Teatrum

Theres a ten year old history behind this name.It started out to be Cláudio Gil, Pedro Ferreira (nowadays known as RE: Aktors D-Void) and Artur Correia. Cláudio and Artur knew each other from high school, where they met Pedro, even though they never related themselves. In about 1994, Cláudio and Pedro started a cover band, and that was where it all really got to know each other. Even though the band ended without a single concert, Cláudio and Pedro continued working together.By that time Neal Kay, who had spent some time in Portugal, decided to do a contest for Portuguese bands or projects. He wanted to do a Record as well as a European Tour with ten of them. Claúdio and Pedro talked to Artur when they heard about this, and the three of them entered a recording studio. They got out with three songs made entirely for the soul purpose of entering the competition. At the time TEATRUM were just a project, and the vocal tracks were recorded by Cláudio Gil.Soon after the recordings were sent the project began to evolve as a band. By this time, the original members had been joined by Sérgio Faria on drums and Sérgio Oliveira on Bass. Still the five members were looking for a lead vocalist. Auditions were made, but it proved to be difficult to find someone that fitted the profile everybody was after. Then, somehow, Alexandre Fernandes listened to the original Demo and asked to be part of the project. The name of the band appeared by this time also, and everything was re-recorded with the new lead singer.It was then that they received word that TEATRUM was one of the ten bands Neal Kay had chosen to record. TEATRUM was evolving as a band. New songs had been written, and the band was preparing for the first live show. Everything seemed to run smooth. But personal questions that arose between Pedro Ferreira and Sérgio Faria, made Pedro walk out. Due to the short notice to the gig they were booked for, Luis Guerreiro stepped in to Pedros place.After the show, personal tensions continued. Due to a clinical condition Cláudio had to stop playing guitar, and it was then that word was received from Neal Kay that is project had to stop due to difficulties with some Portuguese organizations. Cláudio decided to end TEATRUM.A few months latter, Cláudio was able to play again, and started writing new material. Called in Pedro Ferreira, Artur Correia and Alexandre Fernandes again, and together, as a project, 10 new songs were recorded in a home studio. Another band rose from this project, and by this time Jorge Martins (ex-Sublevel) and Nando (ex-Sacred Sin) joined in for bass and drums. But again, the option proved not to be the right one. After a few very successful live shows the band began to dismember again.This time, Cláudio Gil decided that it was really time to end. Went into his Studio by himself, recorded everything that TEATRUM had ever done with Alexendre Fernandes, and ended the project. The only thing that survived from those times is demo with 10 songs that was recorded as some sort of closure.Still, Cláudio and Pedro continued to play together in a cover band called Shop Suey. For some time this was enough for Cláudio. But then he began to write again in a completely different shape. He began writing without any compromise, just for the fun of it, just to do something that he could not do in a cover band. Almost by accident, Jorge Costa, heard what Cláudio was doing. Jorge Costa had been playing drums for a lot of Portuguese bands and projects, mostly has a session player. Having heard what Cláudio was doing, he offered collaboration, witch Cláudio welcomed. Has Cláudio never considered himself as any kind of singer, even though he had sang in the first Demo, he started to think what would be right for these new songs he had written. All lyrics were in English, as opposed to all he had done before in Portuguese, and he decided to invite a female singer to lay down vocal tracks. Joana came on board, and this new project, called NP released a demo with four songs. This demo had a very good review in a Portuguese musical newspaper, and from out of nowhere came messages from local radios and webzines that wanted to era this project.Still, continuing with this project in a more serious manner was not among Joanas plans. After all, it had all started as a hobby. So Cláudio was left without a lead singer.Paulo Pacheco, lead vocals on Shop Suey knew this, and talked to Cláudio about this girl, Xana, encouraging him to give her an audition. Claudio agreed and was stunned the first time she sang for him. They started working right away, and the project began to develop. Shop Sueys drummer, Hugo Fernandes heard what Cláudio and Xana were doing and got interested in the project. Noticing his interest, Cláudio asked him if he wanted to join in. His response was immediate and affirmative. By this time there were no definitions on what role anyone would take, so everybody was contributing with ideas for every kind of instrument while writing new songs for the project. On one of the work sessions Hugo came in with Carlos Eduardo. Carlos had won several Portuguese awards for bass playing, and was a long time companion of Hugo in a band called ALCOOLEMIA, witch had released three albums before they both left the band.Carlos was very interested in this project, and began to lay down bass ideas immediately. With this, a band began to take shape. In need of a keyboard player, and after some considerations, Nuno Tavares was chosen. With a vast curriculum in so many different areas as Classical Piano, Jazz projects and Rock bands, and some very new ideas, he seemed to be the obvious choice. With this new line up and 19 new songs written, the next logical step was to record the new songs.Cláudio asked Pedro if he was available to aid in pre-production and production of the new tracks. He agreed, but only if he was to enter this new band on permanent basis on witch Cláudio agreed Immediately. And so the line up was completed. But still there was a question about the name. NP just didnt cut it for anyone. So, as one of the old TEATRUM songs had survived with new lyrics, and as there were two of the original members, the name TEATRUM came about.Meanwhile we finished the recording of 13 original tracks and 1 cover (Bush's Greedy Fly).But Nuno Tavares and Jorge Costa had to leave the project and so we came down to the present line up
Flow
Heaven
Alive
All things come to pass
My God have mercy on our souls