SPLEEN POETRY

By

Adriana Rubio

Marco Branter and Daniel Ramos are Spleen Poetry, a pop/soft rock band from Portugal. Marco is the lead singer, songwriter and plays acoustic guitar. He was born in December of 1979 in Caminha, a small town in Northern Portugal. 

 

Daniel Ramos was born in August of 1985 in Vila Nova de Famalicão City in Northern Portugal. He plays lead guitar and proudly says his biggest music like-influence is Pink Floyd. Marco assures that although they write and play pop/rock songs, they enjoy listening to Pink Floyd, Queen, U2, Dire Straits, Eagles, Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis, Beatles, The Doors, Blues and a long list of bands from the 60’s and 70’s era.

Founding members of Spleen Poetry Marco and Daniel met for the first time in early 2005 in a private music school in the city of Vila Nova de Famalicão. Both share the same passion for music since the very beginning. Marco and Daniel firmly believe that music and the enthusiasm they feel for it are the most appreciated gifts they have been touched with: art of expression. And right from the start they have devoted their lives to express their most inner feelings through music as a way to communicate to a certain kind of audience.

They worked hard for three years… doing and trying their best to get a five members band. But things turned a bit difficult because the town they were living had no musicians to audition in the genre they were looking for. However, they didn’t give up and all the songs written during this long period saw the light of day. 

In 2008 Marco meets with Paulo Baixinho, an old friend from his home town Caminha. Paulo is a musician and also a music producer. And that’s how by inexplicable chance they worked out the songs in a recording studio giving birth to the first album of Spleen Poetry: “What If…?” 

The musicians who recorded the studio album sessions also played with them live gigs. Spleen Poetry line-up at the time: Paulo Baixinho on bass guitar and backing vocals, Zé Paulo Ribeira on piano/keyboard and backing vocals and Bruno Pereira on drums.

Spleen Poetry founding members Marco and Daniel travelled across the whole country to promote the album as independent artists to a number of well known local radio stations including the small ones online.  Local feedback was very good and that encouraged even more Marco and Daniel to promote the album internationally through the internet. And Spleen Poetry started getting great responses and recognition from people all over the world. They were living at the fullest every day with an uncountable amount of joy, energy and enthusiasm to jump on to the next step: Touring.  

A long list of venues came down to Spleen Poetry table, but the excitement to perform on a regular basis was shadowed by the studio album musicians who had other projects to focus on causing Spleen Poetry to cancel most of the gigs. It was the saddest time Marco and Daniel experienced. It blocked the band’s progression.

Grey clouds for Spleen Poetry disappeared in 2009. Marco and Daniel decided to audition musicians. It was a lot easier this time with enough proofs in their hands: a studio album, fan base, radio stations playing their music, great feedback and a long list of venues to play live gigs still waiting for them.

The new and current line-up for the band: Daniel Ramos on lead guitars, Hélder Loureiro on bass guitar, Gustavo Ribeiro on keyboard, and Carlos Miguel on drums. Spleen Poetry schedule turned really busy. They have played live in Festivals and Theatres with no cancellations.  

 

In early 2010 Spleen Poetry recorded a new single “I won’t give up”. It captured the attention of a huge number of fans especially from the United Kingdom, so Marco moved to Edinburgh, Scotland in November of 2010. Spleen Poetry immediately registered with Deuce Management in the UK, and the single “I won’t give up” is one of the greatest hits aired ever. Marco is now planning to record two more songs and moving to London absolutely convinced that Spleen Poetry members are finally stepping into the international music scene.

For further info on Spleen Poetry, please visit:

http://www.spleenpoetry.com 

&

Rob Saunders at Deuce Management & Promotions