SEPULTURA’s DERRICK GREEN: I ‘Never Thought It Was Cool’ To See Other Bands ‘Wasted While They’re Performing’

Derrick Green 2019
Photo credit: Marcos Hermes

In a new interview with “The Metal Mixtape,” SEPULTURA frontman Derrick Green spoke about the importance of making his health a priority while spending so much time on the road with his band.

 “I think it’s hand in hand, man,” Derrick said. “I’ve noticed so many artists, as far as older artists that I admire, taking care of themselves, and it really was an inspiration to me. I mean, even artists who are in completely [different] genres of music, like Sting or Lionel Richie or Sammy Hagar, they all look fantastic for their age, and they’re still playing music and still able to do their thing. And I always idolized that. I never thought it was cool that people were dying young who were musicians… I always thought this was not cool at all — to go out on stage and be completely messed up.”

“I thought it was sad and tragic seeing Amy Winehouse come out, knowing her potential, and then doing these horrible shows and having her career end [so suddenly],” he continued. “It was barely starting. It’s very sad. And I just never liked, as a fan, to go to a show and see bands wasted while they’re performing or not being able to do their job or just look beaten down.

“It’s just, like, ‘Wow.’ It takes a lot away from the artist. So I felt that, for the longevity and to really be serious and professional about what you do is to really put aside the drugs and the lifestyle that people think that rock and rollers have or the preconceptions that people have about that and go with something that makes me feel good. I love to do music, and I love to feel healthy doing it.”

SEPULTURA‘s latest studio album, Quadra, was released in February 2020. It is a concept album based on numerology, the number four and its significance as depicted on Quadrivium. The band went to Sweden to work with producer Jens Bogren for the recording of Quadra.