Ricardo Preschel Hub

Today got an email from a spanish girl I don’t know, that somehow made a little more sense of my life, that looks to me right now. I hope she does not mind me transcribing the email, but will always make part of me and that counts, at least for both.

Thanks Serena

Dear Mr. Preschel. You don’t know me, but I’m a big fan of Quinto Império.

I wanted to write to you, well first, I wished to tell you that I think it was amazing that you escaped from your car crash and survived. I think it is a miracle and you don’t know how happy I am that you survived and are doing well. I believe when this sort of thing happens, it’s because you were meant to continue on to do many more wonderful things in this world, you still have a lot to give to the world.

Many years ago, when I was very young and naïve and I still believed that beautiful things could happen and that dreams could come true, one thing I enjoyed very much doing with my then-husband was to lie together on the sofa after lunch and listen to a program on the radio, I don’t remember the name of it but they always put on new music groups that were coming out, especially ethnic music or New Age. The people on the radio show were very excited and enthusiastic about this new Portuguese music band that had recently come out, they pronosticated a great future for this band and they were sure that these people would bring out many more CD’s and be the successors to Madredeus on the Portuguese music scene. They loved this band and put on some of their music every day.

I’m sure you’ve guessed that that exciting new band was Quinto Império. I loved all of the songs that they put out, I was especially crazy about Vagas and I still am today, today I sometimes listen to Vagas many times at one sitting because I love that song so much.

(Well now while I absolutely looooooove all of the songs on your CD, I suppose my favourite ones, if I could even choose some favourite ones at all because really they’re all my favourites, I guess I would say would be Vagas, Sagres and Luz ou Cruz. This last one I find especially, incredibly haunting and sad.)

However life went on, in those days we were just starting out, we were very poor and buying CD’s wasn’t something that we could afford. We started doing things and we couldn’t listen to the radio after lunch anymore. I stopped thinking about Quinto Império but even though I’ve listened to sooooooooo many new music groups that later on didn’t become famous and everyone forgot about them, I never forgot the name of this band nor their haunting, amazing songs. However I just assumed that these people would become very famous and within a few years, when our personal situation would be more stable and we could afford CD’s, I would just go out and snatch up all the Quinto Império CD’s that would be out there, I was sure they would be as prolific as Madredeus!

So a few years ago I suddenly remembered about that incredible music band that I had fallen in love with, and whose name I had never forgotten, so I was astonished to discover that they had disappeared and their CD was nowhere to be found! I was very busy at that time and didn’t have time to run around all over the place tracking down rare CD’s, so I forgot about the subject. When internet became a household item I tried to google for information about this group, but there was nothing out there about them at that time.

Then last summer the name of the group just popped into my head, so I tried to google them again. You just can’t imagine how absolutely flabbergasted, amazed, astounded and delighted I was to discover that now there was a ton of information about this band on internet! I ran as fast as possible to my nearest Corte Inglés to look for the CD but of course they didn’t have it. But now I could order it online, so I did!

Your music has really changed my life, Mr. Preschel, you could probably never even imagine just how much. It inspired me to believe in my dreams again and to chase after them again. When I feel discouraged I listen to your music and I believe again. I believe in dreams again and I believe that we have the dreams that we have because those are the things that we were meant to accomplish in this world when we were born. The things that we dream of doing are the reason why we decided to even bother coming into the world at all.

It may seem like a paradox to you, because perhaps you think of the Quinto Império project as a *broken dream*, a shattered dream. But I think (with horror!) of what could have happened if you had died in that accident. Perhaps then I would never have discovered the music of Quinto Império, I would have just remained alone with those memories of that mysterious group whose music I loved and who just disappeared. Or perhaps I would have discovered your CD but I would just have spent the rest of my life wondering whatever in the world happened to those amazing people, who they were, where they were now and what they were doing, how people with so much genius for music could just STOP making music and give up!

Anyways I won’t take up any more of your time. I hope you don’t mind that I wrote you this letter and I want to thank you sooooooooo much for taking the time to read it. I wish you ALL THE BEST in the world and that all your dreams may come true!

Oh and may the force be with you too! Serena

Its me who has to thank you, to make it more real and sense to still be alive. Thanks.

So that those who don’t know, I used to be friend and band partner with Teresa Salgueiro, who is the soul of the Portuguese band Madredeus. I did a remastered version of their master piece, O Pastor.

Tags: madredeus, quinto imperio

Has I mentioned before, the creatures, Joao Almeida and Teresa something, decided at 9PM that I should leave their place, having being assured by Joao Almeida that I could stay has long has I wanted…But being a puppet and a wannabe web designer he just went with her madness. No one i their perfect state of mind send a dog, who is in treatment for several different illnesses, with no other shelter to go in a, no time, you have to leave now, decision, to the street, that was so bad that even the cars could not move, around -4 Celsius. Already told has well that lost most of my belongings because a car full of stuff is an obvious beacon to be stolen…But the police told me, personally when I inquired them, that they were very proud of what they were doing, and were doing it very well. Witch was not even giving me a hand to carry stuff or any useful advice for someone who has no place to go.
Still thinking about the the legality of this. If you can’t do it to a dog, can you do it to a Human being for no reason whatsoever?

Another way to say this, is that torture is legal in the UK and the Met Police agrees and complies with it’s fulfillment.

Insane women, Teresa something. Be very careful...

Not going through the definitions of the Human Rights charter that is part of UK law, but is useless. I phone more than 30 solicitors and all the institutions and organizations related with the subject, including my MP – the only one who could inquire the ombudsman about any illegalities – told me to just let it go...

Bar at Bairro Alto, Lisbon

But Not all bad things originate in Po1rtugal, Thank Goddess!

Starting were I left and in a better position.

Made a Hackintosh, so I can work from now on.

Be safe.

Trying hard to get back on track. Still lot’s of work ahead but going…. Perhaps it’s the way to go. Now I have more opportunities than before to make real what’s going on my head.

Still can’t believe how mean and evil people can be without a proper reason….

Tags: beggining, London

When I moved back to London I was suppose to stay with this “friends”, that by the way would not be here if I did not get them a place to stay at the time, even their memory is short, apparently.

Now, the funny part began when he told me that I could stay has long I needed to, and she put me on the street at 9 PM with -4 degrees Celsius. She, being his girlfriend, or so, since I know that she told my ex that he was just OK for the time being, and her real love was not him, not even close. No thing to say to everyone, I think… He does not know this, obviously. She is just taking the boat were she needs to go. The main reason she put me out was that I told her that she does not need to know all the details of my life, like I don’t need her details has well.

I do regret to have allowed them to stay in London, because by themselves, obviously they could not. Anyone who ever being in London knows that without help and no money, simply can’t be done.

He now thinks he’s the greatest, but I do remember giving him advice about getting job, and indeed tried to push him up. What he forgets his what he knows now, I learned 20 years ago. I have enough knowledge to wipe him of the face of the earth, but like all 20 someting they think they know it all. Wrong.

Other think that comes with time, is patience. No matter how long, I will make their lives miserable and put him out of work. What comes around goes around. 3 times fold.

No one in any circumstances put anyone, least a “friend” that help them, in the street, snowing, making him to carry everything to the car, knowing that I broke my spine a few years ago and could not do it.

The car, obviously was stolen,, given the fact that was full of stuff, including my iMac.

Just a note to these creatures, I will not forget. Joao Almeida and Teresa something

Tags: friends, London, UK

Found an old post from 2006. Mixed feelings about it…

Some things change, some never do….

from my post at Livejournal:

Ok, today was my last day at work. Returned everything including laptop and stuff.

Hope that i can make her as happy as she makes me.

Pictures from Oxford St. and near by. Not has full of people has I expected, even so always crowded at any hour…

I will update my Facebook gallery with more stuff and the in-build gallery of this place as well, as soon I can.

Another pointless video, but for me. I like snow…

Tags: London, snow, xmas

This is a very dear machine to me. When we started doing noise a few years ago, that was what we could afford to get drums. Linn Drums existed already but were beyond what we could get hands on or even look at it live…

Tags: drums, music, sinths

How crazy is the world we live in is.On the forefront of all this, the Japanese take the lead with this amazing, look alike Human Dolls.

I did a track about it, kind a in a very fast way. Here it it is.

Tags: dolls, sex

After 6 months I realize that is useless to try and get some justice from the authorities in Portugal.

The video shows what happened to my car made by a wheel blocker. Yes, it’s suppose to block the wheels but instead destroyed part of it. Even with video evidence, they keep saying that I took the wheel blocker from my car !!!!, and gave me a ticket of 300 Euros!!! All the official paperwork is missing crucial info related with the laws applicable to the infraction, and so on. Tried to reason with them but it sounded like talking to a mental institution. Well probably is…, as well. Received an email reply, justifying the fact, because “someone”saw me doing it!!!! Someone? What on earth is that? Some legal word that I am not aware? How could a police report be based on “someone” and be accepted as valid in the civilized world? The chaos provoked by them in the street can be seen as well, like several police cars and motorcycles. Dozen of officers…For what? Who knows? Who is responsible?

Tried with all authorities above them, but there was only two people in the government office in charge, and the Mayor of Lisbon did nothing about it as well. And by God I tried.

So no one can be prosecuted for doing what can be seen on the picture.

My advice, if going to Lisbon or Porto, be aware of the Policia Municipal, because these two cities have special rules for them. They accumulate all the powers of normal Police with the Police that should answer to the Mayor – Policia Municipal -, making them almost Gods. Unteachable and unteachable.

And they say they want to be part of the EU….in 300 years or in dreams, perhaps.

First the authorities, from the top till down, should stop acting like barbarians and then we will see….

Sometimes I am ashamed of being born there, and this something no one should say about his homeland.

Tags: Lisbon, Police, portugal