The year of 1972, was marked by the classic release of the ALICE COOPER’S album "SCHOOLS OUT", obligatory reference in any list of rock albums. In the same year, João Alberto was born, an ardent heavy rock fan since his birth.

His first contact with the instrument occurred in 1977, the same year KISS would introduce "LOVE GUN", one of the greatest hits on the band’s career, for it sold out record and the debut of guitarist ACE FREHLEY as vocalist and songwriter of the song "SHOCK ME".

His musical virtuosity, was not something new, because his mother used to play piano at recitals of classical music, at the age of 4, being complemented by HEITOR VILLA LOBOS.

His first teachers were the albums that João used to listen to and play along.

One decade finishes and another begins. Many musical news were configured in that decade, causing a true world revolution.. Revolution also happens in João’s life. He begins to give identity to his artistic talent and then, he begins to search for a guitar teacher to improve his technique, where a picturesque fact happens: João was better than his teacher!

He decides then to go back to his old teachers, the albuns. But now, new teachers were on the team: EDWARD VAN HALEN, RANDY RHOADS AND GEORGE LYNCH.

We are in 1984, year if the explosion and consolidation of the American HARD/GLAM: QUIET RIOT, after years in the ostracism, reaches the first place in BILBOARD, being the first heavy metal band to get that. KISS without the make up and again at the top. VAN HALEN releases "1984", albun that marks it’s career, because it put a heavy metal band playing in pop FM stations around the world and for being the last albun with DAVID LEE ROTH on the vocals.

But those were not the only names that changed João’s mind. DOKKEN, MÖTLEY CRÜE, RATT and the whole LOS ANGELES HARD ROCK scene were also of great influences.

The decade of 80 was the true paradise, but we couldn’t imagine that we would be expelles from the Gardens of Eden.

In the end of the 80’s, HARD ROCK music had been changing and new bands appeared: SLAUGHTER, DANGER DANGER, NELSON e WARRANT, only to to mention some names.

As everything that is good lasts little, the great bands began to disappear, giving place to vogues, as GRUNGE and FUNK O-METAL, it begans like this, "THE PLAYBOYS’S GENERATION". A playboys’generation, fashion followers, uncultured, alienated with self destructive and drug addicted personalities, the anti-thesis of the spirit of rock n’ roll, as poet PAUL STANLEY would say: "ROCK ‘N ROLL ALL NITE AND PARTY EVERYDAY!" Something needed to be done...

With the intention of rescuing the spirit of the HARD ROCK, João decides to form a band – a group that would be all that the TRUE HARD ROCK FANS WANTED FROM A BAND: THE TRUE LOVE TO HEAVY METAL AND NOT A TEMPORARY FASHION WITHOUT IDENTITY, A FOOL’S SLOT MACHINE. We are in 1991.

The first name of the band was TWILIGHT ZONE, that lasted little time since the famous American series already existed. Then, the name BLACK HEART was adopted at the beginning of 1992.

The search for musicians was very hard cuz nobody wanted to play hard rock, just brazilian pop rock clones. Some members, in spite of being famous in the musical scenery and calling themselves professionals, were nothing more than amateurs, because they disappeared suddenly, missed rehearsals, besides spoiling international proposals. Although they’re still friends none of them continued the journey as members of the group. Due to the difficulties, some gave up and others didn’t fit in the proposal. In the dispair to record, one of the members, proposed that BLACK HEART, radically changed the sound for a mere copy of the national pop rock, having heard the following answer from João:

"- Negative! I’ll never betray HARD ROCK!"

Due to all those facts and as João had the rights to the name, made all the lirycs, arrangements and had all the contacts, he decides to proceed alone, the best thing he’s ever done in his life! At this time, he manages to make his own name and the and the band’s name known in the national and international musical scene, even being very complimented in the musical scene, without needing family or anybody to sponsor him and buy his success. Something incredible was that without having giving a single show, BLACK HEART got a numerous fan club, due uncountless divulgation means. Others things that attracted people besides the musical quality were the proposal, the perseverance and the ideal that BLACK HEART stood for. We got to the year of 1997.

With the intention of showing that João Alberto and BLACK HEART were always deeply tied up and to facilitate the pronunciation of the name "João" out of the country, the artistic name "JOHN" is adopted..

At the end of 1997 taking up on a friend’s advice, the name BLACK HEART is changed for the name LOVE&AFFECTION, as the old name was very heavy and negative spiritually and things just didn’t go right.

With the new name, JOHN feels completely renewed spiritually and everything begins to happen, since there’s nothing better than the faith in God and His hands to guide us through a way of light.

Continuing his struggle for the authentic hard rock, JOHN continues his journey and prepares his debut album, still without title, headed by the single "DON’T FORGET YESTERDAY"/"YOU ARE ALL THAT I NEED", the formed being strong ballad and the latter a song in the best Californian style. 

We haven’t come to the end of the story though. John’s always been John and never a band. He starts thinking it would be useless to form a band. We’re in June 1998. He then decides he’ll go on alone and adopts the name JOHN MA. Then, this is JOH MA, A TRUE ROCK N’ROLL SOLDIER!

If you want to be a member of "JOHN MA’S ROCK SOLDIERS FAN CLUB", e-mail us!!!