Sepultura (London)

What's it like touring with Slayer after the differences you've had? Have you sorted them out?
Yeah definitely. If we didn't sort it out this tour would never be happening. It's been great so far. We've settled out things and theres no problem anymore between the bands.

How are the initial sales of Against?
It's been doing good, so far. It's been doing better now after we started touring. There's a lot of people that like to see the band live before they get our new stuff. And after they've seen us they know the band's still very powerful.

How well-received has Derrick been with the fans?
Been very well so far. The first impression was in Brazil and it was great. And that was the first really big impression we had, although he was there since the rehearsals time and the time of writing the records. He was very well accepted by the fans in the fan club first and then in front of all the Brazilian fans. It's been great so far.

Is it true that Roadrunner said they weren't interested any more after Max left?
They had to. We're the ones paying the bills for them. <laughs> They had to be interested. Cos no matter what they say - no matter about the split of the band - Sepultura is still the number one for them. We're still the one that sells the most records on that label.
So they didn't try to...
And if they thought about that that's their problem. I don't care.

So what's it like with your new manager Todd Singerman rather than Gloria?
Things'll work better now. We're more involved in management than we were before and we'll make sure that things are right this time. And that's what it is about it. Now we have the band feeling back on and everyone's work here is as a 4-piece, as a team. Things are changed from the way it was, it wasn't working right, that's why we decided to change things from the first day, cos it was not a team anymore.

If Sepultura hadn't got back together after Max left, and if you gave up on music, what would you be doing now?
I dunno. I'd be involved with music somehow. I dunno.

What do you see yourself doing in 20 years' time then?
I hope still with the band. That the band's still there.

So you'd still be going when you're old and grey at 50?
Yeah if i can yeah definitely. If the band keeps doing the way it is and everybody still has the band feeling there, I'll still do the same. It's been already 15 years. Another 15 will be not even enough.

So who writes the music at the moment?
We did most of the songwriting by ourselves, us 3, before Derrick got in the band. Andreas did most of the lyrics and Derrick did the lyrics for one of them. But the whole arrangement, the whole finalisation, the final approach is all the band. Everybody has to be happy with what every single one of us is doing - so like I said before, it's a team. If Andreas or Igor or I do something that not all of us agree with, we work at it, make sure everybody's agreeing with it.

So you basically all share it then?
Yeah. It has to be like that. Otherwise it's not a band, it's a solo
career.

When Max was there, how much of it was done by him?
It was done a lot by him, but it's not like the way people are thinking, like he did the whole record. Fuck that, he didn't do the fucking record by himself. As you can see on the Soulfly album. It's not even close to what was done with Sepultura. There's a lot of things missing and...
...You mean when they're covering your songs or...?
Yeah. I saw them play live and it's not there. Especially the Sepultura material.
So you don't think much of Soulfly then?
No. Why should I?
Do you personally have a hatred against him then?
No. He's doing his thing, I'm doing my thing. I hope he does well whatever. Keep his career going on far away from me. He's got to settle things now with his brother, as far as I know.
So you haven't actually spoken to him since the fallout?
Nope. He hasn't spoken to us. Andreas tried to call him, and Igor tried to call him and get a hold of him but they dont let them talk to him.
He wouldn't even speak to Igor?
No. Igor tried to call and from that point Igor said "I'll wait until things get better." Some day they'll talk and...
...So they've never once spoken since... ?
No.

In which country do you get your best response from fans at concerts?
It's been good so far, but the first big response was in Brazil definitely. Thats the place we came back to to finish the record and do all the stuff so Brazil was the first one where they did accept Derrick and re-accept the band with the new line-up.

What bands would you say have influenced your recent music style?
Everything. All types of music.
What about back in the 80's when you started?
That was black metal. But as we grew up everything started to get different influences, releasing a lot of different types of music.

Which band would you like to tour with the most if you had the chance?
Well weve always been talking about having a tour with Metallica but it never got on. And the other bands that I'd like to tour with have nothing to do with Sepultura. I'd love to do a tour with Rush just because Im a big fan. But I like to play with every band pretty much. As soon as you go on the tour you start to get to know the people and things really start to get somewhere. It's been like that with every band we've played with. So we've never had a big problem on tours with anybody.

You all live in completely different areas right... so how much time do you spend at home and how much time with the band?
Not very much at home. Most of the time is with the band.
So how many months out of the year would you say?
How many DAYS you want to know I stay at my house? Last year I went back to my house 3 times. 2 days a time I was there. The rest of the time I was with the band.

So what did you think about Brazil being wasted by France in the world cup?
I don't think France beat Brazil. I think Brazil beat themselves. To have a bunch of stars and a bunch of ego going on, and too much money involved, that's what made the team fall through at the last minute. [Mega Brazil Ego mode] Cos definitely there was no team better than Brazil, there's no players better than the Brazilians. It's already been proven. That's why Brazil is 4 times the world champion. And it could have been the fifth time, but they fucked it up at the last minute. Nike and all the corporation shit, politicians, that's what's making this sport very bad.
Uh.. but it was 3-0 wasn't it. How could France win 3-0 if they were worse?
[Lost For Words mode]...er.. mm... I dunno. You tell me. Brazilians haven't figured it out yet. The only thing I figured out, the team was not supposed to be on the field like that, and that made the players play the way they played. The team was supposed to be on the field in a different way.

Its been said by the band that Derrick isn't trying to imitate Max's style he's just trying to create a new style of his own. But to some he does sound quite the same at times. Is this just how he is or has he actually made an effort to sound like Max?
I don't think he sounds similar. But that's your opinion.

Is Against on sale in Japan?
Yes.
How's it doing there?
I don't know yet.
Is that the first album that you're selling in Japan?
All the albums have been in Japan. Why?
Just wondering cos youve got this Japanese drum thing on it... whether that was to help open up a market to you.
No we've been in Japan before.

Have you got any ideas for what changes in musical direction you might have for the next album?
I guess like we did from Roots to Against, put in some new stuff, whatever's been influencing the band. Whatever approach we're going for. But I think we're always going to keep the heavy side of the band. Thats what brought us big and strong.

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Colin Burges: Lord of the Universe, his toilet, and pakora curries.