Interviews

Interview: Soulfly

For a band who may never have existed but for the downfall of the legendary Sepultura, Soulfly have done a damn good job of making their own colossal mark on metal. By combining thrash with groove they’ve battered us with album after album with their new offering ‘Conquer’ arguably their heaviest to date. Rich E and John Skibeat grabbed a few minutes with Soulfly bassist Bobby Burns before the band hit the latest leg of their tour to find out just about how they went about creating a monster.

How’s the tour going so far?
So far, so good. With the new album coming out a few weeks ago we’re right on the cusp of that whole thing, so it’s been a lot of fun going out and playing the new songs for the first time.

Are you getting some good reactions to them?
Yeah, it’s been crazy. The album’s so new and already so many people are singing it back to us at the shows and stuff.

When did you first get to hear the new songs that Max [Cavalera] had been writing for the new album?
When we all first got together in the studio, pretty much. We don’t practice, we’re not a practicing band. The only time we’ll be in a room playing music is when we’re making a record or when we show up for a tour. We’re all spread out everywhere in America across different States - all over the damn country. It’s cool, keeps everything fresh, and when we made this record we showed up in my studio in Orlando.

The typical recording process for Soulfly is we’re given the studio in the morning, somebody will have an idea, we’ll write a song, we’ll get the song put together, record the drums. Basically, we’ll be recording one song a day. We’ll record the drums, the guitars, the bass. Max will then come back down and start putting down vocals. So, it’s all these layers the whole time. It works for us. A lot of bands practice or write for six months. I don’t think it would make us better musicians going in the damn jamming room every day. It’s so fucking stale - practice three or four days a week, three or four days a week, practicing the same songs all the time. It’s not the typical album-making process! But all our songs are really fresh and they’re definitely real. It’s not like a bunch of thought-out process fucking bullshit or anything. It’s not like “we need to do this part” or “we’ll get a big pit if we play this bit here“. Hopefully, by the end of the day we’ll have a fucking song out of it. So far, so good!

When you first heard it all back what were your initial reactions to it?
Yeah, it was cool, man. I’m always excited about how there’s the song and then there’s how all these different instruments fit in. But, I’m not the type of person who listens to my own records anyway so I can’t tell you really how upset or amazed we are with the record - whenever I do something I put it up on a shelf and then I’m done with it.

You never dwell on past recordings?
The live approach to music is different to me from making a record. Every song should be different live as oppose to being on the record. That was one moment in time. When you recorded it, that was what it was supposed to sound like to you. Playing for people is like a totally different thing to me. It’s about emotion and connection and stuff like that. I’m fucking retarded (laughs) but that’s just the way I see things.

Was there a plan to make this album as heavy as it turned out?
It’s crazy. I mean, that’s the thing that fucks me up the most. My studio is this nice house, in a normal neighbourhood, where people are outside with flowers everywhere and palm trees and shit, and people cut their fucking grass and are walking home from work, and we’re in this house making metal records, y’know? That vibe was good for us. We all had someplace to go when we needed quiet-time. As soon as you walk out of the door you have a different vibe. It was the longest time in between records and we’d toured and toured and toured for fucking ever, man. I think we naturally had some aggression built up and we were definitely ready to make a record. I think all that added to the sound. We were happy to play fast but not thinking about it. Just happy to play the music together and write songs and go back to what the fuck we are. It’s weird, you’d have had to been there and see the surroundings. Listening to the way it turned out it was like “what the fuck, how did that happen?” (Laughs).

Is your studio open to the public?
Yeah, anybody can walk in and record there. We do a lot of local music. We’re big on local and unsigned bands. We try and give everybody a place to go for not an awful lot of money. Any band can make a record in their bedroom and most bands make really horrible records in their bedroom. So we cut our prices down to accommodate people. We got people coming over from mainland Europe to come and record so it’s good. We’ve got housing there too so it’s just like being at home.

Is the studio digital or analogue?
We got an old ass Trident [analogue] recording console for this Soulfly record. You can’t buy the damned things anymore. We found one for sale in an old warehouse and we had to fly out from Orlando all the way to fucking Nashville. Everything’s so fucking digital nowadays - it’s Pro Tools this and Pro Tools that. It’s that board sound that makes it happen so that’s definitely the coolest thing we got. It definitely broke the bank. It was cool. It’s really nice.

To what extent does all the band members’ side-projects affect how Soulfly operates and the chemistry between you?
I think it helps. Everything we all do is totally different. I’m definitely the most obscure with my projects. I play in a rock n’ roll band and a rap band, [Primer 55]. Max and Marc have Cavalera Conspiracy and then Marc does solo tours. We all do it but in a way it makes the heart grow fonder. It’s good for me, personally. I can’t play in one band. It would drive me fucking insane to play one style of music forever. The day before I flew out for this tour [Primer 55] played a show with 2 Live Crew, Ice-T and Insane Clown Posse. So it’s cool, I dig it.

Do you not suffer under the added pressure of scheduling time around each other?
It’s difficult from time to time, but we all keep in communication enough to make sure everything runs smooth. We know when the next tour’s coming up and stuff like that. Every band has pressure though, and some days are worse than others, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary for me.

You joined Soulfly back in 2003, so I guess you’re getting used to it all now, then?
Yeah, the beginning was kinda crazy. I used to sit at home writing and recording my own records so it took me a long time to get into the swing of things. “So, do I need to practice?” “No, the first show is only in front of 35,000 people.” So I got used it pretty fast. Sink, or swim! (Laughs).

What is your current bass rig/set-up? Do you use the same gear on tour as you do in the studio?
Yes, I do. I play Gallien-Kruger bass units. I also have this small cabinet, [possibly] a 412? I’m playing a brand new cabinet, the Neo Series. I have the smallest gear on stage and the loudest ,so it’s the coolest fucking thing ever. The raddest bass rig I ever played on. Oh, and I play ESP guitars.

Finally, what are your own plans for the future?
My plan is to make records. That’s what I do. I can’t change tyres, I don’t know shit about cars. Maybe when I’m too old to walk I’ll fucking retire to the studio or something.

See if you can help other bands make it?
Yeah!

Cheers.
That’s awesome. Appreciate it.

Band Link
Soulfly

Many thanks to Michelle @ Roadrunner for helping set this interview up.

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