You know when someone tells you that old saying: “Last but not least”? Well it sure as hell was true for us today. Last day of Metal Days, the sun was out, we went for a chill (and man do I mean chill) in the freezing Soča river and than got back to our home for the past few days – the press center. Getting ready for the last interview of the Festival. With Exodus. With the one and only Steve Zetro Souza. Our press guides who have been patiently taking us in and out of backstage for the past few days told us that Steve was feeling good :). And boy he was. Here’s how it all went (writing this as they are kicking ass on stage).
Where will we sit?
Wherever you want, wherever you want young lady (thnx Steve, you bought me with that one ).
How are you?
Great, great, great. I love playing at festivals. It’s a great chance to hang out with our friends, like Dragonforce (sitting next door). See the shows. Enjoy.
Do you become a fan again when in festivals?
I’m always a fan, I think if you lose being a fan you probably shouldn’t do this anymore. And I’m still the hugest metal fan.
A lot of bands say that they don’t really like to play at festivals. Because of technical difficulties, can’t get tuned in?
Honestly I can’t stand that mentality. I mean, don’t be spoiled. Remember when you were in your garage and nothing was working, and five guys were in there drinking beer and watching you, and you hoped to god that someone someday will buy your T-shirt. It’s like, don’t ever lose sight of that. And that’s what’s going to keep you hungry and keep you a fan. Because I give it 3000 % every fucking night. It’s important to me to give a good, great show and make sure that everyone has a good time and enjoy themselves. And as long as we keep doing that and they are still here to see us we’ll always be there for them. You know, that’s what we do. We’re very fortunate to get to do this. You’re never bigger than your fans. I love it when people go: who are you? I always tell people have fun with music and stay humble. And I’m like “I’m nobody, believe me I’m nobody.”
Something about being famous…
Here’s how I explain this: if you can walk into Taco Bell or Burger King and nobody knows who you are, you’re not famous . You know, golfers have their groupies, bowlers, tennis players. Ours are just a bit more glorified for some reason and always have been. But it’s more of a myth than the actual truth.
The latest album, from 2014…
Hahahhahaha, the latest album, good way to put it
Well you know, diplomacy , you practice that.
Exactly, exactly, I love that, i see you’ve been doing your job for a long time
It’s interesting that people have been saying that it is the album your fans have been waiting for. Why are they saying it? Is it a “back to the roots” thing?
I say that it’s a well-written record. Not that the other ones haven’t been of course. I love songs from Shovel Headed Kill Machine. We’re going to be playing 2 songs of off Exhibit B and 1 of off Exhibit A, and I love to sing those songs. I kind of kicked myself in the ass that I wasn’t in the band to sing them.
But yeah I think that Blood In Blood Out was written for me vocally. I felt it. I came in after having two songs for 24 hours and ripped it. And they were like wow. And I go man: I feel this really good. I think the fans also felt it. And I have nothing against Rob but I think they just identified with me a bit more. I was there through the building process of Exodus.
And in the end yeah, Blood In Blood Out is a well written, well performed album by five musicians who know their craft.
And all our ten years of disagreeing, we just forgot about that, we had a pow wow and just let it go.
A very grown up thing to do…
Yeah. I mean, we were in Japan and did a radio interview whit Gary where I sad that if Steve Souza and Gary Holt can get back together than Slash and Axl can get back together again. And what happened? Slash and Axl got back together again , they’ve buried the hatchet.
You were working with your sons?
Actually they kicked me out . I get this call from Nicholas (the oldest gets the youngest to do it), telling me they want to see me. So they come over and the motherfuckers pull out this printed out list of their goals, not being in their fathers shadow, and how Cody want’s to be the singer….I’m like woooow, Cody wants to be the singer… . We’ll we will see about that…
We were here last year on tour with Testament and Chuck says I heard your boys new song. And I’m like what? I haven’t even heard it . And Chuck goes like yeah man it’s awesome.
They released a new song (grabbing his phone and proudly showing us the cover design for the single). Frankenstein must be destroyed, the one I wrote the lyrics for, about all murderers and killers that the liberals won’t send to death row.
So they have already stepped into the social and political criticism aspect of music?
Oh yeah, they’ve jumped right in. All I have to do now is make some moves in Nuclear Blast and get them to sign in. Got to keep it in the family man you know
So when are you leaving Tolmin? We hear that Putin is coming to Slovenia, a lot of the traffic will be blocked.
We have to leave right away. We don’t get to stay here tonight. (Yelling) Stevie what does it say? Bus call 1 AM? Yeah, 1 AM. So I’m going to be able to listen to Dragonforce tonight. Because it has changed. We were supposed to leave at 11pm. And I was like really??? 15 hours to get here and I have to leave already??
(Interrupted while talking about doing an interview with Hatriot (Steve’s sons band) by Julia, the band manager with the set list. )
You are coming to Croatia, our country, in November?
Yeah. With Obituary. We should do a follow up again then. I love the press . They called me yesterday saying will you be doing interviews? And yeah, of course, I hate when people aren’t approachable to the media. I probably have done, I shit you not, around 3000 interviews for Blood In Blood Out. I want to see myself in your magazines; I don’t care if they are fanzines or whatever, I’ll make his day and talk to his ass
You’ve made our day
I’m just saying I’m easy to get along with
