FEAR FACTORY's CAZARES: I Could Sue CHRISTIAN OLDE WOLBERS For Stealing My Riffs

Spiritech of PyroMusic.net recently conducted an interview with FEAR FACTORY/DIVINE HERESY guitarist Dino Cazares. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

PyroMusic.net: You've said a number of times in the past years that you would never return to FEAR FACTORY under any circumstances. What made you change your mind?

Dino Cazares: The way Burton [C. Bell, vocals] approached me. We met each other again about a year ago at a show and he started talking to me and we became friends again. And then after a few months of talking, he approached me to see if I was interested in coming back to the band. I mean, I couldn't really turn it down. You know what I mean? I mean, why would I turn down playing with Burt, Gene Hoglan and Byron Stroud? Why would I want to turn that down?

PyroMusic.net: I read the Metal Hammer online interview when it was first announced and the first question was, "Aren't you guys supposed to hate each other?" Were you expecting a lot of raised eyebrows from people?

Dino Cazares: Yeah, yeah, of course. I expected it to be like, "What the fuck is going on here?" But Burton and I were able rekindle our friendship and it worked out fine. I believe that it was the other guitar player, sorry, the bass player, Christian Olde Wolbers, was the one who talked the most smack. And that's the one I really had issues with. Burton and I were actually friends before we started FEAR FACTORY. We were actually in a band together before we started FEAR FACTORY, you know what I mean? So we had more of a friendship than I did with those two guys. We had more history.

PyroMusic.net: That actually brings me to my next question. I was reading an interview online yesterday with Raymond (Herrera, drums) and Christian where they were asked about this situation. They claimed they were both still members of the band and partners in the name and because of that legal action was pending. Can you shed any light on what's happening there?

Dino Cazares: I have no idea what they're talking about, but (as for) why the other two members aren't involved in this project, Burt's going to be releasing a proper statement that's going to explain all of it. And I really can't give any comment until... 'cause Burt wants to be the one to tell everybody. Within the next few days he's going to give a proper explanation of what's going on, what his idea was when he put all of this together, how he approached me and why the other two members aren't doing it. It's going to explain all that. I want to give him the respect to be the one to tell everybody... I haven't been in the band for like eight years. Burton approached me on it, so I'm waiting for him to give an explanation because he deserves to give it because he's been in the band ever since.

PyroMusic.net: You're coming to Australia in August with fear factory and I'll be lucky enough to see you guys twice in Europe as well. What kind of set list are you going to play with this lineup?

Dino Cazares: A lot of stuff from "Demanufacture", "Obsolete", stuff from the first record and some from "Digimortal". Maybe a new song, we don't know yet. Maybe.

PyroMusic.net: Nothing from "Archetype" and "Transgression", I'm guessing? (laughs)

Dino Cazares: (Laughs) If you want to hear "Archetype", just listen to the early FEAR FACTORY records. That's pretty much... they're pretty much a carbon copy. The riffs are pretty much a carbon copy. The song "Slave Labor" was a carbon copy of "Shock", so why not play the original version, which is "Shock"? They're very, very similar. I could go through the whole record and tell you what riff each was... I could actually sue Christian for stealing my riffs, but I was like, "No, I'll take the high road, I'm very happy with DIVINE HERESY," and that's what I was just really happy doing until Burton approached me and I ended up coming back. He pretty much had it all set to go.

PyroMusic.net: Do you think you could ever have a working relationship with Raymond and Christian again?

Dino Cazares: No, because I think that the difference between Raymond and Christian and Burton is Burton is more sincere. I believe Raymond and Christian, I believe it's more money-driven, because it's been since they've been in the band...they've been more money-driven, they've been more money-hungry kind of guys and first and foremost for me it's more about the music, it's not really about the money, it's about playing the music that you love and playing with people that you like. I'm very happy to be coming back and playing the old songs that I created. I'm happy to be back... No, I don't see myself coming back and jamming with Raymond and Christian again. I mean, why? Why would I want Raymond when I've got somebody better — Gene Hoglan? Gene Hoglan's a legendary drummer in the metal world today. He is a legend. I'm not talking about a legend in the figure of speech that you say in Australia, like (*adopts Aussie accent*) — "He's a legend, mate!" (laughs) A metal legend, a real metal legend. Why would I want to go back to Raymond? Come on. Okay, maybe he was the beginning drummer, but still, Gene Hoglan is so much better and I would never pass up an opportunity to play with him.

Read the entire interview from PyroMusic.net.