# **Short version** Music has always been my passion, starting from a very young age (around 8 years old) when I was given my first instruments: an acoustic guitar, a keyboard, and a drum machine. However, it was in 1991 that I began to seriously play the drums as my main instrument. Following the path most musicians, I also played in various bands, from punk to reggae, until I discovered my own path as a solo artist in 2005 with [Sir Giant](http://iamsirgiant.com/), a reggae-rock-ska project where I wrote all the songs and recorded all the instruments, including vocals. After nearly 15 years of pursuing my music career, the doors finally began to open for me when Sir Giant’s music started playing on national radio and TV. I was performing at bigger and better shows, and even won the European contest “Stay True,” promoted by [LEVI’s](https://levi.com/) which took me to [Abbey Road Studios](https://abbeyroad.com/) as part of the prize. Moving forward five years, it was in 2010 that I discovered my passion for electronic music, where I felt creativity had no boundaries—the weirder, the better! In 2012, I decided to move to New York. Although I initially started releasing electronic music under the Sir Giant name, I eventually adopted 2 different aliases: Zypher and then [[About 3ple|3ple]] (pronounced "Triple"). Over the next six years, I dedicated myself to perfecting my craft and discovering more about myself as both a person and a musician—an experience that truly changed my life! After moving back to Portugal in 2018, the projects [Danny Wyatt](https://iamdannywyatt.com/) and [Rise of the Empire](http://officialrote.com/) were born, and the rest, as they say, is history… # **Full version** Born and raised in Portugal, Europe, on April 2, 1979, I developed a passion for music at a very young age, around 8, when I received my first keyboard, the [Yamaha PortaSound PSS-140](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D_2r1Y3tF0). ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-tiago-yamaha-portasound-pss-140.jpg]] *Look at me rocking that keyboard like no one's business! (it was not even plugged in...)* As you can see, I also had a guitar and a [Yamaha DD-5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDSurh0hEWY) drum machine. Since I didn’t have drumsticks, I improvised with wooden spoons—of course! "_Start where you are, use what you have_." I even started my first band with two of my friends, Tiago and Gonçalo, called “Mortal Noise.” At the time, we were obsessed with the weekly stories about _Jack the Ripper_, published by one of the newspapers, and our first song was about him. The band didn’t go anywhere, but it was still fun to say, “*I have a band*.” In 1991, when I was 12, my 21-year-old brother Paulo decided to take a leap of faith and bought me my first real drum kit—a greenish-blue "Vision" drum set. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it! I can say that this was a pivotal moment in my life and marked the true beginning of my music career. My brother and I, along with some other musicians, then started a band called “Black Bombaim.” We “kinda” wrote a song, but the band broke up soon after. **Fun fact**: up until today (August 12, 2024), I always said the band was called "Black Bombaim," but I just realized that the city in India is actually called [Bombay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai). I'm not 100% sure if the band was actually called "Black Bombaim" or if I just misheard the name when they said it. ## **Crise Social (1992)** - My very first official band After "Black Bombaim" (or "Black Bombay"), I started a punk band with one of my “Mortal Noise” friends and three other friends, called “Crise Social” ("Social Crisis" in English). We wrote and recorded many songs (using some really basic equipment in our rehearsal studio) and played live frequently over the years. I can say that this was indeed my first real band. **Initial lineup** - Tiago - Drums - Rodrigo - Bass - Tó - Guitar - João Miguel "Xutábola" - Guitar - Gonçalo - Vocals **Final lineup** - Tiago - Drums - Pedro Rolão - Bass - Tó - Guitar - Ricardo "Barrigas" - Guitar - Gonçalo - Vocals - André Silveira - Vocals ## **Un-Sub-Mission / Urban Wreck (1995-1996)** - The beginning of something new Three or four years later, two members of "Crise Social" (Tó and Pedro Rolão) and I started a new band initially called "Un-Sub-Mission," which was later renamed "Urban Wreck." We were influenced by heavy bands like [Antischism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antischism), [Doom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_(British_band)), and the Portuguese band [Subcaos](https://www.discogs.com/artist/689426-Subcaos), even though our music was not as aggressive. We invited my friend Joana, to be the singer. ## **No Class Youth / 99 Stickers (1996)** - A time to improve musically After a while, tired of the roughness of punk and heavy music, we made a complete shift in sound, invited Pedro "Peido" as our second guitarist, and founded “No Class Youth” (which later changed to “99 Stickers”). The band retained a punk foundation but featured more melodic and complex songs, heavily influenced by Californian bands such as [NOFX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOFX), [Lagwagon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagwagon), and others. This was also the first time we went to a real studio, where we recorded a 10-song demo tape called “_Who Wants a Banana?_” ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-no-class-youth-who-wants-a-banana.jpg]] *Cover artwork for our "Who Wants a Banana?" demo tape, by André Laranjinha.* ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-no-class-youth-studio-recording.jpg]] *Here's me recording drums and vocals.* When we decided to move on without Joana and Pedro Rolão, the band changed its name to “99 Stickers,” adding Raquel as the lead singer and Ricardo as the bass player. We released a self-titled demo tape with 13 songs, some of which were re-recorded from “Who Wants a Banana?”. Originally intended to be an album released through the Portuguese label Ataque Sonoro, it was ultimately released through a record label I founded, “World Sound Records.” ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-99-stickers-demo-tape-cover-artwork.jpg]] *99 Stickers self-titled demo tape cover artwork.* **Initial lineup (as No Class Youth)** - Tiago - Drums, backing vocals, some lead vocals - Pedro Rolão - Bass - Tó - Guitar - Pedro "Peido" - Guitar - Joana - Vocals **Final lineup (as 99 Stickers)** - Tiago - Drums, backing vocals, some lead vocals - Ricardo - Bass - Tó - Guitar - Pedro "Peido" - Guitar - Raquel - Vocals ## **Hi-Jack! (1998)** - A brand new territory for me... In 1998, I was invited to join a reggae-ska band called “Hi-Jack!”—and that’s when my love for reggae began (believe it or not, I used to hate reggae before that). I also began playing bigger and better shows, with more experienced musicians and music professionals around me. ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-hi-jack-reggae-ska-live-show.jpg]] *Here's me playing with **Hi-Jack!** at Palco 6, Parque das Nações, Lisbon (1998).* **Lineup while I was still in the band** - Tiago - Drums, backing vocals - João Pestana - Vocals, lead vocals - Pedro Rio Maior - Guitar - Vasco Gravata - Guitar - Alex Catalino - Trumpet - Pedro Rolão - Saxophone - Ricardo Cabanelas - Trombone ## **Mad Dog (2001)** - My own songs coming to life Between 1999, when I left "Hi-Jack!", and 2001, I wrote a bunch of songs all by myself (all instruments, all lyrics, and vocal melodies), and I wanted to play them live. I struggled to find the right band, especially a singer, and that's when I talked to my childhood friend Joana Leal, who accepted the challenge. We gathered a few more friends, and we were able to perform live as "Mad Dog". It didn't go further than that—it was just a single show—but I'm glad I got it recorded. It's now part of my precious archive. **Lineup** - Tiago - Drums, backing vocals - Joana Leal - Lead vocals - Gonçalo - Guitar - Ricardo "Puto Mónica" - Saxophone - Tiago (another one, not me) - Bass - João Miguel "Xutábola" - Keyboards ## **Dub Hole Connection (2002)** - The beginning of my experience as a lead singer The year was 2002, and I got tired of looking for band members who could play my songs, so I started a new project called "Dub Hole Connection." It was a mix of dub, reggae, electronic, and disco. I recorded a 5-song EP and submitted it to a music contest that took place every year, one in which I had previously participated with "Hi-Jack!". I was selected as one of the participants and performed all by myself on stage, singing over the backing tracks. That was another moment in my career where I felt that my music was being positively received by an audience beyond just family and friends, making the acceptance of my work feel more authentic. Even though that project didn't last, it was a great learning experience. ## **Conguitos (2004)** - The first seed of Sir Giant Fast-forward to 2002… I (literally) built my own rehearsal studio, also called “World Sound Records”—remember my record label from the [[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-99-stickers-demo-tape-cover-artwork.jpg|99 Stickers demo tape]]? As I was writing music on my own, I struggled to find a female singer for my songs. Then a friend of mine, Fred, the drummer for [Blasted Mechanism](https://www.blastedmechanism.com/), said, “_If you write the music and can also sing, why don’t you become the singer and start your own solo project?_” I replied, “_Nah… I’m a drummer, not a singer_.” Two years later, in 2004, I founded a reggae cover band called “Conguitos,” with me as the singer and guitarist. This marked the beginning of my passion for being a frontman: leading the crowd and being free on stage, a departure from my role as a drummer. What an amazing experience! Do you wanna know why the band was called "Conguitos"? Take a look at the inspiration [here](https://www.google.com/search?q=conguitos+chocolate&rlz=1C5CHFA_enPT995PT995&oq=conguitos+chocolat&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIHCAYQABiABDIICAcQABgWGB4yCggIEAAYChgWGB4yCAgJEAAYFhge0gEINDU5OWowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8). ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-conguitos-reggae-cover-band.jpg]] *Conguitos, live at my rehearsal studio “World Sound Records”, in the live shows room (2004).* **Initial lineup** - Tiago - Vocals, guitar - Nuno Lucas - Bass - Henrique - Guitar - Viegas - Drummer **Final line-up** - Tiago - Vocals, guitar - Nuno Lucas - Bass - Henrique - Guitar - Joca - Drummer ## **Sir Giant (2005)** – The REAL shift in my life and career As much as “Conguitos” was playing live frequently, I decided I wanted to try singing my own songs instead. I set up my drum kit, a bass, a guitar, hopped on the microphone, and recorded a very rough demo with 7 songs, including an acoustic version of “[Smoke Two Joints](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQnzeKKg7Yc).” I always carried 3 or 4 of those demo CDs with me wherever I went. Then, one day in mid-2005, while playing as a guest drummer with the Portuguese band [Starvan](https://www.rastilhorecords.com/en/artists/-/starvan-9/) at a festival, I met the well-known Portuguese radio host [Henrique Amaro](https://www.instagram.com/henrique.amaro70/) and asked him, “_Can I give you my CD and see what you think?_” The rest is history, but I’ll tell you what happened anyway! A few weeks later, he called me and asked if he could play the songs on his radio show at [Antena 3](https://media.rtp.pt/antena3/), to which I, of course, said **YES**! At the time, I was already working on my official first release, “EP 05,” which featured 5 of the 7 songs from the demo. ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-sir-giant-ep05-cover-artwork.jpg]] Listen to "EP 05" on all platforms: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/2AyO84BqPGt4TOe4EJa78T) | [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/ep05-ep/1723933840) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqXN6JLUvmY&list=PLqxgws0zJHVVGcpebev3o5Nx4BblsWkzP) | [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/en/album/530372072) | [Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0CRD1HJK7) | [Tidal](https://tidal.com/browse/album/337990254) | [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_noFIZ3uTGGMaH-EwWcLrMZ_4mVGF9ynUk&si=O6JbtbrpFnd0tvBX) | [Soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/iamsirgiant/sets/ep-05) | [Bandcamp](https://iamsirgiant.bandcamp.com/album/ep-05) By the end of 2005, my song “I’m 25” was the 23rd most played song on the radio’s yearly top 50, even though it only started playing around June, surpassing famous artists like Madonna, Robbie Williams, and many others. This was a significant achievement for me, as it proved that my work had quality and meaning. Following this **_super important_** support from Henrique, other opportunities emerged, including interviews for MTV Portugal, more radio and TV stations, newspapers, and magazines, and even having my song “I’m 25” featured on the popular TV show [Morangos com Açúcar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morangos_com_A%C3%A7%C3%BAcar). After a very promising year, 2006 began with great news: one day, while relaxing at home, I received a phone call from an international number. Assuming it was my then-German girlfriend Anne, I answered to hear someone telling me I had won something. It took a moment to realize that I had won the “Stay True” European contest, promoted by the famous clothing brand [Levi’s](https://levi.com/). I was in total shock at the prize: nearly $5,000 in cash, a professional photo shoot, and, most importantly, a week at [Abbey Road Studios](https://www.abbeyroad.com/) in London to record whatever I wanted. I chose to record my song “[Life is Going Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Vy6HrBq1E)”. ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-sir-giant-abbey-road-studios-london-england.jpg]] *John, Mirek, Anne, and I in the lobby.* ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-sir-giant-life-is-going-down-cover-artwork.jpg]] Listen to "Life is Going Down" on all platforms: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/2TMz6z2n3Gm0AL13j0d0a2?si=0d3f91acbf394d28) | [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/life-is-going-down-single/1723809450) | [YouTube](https://youtu.be/i0Vy6HrBq1E?si=KcouivsLiyA8e03m) | [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/en/album/530072902) | [Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0CRB24LQT) | [Tidal](https://tidal.com/browse/album/337872520) | [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kaBpuYwFrInCWBPmNuYmqOj_2gDQDeRhA&si=MhcWZycBAWdchFcp) | [Soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/iamsirgiant/life-is-going-down) | [Bandcamp](https://iamsirgiant.bandcamp.com/track/life-is-going-down) **Initial lineup (for live shows only)** - Tiago - Lead vocals, drums - Nuno Lucas - Bass - Henrique - Guitar **Second lineup (for live shows only)** - Tiago - Lead vocals - Nuno Lucas - Bass - Henrique - Guitar - Joca - Drums **Final lineup (for live shows only)** - Tiago - Lead vocals - Miguel Neves - Bass Guest musicians on different shows: - Kae - Drums - Isaac - Drums - Mark Cain - Saxophone - Gaspar - Guitar - Henrique Cristo - Guitar - Tó - Guitar - Joana Leal - Backing vocals A while after releasing “Life is Going Down,” I started listening to a lot of [dancehall music](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancehall). This sparked my passion for music created with synths, drum machines, and similar equipment, leading me to release my full-length album [Expectations & Illusions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH-HN53KgKM&list=PLqxgws0zJHVWdF1vvdEttOLmkIy0aIhEe). The album was primarily a dancehall record with some reggae songs interspersed. For the live shows, I would sing over backing tracks while having a dancer on stage, Inês Silva. ![[obsidian-publish-alltiago-about-me-sir-giant-expectations-illusions-full-length-album-2010.jpg]] Listen to "Expectations & Illusions" on all platforms: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/5yn8Bjr8hZm2s0X5D57kIY?si=da_OwOPLSJ23lOwJvKGAgA) | [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/expectations-illusions/1723830645) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH-HN53KgKM&list=PLqxgws0zJHVWdF1vvdEttOLmkIy0aIhEe&pp=iAQB) | [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/en/album/530083552) | [Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0CRB2LS2F) | [Tidal](https://tidal.com/browse/album/337875180) | [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l9sxC9oAtgOMR_z16VlvRmxNAgnxAuWDw&si=Z2eeZCvXRD8wdzxr) | [Soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/iamsirgiant/sets/expectations-and-illusions) | [Bandcamp](https://iamsirgiant.bandcamp.com/album/expectations-illusions) Since I was already passionate about music with synths, drum machines, and similar equipment, it was easy for me to start exploring a genre I used to dislike as a teenager: electronic music. This time, I found it incredibly interesting due to its liberating production style. Unlike other genres where unconventional sounds are often criticized, electronic music celebrates new and "weird" out-of-the-box sounds. Needless to say, my love for electronic music grew exponentially. I was now able to create and perform music entirely on my own, free from creativity limitations! ## **NEW YORK (2012)** - Here I go! In October 2012, I decided to move to New York, a city I absolutely adore as my home! I felt I no longer fit in Portugal. My goals and ideas were constantly being stifled by a culture where dreaming small is the norm and dreaming big is often ignored or ridiculed. ## **Zypher (2013) and 3ple (2015)** - When electronic music really hit me While in New York, even though I began releasing electronic music still under the name "Sir Giant," it was with Zypher, and later with 3ple (pronounced "Triple"), that I fully embraced the genre. This was when I grew significantly as a music producer and songwriter, as it pushed me to learn a lot of new tricks and techniques. I spent countless hours learning online and testing those skills on my own songs, repeatedly refining my craft. Although there are no official songs released under the name Zypher anymore, I repurposed them all for my current project, "Danny Wyatt." The same goes for some of the tracks I released as 3ple that are now "Danny Wyatt" songs. You can listen to all my other 3ple songs here: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WKgjK6IkooaMg4MDWMc7G) | [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/3ple/1002977350) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@thisis3ple) | [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/8437688) | [Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/artists/B010HDB03K/3ple) | [Tidal](https://tidal.com/browse/artist/7439120) | [YouTube Music](https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCITf55OQ_Muo9Q3bVKtZ9UQ) Without delving into all the details of my six-year experience in New York, I can say it was a life-changing period. I learned a lot about myself as a person and as a musician. If I used to dream big, now I dream 100 times bigger, with one huge difference: now I know that **_everything_** is possible! ## Back in Portugal (2018) - Danny Wyatt and Rise of the Empire Six years later, back in Portugal (which wasn’t my initial plan, but life had other ideas), I reinvented myself as [Danny Wyatt](https://iamdannywyatt.com/) in December 2019 for my electronic music. I also decided to revive Sir Giant and create [Rise of the Empire](https://officialrote.com). And the rest of the story, my friends, time will tell…