So i'm Diogo Melo, I'm 17, i'm from Portugal (Coimbra). I grew up in a village where I'm still living.My father's connected with music since he was born, he always wanted to be a musician or to have a job related to music, but unfortunately my grandfathers couldn't pay him to go to the conservatory.
So, as he is mainly influenced by classical bands (mostly 80's), Scorpions was the first band that I ever listened to, so I actually spent all my childhood listening to those bands, watching some shows he had in VHS, festivals, interviews and stuff. When I was 11 Scorpions came to Portugal and went to see them, but I couldn't go with him 'cause my parents were divorced and I hadn't spoke for months (some problems happened). But now we're friends and he told he was right in the front and almost caught a guitar pick. But yes, the Scorpions thing is something that will follow me wherever I go and wherever path I choose, I know it will always be a lifelong remarkable reference during all my musicianship.

So, actually I've always kept a huge connection with music ever since, and I guess one of the main reasons to pursuit this big dream I have is to fulfill one that couldn't be accomplished, my dad's one.

I always thought that playing the guitar was the hardest thing ever, so grabbing a guitar and starting playing was beyond my laziness. When I was 14 finally my willpower spoke louder and I got some balls to really start this big journey I once dreamed.

At 14 my mother bought me a cheap acoustic guitar, so, as I always was a self-taught person (I learned the English language all by myself), I tried to discover and explore the guitar all by me and learning music history and theory by the Internet, without having a single lesson from a teacher or a professional. The first riff I ever learned, I still remember, was the one from One (Metallica) and Holiday (Scorpions). I didn't even bother learning the chords (actually I didn't know what a chord was back then), but of course I learned them as time passed by. I started playing on September 2009 and I bought my first electric guitar a few months later (March 2010, I guess). Now I play guitar for almost two years. I skipped school for a year, so I spent 12 awesome months trying to shred my guitar.

I was about to give up a couple of times because I always thought for me '"Man, you started playing this too late, you won't make it" and that stuff, 'cause actually I'm a very stubborn person, so I tend to spend time underestimating myself, despite all the good things my friends say about my guitar skills and stuff.

My knowledge and culture about this subject, Music, was always a relative concept. I know I improved in many different ways, but I always kept my roots. This means that I've been learning new things about the issue itself ever since I started researching Music, but I'd never trade rock and metal to other genres. Basically I listen to all sub-genres of metal (I don't like Black and Grind), but still I can enjoy it and be humble with actually takes talent to do, what I call Art. I'm not always nit-picking on art forms, but I can state whatever is wrong or not.

So, my musical tastes may vary significantly but as I said, i'm always ready to learn new stuff. I don't like mainstream, I mean, being watched as a commercial highlight or whatever, 'cause as long as publishers start to put limits, kind of rules or something on you or on your band, blackmailing you and giving you, like, a ultimatum (literally), you won't be able to show what you are really capable and show you're real potential due of this, it's like 'Okay, now the band must be heard throughout the whole world, or we end the contract right here'. I mean, I don't know, I've never signed to a publisher, so I shouldn't be talking about this, but music isn't against my law, and a friend of mine told me the same happened to Manowar.

I started listening to Scorpions, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, AC/DC and stuff. My dad showed me classical music, needless to say, one of the most influences of the existence of metal and other genres, but yes, I enjoy the neoclassicism when it's about music.

Metal 'opened his doors to me' when I was 12, or 13, when a friend showed me some heavy stuff (actually I had no single idea what metal was, only that it was too heavy or something), like Dimmu Borgir and Sonic Syndicate. Later he showed me Moonspell (the pride of Portugal, they take all the throne) and Sirenia, and yes, I started to have a great and new perspective of music from there onwards.

This is the sequel of what I was saying, I almost exhausted the limit of words.

Something that bothers me and annoys me most in most is the definition of stereotypes in the aggregate of music. I mean, music isn't a war, as Synyster Gates says, music is beautiful artform, a beautiful thing to listen to. Nowadays, if some bands has straightened hair, uses the screamo thing and writes about love, what the hell will this society do? Of course, name it as an emo hardcore and related. It happened to Black Veil Brides. I mean, Andy Sixx can pull out some awesome lyrics, for instance The Gunsling, and their new album which is a masterpiece compared to the previous one, all the band improved a lot, but a huge 'a lot' should be said.. It's a shame that the singer can't sing live, but props for the rest of the amazing band, they are some extremely good musicians and i'm quiet sure they'll show much better than they have showed so far. I'm really glad Andy finally managed to do the exhales. But, going back to what I was saying, they aren't an emo, I mean, what is an emo? People created Emo for Emotive people and bla bla bla, and of course you're forced to be engulfed by the wave of this community. Black Veil Brides are most influenced by Kiss and Motley Crue, their new album showed how much effort they put on their songs and meanings, that their endeavor of struggling everyday to be a better band are the reflection of actually they want us to do, to never give in. the gloom of this society will always take control of the people that are forced to believe that. I mean, if you cry, you're emo, if you're alone, you're emo.. I stated Black Veil Brides because I point them as the most controversial band when it's about that topic, Emo. That's why I hate stereotypes. I came to the conclusion that stereotypes are like religion.. Once you're named in a community, you can't escape, it's like you're forced to conduct it's principles. That why I'm me, nothing beyond that, just me and who I am. I enjoy skinny pants, long shirts, straightened hair, I try to be as happy as I can, be a better person eveytime I wake up, always following my objectives, being optimistic, suicide is the last thing I'd do in my life, I never cut myself and never will. The way you dress doesn't inflict the way you think. I just mentioned emo as the main stereotype, 'cause I hate watching a video with a band that actually worked hard to be good, and most of the people not understanding the essence of it, the essence of music.