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You know a good guitar player when you hear them. Their notes dance from ear-to-ear and they make you tap your toes.
You know a great guitar player when you hear them as well. Their sounds stimulate your brain waves and amplify your love for the song.
Finally... You are most impressed by a true 'rock star' guitarist.
Their fingers dance. Their bodies sway. Their mouths and face contort. They sweat. They breath energy into you that makes your head nod... makes your body shake... makes your head consciously think, "OOOHHH YEAH BROTHER! ROCK ME!"
Rafael Moreira did that to me several times during Rock Star: INXS. Maybe that is why he has played with so many greats - Aguilera, Steven Tyler, the list goes on!
The guy is amazing. And, being that I'm a guitar player, I jumped at the chance to chat with the Brazilian and hear his story...
REX: How’s it going Rafa?
Rafa: [Slight accent present in speech] Oh man. It’s great.... Lots of stuff going on. I just took my girl to the airport. My new cd is about to be here. I’m heading to New York to play with Pink at Central Park this weekend. And, I’m trying to get my brother to update my website.
REX: Cool. Is that gig with Pink at a festival?
Rafa: Honestly man. I don’t know. I’m just going and when I get there I’ll find out.
REX: Nice. Is the new cd for Magnetico?
Rafa: Nah man. It's my solo cd. It's called 'Acid Guitar'.
REX: Nice. What’s it like?
Rafa: Well. It’s a power trio... Acid rock and jazz like. I play on it with a bunch of my friends. I loved making this disc. The songs have vocals but no written lyrics. A few of the tracks are really well developed and go up to 13 minutes long. I get to go off in parts... You know... Some shredding solos.
REX: Right on. Did you record it in a studio or at Home?
Rafa: Most of it was done in the studio... An amazing studio. But, there were some over dubs that I did out of my Home studio.
REX: Do you use PC or Mac?
Rafa: I use a Mac G4 and I use Protools software as well.
REX: Got it.
Rafa: Yah, you know music to me is just about sharing yourself with the world. You know what I mean? If I was just into lyrics I’d read a book. But, with the combination of sound and lyrics... That’s music. I love it.
Rafa at The Palace in LA
REX: So how did you get into music anyways?
Rafa: I was five years old. My mother is an amazing piano player. Back then, she would buy me and my brothers Rolling Stones and Kiss albums. We formed a band when I was really young and we would play at fairs in Brazil. There would be up to 10,000 people there. I loved it.
Then, when I was nine I wrote a song and entered it into a songwriting contest. That track ended up winning the contest! I just knew it. Music was for me.
REX: Very cool... You were writing tracks when you were nine years old?
Rafa: Yah. Like I said, music was for me. I think I really wanted to be rock guitarist. It’s one thing to want that. It’s another thing to be a rock guitarist. I’m blessed. You know... I was lucky. It just came to me. You should see the video of me when I’m like seven years old. I'm rocking out!
REX: Nice. Who is your biggest musical influence?
Rafa: I grew up on a lot of music. In addition to the Stones and Kiss I was really into the English rock bands, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden. I didn't know English. Not a word. But, I could feel what rock was about - that energy.
Then, when I was eleven years old, I saw Rockin Rio on television. It's a huge music festival in Brazil. During the show I saw John Sykes of Whitesnake play.
My life was never the same. Really. His sound. His vibrato. I couldn’t believe it. Years later, he came to a Pink rehearsal. I almost cried. It was amazing that I was meeting one of my heros. That is how music can touch you. I live for touching people through it as well.
REX: So... do you consider what you do a 'job'?
Rafa: It can be. For example, on Rock Star: INXS, I had to get up at 6am to play sometimes. That’s crazy. But, then... I look at it and think, “Alright. I’m getting up early. But, I’m getting up early to rock!”
Then, when I’m on stage... I am going to get in that zone no matter what. That’s the passion in me and I’m going to have a good, good time.
REX: Who did you enjoy working with most of the contestants?
Rafa: Hmmm. So, you know everybody brought a little something special to the show. Jordis had her thing. Suzie who’s a great singer... She had her thing. JD? What a character that guy is. Marty had his thing too. I can’t say any one of the singer was really a favorite.
REX: Okay then. What was your favorite track that you and the other guys in the house band jammed on? You know, at the end of the song you looked at Nate, Paul, Jim and Sasha and was like, “Holy Shit! We just rocked that mother!”
Rafa: [Chuckling] You know I think I have to say ‘Cold as Ice’. The groove was great. We were all in it and I could go off and do my solos. 'Bohemian Rhapsody' was also an amazing performance.
REX: Yah. Those rocked. Did you have a favorite moment on Rock Star?
Rafa: I must tell you... One thing I never expected....
REX: Yes.
Rafa: It was when Dave Navarro complimented me on tv. He did not have to do that. That was shocking. I was like “WHOA!”. I mean, come on... It doesn’t get better than that you know what I mean?
REX: I hear ya.
Rafa: Yah, that was shocking.
 (Rafael At The Palace In Los Angeles)
REX: Did you have any tough moments during the show?
Rafa: Well, not really. But, it was somewhat hard not doing my own music. I love to create. And, it’s hard to play other people’s music.
Then again, I did get to pay tribute to some of the greatest bands of rock. I believe I was also able to throw in a little of my own stuff into a lot of those songs too. So, actually it was pretty great. Yah. It was a great summer.
Rafa Rockin'
REX: Hey... How do you get your hair to stand up like that?
Rafa: Man... You just gotta spray it up and go on stage!!
REX: You know anything about Rock Star 2?
Rafa: Nah man. Really, I have not heard anything solid about that. If it happens again, I would be totally into it. But, for now, I gotta keep moving forward. Gotta keep doing my own thing.
REX: What gear are you using? Who are your sponsors these days?
Rafa: Oh man... I have the best sponsors. Gibson is amazing to me and then I get great stuff from Dean Markley, Bogner Amplification, Trailer Trash pedals, Rack Systems by Dave Friedman, Electro Harmonics, Xotic Effect pedals, Yamaha and Fender too.
REX: Not sure if you know but I’ve had a number of Rock Star Go Home fans ask me to ask you to marry them... What’s the status on love in your life?
Rafa: Really? That’s cool man. Yah, I’m not married or have kids yet, Just started seeing someone for the last month or so. I was actually single for a while before that, only having fun, if you know what I mean! The last time I was in a relationship was before I
toured with Pink 2002 . But, that was awhile ago. Now, I’m learning about this girl. It’s really nice being able to care for someone and have them care for you too. We’ll see where it goes...
REX: Yo Rafa thanks for the time!
Rafa: Oh man, thank you. This has been really fun!
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