Guitarist and Producer | Tryptamax, Bad Salad, VRA! (Split-Screen Covers / Dream Theater Tribute).

Born in 1983 in Brasilia, Brazil. I moved to Canada with my family when I was just 6 years old. That's where I started learning the Violin and Cello, at elementary school in Toronto. My parents, though medical doctors, enjoyed music very much, it has always been a big thing at our home,  and they fully supported my brother and I in our musical (and any artistic) endeavors.

When I was 10, still in Toronto, I started playing the electric guitar. I got a red Fender Squier as an early 11th Birthday present, from my parents and grandma, and fell in love with it, eventually letting the Cello aside.

When I was 12 years old, we moved back to Brazil, where I've been based ever since. I'm mostly self-taught, but did take a few guitar lessons when I was around 17-19, with Mauricio Lavenère, which were very important in getting me on the proper path. In the year 2000 I was introduced to Dream Theater and John Petrucci, at the end of a guitar lesson, and felt an instant connection to that band and sound! I've been on an obsessive journey ever since, enjoying and learning as much from them as possible, from their studio albums, live presentations, instructional videos, etc. I can safely say, John Petrucci (and the rest of Dream Theater) are my greatest professors.

In 2009 we started what came to be arguably the most popular Dream Theater tribute on the Internet, the "VRA! Split-Screen Covers". With millions of views stacked up today and dozens of collaborators from around the world, participating in split-screen video covers of select songs from the band's 16-album discography. The Split-Screen Covers project is currently active and has an official website at dreamthatercover.com

As far as original music is concerned, in 2009 I put out a 6-track EP with my then Alternative Rock band, "Ordem Inversa", called "Satisfação". Around the same period, and along with 2 other members of Ordem Inversa (my brother bassist, Felipe Campos, and drummer Caco Gonçalves), we started the Progressive Rock/Metal band Bad Salad. We debuted in 2010 with the single "Crowded Sky", followed it up with the single "Nemesis" in 2011, and eventually a full-length album in 2012, called 'Uncivilized'. In 2013, Bad Salad united with South-Korean keyboardist, Junghwan Kim, through a fan-funded project, to recorded a 3-track EP, which became 'Puzzled'.

In 2014, Bad Salad was one of the 3 bands selected by Mike Portnoy (among 180), to be part of the Progressive Nation at Sea cruise lineup, with other legendary acts such as Transatlantic, Adrian Bellew, Jon Anderson, Billy Sheehan, Haken, Animals as Leaders, Spock's Beard, etc. We played to a crowded atrium in the greatest prog event ever. Unfortunately that was the peak of Bad Salad, and shortly after, the members went their separate ways, and the band became inactive.

Fast forward to 2025.. I am currently invested creatively in my new project, called TRYPTAMAX (tryptamax.com). It's almost a solo project, in the sense that I am writing the music and lyrics, producing everything myself, performing various instruments (beyond just guitar), mixing, mastering, directing and editing the artwork and videos, etc.. except the voice.. the vocalist is my good friend (and GOAT of vocals), Will Shaw (you might remember him from our VRA "Metropolis Part 1" Dream Theater Cover)! I'm delighted to be collaborating with Will on a project so dear to my heart. The debut of TRYPTAMAX happened on my 40th Birthday, July 18th, 2023, when we released our first single, "The Empty". I am now working on what will be TRYPTAMAX's first full-length album.

Another cool project I have, worth mentioning, is PROGIFIED, with my also good friend, Rod Calcagno (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar). In 2015 we wrote and recorded a song called "Why" (with the participation of Junghwan Kim and Felipe Campos), and more recently, in 2025, we recorded and released a reinterpretation of John Petrucci's "JAWS OF LIFE" for Acoustic and Electric guitar duo.

To sum it up and close it out, I've been playing guitar for over 32 years, love writing, mixing and teaching. I have many active projects, including an online educational platform called VRA MUSIC LAB' (vramusiclab.com), with students from over 26 countries that access it daily to learn John Petrucci solos, riffs, Bad Salad and Tryptamax songs, production tips, access TABS, backing tracks, etc.

For professional inquiries email me at ThiagoCamposOfficial@gmail.com

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