Sully Erna (GODSMACK): Vom avea cel mai tare concert la Bucuresti! (interviu)

Inainte ca Godsmack sa vina in Romania pentru festivalul Tuborg Greenfest powered by Rock the City, am vorbit la telefon cu SULLY ERNA, solistul trupei.

Am stat de vorba in exclusivitate pentru METALHEAD despre albumul Live & Inspired, despre evolutia trupei, despre concertul din Romania dar si despre proiectul sau solo, Avalon, si alte lucruri interesante. Urmeaza interviul tradus in romana si transcrierea conversatiei telefonice din limba engleza.

(ENGLISH VERSION BELOW)

METALHEAD: Tocmai ati lansat primul vostru album live, Live and Inspired. Ce v-a determinat sa inregistrati un album live?

Sully Erna (GODSMACK): Pai nu facusem un album live pana acum, si am simtit ca e un moment bun pentru asta, mai ales ca acum ne concentram sa ne intoarcem pe piata internationala. Casa noastra de discuri ne-a cam dezamagit din punctul asta de vedere, de fiecare data cand planuiam sa mergem in Europa sau altundeva in lume pur si simplu nu depuneau efortul asa cum o faceau cand era vorba de America. Am fost foarte frustrati din cauza asta si in cele din urma le-am zis ca noi trebuie sa impartasim muzica noastra cu toata lumea, nu doar cu cei din America. Si ne-am gandit ca un album live ar fi o oportunitate grozava sa aducem pe toata lumea la curent, pentru ca practic e o colectie de cantece bune de pe toate albumele pe care le-am avut de-a lungul anilor. Pe langa asta, iti da o idee a ceea ce vei vedea cand venim la tine in tara, cum suna trupa live. A fost o ocazie pentru noi nu doar sa adaugam un album live in discografie, dar sa le si aratam fanilor ca datorita lor ne-am apucat sa cantam live; voiam sa impartasim asta cu ei.

METALHEAD: Deci este dedicat fanilor, intr-un fel.

Sully Erna: Da, totul a fost dedicat fanilor. Ei au ales cantecele astea.

METALHEAD: Stiu ca v-au trimis si poze pentru artwork.

Sully Erna: Da, au trimis poze cu noi cand ne-au intalnit, sau poze cu tatuajele lor cu logo-ul Godsmack... Iar pe album mai exista si un CD bonus care practic este felul nostru de a le multumi fanilor care au fost alaturi de noi pana acum: “uite niste cantece care ne-au inspirat pe noi pe parcurs”.

METALHEAD: Da, cele patru cantece-cover. Voiam sa te intreb, cum le-ati ales? Sunt foarte diverse, din punct de vedere al materialului-sursa.

Sully Erna: Ne-am hotarat sa ne gandim la mai multe cantece care ne-au placut foarte tare cand eram tineri, si sa vedem cam ce cantece am fi in stare sa reinterpretam in felul nostru. Si asa am pus pe masa cam 50 de cantece, incercand sa ne gandim care ar fi cel mai ok sa le facem. Am facut mult jamming si pana la urma le-am ales pe cele care simtim ca ne reprezinta cel mai bine.

METALHEAD: Nu v-ati gandit sa includeti poate si o piesa Alice In Chains printre celelalte?

Sully Erna: Alice In Chains n-au fost o parte a copilariei mele, ei nu aparusera decat cand noi aveam 20 si mult, 30 de ani. Astea sunt piese la care revenim mereu, de pe cand eram adolescenti. Metallica de exemplu au fost o mare influenta, dar problema cu ei a fost alta... Cand ne-am decis sa facem un cantec de-al lor, ne-am gandit “la naiba, n-avem cum sa-l facem mai heavy decat ei, ei sunt cea mai heavy trupa din lume!” (rade). Asa ca am facut altfel, am luat un cantec foarte profund, l-am transcris pentru pian si a iesit o melodie absolut minunata, cand il canti la pian iti dai seama de fapt cat de frumos este cantecul ala (n. ed.: “Nothing Else Matters”).

METALHEAD: Scoate la iveala mai mult din esenta piesei.

Sully Erna: Da, si cum ziceam, n-aveam cum sa-l facem mai heavy decat ei, asa ca am incercat invers, o versiune diferita, cu pian si violoncel si chestii din astea. Sunt curios sa aud ce parere are James Hetfield.

METALHEAD: Inca n-ati aflat ce zice James?

Sully Erna: Nu, inca nu. Nu stiu. Dar mi-ar placea sa pot merge sa vorbesc cu toate trupele si sa vad ce gandesc despre variantele noastre. Ar fi dragut sa avem asta pe album, niste citate pe spate cu James Hetfield zicand cate ceva, sau tipii de la Pink Floyd... O sa incerc sa fac asta! (rade).

METALHEAD: Cum au reactionat fanii la album? Erau nerabdatori sa-l auda?

Sully Erna: Cred ca da, abia a iesit dar cred ca se descurca bine. Sunt foarte mandru ca pe acest album nu exista overdubbing, n-am prelucrat nimic in studio, suntem doar noi cantand la instrumentele noastre. Cum ne auzi aici, exact asa sunam live. Suntem foarte mandri de asta.

METALHEAD: Ati inregistrat concertul in Detroit, la Teatrul Fox. Vreun motiv anume pentru care ati ales locatia asta?

Sully Erna: Nu locatia, dar am tinut foarte multe concerte in acel an si le-am inregistrat pe toate, iar acesta s-a intamplat sa iasa foarte, foarte bine, si am simtit ca e o reprezentare buna a ceea ce facem noi live. L-am ascultat si ne-am decis ca acesta ar fi cel mai bun show pentru a-l lansa ca album live. Si de asemenea, in Detroit sunt niste fani extraordinari, grozav publicul de acolo. Seamana mult cu publicul european, se bucura enorm de muzica rock si sunt mereu foarte energici.

METALHEAD: Ati terminat recent un turneu de vreo 5 saptamani in State, cum a fost?

Sully Erna: A fost foarte reusit, multumesc. Am cantat cu STAIND si HALESTORM si ne-am simtit grozav, ne-am inteles foarte bine intre noi iar publicului le-au placut concertele si trupele. Totul a fost foarte profesionist si ne-am simtit foarte bine.

METALHEAD: Si presupun ca a fost o incalzire foarte buna pentru turneul european...

Sully Erna: Oh, cu siguranta, da. Abia asteptam sa venim in Europa. Vreau sa zic, ne pare atat de rau ca ne-a luat asa de mult, si e greu sa explici oamenilor si sa-i faci sa inteleaga ca am avut mari probleme cu casa de discuri. Pur si simplu nu ne sustineau, nu ne promovau, nu ne puneau albumele in magazine... (n. ed.: in Europa). Si e greu sa-ti faci un nume acolo cand nu te ajuta nimeni. Asa ca vom face asta pe cont propriu de acum inainte, lucram cu altcineva pe international, am angajat o companie independenta si ne vom descurca asa, pentru ca Europa e foarte importanta pentru noi. Sunt un mare fan al acestor tari, imi place mult sa vizitez, istoria e extraordinara, asa ca ne vom descurca singuri si vom incerca sa venim cat de des putem.

METALHEAD: Super vesti. Aveti vreo asteptare de la concertul din Bucuresti, ati auzit poate povesti de la alte trupe care-au fost pe-aici?

Sully Erna: Sa fiu sincer cu tine, nu stiu prea multe despre Romania. Dar astept cu nerabdare sa cantam acolo, am auzit ca Romania se bucura ca venim si ne pare si noua foarte bine de asta. Cred ca o sa ne simtim grozav. Cred ca o sa ne placa tara, iar tarii o sa-i placa de Godsmack. Avem foarte mare incredere in show-ul nostru live, e ceva ce stiu ca o sa iasa foarte bine.

METALHEAD: Sa vorbim putin si de proiectul tau solo. Suna foarte diferit de ceea ce faci cu Godsmack. Cum a inceput totul?

Sully Erna: De-a lungul anilor am incercat sa devin din ce in ce mai bun la scris cantece in general, nu doar muzica rock ci orice fel de muzica. De multe ori stau acasa cu fiica mea si cant ceva la pian, si sunt lucruri care nu simt ca s-ar potrivi cu Godsmack, dar totusi simt ca ar fi niste cantece foarte reusite. Iar ocazia asta a venit cand trupa a luat o mica pauza, si m-am decis sa adun laolalta o selectie din aceste piese pe care le-am scris. Pentru mine asta m-a ajutat sa cresc, sa invat mai multe despre stiluri diferite de muzica. L-am intalnit pe Niall Gregory, percutionistul celor de la DEAD CAN DANCE, care m-a inspirat mult, si am mai intalnit o fata foarte frumoasa, Irina Chirkova din Bulgaria, care canta la violoncel. Si apoi am colaborat cu mai multi muzicieni pe care-i stiam din orasul meu de bastina, niste muzicieni clasici absolut senzationali. Asa ca i-am adus impreuna pe toti acesti muzicieni... si sunt foarte mandru de ce a iesit. Imi place mult muzica de pe album, este foarte personala pentru mine si imi permite sa arat lumii o alta parte din mine, ceva ce nu fac de obicei cu Godsmack.

METALHEAD: Tin minte ca am citit undeva ca planuiai si un DVD live cu cantecele de pe Avalon, cum merge proiectul?

Sully Erna: Merge foarte bine, este un canal HD al celor de la VH1, se numeste Palladia, iar ei il difuzeaza incepand cu 8 sau 9 iunie. Si pe langa asta lucram la lansarea pe DVD. O sa facem un box-set, va avea cate putin din tot ce inseamna Sully Erna – albumul Avalon, making-of al albumului, un documentar, concertul live, cartea mea – am scris o carte care va fi inclusa acolo – , un bat de toba, pene de chitara, o scrisoare... or sa fie multe lucruri acolo, cred ca va fi un box-set in editie limitata si sper ca va fi disponibil si in Europa. Ar fi grozav ca si lumea de acolo sa afle despre Avalon, cred ca va fi un material apreciat in Europa.

METALHEAD: Da, si eu cred ca va fi.

Sully Erna: Poate voi aranja si niste concerte cat sunt acolo, sa vorbesc cu promoterii si vom vedea.

METALHEAD: Asteptam asta cu nerabdare.

Sully Erna: Multumesc.

METALHEAD: Acum, indepartandu-ne putin de partea muzicala a lucrurilor, stiu ca esti si o persoana destul de spirituala. Cum iti influenteaza aceasta latura spirituala arta? Cum se regaseste in muzica pe care-o faci?

Sully Erna: Este o inspiratie intr-o oarecare masura, pentru ca pe cat evoluez ca om, ca barbat si ca tata, pe atat mi se schimba viata. Iar atunci se schimba si muzica. Lucrurile pe care le scriam acum 15 ani, cand eram suparat si furios pe toata lumea pentru ca eram inca tanar si incercam sa-mi dau seama ce-i cu viata... Nu prea mai simt lucrurile astea acum. Si atunci e greu sa mai compun asa. Acum, ma simt inspirat de fiica mea, de oamenii buni din viata mea si de lucrurile care ma fac sa ma simt bine, si cred ca de asta se schimba si muzica uneori. Sigur, mai sunt momente cand sunt furios, si atunci scriu un cantec rock ca lumea, dar apoi cand sunt intr-o stare buna merg si compun ceva la pian.

METALHEAD: Vorbind de schimbare si de evolutie, cum se descurca trupa voastra cu toate chestiile astea legate de Internet? Va place, va descurcati, sau e un rau necesar?

Sully Erna: E o relatie bipolara. E bine si e rau. N-ai cum sa reproduci energia si sentimentul pe care-l ai cand stai in public, se sting luminile si trupa urca pe scena, e acea energie si electricitate care-ti trece prin tot corpul si de care nu ai parte uitandu-te la un video streaming sau la televizor. E ceva extrem de puternic, fie ca e un concert, fie ca e un meci de fotbal... Nu esti de acord?

METALHEAD: Ba da, si chiar ma intrebam la inceput, cand vorbeam de Live & Inspired, de ce n-ati facut si un DVD. Dar acum are sens, ideea e sa-i faci pe oameni sa vrea sa vada spectacolul live, pentru ca acolo se intampla magia.

Sully Erna: Da, si asta a fost mereu ideea, chiar si in trecut. Tin minte ca eram tineri si erau trupe ca Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith... si habar n-aveam cum suna Steven Tyler vorbind, nu-l auzisem niciodata vorbind. Tot ce auzisem era pe album. Tin minte cum incercam sa gasesc poze cu ei prin reviste. Si prima data cand l-am auzit vorbind la radio intr-un interviu eram gen “whoa, asa vorbeste Steven?”. Nu mi-l imaginasem niciodata vorbind. Nu mai avem asta acum, ne-a rasfatat Internetul, nu mai exista mister, stii? Asta ar fi o problema. Dare ok, incercam sa lasam muzica sa vorbeasca si speram ca publicului sa-i placa si sa vina sa ne vada live, iar numarul nostru de fani sa continue sa creasca.

METALHEAD: Ok, multumesc foarte mult pentru timpul acordat. Ai mai avea un mesaj pe care sa-l transmiti fanilor din Romania care asteapta sa va vada vara asta la Bucuresti?

Sully Erna: Vreau doar sa va multumesc foarte mult ca ati avut atata rabdare, e foarte greu sa explicam tuturor de ce a fost atat de greu sa ajungem la voi. Dar de-acum inainte vom face tot posibilul sa ajungem in Europa macar o data pe an si sa cantam pentru toata lumea. Multumim ca ati fost alaturi de Godsmack, va vom aduce un spectacol rock la volum maxim!


-----

(ENGLISH VERSION)

METALHEAD: You just released your first live album, Live and Inspired. What urged you to do a live record?

Sully Erna (GODSMACK): Well, you know, the band never did a live record yet so we felt it was a good time to do it, because we're really trying to focus now on getting our international markets back. Our record label kinda dropped the ball with us, whenever we planned to go to Europe or anywhere international they just weren't putting the effort into it like they were in America. So we got really frustrated and finally we told them that we need to share our music with everyone else, not just in America. And so we thought that a live record would be a great opportunity to get everybody caught up, because it really is like a bunch of good songs that we've had over the years throughout all of our records. It also gives an understanding of when we come to your country, what you're gonna see there and what the band sounds like live. We just thought it was a really good opportunity not only to add a live record to our discography, but to show people that because of them, the fans, we've become a live band, and we wanted to share that with them.

METALHEAD: So it was dedicated to the fans, this record.

Sully Erna: It was all dedicated to the fans, the fans are the ones who chose these songs.

METALHEAD: I know they also sent you pictures for the booklet.

Sully Erna: Yeah, they sent pictures of us when they met us, or maybe they had a Godsmack tattoo on them... And then we also did an additional bonus CD that is basically us saying “Thank you” to the fans for being there, and great fans as you are, here are some songs that inspired us along the way.

METALHEAD: Yes, the four cover songs. I've been meaning to ask you, how did you choose them? They are very diverse, as far as the source material goes.

Sully Erna: Well, we just decided to think of a lot of songs that we really loved when we were young, growing up, and maybe what song would we be up to kinda redo it, you know, do it our own way. And we put like 50 songs on the table, trying to think of which ones are the best ones to do. So we did a lot of jamming, and we went with the ones that we felt represented us the best.

METALHEAD: Did you ever think of maybe including an Alice In Chains song among the other covers?

Sully Erna: Well, Alice In Chains wasn't a part of my childhood, they weren't around until we were like in our late 20s, early 30s. So these are songs that we go back to, we were teenagers and stuff like that. Metallica for example was a big influence, but the problem with Metallica... When we decided to try to do a Metallica song, we were thinking “oh s**t, we can't do it heavier than them! They're the heaviest band in the world!”. (laughs) So, I actually went the other way, I took a really deep song and transposed it onto a piano and I got a beautiful piece of music, when you play it on the piano you realize how beautiful that song really is (n. ed.: “Nothing Else Matters”).

METALHEAD: It brings out more of the song's essence.

Sully Erna: Yeah, and like I said, we couldn't do it heavier than them, so we went the other way and tried to do a different version, with the piano and a cello and stuff like that. I'm curious to hear James Hetfield's thoughts on it.

METALHEAD: So you don't yet know what he thinks about it?

Sully Erna: No, not yet, I don't know. But I'd love to be able to go and talk to each one of the bands about this covers album and see their thoughts on them. That would be nice to have on the album, a quote on the back like James Hetfield saying a little bit of something, or the guys from Pink Floyd... I'm gonna try to do that! (laughs).

METALHEAD: How did the fans respond to the record? Would you say they were anxious to hear it?

Sully Erna: I think so, I mean it just came out, but I think it's doing really well. One thing that I'm very proud of about this record is that there is no overdubs, no pitch controlling, this is just us playing our instruments. What you see here is exactly what we sound like live. We're really proud of that.

METALHEAD: You recorded the show in Detroit, at the Fox Theater. Did you choose the venue for any particular reason?

Sully Erna: Not the venue, but we played a lot of shows that year and we recorded them and this one show just happened to come out really good, and we felt it was a good representation of what we do live. We were listening to it and we decided that was the best show to try and release on a live album. And also, Detroit just has really great fans, you know, really great audience there. They're a lot like the European audience, they just love their rock music, they're always very energetic.

METALHEAD: You recently finished about five weeks of touring in the US, how was the tour?

Sully Erna: It was really good, thank you. We played with Staind and Halestorm and we had a great time, all the bands got along really well and the crowd really loved the show and all the bands. It was very professional and we had a great time.

METALHEAD: And I suppose it was a great warm-up for your European summer tour.

Sully Erna: Oh, absolutely, yeah. We're really ready to come over to Europe. I mean, we really feel so bad that it's taken us this long, and it's hard to explain to the people out there and make them understand that we had a lot of problems with our record label. I mean, they were just not funding us and supporting us... they weren't putting records in the stores, they weren't promoting us, and it was very difficult for us to make a name for ourselves out there when we don't have any help. We're gonna do this on our own now, we told the label that that's it, we fired the label off of international, we hired an independent company that's gonna help us and we're just gonna do this ourselves, because you know, Europe is very important to us. I'm a big fan of these countries, I love to visit, the history is great there, and now we're just gonna do it ourselves and try to get there as often as we can.

METALHEAD: That's really great news. Do you have any expectations regarding the show in Bucharest? Maybe you heard stuff from other bands that played here?

Sully Erna: You know, I don't know much about Romania to be honest with you, but I'm very excited to go there, because I hear Romania's very happy for having us, and we're very excited to come to your country. I think we're gonna have a real good time there. I think that we're gonna love the country, and the country's gonna love Godsmack. I'm really very confident in our live show, and it's something that I know we do really well.

METALHEAD: Let's talk a bit about your solo project. It sounds very different from the work you do with Godsmack. How did it all start?

Sully Erna: Well, over the years I've tried to become better at writing songs in general, not just rock music but any kind of song. And a lot of time I sit home with my daughter and I'll play something on the piano, and it's just stuff that's not really feeling fit for Godsmack, but I still think it would be a really beautiful song. And so this opportunity came when the band took some time off and I decided to just put together a selection of these songs that I wrote. And to me it helps you grow more, learn more about different styles of music. I have met Niall Gregory, the percussionist of Dead Can Dance, and I also have met a really beautiful girl named Irina Chirkova, from Bulgaria, and she played the cello. And then I used several other musicians I knew from my hometown, they're just really great classical musicians. And we kind of put a collection of all kinds of musicians together, and I'm very proud of the album. I love the music on it, it's very personal to me and it allows me to open up a different part of me, what I'm not usually doing with Godsmack.

METALHEAD: I remember reading somewhere that you also plan on releasing a live DVD with songs from Avalon? How's that coming along?

Sully Erna: It's coming along good, there's a VH1 HD channel called Palladia, and they're gonna start airing it on June 8th or 9th, and then along with that we're gonna put together the DVD. We're doing a box-set, it has a little bit of everything that is Sully Erna – the Avalon record, making of the record, a documentary, and then there is the live concert, my book – I wrote a book that's gonna be in there – , a drum stick and guitar picks, a letter... there's gonna be a lot of stuff in there, I think it's gonna be like a limited edition box-set, and I hope it's going to be available in Europe too. It's great to have people learn about Avalon out there, I think the solo stuff will be doing well in Europe.

METALHEAD: I think it will.

Sully Erna: Maybe I'll try to book some shows while I'm out there, I'll talk to the promoters and see.

METALHEAD: We'll be looking forward to that.

Sully Erna: Thank you.

METALHEAD: Now moving away a bit from the music side of things, I know you're also quite a spiritual person. I was wondering, how does this spiritual side influence your art? How does it translate into the music you make?

Sully Erna: It is an inspiration to a certain degree, because the more I grow as a man, as a person and as a father, the more my life is changing. And when it changes, my music changes. So the stuff that I was writing 15 years ago, when I was angry and mad at everybody because I was still young and trying to figure out life... I don't really feel that way anymore. And so it's harder for me to continue to write like that. Right now, I'm inspired by my daughter and the good people that are in my life and the stuff that makes me feel good, and so I think that's why my music changes sometimes too. I mean of course, there are times when I'm angry, and then I write a good rock song, then when I'm in a good mood I play something on the piano.

METALHEAD: Speaking of changing and evolving, how does your band cope up with all this Internet stuff? Are you guys into it? Or is it just a necessary evil?

Sully Erna: It'a s love/hate relationship. It's good and it's bad. You cannot replicate the energy and the feeling you have when you're standing there outside and the lights go off and the band hits the stage, it's that energy and electricity that passes through your body that you do not get through watching a concert on a video stream or a TV set. It's very, very powerful, whether it's a concert, whether it's a soccer game... Do you agree?

METALHEAD: I totally agree, and I was actually wondering, at the very beginning, why didn't you choose to make a DVD out of Live & Inspired. But now I kind of get it. The point is to make the people want to see your live show, 'cause that's where the magic happens.

Sully Erna: Yeah, that's what's it's always been about, even in the past. Back when we were growing up, there was like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and Aerosmith, and I remember I didn't even know what Steven Tyler sounded like, I never heard him talk. All I've ever heard was on the album. I remember trying to find pictures with them in the magazines. And the first time I heard him on the radio in an interview I remember thinking “Whoa, that's what Steven sounds like?”. I never pictured him talk. We don't have this now, we were spoiled by the Internet, there's no more mystery, you know? That's part of the problem. But that's ok, we try to let the music do the talking, we get our music out there and hopefully the audience loves it and they come to see the band live and they'll continue to grow our fanbase.

METALHEAD: Well, thank you very much for your time. Would you have one last message for your Romanian fans waiting to see you live this summer in Bucharest?

Sully Erna: I just want to say thank you so much for being patient, it's very difficult to explain to all of you why it's been so tough to get out there. But from this point forward we're going to really try to get there at least once a year and play concerts for everybody. Thank you for supporting Godsmack, and we're gonna bring you a big, loud, powerful rock show!


Cosmin Ionescu