1992...MAX MOVES TO AMERICA

When Max asked me to have his child, I knew it would change my life in many ways. I would have to find away to integrate a baby in the world of Metal, a world full of headbangers, bus rides, flights, journalists and fans. I never thought twice about it.

Photo by Glen LaFerman

In August of 1992, Max made the move to America. I was about 5 months pregnant and had several tours booked.....Ozzy and Ministry, to be exact. I never gained much weight when I was pregnant, and really didn't think about the fact that I was pregnant. I admit I missed several appointments, butI felt great and it wasn't my first rodeo!


I was so excited to go to the airport, the day he stepped off the plane. There was no hesitation in our plans. We not only were having a child together, but we worked together every day, all day long, and thrived on it! I didn't expect what happened in the airport, though.....


I could see an alcohol buzzed, long haired, flannel shirt wearing hunkalicious coming up the walkway from the airplane. As he entered the terminal and saw me, he ripped his shirt open and I saw marker all over his chest! "I love you more" was Sharpie Emblazoned across his torso! I couldn't stop laughing! He said, "I asked the dude sitting next to me what I could do to impress you when I walked off!" That he did; and he still does!! And then we went home together, for the first time. I took him and his empty backpack home with me, and our little unborn Z. The older kids were waiting for their Pops and it's been our life ever since.


This will be the 24th Christmas we shared together. I hope all of you, my dear Students, find someone to share your life and your dreams with! From our crazy home to yours..Merry Christmas!!!


Class dismissed......

WE RETURN TO THE BIRTH OF THE CAVALERA METAL ROOTS....BELO!!

As we arrived this morning in Belo, with Incite in tow, making a DVD, Max and  I decided to take Richie to the birthplace of Sepultura.  The original story, the very house that spawned 2 young boys, who would one day be the founders of one of the greatest, most copied and most unique bands in Metal History.  The boys who would pass by giants and become legends.  The very core of Sepultura...Max and Iggor!  Richie would go deep into the past and learn the real story.

 

 

We stopped at the park near their childhood home.  This location was where young boys sat huddled, plotting their dreams.  Lyrics became real, riffs were discussed, art work and youthful ideas flowed like the rain!

The church across the street stood tall,  overlooking the barrio.  Tall, commanding, a presence seen from the distance.  It was immortalized on the cover of Bestial Devastation.

 

And now, a new generation with dreams and visions of the future of head banging, walks the dirty streets....I don't want to spill all the beans of the DVD, you will have to see it for yourself with our Pop as a guide!

 

 

Class dismissed......

MAXIMUM CAVALERA...ALL THE WAY!!!!

As the kids grew older, I noticed they were all naturally musical. Richie asked Santa for a microphone when he was 4, long before we knew Max. Dana had a drum kit in his bedroom, growing up through his grade school years and we all know the story of how Zyon's first word was a beat! The music I grew up with was Mom singing Kay-Se Ra, Se Ra, and Cossack drinking songs!!

As the boys grew up, they began to focus on certain abilities, whether it was lyric writing, vocals, drumming, riffing, repairing and/or, organizing. We all say Igor got the best of us...organized and musical, book penning and riffing..both worlds neatly tucked in his brain lobes. They all have the management know how, having been on the road with me for years. Christina is my right hand and consultant, having been on the road and in charge of the production advancement of all my bands and their gigs. When we arrive and everything is sorted already, it is thanks to her! Roxanne was my ATM ( assistant tour manager) in her teen years. She was stuck to me like glue from birth on and settled wth me at most all the gigs. Now, she is heading to law school..which we all need lol!!

Zyon is a master drummer. Max says Z is the only drummer he knows, who never plays the same song the some way twice. Max laughs when others say "oh, I do that too," as he says it's so rare, and not really common at all. I believe Max as all he does is listen to bands and watch live gigs. He is a walking textbook of Metal!! Zyon also has an alter ego...he secretly makes beats. If you are part of his crew you know his various names, but if I spill them here, I will get my ass chewed!! He works hours every day on his beat making and one day, I can see him making it his career.

Richie is the vocalist of Incite (MinusHead Records). You have most likely watched their evolution, as they have toured with Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Devil Driver and many other great acts! He was always a rebel with his mohawk hair at the age of 3 and it was about this time that he appeared on the cover of Atrophy's Violent By Nature, Roadrunner Record's release. He soaked up the management skills like a sponge and when he isn't on the road with Incite, he is with me, kicking ass and taking names! He also runs our merch on the road and is in charge of the ordering, designs and vending.

Jason is the behind the scenes son. Caring for Joe Nunez was his first road dog gig and since then he has guarded the stage for Zyon, Tony Campos, and Johny Chow. He looks after me with precise care and prefers to stay out of the spotlight. He can fix anything! We also call him the Punisher sometimes as he is not afraid to grind someone!! All of my sons believe solidly in women's rights and they are all protective of me, in all situations.

Igor is the 7th child, the 5th son. When he was born, Dana said he would be the doctor. Multi talented, not only can he write riffs like Max, but he is wise and organized. He is logical and also has the kickass memory some of us inherited from my Mother's Russian ancestors. He reads like a maniac and writes novels like one, too. He started his first book at the age of 15, and you should be seeing it published in the very near future. Killing My Insomnia is the title and also an affliction many of us, in our family, suffer from. We try to put it to good use!

A few years ago, to develop this young talent, I came up with the idea of the Maximum Cavalera Tour. I was surprised by the success of it, to tell the truth! Since we started, we have done over 25 weeks in Europe, the UK and Russia, and countless months in North America. Soulfly, Incite and Lody Kong, growing and raging worldwide for the Tribe's enjoyment!! On the last run in Europe we added a special guest, King Parrot. I plan on doing more runs like this and actually have a super secret idea in mind as I write! Come check us out when we are cruising through your city!

LET’S GO IN THE ARCHIVES OF THE HARD ROCK CAFE!!!

Students, we have explored many cities, countries and memories together these last 3 years!! School started out wth 350 students each week and has grown to 25,000 to 80,000 a week...God, knows where they all sit!! Today, let's take a peak in the Hard Rock's archive vault and see what's hidden!

A few years back, Max and I were invited to go check out the Hard Rock Cafe's archives. If I recall correctly, he was doing an interview smack dab in the middle of the vault. As a result we were invited to peak around at some of their most valuable possessions!

There are so many Hard Rocks around the world and each is packed with memorabilia from every artist you can think of! In Madrid, one of Max's smashed guitars adorns the wall, and another white BC Rich is tucked away somewhere on a display or warehouse we have yet to discover!

Max really loved the vintage guitars and the stories they told, stories of wear and tear, long nights on the road, and screaming fans! Stevie Ray Vaughn, BB King, Little Richard, The King Elvis...it was all there to soak up! Kurt Cobain's guitar and his personal artifacts were also favorites......forever embedded in music history. Some day, some young rocker will be holding Max's ax and dreaming of where it was, what it saw and how it wailed!!

Class dismissed......

SOULFLY GOES TO THE FRONTLINES!!

I think the year was 2004, or 2005, when Soulfly and our Tribe travelled to Serbia to record 2 videos. My daughter, Christina, was living there and had made acquaintance with a TV show producer, Mira, and through Mira, we were connected to a killer production team. They did television commercials and short independent films, and were able to get us access to locations we could not channel to, by using traditional routes.
We first went to a small village called Golubac, and made the Carved Inside video. It was recorded in an old castle ruins on the banks of the Danube....but that's another blog...

Mira suggested we record at a bombed television studio in Belgrade, as she worked for the channel, and could get us access. Of course, it was bombed by the Americans... It was a bit dangerous and haphazard due to the fact it was not reconstructed after the bombing and lose objects were everywhere. It seemed like a fitting location for a track like the upcoming Soulfly, Frontlines.

This was in the time of Max without a hair log growing out the back of his head, Joe Nunez on drums, Marc Rizzo with hair and what's his name on bass....(fabricator and misogynist, dare I say?). It's my blog, right? I aim to tell the truth through it... Max had a gas mask on for a good part of the day, and stock footage aptly showed scenarios that we wish weren't true, but unfortunately are.

At the end of the day, we had 2 prime cuts, a new experience and even some education, in a sick sense. We decided to wrap it up peacefully, spiritually and with hope, so we all made the trek to the majestic St. Mark's Orthodox Church, where Max and Marc laid the hate down and covered it with the carpet of ambient serenity. Ahhh, the world was back to normal...

Class dismissed......