Derrick Green

Last updated

Derrick Green
Sepultura With Full Force 2014 15 (cropped).jpg
Green in 2014
Background information
Birth nameDerrick Leon Green
Born (1971-01-20) January 20, 1971 (age 53)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • percussion
Years active1986–present
Member of Sepultura
Formerly of

Derrick Leon Green (born January 20, 1971) is an American musician best known as the vocalist of Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. He joined the band in 1997 after the departure of band founder Max Cavalera.

Contents

Early life

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Green is the youngest of three children; his sister Renée Green is an artist, writer, and filmmaker. Green's father, Friendly, an electrician, and mother, Gloria, a music teacher, moved the family from inner-city Cleveland to surbuban Shaker Heights when Green was 7. "This was my first live interaction with white people," Green later recalled. From an early age, Green wished to travel and live outside the United States; he went to Berlin for a time before moving from New York to São Paulo. [1]

Career

Pre-Sepultura

Green became a friend and roadie of the already formed thrash metal/hardcore band Outface which was formed in 1985. He then joined the band in 1986 at the age of 15 after the departure of their two former singers. The band consisted of guitarist Charlie Garriga (CIV), bassist Frank Cavanagh (Prong and Filter) and drummer Mark Konopka. They recorded two demos, one in 1987 and the other in 1989. They were then offered a recording deal by a friend from New York, Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Youth of Today, Gorilla Biscuits) for a recording deal to record for his new sub label of Crisis Records for one studio album, Friendly Green (named after Green's father), released in 1992. Stylistically, their music varied between rock, heavy metal and punk with ska elements. Green was credited as Simon Verde on the Outface release ("Green" is translated as "Verde" in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian). With this lineup they toured and played in many places on the east coast and the south of the United States and one tour in Europe.

Once back from the tour in Europe, Green and Garriga decided that they wanted to move to New York City. Cavanagh stayed and later went on to join the band Filter. Konopka also decided to stay and recorded one album with the band Integrity.

In New York, Green and Garriga teamed up with drummer Sammy Siegler (Side by Side, Youth of Today, Judge), bass player Eric Thrice (Orange 9mm), who was replaced by Sara Cox, to form Overfiend. The band was named after the brutal Japanese animated film Legend of the Overfiend . They recorded a three-song demo with the help of Schreifels, the direction was much heavier with influences of metal and heavy rock. Their first show was played in Staten Island opening for Sick of It All. This would be their only show. Garriga and Siegler would leave the band to join and form CIV.

In 1996, Green would start to play guitar and sing with Sara Cox, they would then form the band Alpha Jerk. They later recruited drummer Luke Abby (Warzone, Gorilla Biscuits), who was then replaced by Nick Heller (Sweet Diesel). They would release one self-titled album on Toybox Records. They managed to play a few shows in the New York area and doing a few shows together with the bands Lunachicks and Demonspeed. Two songs were featured on New York's Hardest, Vol. 2 compilation.

Sepultura

Green performing in 2009 Sepultura @ Maquinaria Festival 01.jpg
Green performing in 2009

Green was approached in 1997 by A&R rep Mike Gitter from Roadrunner Records. He told him that Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera had left the band in 1996 and they were searching for a new vocalist. He suggested Green try out for the position. Sepultura had recorded one song with no vocals to see what people all around the world could come up with. Green got a hold of the tape from Gitter and he recorded his idea for the song "Choke" and sent it to Brazil. A month later he received a phone call from Sepultura's drummer, Igor Cavalera. He was then asked to fly down to São Paulo, Brazil to meet everyone and audition for the position. Green flew out a week later and met everyone and auditioned for two weeks. Green was asked to come back to Brazil to start recording his first album, Against , with Sepultura.

Most of Against was written before Green entered the band. Against was released in 1998 and the group set out on a world tour. Green moved from New York and decided to live in Amsterdam while on a promo tour. The album was critically and commercially less successful than previous Sepultura albums, as many fans were still coming to terms with the absence of Max Cavalera from the band. AllMusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5, and gave an optimistic note of the band's future by stating that "there are enough flashes of the old Sepultura brilliance to suggest that great things are still to come". [2]

Nation would be the first album that Green would take part in the writing process for, from beginning to end. He decided to move to São Paulo to be closer to the group and work on the new material. Nation, the band's eighth album with Roadrunner Records, was released in 2001 and sold poorly. Allmusic.com gave the album 3 stars out of 5 and said, "As Green scrapes the lining of his vocal chords through the brash, impassioned tracks, he's singing about more than just 'one tribe, Sepulnation'; he's suggesting something bigger, something worth shouting about and fighting for". [3] In an interview, Derrick said about the album that "every song will be related to the idea of building this idea of a positive nation. We will have our own flag, our own anthem, our own army".

Nation was the group's last studio album with Roadrunner Records, as their contract ran out. The contract had an option for one more album but the group felt the label was not supportive enough. A recording of Max Cavalera's last live show with Sepultura, titled Under a Pale Grey Sky , was released in 2002 by Roadrunner Records, against the wishes of the band.

Revolusongs , an EP of cover songs was released by the band. The EP was exclusively released in Brazil and Japan, but then the band was picked up by record label SPV and Revolusongs was later included as a bonus disc on the digipak edition of Roorback , the next full-length studio album with Green. A collaboration between the video director Ricardo Della Rosa and Green created the idea of the music video of U2's song "Bullet the Blue Sky". It won best photography in the 2003 Brazil MTV music awards show.

Despite Roorback receiving critical acclaim, sales remained low. Allmusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5 and said, "if there are still any lingering doubts about the Green/Sepultura match, 2003's excellent Roorback should put them to rest for good. Green is passionate and focused throughout the album —he has no problem going that extra mile— and the writing is consistently strong". [4]

All the tracks on the DVD Live in São Paulo were recorded on April 3, 2005, at a concert in São Paulo, Brazil. A CD of the same name was also recorded. Both were released on November 8, 2005, through SPV Records. The second DVD features a documentary of the band's career from 1998 on, filmed and co-edited by Green.

Dante XXI was released on March 14, 2006. It is a concept album based on Dante's The Divine Comedy , a book that Green read in high school and suggested to the band for the concept for the album. In "Convicted in Life" video, Green collaborated with the video director Luis Carone for the idea. The video won for best editing in a video and best direction in a video at the Brazil MTV music awards show in 2006.

Allmusic gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5 and said that, "Overall, Dante XXI is easily one of Sepultura's strongest releases to feature Green on vocals". [5] Igor Cavalera left the band after the release of Dante XXI. He was replaced by Brazilian drummer Jean Dolabella who they continued with and toured with for the most part of the Dante XXI tour.

Green with Sepultura in Germany, 2018 2018 Sepultura - by 2eight - DSC9088.jpg
Green with Sepultura in Germany, 2018

Sepultura released the album A-Lex on January 26, 2009. A-Lex is a concept album based on Anthony Burgess' book A Clockwork Orange . Allmusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5 and said that "personnel changes can have a very negative effect on a band, but Sepultura have maintained their vitality all these years – and that vitality is alive and well on the superb A-Lex". [6]

On July 6, 2010, it was announced that Sepultura have signed a deal with Nuclear Blast Records, and will release their first album Kairos for the label in 2011. Roy Z (Judas Priest, Halford, Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, Helloween) was the producer for the new album.

Musica Diablo

Green joined another band, Musica Diablo, in 2008, a thrash metal band with members of Nitrominds, Ação Direta and Dead Fish. On May 28, 2010, the band released their self-titled debut album on both CD and MP3 download. [7] CD Universe said that "Musica Diablo's extreme fast thrash metal, with the characteristic Brazilian style and a strong root into the 1980s veterans made them unique, and the need of recording a proper album was eminent. The band recorded their first album in January 2010 with the well known producer Rafael Ramos in Rio de Janeiro. A month later, Derrick Green recorded his vocals in São Paulo, again under Rafael's production. The result is a killer, blast-in-your-face album with 11 songs of sheer violence and pure Brazilian Thrash Metal!". [8] Green has since left Musica Diablo. [9]

Collaborations

Green was a guest vocalist on a few CDs including Biohazard's Uncivilization and the soundtrack of the Brazilian movie Lisbela e o Prisioneiro .

Green appeared with Sepultura in a successful ad campaign for Volkswagen that aired nationally throughout Brazil in 2008. The spot said that "it's the first time you've seen Sepultura like this. And a sedan like this one too". [10] This Volkswagen TV spot shows Sepultura playing bossa nova, the opposite of its Heavy Metal style, to say that "you never saw something like this, as you never saw a car like the new Voyage".

Green is working on a three volume book set of his photography and writings due to be released in late 2011/2012. Each volume will be released at different times.

In 2013, Green worked on a side project called Maximum Hedrum. [11]

Personal life

In 2011, when asked about his religious views, Green replied: [12]

I think there is a connection that is missing between nature and people. We're connected. People cannot live without nature. And I feel this is something that is a very powerful inner phase, indisputable and very realistic. And it's in a sense a God in itself, this planet, it's something beautiful and very powerful and gives so much nourishment to its people and everything around us and I feel to be connected with that is something that we need to re-learn. So for me, my religion is this planet and having that connection and trying my best to learn to deal with it.

Green speaks fluent Portuguese with a noticeable American accent. He previously lived in Carapicuíba, São Paulo, but now lives in Los Angeles. [13]

Green is a vegan. [14] [15] He has been a vegetarian since 1986. He made this publicly clear in a PETA video interview regarding Sepultura's 2006 video of the song "Convicted in Life". He stated in the interview that the subject of this video is that some kind of "karma" is inflicted on those that damage the environment and its wildlife. [16]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sepultura</span> Brazilian heavy metal band

Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera. The band was a major force in the groove metal, thrash metal and death metal genres during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments drawing influence from alternative metal, world music, nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial metal. Sepultura is also considered part of the second wave of thrash metal acts from the late 1980s to early-to-mid-1990s.

<i>Beneath the Remains</i> 1989 studio album by Sepultura

Beneath the Remains is the third studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released on April 7, 1989. It was their first release by Roadrunner Records.

<i>Roots</i> (Sepultura album) 1996 studio album by Sepultura

Roots is the sixth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released in Europe on February 20, 1996 and in the U.S. three weeks later on March 12 by Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last studio album to feature founding member and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Max Cavalera.

<i>Schizophrenia</i> (Sepultura album) 1987 studio album by Sepultura

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<i>Against</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Sepultura

Against is the seventh studio album by the Brazilian metal band Sepultura, released in 1998 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's first release with new frontman Derrick Green, who replaced group founder Max Cavalera in 1997.

<i>Nation</i> (Sepultura album) 2001 studio album by Sepultura

Nation is the eighth studio album by the Brazilian metal band Sepultura, released in 2001 through Roadrunner Records. Nation features guest appearances from artists such as Hatebreed singer Jamey Jasta, Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, Ill Niño singer Cristian Machado, Ratos de Porão frontman João Gordo, and Apocalyptica.

<i>Roorback</i> 2003 studio album by Sepultura

Roorback is the ninth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 2003, through SPV Records.

<i>Revolusongs</i> 2002 EP by Sepultura

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Igor Cavalera</span> Brazilian drummer

Igor Graziano Cavalera is a Brazilian musician, best known as the former drummer for the heavy metal band Sepultura, which he co-founded with his brother Max in 1984. Max left the band in 1996, and Igor himself would depart ten years later, making him the last original member of Sepultura to leave the band. The brothers have since reunited in the band Cavalera Conspiracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andreas Kisser</span> Brazilian guitarist

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Paulo Xisto Pinto Júnior is a Brazilian musician best known as the bassist for heavy metal band Sepultura. He joined Sepultura after Roberto Raffan left the band in 1984, becoming Sepultura's second bassist. Although no original members are left in Sepultura, Pinto is the longest remaining member of Sepultura despite never performing on any album until Chaos A.D. (1993).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sepultura discography</span>

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<i>Arise</i> (Sepultura album) 1991 studio album by Sepultura

Arise is the fourth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1991 by Roadrunner Records. Upon its release, the album received top reviews from heavy metal magazines such as Rock Hard, Kerrang! and Metal Forces. Arise is considered Sepultura's finest hour among longtime fans. While the music on Arise was mostly in the same death/thrash style as their previous album, Beneath the Remains, it was clear that the Sepultura sound was acquiring an experimental edge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cavalera Conspiracy</span> Brazilian-American heavy metal band

Cavalera Conspiracy is a Brazilian-American heavy metal supergroup from Phoenix, Arizona, founded by Brazilian brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are widely known as former members of Sepultura, and the only two constant members of the band. The band originally formed in 2007 as Inflikted but changed its name for legal reasons. The group's creation marked the end of a 10-year feud between the Cavalera brothers who founded Sepultura in the early 1980s. In 2022, they adopted the name Cavalera in order to release re-recorded editions of classic Sepultura albums, which were released in 2023.

<i>A-Lex</i> 2009 studio album by Sepultura

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<i>Dante XXI</i> 2006 studio album by Sepultura

Dante XXI is the tenth studio album by the Brazilian metal band Sepultura, released in 2006 through SPV Records. It is a concept album based on the three sections of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy; Inferno (hell), Purgatorio (purgatory) and Paradiso (paradise). This is the last album to feature Igor Cavalera on drums.

<i>Live in São Paulo</i> (Sepultura album) 2005 live album by Sepultura

Live in São Paulo is the second live album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. All the tracks were recorded on April 3, 2005, at a concert in São Paulo, Brazil. A DVD was also filmed at the show. The performance of "Refuse/Resist" was released as the single for the album. Both were released on November 8, through SPV Records. The album and DVD are the second time that fans can hear singer Derrick Green perform Max Cavalera-era Sepultura songs on an official release. A live version of "Roots Bloody Roots" featuring Green was released as a bonus track on Nation.

<i>Kairos</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Sepultura

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<i>The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart</i> 2013 studio album by Sepultura

The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must Be the Heart is the thirteenth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released on October 25, 2013 in Europe on October 29 in the United States via Nuclear Blast. The album is based on the 1927 science fiction film Metropolis; its title is a quote from the film.

References

  1. "May 2018 Interview With Derrick Green and Andreas Kisser". www.teenyrockers.com. May 14, 2018. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  2. Huey, Steve (October 6, 1998). "Against – Sepultura". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  3. Smith, Kerry L. (March 20, 2001). "Nation – Sepultura". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  4. Henderson, Alex (August 26, 2003). "Roorback – Sepultura". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  5. Prato, Greg (March 14, 2006). "Dante XXI – Sepultura". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  6. Henderson, Alex (January 27, 2009). "A-Lex – Sepultura". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  7. "Welcome to Musica Diablo". Musicadiablo.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  8. "Musica Diablo CD". Cduniverse.com. May 25, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  9. "Musica Diablo Parts Ways With Sepultura Frontman Derrick Green". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  10. "Sepultura em comercial da Volkswagen (novo Voyage)". Volkswagen. October 28, 2008. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2010 via YouTube.
  11. "SEPULTURA Frontman Kicks Off Month-Long L.A. Residency With MAXIMUM HEDRUM Project". Blabbermouth.net. January 18, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  12. Britt, Denise (May 24, 2014). "Sepultura Singer Slams Reunion Rumors". Ultimate Guitar Archive. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  13. "SepulQuarta - LIVE Q&A with Devin Townsend, Derrick Green & Andreas Kisser". Sepultura. July 22, 2020. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2021 via YouTube.
  14. "DERRICK GREEN Says SEPULTURA 'Started To Develop A Little Bit More Of Their Own Personality' On 'Arise'". Blabbermouth.net. February 18, 2018. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  15. "Derrick Green 🤘🏾! (@derrickgreenofficial)". Instagram. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  16. "Sepultura's Softer Side". Peta2. July 19, 2011. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2020.