Rockezine.com interview with Soulfly on Jul 14, 2002

with Max Cavelera on Jul 14, 2002

At the Dynamo festival we got a chance to talk to Max Cavalera, front man of Soulfly, about the new album, 3. And, unlike the last time we tried, we actually managed to record it. Here goes:
		You told me that your new album was “more solid” than previous albums. I listened to it; and there is some quite different stuff on it. Can you explain why you think it is solid? I think that the main songs, like fifty percent of the record, are songs that, when I play them live, are already instant “hit singles”. That is not the word because we don’t have hit singles… classics I guess, “Eye For An Eye”-type songs, that the crowd embraces from the first note. I feel that half of this album is already that type. “Primitive” is not quite like that; “Primitive” is more experimental.
		But there are quite a few experimental things on this as well. That is why I say fifty percent. It is an album that, you know, on one hand is completely what you would expect, for the fans. The fans wanted these Max classic things, you know the songs; they love it. The other fifty percent is like.... wow! You know “Tree of Pain”, I’ve never done a song like “Tree of Pain”.
		I’d say that is quite a special song. Yes, people have compared it to “Heaven And Hell”; people compare it to “Bohemian Rhapsody”, because it is so long, you know. It was just something new for me, and I’m happy to do it.
		Do you think you will try it again? Yeah, I’m here to challenge myself, and the audience. You know, I feel that’s one of the reasons why I make music. To surprise people, you have to surprise yourself. I have some ideas for the next album already, that will surprise a lot of people. More than this even.
		In what way? I don’t know yet, in terms of how I’m gonna develop. But I want the album to be recorded in three different parts of the world. Maybe it will be an album that is eh, one part recorded in Europe somewhere, one part recorded in South America, the other part recorded in America; that gives three different destinations that are gonna give three different feelings to the album. I think that can be pretty cool.
		It’s certainly a nice idea. Okay, the song “Tree of Pain”: it is a very thought out, composed kind of thing, compared to for instance “Seek and Strike”.
		I think that it might be easier to write the louder stuff than songs like “Tree of Pain”. Or am I completely wrong? No, you’re right. “Tree of Pain” was quite a task to accomplish. The difference is that it’s more experimental. It took me a lot more thinking to get this kind of idea done. You know, those eight minutes, separated in many parts. A song like “Seek and Strike” is more natural.
		But on the other hand, when you play live, a song like “Seek and Strike” is much more important than “Tree of Pain”. Which is a strange thing, because on the album, “Tree of Pain” is probably more important. When you play live, “Seek and Strike” is amazing. It’s just, like, from the first note the entire place is bouncing. It’s this energy that is like... wow! You know what I’m saying: you gotta have both. It’s necessary to have the normal stuff and the surprise stuff.
		I think so. Now, about the 9-11-01 song (one minute of silence). Obviously it had quite an impact on you, as you decided to put this on the album.
		Did you get any response about it? Like some people saying “hey, great” or others telling you “you shouldn’t have done that”? What I mean is: it is quite surprising. Yeah. People have asked me about it, asked me why, and I say it’s in respect of the dead, and I think that’s really cool. That is most of the reactions.
		Obviously. But did you think at any time that maybe a line in the book would be enough? Or did you immediately think that you had to make a statement? No. I didn’t think I had to. I just felt I wanted to. There’s no gun to my head saying “you have to do this”, but on the other hand I think the way I did it is one of the more surprising ways. Contrary to most artists.
		Especially with you being, you know, loud. That is what I’m saying. All the other artists made songs, made tributes and stuff. I made one piece of silence. And I think that for me that is gratifying. It’s exactly right.
		I agree. Because there is no way you can put it to words anyway.
		Okay, then the final song, “Zumbi”. I like it, but I get the impression that on one side there is the entire album with the loud songs and the more down to earth songs;
		And finally there’s an after party kind of thing, the final song. Sort of two parts: the album and “Zumbi”. You mean it is like a hidden track?
		Yes, maybe. It is very nice, but it’s unlike the rest of the album. I think it’s a little bit to prepare the people for the future. That you’re gonna see more of that.
		It’s quite a chill-out song. A thing you put on as a background or during a conversation. Don’t get me wrong, though, I like it. Well, “Soulfly III” (the song) is like that too. It’s very mellow too, it’s very melodic. It’s just a different side of Soulfly. The world music influence comes across. And, like I said, I am preparing the fans a little bit for the future, because we’re gonna do more of this. So they won’t be so shocked.
		Okay. So do you think you will be doing concept albums in the future? Probably.
		Like only stuff like that, or only the loud stuff, separated on different albums? Well, what I like about what I’m doing is that it is very unique and different and original; it is a challenge. World music people will normally not join with rock musicians or metal musicians, because it is an entirely different world, you know. But I think that’s wrong. And I think that I am supposed to bring them together, and that’s what I’m trying to do. So in the future we’ll see how this kind of connection is gonna come up.
		It’s definitely a good thing. But maybe, if you want to make world music, you can do an entire album and let people decide to put that on instead of having to switch between the songs. I think, like I said, it is part of Soulfly no matter what. It’s strange because for the young fans the best song is “One”, or “Last Of The Mohicans” because it’s new and it has that energy.
		But then you get somebody like Gloria’s father travelling with us, he’s seventy years old. And we played “Tree of Pain” live, and we got to the ending, you know, the acoustic part, and he told me “Man, I can eat that shit up all day long”, and I said what do you mean? And he said, “Well I really like the ending of that song. I really don’t listen to your music, but I like THAT”. You see what I mean?
		That’s a BIG compliment. Yeah it is, I know. I was really happy. I never expected that. Maybe that’s a little of the secret of Soulfly. People asked: how come you can maintain the band, the momentum, growing when so many bands come and go. I think that is because I try real hard to keep this band more mythical, you know, more mystic than predictable.
		But still, on the “Roots” album you did stuff like that as well. Not exactly. I think it was different because of the concept of “Roots” and the tracks. But if you really listen to the songs, “Roots” is much more metal. Much more like, ninety, eighty percent metal, where Soulfly really has a core attitude.
		Okay, let us get to the show. What do you think you will be doing today? We’re gonna stick to what we’ve been doing in the European shows. It’s like in a football team: when you have a good line up, don’t change it. We’ve been here for a month now and we did some very big festivals. We headlined a French festival with 45.000 people; we did another festival with Slayer, which is a very special festival. We made a set list and I like it, it’s quite convincing. It has a little bit of everything. It’s got all three Soulflys combined, which in itself could already be enough.
		But I‘ve still got some Sepultura classic songs, which I gotta do. And there is some surprise to the set; some percussion, some tribal music, so... It’s an hour and twenty minutes of Soulfly. I think the crowd will leave the venue very happy. It’s like: you come to see a band that you really like, and there’s a guy you’ve been following a lot of years, so I try not to piss you off; in terms of not playing some stuff you really wanted to hear. So, I’m pretty fair to the fans.
		I was just wondering: You’re in the bus like, maybe all day. Don’t you even want to check out other bands or something? I do.
		Oh, maybe I got the wrong impression. Yeah, I watch; when I see someone on the bill that I’ve really never seen. Like I saw Suicidal Tendencies yesterday or the day before yesterday in Belgium, and I feel like: wow, because I’ve never seen Suicidal Tendencies. Unfortunately, the thing is, sometimes we have to do press…
		Like me... Yeah and I could be watching a band but you’re here bugging me now, haha. And sometimes we get to a festival and it’s already really late. For example, I really like reggae and this guy I really like was playing the same stage as me, but he went on around midday while we went on by midnight, and he was already gone. Too bad; I really wanted to watch him.
		But you don’t get onto the festival area, on the field. To tell you the truth, I’m a little bit of a freak. I don’t go out too much. I go see a band if I like, but it’s just... I’ve seen so many rock stars; I don’t like that, I don’t need to walk around with my face, to let everybody now that I’m here. I don’t get that urge.
		What I’m thinking is, if you like to watch, well, I can go out and watch any band I like, but I don’t think you can. I can’t. Honestly, I’ll be completely crowded and mugged. And I don’t want to be rude to my fans, so...
		Doesn’t that bug you then? No, it’s okay; it’s part of the deal. There’s sacrifices. If you want to have a band and be on the stage, there’s some things you can’t have. It’s strange, but I understand; I’m a disciplined guy anyway. I’m okay with it. But I meet fans all the time anyway. I’m not afraid of them.
		Of course I can go and walk in the crowd now, but, I go outside my hotel room, I go outside the bus, I meet people. I’m not freaked out to meet people, meet the fans, it’s okay. I don’t like to walk around like a rock star, that’s all.
		Like in America, when I go on tour, a regular tour, I give my backstage pass to the band. I don’t have a backstage pass; I give it to the other three guys. My backstage is the bus. I stay in the bus until one minute before it’s my show time. Here is a little bit different because I like to go out and check some shit out. But when I go out with Slayer next month; you won’t catch me backstage. I will make a bet with you right now.
		I’ll have to take your word for that....
(Vincent Burger)