Dear readers, in this article we have the pleasure to offer you an interview with a young Portuguese band that offers a Psychedelic Rock sound with retro traits. We welcome El Saguaro.
Hi, it is a pleasure to have you among our pages, how are you?
“Hi! First of all, thank you for the opportunity to do this interview and to talk a bit about our essence.“
The band formed recently, how did the project and the choice of the name El Saguaro come about?
“We formed the band at the end of 2023, a time when all of us, after a break from the stage, started to feel the urge again that rush of blood in our veins, the desire to hear and play something we truly love.
The name El Saguaro came from the idea of conveying the “heat” we feel in the music we make. And what better symbol of heat than the saguaro cactus, native to the Sonoran Desert? Because of its ability to balance the surrounding ecosystem, it also represents resistance and a connection to the earth. That made perfect sense for us, it reflects the
bond between nature and our music.“
You offer a mixture of Heavy Psych, and 70s Heavy Rock, how did your passion for these sounds come about and what are your sources of inspiration in this regard?
“The rock of the late ’60s and ’70s was crucial not just musically, but also culturally, socially, and even politically, and it still resonates today. That era of sound experimentation with the emergence of distortion, effects like wah-wah, reverbs, delays, and studio experimentation helped birth Heavy Psych and ’70s Heavy Rock.
All those elements are close to our hearts, and of course, legendary bands like Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, James Gang, Grand Funk Railroad, among many others, are huge inspirations to us not only musically, but also in attitude.
That said, our influences are quite diverse. We also draw inspiration from Brazilian bands like Os Mutantes, Casa das Máquinas, and Novos Baianos, who blended Latin sounds with the psychedelic vibes of the “Tropicália” movement.“
The debut single “Ticket to Fly” was released today April 04, 2025, what does this work represent for you?
“‘Ticket to Fly’ is the song where the stars aligned for us. It opened a huge portal, allowing all our influences to come together and helping us discover our true essence in music. In a way, it clarified and defined the sound we want to express. Naturally, we have a special love for that song.“
A solid and elaborate track between Heavy Rock and Psychedelia, with intense vocals, what themes do the lyrics deal with?
“Our lyrics are based on personal day-to-day experiences and how we deal with them. We intentionally leave the themes open-ended so that listeners can reflect not necessarily on a specific situation, but on how they relate to it in their own lives, even if it’s something completely different. In short, we try to encourage people to reflect on whether they’re on the right path and whether they know how to handle the choices they make.“
The track anticipates your debut EP, what should we expect from this work?
“This EP reflects the harmony within our band by blending each member’s different musical influences, the songs have taken on their own dynamics and melodies like puzzle pieces connecting the instrumentals and vocals. Each song has its own journey, but they all meet at a common point.“
The sound is solid and engaging, how does the creative process of your music take place?
“Generally, our creative process happens in two ways:
– Either we jam for hours and capture moments that we later develop, or sometimes one of us brings in an idea and we all start working around it.
– We always exchange ideas, build a foundation, and then polish it until the songs come together. Sometimes it happens quickly, other times, it takes a few twists and turns to get there.“
The single is accompanied by an excellent official video who made it and what can you tell us about it?
“Thank you for the kind words! The music video was produced by us with the (very limited, almost nonexistent AHAHAH) resources we had, and with the incredible help of Pedro Bessa, the Director/Cinematographer who embraced our madness. He really helped us capture the vibe we were looking for, a more vintage look, inspired by the ’70s. We wanted to play with visual effects used back then, like kaleidoscopes, prisms, and liquid light projections, and we filmed ourselves playing live to better showcase the song’s energy and our essence as a band.“
This is your first single, do you have plans for more from this EP?
“Yes! We’re super excited to share this EP, and since we don’t like sitting still, we’re already finishing the writing process for our next album which, honestly, has us buzzing with anticipation.“
The band was born recently, do you have any plans to play your music live in the near future?
“Absolutely. As soon as the EP is released on May, we’ll be hitting the road hard, with several shows lined up throughout the year across different countries. We’ll be announcing dates soon, including shows in Portugal, Spain, France, and Germany.“
Do you have any particular anecdotes or memories you would like to tell us about your live experiences?
“Nothing in particular comes to mind, but we do have some traditions we insist on
keeping… and a lot of beer is involved. AHAHAH“
Music is constantly evolving, how do you see today’s scene in your pease and more generally in your genre?
“In Portugal, the underground scene (Psych Rock, Stoner Rock, Doom, and others) has really grown over the past 10/15 years. A lot of high-quality bands have emerged across the country, and the community has become stronger and more connected, always looking for new sounds and bands. That’s a great thing.“
How do you see this new and massive technological input in the making of even Rock music?
“We were a bit unsure about this question whether it refers to how bands adapt to social media and digital platforms, or to the evolution of instruments and gear over the years. So, we decided to answer both:
– On social media and tech evolution in promotion:
This whole tech world is still pretty new to us. We’re not totally up to date with social media trends, but we’re trying to catch up. We’ve always preferred the old-school way, being present at shows and supporting bands in person but times change, and we’re trying to adapt as best as we can. Still, nothing beats face-to-face connection, sharing good moments, and spreading the message that way.
– On gear and music production tech:
We try to stay as true as possible to the era that inspires us. We recorded our EP at Hertzcontrol studio here in Portugal, where we had access to gear from the ’60s and ’70s. That includes guitar and bass amps, drums, guitars, basses, keyboards, and more. It allowed us to explore different approaches and use experimentation as a creative method, just like bands did back in the day.”
Do you have any other activities or artistic passions outside of music?
“Music is definitely our biggest artistic passion, but we’re also into surfing, films and documentaries, and tattoos.“
I thank the band for the interview, wishing them all the best for the release of the debut EP and the continuation of their artistic career.
Purchase the single on Bandcamp: https://elsaguaro.bandcamp.com/track/ticket-to-fly
Lineup:
Lucas Hugues / Guitar & Lead Vocal
André Horta / Bass & Back Vocals
João Ferreira / Drums & Back Vocals
