Interviews About Albums: Germinal Band - Germinal Band (2025)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Brazilian Progressive Rock band Germinal Band to ask questions about their self-titled album. 

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

The idea behind the Germinal Band is to produce Brazilian Progressive Rock, but not in the obvious sense. We don't have, at least in this first album, Brazilian percussion instruments playing all the time or something like that. But, in many moments, we have melodies and harmonies that you typically find in popular and folk music in our country. It brings a different atmosphere that is not always noticeable at first listening. We love each song on this album. It's a beautiful first step of what Germinal Band may become in the future. We want to forge our own and distinct contribution in the prog rock world.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

We have a self-titled album. The name "Germinal" tries to bring the idea of something that moves in the deep, and when it inevitably comes out, it always causes individual and social transformation. The name is inspired by the classic Émile Zola's book "Germinal" - the name of the first month of the French Revolution calendar; therefore, it’s also a metaphor for social changes.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

I (singer Sergio Gaia) composed all the songs. But when I joined my band mates to record the album, each one of them brought something very personal in the way that they arranged and played their parts. The special guests were also very important; they brought a more Brazilian sonority to "Place Left for Love" (Júlio Cesar's accordion) and "Wake up the River" (Maria Flor's pandeiro).

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

"Wake Up The River". It is the most Brazilian song that we have due to the rhythms and sonorities. It's also a song about a very important theme: the climate crisis that we face in the world. "Regina's Heart" was chosen as the single for the videoclip, but "Wake up the River" is maybe the most dense song in the album, followed by "Made of Time".

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD? If there is what it is?

I think there is more than one special message. "Germinal" is about finding your own essence through necessary transformations. "Rocky soul" talks about the serenity and resilience before the storm. "After the Future" is based on a book with the same name (from Italian philosopher Franco Berardi). It’s a reflection on the human relations mediated by cyberspace. The difficulty of building utopias and collective reactions nowadays. So, if there's some message, it is that music, and rock music especially, still must be rebellious in the sense of the non-acceptance of established patterns and situations as if it were something immutable.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

"After the Future". Because of the book that the song is inspired by. It doesn't bring just criticism about serious problems, but it also talks about the message that the present existence between humans and poetry is still a possible avenue for hope. Naturally, it is not easy to summarize a whole book in a short song (and that was not my intent), but maybe the song can trigger the listeners' curiosity about Berardi's work, which I find extremely necessary nowadays.

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, or someone you'd love to thank especially?

Our musical influences come from some classic rock and prog rock names like Rush, Marillion, Porcupine Tree, Genesis, and so on. But our influences also come from Brazilian references, from our province, Pernambuco. Music styles like Baião, Toada, and Mangue beat. And from other provinces, just like the wonderful “Clube da Esquina” (Corner Club), a movement from the 70's originated in Minas Gerais, and was led by the great singer Milton Nascimento. We'd like to thank all the great artists who have inspired our music. Naturally, in some songs, you also have some specific inspirations outside music, just like Berardi's book (literature has always been a great inspiration for me personally). If I could remember some friends here, I'd like to thank Rafael Cacau, the author of the album cover photo. He and my brother Miguel Gaia were the directors in our video clip for Regina's heart. They really deserve to be cited here.

8. Something to add?

I would like to thank you so much for this interview, and thank all the prog rock fans who will read it. Germinal Band will always open-heartedly share our musical essence with those who love the same music as we do.