of Brazil having as invited Marty Friedmanguitarist who has also played in the American band of Thrash Metal.

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