GROWING UP METAL ....PART 3..

One of the things I get asked quite often was how the heck did I raise all the kids and travel and work at the same time? It wasn't easy! We followed a routine devised to fit our family's lifestyle. We set the boundaries and made it all work.

Igor and Max

The biggest trouble rock families have is where to find a good nanny and how to convince the school to let your child miss more school than the law allows. Trustworthy nannies are difficult to find. Everyone I knew who had children at home and on the road was always looking for a new nanny. The biggest problem is many are fans. Fans do not make good nannies as they tend to be interested in the music and people around them, instead of the children. I was fortunate to have a wonderful nanny and house manager for 13 years! She was a blessing and I was grateful for every day she was with us.

We even got the school to let the kids miss more days than is allowed. Once they realized we actually took the kids to museums, castles, zoos, and yes..even bull fights and concentration camps...they let the kids go. The teachers agreed our children learned more about the world being on the road than they could ever learn in school.

Jason sleeping and playing a game in his bunk...at the same time!

upstairs in the bus' sleeping area

When they kids were school age, we always got a bus for our family. We never wanted any family fights, arguments about staying up late, or food fights to get in other's space. Contrary to some reports, our family is normal, with normal situations and some you may consider abnormal! We like to keep it private. Our extended family is around the world, too! We brought several of the best friends, boy friends, girl friends and nannies around the world with us too.

Igor and Zyon

Zyon

Jason

Committing to being a family isn't always a party, but we tried! Skateboarding the Dom in Koln, razor scooters (wasn't the entire world on a razor for a while?), beanie baby shopping with the Osbourne kids, soccer matches with Rage Against the Machine and Everlast, seeing the Siberian tundra fly outside the frosted Transsiberian Railway window, and we even enjoyed a South African safari....yes, we tried it all! Don't think for a second that I let them slide on homework or reading! They always had journals going for their homework, and books in the bunks. Photography was a big pastime, as well as Picture Time....but thats another blog....

Zyon

Igor

And what are they doing now.......

Lody Kong killing it!!

Jason (Scone) sighting...

Class dismissed.......

JAMMING AT THE JAMPAD!!!!

I have had a warehouse near Sky Harbor Airport in south Phoenix for nearly 30 years. It started with Sacred Reich, then Sepultura, Soulfly, Incite. and Lody Kong. You could squeeze Flotsam and Jetsam in there as they were inhabitants for many years also.

Max , Mikey, and Joe

The funniest thing that ever happened there was during the time Sepultura kept 2 warehouses. One day, a fire started in a neighboring space and the police and firetrucks swarmed in. When the fire was put out, everyone realized it was a marijuana grow room! There was a casualty, sorry to inform you all! The mummy from the Sep's Chaos AD Tour backdrop was severely burned, wiping him out of his blooming career.

After the Seps took off for parts unknown, Soulfly moved in and has been there ever since. The far corners are piled high with cabs and guitar cases. The tribal Sepultura S still peaking out from cabinets long rolled back; old posters on the wall, couches and rehearsal place intact. A couple years ago, we found many old backdrops stashed above the bathroom...maybe you already heard the noise??

Jeff (front of house)

Rat (technician), and Christina (head of production)

Many records have been arranged here, many photo shoots taken place and many children have grown up in the jungle gym of musical notes and gear. One day, all that remains will be a memory, stories of a legend, music trivia for one and all who chooses to search. If you are lucky, maybe one day you will get your hands on something from this Metal confine!!

Class dismissed....

SOUFLY ONE.....RELAXING IN MALIBU....PART 4..

It's not all work, when you record. We were very lucky to stay at the Malibu Beach Inn for 6 weeks, during the recording. Waking up to the ocean and dolphins jumping carelessly has a great impact on your vibe! Many photo shots and long walks took place on that glorious Malibu coastline!

Max

Malibu boardwalk

Malibu boardwalk

Lucio, Igor, Max, and Marcelo

Lucio, Igor, Max, and Marcelo

Our family was our companion during that healing time of Soulfly 1's creation. We made several trips back and forth between Phoenix and LAX, ending in the drive up Sunset Boulevard to the Pacific Coast Highway. The beach's restaurants and shops became our real-life fantasies, as we tried to make sense of Life and get back in the normal swing of things. What better aura than the renewal of crashing waves and seagulls gliding above? Every minute off was spent exploring.

Igor and Richie

Igor and Zyon

Zyon and Rox

Igor

The Fam

The result was the birth of Soulfly, nearly 20 years ago now! Timeless music for all ages to enjoy. Lyrics that would inspire the masses; music that would bring out your emotions to a raw point; future pits that would release the energy for all time! This was the creation of Soulfly!!!

Soulfly

Class dismissed....

SOULFLY ONE.....SPECIAL GUESTS.....COME ON IN!!!

On Chaos AD, Max had the idea to invite Jello Biafa to collaborate and Biotech is Godzilla was born. He spun this idea even further on Roots, inviting Mike Patton, Jonathon Davis, DJ Lethal and Carlinos Brown. Some people call this the birth of Nu-Metal, but Max says that is crap! It's all just Metal.

When Soulfly One was being conceived, Max had strong opinions on where it was heading. The record was written during the period in between Sepultura and the formation of Soulfly. We travelled to New York and met with Monte Conner and Cees Wessels, tape in hand. They loved the songs, which were complete, even with vocals. Max was the only member of the band at that time, but I still managed to secure a smoking hot record contract! Roadrunner's faith was so strong after hearing the demo.

Max and Fred Durst

Max had several guests in mind for his new child. Fred Durst was chosen to sing a rap part on Bleed, a song written in dedication to Dana. Max and Chino collaborated on First Commandment, another song written with passion. You don't know, but Chino lead the way from Dana's hearse to his grave. He refused the gurney and said "No, we are carrying him." I will never forget the look on his face; it was ashen. I later gave Chino the Rasta belt Dana was wearing when he died.

Christian and Dino from Fear Factory (original line-up) contributed to Eye For An Eye and the bass solo at the end of No. A funny thing happened during this time....Lucio from Nazao Zumbi, got sprayed by a skunk at night and the smell was memorable! On the shirt he was wearing, Lucio wrote Skunk Pi, with the wrong English. It was great for laughs!!

Marcello and Lucio

We commissioned a photographer, Glen LaFerman, to make a photo library of the recording process. Glen is well known, having been one of the last photographers to capture Bob Marley, take the KISS photos exclusively for many years and also taking all the famous b/w photos in the Rainbow Bar, in Hollywood.

Roy and Glen

DJ Lethal, who was an original member of House of Pain, also joined in on the masterpiece. He did the scratches on Bleed. Benji from Dub War, came in and laid down vocals and lyrics on Prejudice. The record became a stew pot of gurgling, boiling over, ferociousness...full velocity ahead!

DJ Lethal

None of us ever dreamt that this piece of art would officially go gold in America in less time than any Max-era, Sepultura record would. It surpassed our expectations. It was a statement of the previous years' experiences...pain, loss, suffering and faith...............NO HOPE, NO FEAR!!!!!!!



Class dismissed.....

SOULFLY ONE.....LET'S HEAD TO MALIBU!! PART 2

We were all very excited to return to Indigo Ranch Studios after the Root's recording session had made a great friendship with Richard, Ross and the crew that worked the studio. It was difficult to transition into another band, not difficult, more like apprehensive, actually! It made sense Max would want to maestro at a studio he was attached to.

Richard Kaplan (white beard)

Richard had a stockpile of new and vintage gear piled up in one room and the choices were sweet! Out side, there were fruit trees and lush greenery. If you took a short walk, you could see down the mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

I was very happy also. We had Zyon and Igor with us, the older kids were traveling back and forth and I was beginning to get a grip on the tragedies of 1996.

yours truly...

Max set up a mini alter in the vocal booth, which was customary for him. Time to focus on the release of his stored up aggression and have a spiritual spot to turn to when faith needed an outlet. The rest of the guys were staying in a wooden A-frame cabin that was adjacent to the studio. Richard Kaplan and his hospitable wife, Julie, lived in a trailer just above the studio. Their original home had been burnt in the Malibu fires some time before. We all had our private spots to chill out in.

We even hired caterers to cook for us, because it was too far to go for a food run. We had great meals all day and new friends!

The recording began and the notes became imprinted on big spools of analog tapes! Ross was at the helm, Richard and Co. at the board and the band in the various rooms.

Maxxx

Roy 

Ross directing Roy

Lucio

Max had many ideas for special guest's collaborating. He had magic in his notebook and music throbbing in his brain. Every day, he became more confidant, more powerful. He had a message to convey about his life and his mission. This was a new found freedom that surprised him. It gave him courage to step forward. He became the person he had always wanted to be!

Class dismissed.......