ANDREAS KISSER Says He Would Be Cheating Fans And Himself By Taking Part In Classic SEPULTURA Reunion For Money

On May 12, Jon Rexius of Capital Chaos TV conducted an interview with guitarist Andreas Kisser of Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked whether SEPULTURA is still in contact with the band's founding members Max (guitar, vocals) and Igor Cavalera (drums) and whether they are on good terms with their former bandmates, Andreas said: "We have a bridge. We have a door of communication, but it's very rare [that we communicate with each other]. We are doing so many different things, compared with what we do... Max is doing something else, different projects, [and] playing with Igor again, which is cool to see. We are doing what we're doing, working in a different direction."

He continued: "A few years ago, [Max's band SOULFLY and SEPULTURA] played the same festival in Europe, and we had a chance to see each other and just talk and exchange some e-mails and stuff, so that was cool, you know?! But that doesn't mean that we're gonna work together. We did what we did, [and] I respect that so much. The SEPULTURA history is an amazing history. [We've been around for] thirty years, a band [coming] from Brazil, and we've played 73 countries so far, and it's an amazing mark. Regardless of the formation, or label, the record label we were [on], like I said, we're still here enjoying ourselves, which is the most important thing."

Andreas went on to say: "I respect our past, but I'm not locked there; I'm not a prisoner of my past. I live the present very strongly, very intensively… But I respect the past and live the present intensively so we have a future, and not really be there trying to replicate or reproduce or copy stuff that it doesn't happen anymore.

"I have great memories working with [Max and Igor], and we really did something really special, but they chose to leave a long time ago — Max in 1996, Igor ten years later, in 2006 — and I guess they're happy with their choice, and we had to deal with the good and the bad stuff of that choice. Max, when he left, he took the management, he took all the structure that SEPULTURA took ten years to build he took all the structure that SEPULTURA took ten years to build — the bridges of trust and confidence with the label and booking agent and the press. And it really showed us the bad guys of the situation, and Max took advantage [playing] the victim and stuff. But we passed over that. It's something that was really healthy for us, because we learned so much about business and management, and how to take care of your own stuff. And we are in a much better place now; I mean, there's no doubt about it. At the same time we were playing arenas and selling lots of albums [at the end of our time with Max], our situation backstage was pathetic; it was like a kindergarten, [like] kids fighting for candy. It was a very stupid situation. But, like I said, we are in a much better place, and now we can enjoy ourselves and go on stage and look to each other's face and really respect each other on stage. We're not doing it for money only."

Kisser added: "People [who are pushing for] a reunion, whatever, have this concept of SEPULTURA playing for money, and it's not gonna happen. I'm not gonna be a part of something that's gonna cheat our fans and that's gonna cheat myself. I'm not leaving my house, my family and my kids just to be a clown on stage. I'd rather be what I am, and if you like it, fine; if you don't like it, fine as well. I mean, you're free to do whatever you want; we're not forcing anyone to like or hate us.

"But I think that's art in general. We dealt with that throughout our whole career, regardless of the formation. I think SEPULTURA is moved by challenges, and we still have so many. We just came from Rock In Rio [USA] in Las Vegas, playing with Steve Vai. It was an amazing challenge that we grew up so much, as people, as musicians and as a band. It's an amazing thing that we still have this kind of opportunities after thirty years and we're still doing something new instead of trying to reproduce that stuff, just for a few people that think they know more about SEPULTURA than ourselves."

During a December 2014 interview with AndrewHaug.com, Max Cavalera was asked for his opinion on his brother Igor's statement that the ex-SEPULTURA drummer "really hopes" that the group's classic lineup can one day reunite.

"I was actually kind of surprised, 'cause I thought the topic kind of died out," Max said. "I actually lost all kinds of hope for it. Honestly, today, I don't see it happening, just because of how our lives are and how those guys' [the other members of SEPULTURA's classic lineup] lives are; it's a pretty different world. We live in completely different worlds from those guys. And I think it's not the same. It won't be the same. The magic is gone. And I don't think a reunion would be the best thing for SEPULTURA. I honestly don't think it would. I kind of prefer [for] it to stay like this and leave the memory how it was."

He continued: "It was a great band [that] did great stuff. I'm proud of the records [I made with SEPULTURA]. And you can go to YouTube and check out all the old videos and how great it was, and kind of leave it like that. And then [we can] do other stuff — like KILLER BE KILLED and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and SOULFLY — that we are plenty busy with."

Max added: "[But] I was actually surprised [by] that comment [from] Igor, because I don't really see it happening myself, unfortunately."

Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January 2006).

In 1996, Max exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band fired Max's wife Gloria as their manager.