Interview with the legendary Brazilian Thrash metal God Max Cavalera

I have no words to explain how happy i feel that we got an opportunity to interview one of the thrash god himself. Yes i am talking about non other than Massimiliano Antonia Cavalera a.k.a Max Cavalera. To be honest he is one of the guy who made me much serious in metal. Words will be less if i start talking about Max.. Special thanks to my buddy Matt  bacon from Two Guys Metal Reviews and Gloria mam for making this possible. Its possible because of these two people that we were able to interview Max.. So without further delay.. Here you go our talk with  MAX CAVALERA..

Greetings Max before I began I will like to thank you for providing us this opportunity to interview you. You are an idol and source of inspiration to many bands as well as metal heads from around the world. Tell us since 1984 until now how has your journey been tell us how hard was it to start SEPULTURA?

IT WAS VERY HARD, BUT NECESSARY.  WE WERE POOR, BROKE, AND PISSED OFF KIDS LIVING IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.  METAL WAS THE PERFECT MUSIC FOR US.  IT FELT GREAT TO RELEASE AND UNLEASH ALL THOSE FEELINGS THROUGH METAL.  ALMOST LIKE A THERAPY SESSION. 

Well Max, I will like to start with SEPULTURA as my intention of this interview is to cover your entire journey from 84 upto now.  You and Igor started the band in 1984 tell us how did the concept of Sepultura arise?

WE SAW A BRAZILIAN BAND CALLED “DORSAL ATLANTICA.”  THEY WERE LIKE THE BRAZILIAN VENOM.  THEY KICKED ASS, AND AFTER WE SAW THEIR SHOW WE DECIDED TO MAKE A BAND OURSELVES.  IT WAS LIKE IF THEY CAN DO IT, WE CAN DO IT TOO.  WE ARE FROM THE SAME COUNTRY AND ARE ALL THE SAME. 

To be honest Sepultura’s 4^th Album (Your last studio release with them) ARISE made me much serious in Metal music and is my 2^nd tape which was gifted to me by my dad on my 13^th birthday around 11 yeas back. In March 1985 after Lamounier (Founder Sarcofago) left the band you served the duty of vocals as well as lead guitars. The bands 1^st release was an Split EP with Overdose named Bestial Devastation and if I am not wrong it was all recorded in 2 days.

WE HAD TWO DAYS TO RECORD THE ENTIRE EP.  THERE WAS NOT MUCH MONEY DURING THOSE DAYS, SO EVERY MINUTE COUNTED.  WE DID A DEMO SONG FIRST FOR THE SONG “NECROMANCER,” AND IT CAME OUT GREAT.  SO WE JUST WENT BACK TO THE STUDIO, J.G. STUDIOS BELO HORIZONTE, AND RECORDED THE WHOLE EP. 

Your journey with Sepultura was from 1984 until 1996 in which 6 albums were Morbid Vision in 1986 which had elements of Death Metal, Schizophrenia in 1987 which was more stylistic change to Thrash Metal yet still keeping Death Metal elements of Morbid Vision. If I am not wrong this album gave Sepultura much response beyond Brazil and signing with Road Runner records. In 1989 Beneath the Remains it was also considered all time Top 20 Best thrash Metal album. In 1991 Arise was released which is considered Sepultura’s Pure Thrash metal album as well as critically praised globally as al time best Thrash metal album, 5^th album Chaos A.D which was released in 1993 considered as the bands evolution from Thrash Metal to industrial hardcore punk, we can even hear the changes in the bands music elements in the 6^th album Roots released in 1996 which is considered as Modern Classical Brazilian Heavy metal album which was your last album with the band. Tell us why with every release the band was experimenting with the sound.

WE NEVER STOP EXPANDING.  WE NEVER WANT TO DO THE SAME RECORD TWICE.  IT WORKS IF YOU ARE ACDC OR SLAYER, BUT NOT SEPULTURA.  WE WERE NOT AFRAID TO TRY DIFFERENT THINGS, AND WE DID NOT CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK.  WE BELIEVED IN WHAT WE WERE DOING AND THAT’S IT.  WE NEVER REPEAT OURSELVES. 

Can you tell us about the Brazilian metal scene back then when you started with Sepultura how hard it was? Tell us how you feel remembering those days. I really want to know cause I read it in one of your interviews and its quite similar to our Present situation of the Nepalese underground scene. “Travelling on trains, Getting beat up by cops, Sleeping behind the stage. Its part of growing up, Its part of the nature of this stuffs. If you don’t have that kind of background, you can’t be a band like us”.

WE DID IT ALL.  SLEPT UNDER THE STAGE, WENT ON 54 HOUR BUS RIDES TO NORTHERN BRAZIL, DRINKING HOT WHISKEY AND GETTING FUCKED UP.  I STOLE MY FIRST MICROPHONE FROM A NEW WAVE BAND AND WE DID CRAZY SHIT LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME.  IT WAS FUN.  I ALWAYS LOVED BEING A METAL HEAD.

Your last show with Sepultura was in 16^th December 1996 at Brixton Academy in London which was few months later after your Step son Dana Wells died in a road crash you left the band. Can you tell us why you left Sepultura?

I LEFT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN INTEGRITY.  I’M A LOYAL GUY.  IF YOU’RE MY FRIEND, YOU’RE MY FRINED FOR LIFE.  THERE IS NO BETRAYAL, AND THE OTHER 3 SEPULTURA GUYS HAD OTHER IDEAS IN THEIR MINDS.  THEY DIDN’T CARE TO FUCK PEOPLE OVER, AND I BELIEVE IN KARMA.  WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND KIND OF STUFF.  SO I COULDN’T BE PART OF THE SEPULTURA THING ANYMORE.  IT WAS A HARD DECISION, BUT I STILL STAND BY IT EVEN TODAY.  MY INTEGRITY IS IMPORTANT TO ME. 

Max, can you share us some of your best memories with Sepultura?

SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES WITH SEPULTURA WAS PLAYING THE 2^ND ROCK IN RIO IN THE MARACANA STADIUM.  OUR FIRST SHOWS IN EUROPE AND AMERICA.  FIRST SHOWS IN INDONESIA AND RUSSIA.  IT WAS CRAZY EXCITING TIME IN MUSIC.  A  LOT OF CHAOS AND FUN DURING THOSE DAYS. 

Well, our talk about Sepultura ends here. Coming to Nailbomb the band was active for 1 year i.e. from 1994 to 1995. Tell us more about it?

NAILBOMB WAS CREATED BY ME AND ALEX NEWPORT OF FUDGE TUNNEL.  I LOVED FUDGE TUNNEL, AND WANTED TO DO A MORE CROSSOVER RECORD OF METAL AND INDUSTRIAL MUSIC.  WE WERE LISTENING TO A LOT OF MINISTRY, GOD FLESH, FEAR FACTORY, ETC.  IT WAS ALL DONE IN MY HOUSE IN PHOENIX, AZ.  IT’S A TRUE DO IT YOURSELF KIND OF PROJECT.  WE DID A LOT OF PROGRAMMING DRUM MACHINES AND WROTE ALL THE RIFFS TOGETHER, MYSELF AND ALEX.  WE ALSO SPLIT ALL THE VOCALS BETWEEN US.  I STILL LOVE POINT BLANK.  IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS I EVER DID. 

Coming to Soulfly, one question arises in my mind with every new album there is the change in Soulfly’s lineup. Max can you tell us why?

 SOULFLY IS A DIFFERENT PROJECT.  IT’S SUPPOSED TO CHANGE FROM TIME TO TIME, AGAIN, NOT REPEATING OURSELVES, AND TRYING NEW THINGS WITH THE MUSIC.  FEARLESS!!!

If I am not wrong your son Zyon is serving the duties on Drums from 2012 how and your elder son Richie done vocals for the 3^rd album Prophecy how it feels working with your son.  Cause we rarely hear or see (next to impossible here in Nepal) that a father and son playing together in a same metal band.

IT’S GREAT THAT ZYON PLAYS DRUMS ON SOULFLY’S SAVAGES AND THE NEW ALBUM, AS HE DID A GREAT JOB.  THE WHOLE FAMILY IS INVOLVED WITH METAL AND SOULFLY.  IT’S GREAT!. 

Seriously we rarely get to hear that entire family member’s active in music. Your wife Gloria managing your bands from the times of Sepultura, your kids collaborated in your various project Richie who has done vocals to albums by Cavalera Conspiracy and Soulfly, played occasional guitar on Nailbombs live album. As far as I know he is fronting Incite. Igor (Max’s son) and Zyon are active on Lody Kong. Jason works as Bass technician for Cavalera Conspiracy and Drums technician for Soulfly entire family is active in the music industry which is a really cool thing. I wish to have it the same in my family in future.

WE HAVE A GREAT SYSTEM.  GLORIA MANAGES ALL OF US.  WE HAVE INCITE AND LODY KONG, AND I JAM WITH IGOR AND ZYON FOR THE NEW SOULFLY ALBUM.  IT WAS INSANE.  I LOVE PLAYING METAL WITH MY KIDS..

Coming to Cavalera Conspiracy was formed in 2007 the band is even considered as the reunion of the 2 brothers after 10 years. How does it feels starting of a new band with your young brother?

IT’S AMAZING.  I LOVE MY BROTHER, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO NOT TALK TO HIM FOR 10 YEARS, BUT IT ALSO BROUGHT US CLOSER.  WE ARE CLOSER NOW THAN EVER BEFORE, AND I LOVE THE WORK WE DO IN CAVALERA CONSPIRACY. 

Tell us how did you come up with starting Cavalera Conspiracy and if I am not wrong the initial name of the band was inflikted?

INFLIKTED WAS THE FIRST NAME OF THE GROUP AND THEN I SUGGESTED TO IGOR THAT WE CHANGE TO CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.  HE LOVED THE NEW NAME, AND WE WROTE THE FIRST ALBUM IN A MONTH, AND CALLED THE ALBUM “INFLIKTED.” 

Max, in 2011 you along with Greg Puciato formed Killer be killed tell us much about this band. As to be honest I haven’t heard about this band I just came to know about it while I was conducting some intense research about your projects.

GREG AND I FORMED KILLER BE KILLED.  IT’S KIND OF LIKE A SUPER GROUP WITH TROY FROM MASTODON IN IT.  I LOVE THE SONGS AND THE VIBE OF THE RECORD.  IT’S VERY DIFFERENT FROM EVERYTHING THAT I DO.  MORE MELODIC, AND A LOT MORE FUN. 

So Max you have been part of the metal scene from almost 31 years and even Collaborate in around 13 projects including Nirvana’s drummers and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl to produce “Red war” of Grohl’s metal project, Probot. Tell us about it?

DAVE GROHL CALLED ME YEARS AGO AND ASKED ME TO BE IN THIS PROJECT CALLED “PROBOT.”  HE SENT ME THREE SONGS TO CHOOSE FROM AND I CHOSE “RED WAR” BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE TERRITORY, AND I LOVED IT FROM THE BEGINNING.  IT WAS GREAT. 

You have even been featured in the Hollywood movie Scorpion King in an off camera role and also in the popular video game GTA IV: The lost and the Damned. Say us about these two commercial projects?

THOSE ARE OFF THE WALL PROJECTS I DID.  I THINK IT WAS FUN BUT I PREFER TO PLAY METAL AND MAKE METAL ALBUMS. 

If I am mot wrong you are a keen player of eastern instrument Sitar. I was pretty amazed to know that you play it quite well. To be honest man i even started to respect you more after I found out about this.

YEAH, I HAVE A GUITAR/SITAR CREATED BY A COMPANY CALLED JERRY JONES.  I PLAYED ON EVERY SOULFLY INSTRUMENTAL SONG, AND I LOVE EASTERN MUSIC AND EASTERN INSTRUMENTS LIKE SITAR, TABLAS, DUDUK, ETC. 

Max, you are in a country where the metal scene is extensively healthy. How hard is it for a metal band to sustain their livelihood v.i.a music?

WE HAVE TO TOUR ALL THE TIME, AND THE ONLY INCOME IS FROM SHOWS AND MERCHANDISE.  THAT IS HOW WE AND MANY OTHER BANDS SURVIVE. 

Last night when I was having a talk with Gloria she was talking about Soulfly's tour from Wednesday (21^st Jan) tell us about it?

WE’RE GOING ON A CRUISE CALLED 70,000 TONS OF METAL, AND ARE PLAYING WITH CANNIBAL CORPSE, BEHEMOTH AND NAPALM DEATH.  IT’S GONNA BE GREAT.  I WANT TO BE ON TOUR THE WHOLE YEAR OF 2015.  BRINGING MY METAL TO THE MASSES. 

We are almost at the end now any message to the fans and bands from Nepal and this part of the world?

TO ALL THE METAL FANS AND METAL HEADS IN NEPAL, I HOPE TO SEE YOU ONE DAY.  IT WILL BE A DREAM COME TRUE TO PLAY FOR YOU!

Thank you Max for your precious time, it really means a lot to me that I got the opportunity to interview you. Once again thank you Max..