H R H - I N T E R V I E W S

Andreas Kisser (Sepultura)
Interview September 2006

Andreas was at his home in Sao Paolo, Brazil

Matthew: Wow. I am going to start with something … I just saw on your site that you were working on a solo guitar project in 2005. I haven’t seen it. Don’t tell me I missed it for God’s sake.

Andreas: (Laughing) No Matthew you haven’t missed it. It is due out in the Spring of 2007.

Matthew: OK cool. I’ll hit up on that a little later on, for now I can go back to the normal start of my interviews, the introductions of what the artist’s music meant to me. I have been a fan of yours for more then 15 years now. I was stationed in Germany in the army in early ‘90s when I first heard Sepultura. I was into thrash/speed metal and bands like Megadeth, Overkill, Exodus, Slayer and Metallica. Then along came Arise with killer tracks like “Dead Embryonic Cells,” “Orgasmatron” and the awesome title track. Never had I heard anything so aggressive yet still so damn rhythmic. Hearing na na na, na na na na na na na na na na, na na na, riff made me wanna fucking kill somebody.

Andreas: (laughing) That’s really cool, thanks.

Matthew: Andreas I read that you were a roadie for Sepultura before joining the band. Is that true?

Andreas: Well, there was a killer underground metal scene in Brazil back in the mid ‘80s, and I played in a band in Sao Paolo. We played covers from band like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Kiss Queen and Deep Purple. One night at a gig I helped Sepultura set up, and that’s how I met the band. When they needed a guitarist, I got the job.

Matthew: As an avid guitar fan, I am amazed at the different ways people learned and developed as guitarists. How were you able to go from underground to mainstream and writing and playing such amazing riffs and rhythms? How were you trained?

Andreas: I had acoustic guitar lessons when I was younger. But I think living in Brazil really helped me as well. This country is so huge from the North to the South there are more musical influences then in any country on earth. There are so many different styles to explore that helped me keep the guitar fresh with the entire amazingly inspiring guitar playing around. It helped me incorporate a lot of fresh new layers to my music.

Matthew: How much did you practice to get as good as you are today? How much do you play now?

Andreas: When I was younger, I played 4-5 hours a day There was a time in my life during ’93-94 when I lived in Arizona that I studied Classical acoustic music and learned a lot about reading music and the theory behind it. I spent hours every day learning so much about those classical styles. I was amazed at the things you can do with the guitar in that style. I don’t play that much anymore but still have to feel the guitar and play everyday a little. You know you have to keep your fingers in the flow of the music.

Matthew: Wow. Thanks for going so in depth with your answer. Which guitarist have you ever toured with that really made you say “man this guy is really good?”

Andreas: Off the top of my head, the person that comes to mind is Dimebag from Pantera. We toured with them back when Chaos A.D was released and they were touring under Far beyond Driven. I was amazed at how relaxed he was onstage. And I couldn’t believe how well he made the live music sound exactly like his studio work. That was a great time, those guys loved to get drunk and party and they really treated us well. What a tour that was.

Matthew: What guitarists motivated you to pick up the guitar when you were young?

Andreas: I really was amazed at Randy Rhoads. I liked Tony Iommi and the rhythms Sabbath came up with. As time went by I liked some of the Satriani and Vai stuff and Malmsteen’s early stuff. But since then so many guitarists tried to copy his style; hell, he is even still trying to copy himself. (laughing)

Matthew: The only time I had a chance to see Sepultura was in York, Penn. when you guys were opening for Danzig and Ozzy. It was in the mid ‘90s.

Andreas: That was our tour for the Roots album.

Matthew: That’s when you guys went into tribal Brazil to learn a lot about their musical styles, right?

Andreas: Yes. We really changed and flowed as a band back then. We were centered on the percussion and drums and I even started to approach my instrument more like a percussion instrument.

Matthew: Speaking of tours, are you coming to America to tour in Support of Dante XXI?

Andreas: Yes, eventually, probably in November. For now we are playing gigs across Brazil and South America, but we will come to America in late Fall and then in early 2007 tour in Europe.

Matthew: How have the tour dates been so far? And how is the album being received among your fans and friends.

Andreas: I think it has been unanimously well received. I have heard nothing but good things. I think the fans are starting to understand the actual theme of it as a Divine Comedy too. You know we had to change a lot when Max left the band. We had to fill the gap of the guitar that was gone. But it was possible because Max really only played 4 with 4 strings and in concert he was more about being the charismatic stage presence and band leader, not a serious guitarist. So we used Paolo to help us fill that on bass guitar, and also with the percussion. On this album we kept to the basics but also used cellos and some horns.

Matthew: Cool. I think it’s the best thing you guys have done since Max left.
What are your favorite leads and pieces you played on this album?

Andreas: I really like the work on “False,” you know, the Hell part. Also the solo in “Nuclear Seven” and the solo that mirrors the cello piece on “Still Flame.”

Matthew: Are there any modern bands that you really like?

Andreas: I actually don’t really get into a lot of newer music. Funny thing is I have been discovering bands like The Clash, Cream, Zeppelin and Black Sabbath during the Dio years, for the first time. The music is so amazing to look back at now. Some of those bands really tried some ground breaking risky stuff.

Matthew: I hear the name Andreas Kisser and I hear a German ethnicity, am I right?

Andreas: Sure, my paternal grandparents are from Germany and moved here in the 1920s. My grandfather worked here in Sao Paolo for Mercedes Benz for more then 50 years. My grandma was a German teacher here. Somehow, though, actually I can’t speak German. I do understand some and don’t do all that bad when we tour in Germany.

Matthew: OK, now tell me all about this amazing new solo project you are working on.

Andreas: Well it’s gonna be a double CD, with one acoustic styled record and one electric one, probably 10 songs on each. I am using some of the material from Sepultura that we never used for the electric stuff. As for the vocals, I will be doing some of them and also I am going to bring in some of my friends from other bands to sing as well. There will be some in Portugese and some in English as well. I got a chance when this was offered to me from a small Dutch label and they really are giving me the freedom I need to explore different styles and techniques.

Matthew: I read that when Max left you auditioned for the singer role, but they wanted someone to sing deeper notes. Is that true?

Andreas: We found that the best fit for the band was for me to concentrate on guitars and to bring someone else in from the outside on vocals. At that time though I took a few voice classes and really liked a lot of things about singing.

Matthew: Any killer speed metal virtuoso kind of tracks on there?

Andreas: No, there will not be any masturbation solos on this album. I want to try and run away with clichés as much as possible. I am a guitarist that loves moods and soundtrack kind of music tracks. I also am going to try and play as many of the instruments on the album as well. I’m planning on playing bass guitar, drums and other percussion and all guitars.

Matthew: Last thing I want to say is how proud I am of you guys for never wavering from the thrash/speed metal genre. You became even more popular by incorporating different styles but never stopped being a hard heavy metal band. That is impressive in a day and age where bands were selling out left and right. Grunge never stopped you guys, or influenced your music you kept kicking ass all through the ‘90s. You still play cool solos too which is great for us guitar heads.

Andreas: Thanks so much for that I really appreciate it. We never wanted to do something like St Anger from Metallica where they tried to make a statement with no solos on there record. There are plenty of easy ways to make a statement, that shouldn’t be one of them. If the song needs a solo, put it in.

Matthew: That’s music to my ears Andreas; I was the biggest Metallica fan ever and have been pissed off at them since 1990. And on St Anger there are a few cool tracks that I would hear and just when you thought there would be a Hammett solo, nothing came. What a slap in the face.

Andreas: Yep I agree.

Matthew: Well I will let you go, dude. Thanks for being so generous with your time. I know how busy you are these days.

Andreas: It was really cool talking with you. Thanks a lot.