Brian Storming (Courtesy of Brian Storming Myspace)

Musical talent and creativity often run in the family. J.S. Bach’s father and uncles were accomplished musicians. Prince took his name from the jazz trio in which his father played. Yngwie Malmsteen grew up surrounded by family members with musical gifts.

It’s no surprise, then, that Duncan Toth, singer and composer of orchestral act Brian Storming, would be the son of Los Gatos’ bassist Alfredo Toth.

Further validating the genetic argument, the music of each displays a special affinity for the sounds of psychedelia. Decades after Los Gatos’ glory days, Duncan and Brian Storming have taken things to a more whimsical, pop-infused vista than the harder-edged group Los Gatos did in the 60s and 70s.

First conceived by Toth as an audiovisual project, Brian Storming combines atmospheric sounds with film projections to create an audience experience that is fully immersed in sensory-perceptual fantasy. Influenced by the ‘Sergeant Pepper’ era of bands like the Beatles, the imaginations of the likes of Tim Burton and Lewis Carrol, and early orchestral movements from Disney and Hollywood, Brian Storming catapults the listener into a blurry, rippling, and enchanting state of mind.

In 2003, the band appeared live at Creamfields festival, returning again the following year, and have since toured tirelessly throughout Argentina over the last decade. The recording of their first album, ‘The Fantastic Voyages of Brian Storming’, began in 2002 and was completed as a 10-track LP released in October 2005.

Quickly gaining recognition as a unique ensemble of sound, sight, and imagination, Brian Storming was selected to open three shows for Coldplay in February 2007, at the Gran Rex Theatre. In November of the same year, they were chosen to open for Björk in a string of Buenos Aires shows.

The band has been noted for its do-it-yourself ethic and organically independent position in Argentina’s shifting musical scenes. With lyrics sung in sleepy, whisper-soft English, Brian Storming’s sound awakens an impressive range of sensations: wondrous, experimental, and vulnerable motifs of innocence flirt with the mildly terrifying and pensive numbers recalled from Disney films such as ‘Fantasia’.

Occasionally criticised for choosing to sing in English, Toth responded in a 2010 interview with Página 12: “Singing in English is an ingredient of the atmosphere that we create, with film, music, or literary references such as Lewis Carrol, Jules Verne, and Edgar Allen Poe…It is a choice: every band and every artist makes a decision when creating something that has to consider what came before it.”

Despite pressure to enter into the castellano tradition of Argentine rock, Toth has acknowledged Brian Storming’s debt to bands such as Almendra while continuing to pursue their own peculiar, magical vision.

Following an EP in 2008 (‘Brian Storming Avec L’enchanting Device’), the band began work on its most ornately textured and visually evocative release to date: 2010’s ‘Brian Storming and the Illustrated Guide to Fantasie’.

Over 12 tracks, ‘The Illustrated Guide to Fantasie’ sparkles and shimmers with a modernised big band aura, particularly suited for a live setting.  With incredible skill and sonic detail, Brian Storming manages to sound both studied in its inspirations and shrewd in their expression of an avant-garde aesthetic. They are as steeped in 20th century orchestral beauty as they are in the punchy accoutrements of contemporary pop music—definitely worth checking out.

Genre: Orchestral Fantasy

Dates Active: 2002-Present

Famous For: Incorporating film and music into a visionary performing act

Most Famous Song: Stupid Little Drummer Boy

In their own words: “The idea is simple: to continue making records for a very long time.”

Best Lyric: “We’ll be the wheels of never-ending dream/so let the unexpected ride begin” (‘1920’)

Best to listen to: Never on drugs…

Images courtesy of Ciruelo Cabral

Argentine-born Ciruelo started his professional artistic career at a very early age. He went from working as a freelance illustrator, to one of today’s most highly respected authorities on Fantastic Art. He has published several art books and created album covers for rock icons such as Steve Vai, and book covers for Hollywood names like George Lucas. Ciruelo has recently published a book, ‘Cuaderno de Viajes’, that is soon to hit the big screen.

Today Ciruelo will take us on a fantastic journey into his mind and reveal to Argentimers ‘the man behind the dragon’.

Let me start by asking you about your early pencil and paper days. What were some of the first things you drew?

Surely, the first things I drew came from characters out of some children’s comic books. At a very early age, I was interested in fantastic comics. However, I also remember having a passion for drawing animals. 

When did you first consider a career as an artist, as compared to a hobby?

It was at the age of 15, when I discovered the art of Roger Dean on the covers of Yes albums. That was when I said to myself that I would be an illustrator like him.

I like the old Sinbad movies and Greek mythology films like ‘Clash of the Titans’. What are some of your favourite films? Have they influenced your art?

No doubt about it, many films have influenced me; such as: ‘Willow’, ‘The Dark Crystal’, ‘Labyrinth’, etc…But literature and music influence me just as much.

You have done several album covers for musicians like Steve Vai, how do the worlds of music and art combine?

In my particular case, both worlds are absolutely connected. I listen to music continuously while I work, I feel music alters my perception, and that has determining result in my work. I believe the combination of music and image bloomed with the invention of cinematography.

Is there anyone who has served as a source of inspiration? Why?

Like I said, music is a very powerful source of inspiration for me, and I must cite Spinetta, Steve Vai, and Pat Metheny…as great messengers for my inspiration. I shall also cite Gabriel García Márquez, Tolkien, Castaneda, and Don Juan, Deepak Chopra, Hayao Miyazaki, Moebius, Frazetta…

Images courtesy of Ciruelo Cabral

Speaking of Spinetta, I remember we met at his house, how did you meet him?

Ever since I was 14, Spinetta has been a great source of influence for me; both musically and poetically. In 1983, at the age of 20, I had the opportunity to meet him and show him my first drawings. A few years later, my first book came out in London and I took Spinetta a copy of it when I returned to Argentina. I showed him a portrait I had included of him in the book. Since then, our friendship has grown, just like my admiration for his infinite and inspiring art. 

Do you believe a person is born with artistic talent?

I firmly believe that everyone is born with some sort of artistic talent. The problem is that most people don’t harvest it. What’s more, they don’t realise it even exists. And then, given the obligations of society, they end up working at something that is in no way related to that primitive talent. And they stray further from their mission. I dare say that there lies the outlining problem of most human beings.

What sparks your imagination?

Nature, love, music, dreams, kids, fire, the clouds, and ten million other things.

What are some of the main obstacles that an artist must face?

In terms of freelance illustrators-artists, one of the main obstacles is self-discipline, because you don’t have a boss breathing down your back. Another of the problems is that, apart from artistic talent, one must possess the ability to deal with clients and know how to ‘sell’ your work. But in fact, perhaps the most important problem is finding the way to create the kind of art you like, within that which the market requests.

Were you ever afraid of failure?

Yes, sometimes, when I started working in advertising at the age of 20. I was quickly hired by large agencies and some of the orders were very important and difficult.

Images courtesy of Ciruelo Cabral

I believe artists, as well as poets, see the world around them in a unique and mystifying way, as if looking through eyes that enhance perception and detect aspects that go unnoticed to the average eye. How do you see the world?

Your question already has plenty of the answer I would give. For me, art is a way to look inside oneself and explore mysterious and infinite universes. Within those dimensions, I find the simplest entertainment to the most profound spirituality, passing through intellect, pleasure, self- healing, communication with others, etc…

Do you believe dragons existed or still exist somewhere?

In one of my drawings in the Travel Book I say, ‘everything exists’. And I am referring to my belief that within this infinite universe, everything that we can imagine ‘exists’. With respects to dragons, I just want to make it clear that this planet was at one time the planet of the Reptil-Saurios for millions of years. The history of mammals is very recent on Earth, and of humans even more recent. So it should come as no surprise that the energy of those Sauruses still seep into everything. The figure of the dragon dates back to Celtic, Asian and Pre-Colombian cultures and is present in almost all ancestral cultures, and that cannot be just a coincidence. For now, I leave my answer at that.

I read most of your Travel Book on a train ride to Retiro station, and it was one of the most transcendental train rides I had ever taken. The combination of the words and the drawings blew me away. It honestly turned a monotonous and awful commuting experience into a cool moment. When the train got to the station, I had totally forgotten where I was going and where I was. Anyway, my question is; what inspires you to create these odd beings? Do you just doodle, or do you actually see them? I myself see little green people from time to time and lived with a ghost in Rio for six months, so…I’ll believe just about anything you tell me.

My Travel Book gathers a series of drawings and texts that are very personal, which in fact were not created with the intention of being exhibited to others. They are notes of things that dawned on me and could only be captured through short captions and simple drawings. Some of them were created while in a state of ‘a blank mind’, which is an exercise that I love to practise and that involves starting to draw without expectations, trying to not think of anything. When the drawing is complete, I try to interpret what is says to me and then I come up with the words to accompany it. That is all. In fact, I would love to spend the whole day drawing in this state, without letting my mind interfere at any time. The name of that state is ‘inspiration’ and that is when I connect with the deep dimensions of my spirit.

What projects are you currently working on?

Images courtesy of Ciruelo Cabral

I have just finished writing and illustrating a book called ‘Fairies and Dragons. Art is magic’. It is a story that took me three years to complete. It targets youngsters and includes everything I have just mentioned, but in an adventurous manner. It has to do with the magic of the ancient cultures throughout the American continent. I will present it officially at the Buenos Aires book fair in May. Also, I will be holding a series of international and local exhibits throughout this year and next. The book is being made into a movie and will be filmed in Patagonia.

Finally, what advice would you give to a person who wants to pursue a career as an artist?

First of all, that they find their true calling and own personality with their art. Secondly, when they feel love for what they are doing, that they share it with the world.

To learn more about Ciruelo and his artwork, visit his website: www.dac-editions.com