Sergio Motta - I’d like to lead off this interview by talking about the original version of the
album "Crianças da Nova Floresta’’. What made you decide for not releasing that version?

Fernando Pacheco: At first I need to come back in time a bit so that I can elucidate a few considerable details towards the story of RVM. The band founded in 1973 by Domingos Mariotti, Fernando Motta and Fernando Pacheco is still the same until today, which it still maintains the same line-up as well, however Domingos Mariotti and Fernando Motta have frequently partaken in the recordings of our works, but not so much of the concerts and it makes them be substituted by other musicians. All of that results from the hardness of bringing about Progressive Rock music in Brazil, in a professional way.
Therefore the musicians are generally obliged to have  another professional activity, this way not always it is possible to have them on stage. I am the only member of the band to get to conciliate my artistic side with the commercial musician’s side. Besides the academical activities that I put in practice as a researcher and teacher-master in music. 
Along 28 years, the RVM has had  a lot of line-ups, besides the three founding members, also other musicians have taken part in it. Before the line-up that recorded the first album, others existed already, however as the first album made the band reach a wider audience, it thereupon made them recognize that formation as being the original and the only reference of RVM line-up.
When we issued the single featuring the song "Sorriso de Verão’’ in 1982, the line-up of the band  was already different from that one which recorded the album in 1977, the female singer Cristina didn’t partake the band anymore, as well as the drummer Milton Bernardes, who was replaced by Gotti. In 1993 the Cd "Crianças da Nova Floresta II’’ came to light, a lot of alterations have come about along those 10 years (1983/1993). 
From 1983 to 1993 the line-up for concerts was a quartet, which consisted of Chico Gomes on the bass, Milton Bernardes again reassuming the drums, Lee on the keyboards and Fernando Pacheco on the guitar, at that time no longer the band made music with vocals, the compositions and versions were only instrumental. In 1992 the bass player Gui returned to the band, and as we recorded the then Cd in 1993, also the founding members Domingos Mariotti and Fernando Motta took part in its recordings, as well as a special guest on the keyboards whose name is Fernando Ramos, he is the current RVM keyboarder. At that time as previously mentioned by me, the band no longer performed music with vocals parts, so the recording of the new Cd "As Crianças da Nova Floresta II’’ couldn’t be the very re-edition of the first album, which was issued in 1977, it really had to be taken as a new work with an only instrumental version from the song that was since then the title of the album in 1977 and the other songs that were not included on that LP of  1977. The turmoil that was around that Cd issued in 1993, as being a re-edition of our first LP, happened  due to the cover repetition, in which I didn’t particularly approve, but our manager decided to do things that way and also the other members agreed with him, as it happened under  a democratic decision, thus it was done. In short, whereas the band decided to change its sound language into an instrumental shape, then there was not at that time, interest of re-editing the first album and, yes to record a new work that should have a new cover of course.

Fernando Pacheco: The producer’s attitude to insist in re-releasing the old cover of the album has been in fact the most displeasing thing to me. As to the fans, they were right for questioning it.

Fernando Pacheco: The reason is the same, for us this name also looked like so peculiar, otherwise our intention was really draw the audience’s attention, not only the singularity was focussed, but also for an optical reason where we could form a mystic and ecological atmosphere inside of a subjective aesthetic  of course. In the same wise that progressive rock music in a general way, develops in the listeners’ mind an image projection. A semiotics process that happens upon the music in the impressionist way, and that significance (action of the sign - semiosis) is developed in a different way in each listener, in agreement with each one’s characteristics, this is an objective aesthetics.

Fernando Pacheco: Yes, I have been to Switzerland by divulging our work and at the close of late year where I got an invitation to perform 5 concerts in Bern, which they would be accomplished in October next. Also, In September and October of 1999 I was divulging the album "Himalaia II’’ across some cities from Spain and Portugal, and on late April I was back again to Spain by giving sequence to the spreading of my work, where the obtained results were surprising, mainly because I could verify that RVM had a stunning audience in those countries. 
In 1996 the album "Crianças da Nova Floresta II’’ was rewarded in Norway. Our work is likewise well received in Canada. RVM has also,  a corking audience in Italy and Germany. I have plans this year to go back to Spain (Madrid and Granada) and for the second semester I am planing a trip to Switzerland, Italy, Austria, England and also Germany in October belike.

Fernando Pacheco: In 1994 our album "Crianças da Nova Floresta II’’ was rewarded in France, and because of that the embassy of Brazil in Paris invited our band officially to represent our country at the traditional festival "Fête de la Musique’’, which took place in June, 21st of 1997. In 1998/99 I was also twice invited officially by the embassy of Brazil in Tokyo to accomplish 4 concerts as a release of the album "Himalaia II’’. Unfortunately it was not yet possible to make that project come true. As to play in Brazil, it is what I told you before; the problem is the lack of a professional recognition for a style that has a high production cost. We have kindly been twice invited by my friend Leonardo Nahoum, the owner of progressive Rock label (Rock Symphony) to partake the last two editions of "Rio Art Rock Festival’’. unfortunately it was not possible to take part in both editions, but I was present as a looker-on upon late October edition, which took place at Garden Hall, and everything that I could see and listen to there was entirely appreciated by me. Leonardo has really to be congratulated upon his courageous initiative. I’m hopeful that one day a producer appears offering the needful resources so that RVM can show itself up in Rio de Janeiro.

Fernando Pacheco: As I have previously told you about, the RVM’s members are Fernando Motta, Domingos Mariotti and Fernando Pacheco, the others are important guests musicians that depending upon the occasion and also the production they are then taken in that period as affective members of the band, which unfortunately for all the problems that are around a band of non commercial style where not always it is possible to reckon with the same musicians’ participation, therefore that turnover ends up being necessary so that the band keep on existing along the years. As to the credit towards the name RVM to the album "Himalaia’’ issued in 1986, it was credited properly at the "Ontem’’ side of the album. The fact of the name Fernando Pacheco appears solely upon that solo album happened in accordance with the proposal of the production, so that’s a solo work with guests’ participation. The turmoil or the double sense happens because the album features old members of RVM as guest musicians, who in that occasion no longer they were part of the band, except Fernando Motta. If I had invited other musicians, such a question shouldn’t be made, therefore I found quite important to tell you on the threshold of this interview that the line-up of RVM had already gone previously by other alterations, hence the guest musicians that featured "Himalaia’’ in 1986 no longer they were part of the band on that year, besides I may further say that the initiative in producing that work was taken by me. I own an album by the Genesis’ guitar player which is taken for a solo work of his, where all the band’s members appear like special guests, however no credit is imputed to Genesis itself either.

Fernando Pacheco: That was one more mistaken and forward information mentioned by some producer that grounded on an idea once discussed about the intention of fulfilling a work with that title, that’s the title of one of my compositions featured on "Himalaia’’ project, even so that idea didn’t get ahead and I can guarantee you that I haven’t the intention of recording any album with that title.

Fernando Pacheco: This is a question that forces me to a wider answer, which I’ll begin by the summary of the answer: The band’s musicality was never changed hitherto because of musician’s alterations. The musical personality of RVM is still the same, it can be confirmed in a comparative analysis among all the accomplished works, so much in the recordings as on live performances.
Now let me please introduce you some of my arguments: if you take into your account that each musician has its own influences, derived of its ethics, developed in its academic or self-taught formation and that creation process of RVM is consolidated in the freedom of speech of its members, through sound laboratories, researches and a lot of impromptu on top of the themes, until to get to a final result, that never ends up actually because every time we introduce a composition or re-record it, new ideas then turn up on our minds what we call it "Esthetics of unfinished’’. It is natural the sonority of the band modifies itself every time that a new member partakes in it. Even so myself, Fernando Motta and Domingos Mariotti always tried hard to maintain the basic elements in the classic way of Progressive Rock music from the 70’s, that’s to say, a coalition from acoustic and electronic scorings, which will result in a musical fusion of classical elements, changing it into a classic genre music occasional to several time styles, with prevalence from renaissance and baroque music to the popular musical genre from Rock music performed on the 60/70’s with a lot of scoring. 
Thus we got so far to keep a RVM personality to the works, apart from possible influences, which are generally made them similar at the band’s work through the new members’ participation. That didn’t deprive RVM of its characteristics into its sound personality, seen that we have had already countless changes, however the band still maintain the same personality. One of the most difficult things for an artist or a band is to reach its sound personality, it generally takes a lot of time until to reach it. What some people use to call "Sound personality’’ I truly better call it as composer or performer’s "Style’’. The people confuse the form in composing and performing with time style that’s derived of a musical form or genre, for instance, classic and popular.
Time styles: classicism or romanticism, progressive rock and so forth. 
Style (simply): a way of expressing artistically so that it can recognize it as personal signature, listening to Yes and to recognize them for the audition. 
Form: it’s defined by the characteristics of elements that are part of a composition, for instance, the sonata and rondo styles. Actually the people on the whole, confuse a lot of things, as for instance, to say that the RVM’s music as well as any other band from Brazil is progressive rock music, The progressive rock style descends from England and we brazilians haven’t so far developed any progressive rock music with influence of our native musical elements, which can thus be defined like that. We then keep on accomplishing English progressive rock music. although being a brazilian musician, our root in that sense still descends from English.
There are other problems that it would be apart from the question but I would like very much to make a brief summary of them; I would like to tell about a lot of brazilian and foreign progressive rock bands, which turned up on the 90’s, some of them are known as being progressive rock bands, however they are quite far from being, whereas they explore in excess the electronic keyboards, they hardly make a coalition with the acoustic instruments, and their compositions are not creative because they just make a slight depiction of renaissance and baroque, where the phraseology is often far from the original form, we can only find impudent counterfeits that always belonged to the great masters of that time; many times they also forget about the genuine Rock ‘n’ Roll from the 60’s on Beat style, making use of Jazz/Rock or Metal/Rock elements that belong to another tendency. That’s just a personal viewpoint of me, which doesn’t come to the case.

Fernando Pacheco: I was in Rio de Janeiro on late October at "da Vison’’ studio by remastering the original LP that was issued in 1977, there will also be two more bonus tracks that were previously featured on a single titled "Sorriso de Verão’’, which came to light in 1982, both will come out this year, probably in April, but retardative events happens at times.
With regards to the new works, I have two projects for RVM; one of them will be executed by the current electronic line-up, which features: Fernando Ramos (keyboards), Enio (bass), Nelson Sachetto (sax), Gustavo Bíscaro (drums), Fernando Pacheco (guitars), Fernando Motta (acoustic guitars) and Domingos Mariotti (flute). The other project will be accomplished by the acoustic line-up, which feature: Fernando Pacheco (guitars), Fernando Motta (acoustic guitars & percussion) and Domingos Mariotti (flute). Both projects are for live recordings, I just don’t know yet with which line-up will be possible to carry it out. nevertheless our proposal for live performances abroad as previously mentioned by me, will certainly be fulfilled by the acoustic line-up. that’s the most probably work to be accomplished on this year of 2001.

 
Sergio Motta
is a friend and partiner from the Progressive Rock And Progressive Metal Site

Fernando Pacheco - Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Synth Guitar
Gustavo  Bíscaro - Druns and Percussion
Fernando  Motta - Acoustic Guitar  6 
and 12 String
Ronaldo Mesquita - Bass Guitar
Eliseu Filho - Keyboards
Lorenço Gotti - Drums
Luiz Aranha - Violin
Moacir Amaral Filho - Flute
Guilerme Cordeiro - Electric Bass

Contacts / Info / Bookings 
Fernando Pacheco and
Recordando o Vale 
das Maçãs

Came out in Santos - São Paulo in 1973, with three young musicians: Fernando Pacheco, Fernando Motta and Domingos Marioti. The Musical environment was inspired in experiences with the nature contact. At the same time other musicians showed interest in the job and joined the band.

And with this formation the songs of the band were consisted of a harmonius and rhythmic variations turned to melodies of that time, making their proposal concrete. The compositions had some influences of different styles like: Impressionism and Rock in a progressive fusion, resulting in one of the well know classic of the 70s- Progressive Rock. Acoustic and eletronic equipments were increased their values, between Classical and Popular scene.

During 1974 up to 1982, RVM, (the short for "Recordando o Vale Das Maçãs" in portuguese), performed some shows in some states in Brazil.  In 1980, the drummer Milton Bernardes was replaced by Lourenço Gotti.

From 1983 to 1992 its work was restricted to the recording studio sessions. And the return of the group to the shows finally happened in November of 1992 at the "Teatro Municipal de Santos" with the show "Remembering the Valley of Apples 10 years after".

Until september 1999 the band was Fernando Pacheco (Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Synth Guitar),  Nelio Porto (Keyboards), Gustavo  Biscaro (Druns and Percussion) and Guilherme Cordeiro (Electric Bass), the last formation has a style focused in the Progressive Rock, but with a instrumental work. (Instrumental Music).

In June, 21, 1997, "Recordando o Vale das Maçãs" represented the Brazil in the traditional "Fête de la Music", in Paris, invited by Brazilian Embassy in French.

According to the European critics and a French magazine called BIG BANG, classified the CD "As Crianças da Nova Floresta II", like the best reedition of Progressive Rock in 1994.