“The State of the Nation of Sepultura” by Mike Jacabow
Recently I did an interview with the legendary heavy metal group,
Sepultura. It was both a pleasure and an honor to interview this
groundbreaking group, who still survives and rides with their already
praised influential offerings to the world. If you know nothing of or
about this band, great, because you’ll soon find out more than you thought a
heavy metal band is, was or thinks. But, if you do, like I would expect, then
even better…because you too, will soon find out more than you thought a
heavy metal band is, was or thinks. Did you want to know about Max, well read
on! They are Sepultura: a famed Brazilian quartet, who has sold more than 5
million records worldwide and influenced an unseen amount greater than
that. Here is my interview with Andreas Kisser, the long time Axe man of
Sepultura.
MM: Andreas, what’s going on? How you feelin?
AK: Good man, how are you doin?
MM: Good, you guys recently put out the Album “Nation” March 20th, it
seems to be back to the political stuff, what else is different on this disc?
AK: Ummm, I think pretty much everything, on “Against” it was pretty
difficult to record as a band, to write, to tour, because Derrick was
not really involved into the band. But, after the tour cycle for “Against”,
he came to Brazil, Saint Paulo and brought his ideas into Sepultura and
that helps everyone to be connected and to work on one concept.
MM: Why back to the political premise as your lyrical point right now?
AK: You know, we always wrote the stuff we thought about, we where
never a “political” band, but we wrote the stuff we thought about and Brazil is
a very big part of that. Are experiences are real, with our day to day
life in Brazil and it turned out to be political. It’s just like an opinion and
that’s politics and we use music to express what we feel…this concept
of the “Sepulnation,” it’s pretty utopic and it never really happened before
and I am sure it will never happen again. It was a whole world of no borders
and I do not mean just physical, but culturally, with respect of religion and
understanding a little more a little better of other religions and take
a better care of our planet, you know. That’s the message of this
“Sepulnation,” it’s just a very rich powerful concept that made us
write this record.
MM: Do you feel that you guys are the voice for Brazil? It almost seems
like you guys are gods in that nation, almost bigger than politicians, how
do you feel about it?
AK: Naah, I don’t know man…people in Brazil are very proud of what we
achieved, it’s great to have that support, they where really the first
to really support us and we have a debt to our fans of there. The whole
politics is very confusing and disturbing and very fucked up. We use
our music to express what we feel and that’s our mission and we enjoy it.
MM: With the Album “Chaos AD” did you have any backlash with the
Brazilian government over what you wrote about?
AK: Not really. The government is not really after stuff like that. We
passed through a military dictatorship in the seventies and that’s when
censorship was really strong. That’s when many people where in exile
for what they said. It’s like a new beginning again; even our President of
today, was in exile in Chile before. After the amnesty and stuff they
came back. They have more to think about than to go after a musical group.
MM: Does America seem like we have more freedom to you?
AK: In a way, yes. You have more economical stability. I lived in
Phoenix for like 6 years and it was much easier to take care of bills, to buy a
house and to really plan a life. But at the same time it’s not really
the freedom that we Brazilians have, it’s very chaotic and stuff but we are
really free to do a lot of stuff. We have every race living together
and it’s very rich, culturally speaking. The mixture we have there is
awesome, it’s fantastic, so it’s a place very unique in the world.
MM: Yes, America is called “the melting pot of the word,” but doesn’t
it seem like we are more segregated in many parts and places amongst
ourselves, even here in Chicago?
AK: Yeah pretty much. Everything is race related here in the states.
It’s part of the history of the country. They try to cover up here and there
with things like MTV and stuff, but it’s everywhere. With day by day routine
it’s a very ahhhh, evil kind of influence. (Laugh). You know? I think United
States should open more of mind’s to the rest of the world. I think the
information you guys have is where army is and the china conflict…but
culturally the rest of the world could offer more. America is a special
people with sports and movies and arts in general and fucking great
music, so too interact more would be great, for your own good.
MM: It almost seems like we have a pride built upon us…
AK: Yeah, even when we tour with other bands and we have an American
crew, they are always looking for the Macdonald’s and kind of refuse other
things. (Laugh from both of us.)
MM: I guess I would be the same way almost…
AK: I don’t blame it, that’s pretty much the way Americans see the
world. It’s like Imperialism, pretty much.
MM: Going back to the album “Nation,” this is the first one you
recorded in Brazil since “Beneath the Remains,” how was that experience and why did
you go back there to record it?
AK: With every album it is a different story. We choose a place to
record when we see where our lives are and where our producer is. You gotta
balance both. We been down in Brazil since the “Against” tour ended, August of
99’ and Derrick is down there learning the language…
MM: Is he learning it well?
AK: Actually really really well, (small laugh). We just stayed there
and it is beautiful there, so you might as well stay at home and be happy.
(Laugh).
MM: Obviously Brazil is your homeland, but what other countries give
Sepultura the most support?
AK: Pretty much Europe and South America. In America we play for small
crowds and headline. But I mean in Brazil and Mexico we can play for
ten thousand people. It’s great! We just played the Rock In Rio festival
for two hundred thousand people and it was great! We just have to play more in
this country, it is so big. It’s like another Europe. In size and stuff, we
just gotto keep busy here.
MM: I don’t mean to change subjects so drastically, but I have always
wondered what other vocalist’s you guys had in mind for Sepultura after
the departure of Max in 97’.
AK: We where expecting nothing, we where just receiving demo’s and
feelin nothing…
MM: Anyone famous?
AK: Yeah the guy from Testament, Chuck.
MM: OH REALLY?
AK: Yeah, we have the song “Choke” that we sent to a lot of people to
do whatever. I have like eight to nine people who did “Choke” including
Derrick (the current vocalist for Sepultura) of course…and Chuck was very
interesting, more death metal. For us we just needed something new that
did not connect to another era or band.
MM: What do you think of Derrick’s progression from the last album to
this one?
AK: Well, he takes very good care of his voice on the road and did some
vocal lessons in LA, he does not drink he does not smoke…
MM: See, I’ve done interviews with Arron Lewis of Staind and man, he
smoke’s and drink’s and basically does everything you should not…
AK: I guess with each individual it works differently…
MM: Well, what was the pressure you guys felt after Max left the band
and Derrick came in. How was it for him and how is your relationship with
Max now?
AK: Um, unfortunately we have no relationship since he left the band.
Right after he left the band, we kept as a trio; to bring somebody else at
that stage would be even more confusing. After eight, nine months we where
sure we needed somebody…
MM: Did you think about doing vocals?
AK: Yeah, I did for a while. It did not really work.
MM: When I did an interview with Max, while he was on Ozzfest this past
summer, he said he really could not bring himself to listen to the new
Sepultura. And I know you guys have heard the new Soulfy album’s…do you
think the relationship will ever be mended?
AK: Well…hopefully you know?
MM: Yeah, you guys spent like 17 years together…
AK: It’s not even that, it’s the brotherhood also, you know? Our whole
lives together, not just 17 years.
MM: Man, it’s weird to see Max kind-of put his head down in sadness,
when talking about you guys…but there is new promise with Derrick and
thing’s seem endless for you guys now…
AK: Yeah man, like always. When bad things happen, a lot of other
door’s open and you have to explore that…it’s crazy to just sit down and cry
about what happened. One thing we did not want to do is stop just because Max
did not want to be a part of it anymore. He had his choice to do something
else and stay with the management that he chose to be with and chose other
musicians to continue with stuff. For us you know, we kept together,
luckily we found Derrick and he really fits great with the band. We are just
very happy with the way things are going right now.
MM: That’s right, a bad ass album out in store’s now, “Nation.” The one
thing you’re most happy with this album?
AK: Just the album itself you know? Keeping together and keep touring
and enjoying.
MM: Bottom line it’s about perseverance!
AK: Yeah and belief! Go after the stuff you really love to do.
MM: Finally, what’s next for Sepultura?
AK: The plan is to keep touring, we go to Europe after this and
hopefully come back in July.
MM: Well good luck with that Andreas! Good luck with everything.
AK: Madman, thank you.