During a recent interview with Radiónica, Slipknot drummer Eloy Casagrande discussed the sessions for the band’s upcoming album. According to him, the group “are doing a lot of songs.”
Casagrande said the following:
“Right now, we are recording the new album. We are doing the new record… We are doing a lot of songs — many, many songs. So I cannot talk a lot about them very much. I cannot explain for you what we exactly we are doing in the studio right now. But what I can say is that the band is really happy with the music that we created so far, we did so far. Everyone’s in a very good vibe. And we are being very honest to our fans. We are doing what we wanna do. We are doing what feels right for us to do at the moment, and we are being very honest to all the fans. That’s it. We are making real music. We are not thinking about business. We are not thinking about if the people are gonna like it or not. We are doing what we believe is right to do… It’s a very chill, very good process, very natural process, easygoing. So we are enjoying to play music, and that’s the most important.”
He also added:
“We believe in music. And now that I’m here, having my first experience doing a record with the band, I’m also really glad to see, to be able to experience that situation, that we are in the studio making real music. We are not thinking about business. We are not thinking about selling our music. We are just thinking about art in the most pure way, the most honest way of respecting what we wanna do right now and being honest, being truthful, being transparent with our fans. So we are doing real music, and that’s it. Nowadays you see a lot of artists thinking about the future, if they’re gonna sell well or not, if they’re gonna be able to play in huge arenas or not, and no — that’s the opposite that we’re doing here. We are focusing on doing something that we like, that we feel proud of what we are doing.
Before I joined the band, of course, that was something that I had in mind. I was concerned if I would be able to be myself, to play the way I like to play, to be able to do real things, real music. And to be here inside and see everybody enjoying what they are doing and see that we are being very honest with the art, with our instruments, with the music, that makes everything special. That’s the biggest goal in any musician’s life, to be able to just play your instrument the way you wanna play, to be true to your fans. We are in a very good moment. That’s what I can tell you. The feeling inside the band, inside all the members, it’s really good. So we’re just having fun to play music.”
Casagrande also reflected on joining Slipknot:
“That was a dream that came true in my life. And definitely I think I was waiting for that happening my whole life. I remember when I was a kid and I saw the first time a video clip of SLIPKNOT playing, and that video clip changed my personality as a musician. Because once you’re a metal musician and you listen to a lot of heavy metal bands and you discover SLIPKNOT, and me myself, being a drummer, that was something that was very shocking. Like, how is a human being — [original SLIPKNOT drummer] Joey Jordison — how is a human being able to play something like that? And SLIPKNOT made a huge impact in my life, especially on my drumming life as a musician. So, my whole life I think I was expecting one day to play with them. And also what I really like about the band is that SLIPKNOT, it’s a mix of different styles. I’m not just playing nu metal. I’m not only playing thrash metal, death metal or melodic metal. SLIPKNOT, it’s a big mix of different things. And at the end of the day, it’s still being SLIPKNOT. That’s something very unique. They have a very strong personality, but inside their personality there’s a lot of different influences. Of course it’s a band with a lot of members, so each one of them, they bring different perspectives, different ideas. And to keep myself always being always creative, that’s something that I always wanted for my life. I would never imagine myself playing in a band that I wouldn’t be able to think what I’m doing or to be creative or to expand my limits, to go beyond my limits. And right now, being in the studio with the band, I’m being able to be myself. They want me to be myself. And that’s surreal. I remember when I had the first rehearsal with the band, when I was auditioning for the band, and I saw everyone in the same room playing together, the guys in front of me, that was something that changed my life. So, yeah, it’s just like a dream that came true, for sure.”
He also discussed the influence of his Brazilian roots:
“Yeah, it’s impossible to myself to be a different person. Especially like a musician, I’m not gonna be able to sit on the drum kit and think, ‘Oh, now I’m just gonna be the Eloy drummer from hell, Eloy metal drummer, and I’m gonna forget all about my Brazilian background.’ I’m just one — I’m just one person. So even when I’m playing extreme metal, when I’m playing death metal, it’s impossible for me to don’t bring that Brazilian influence. Some people, they tell me, even when I’m playing super fast or when I’m playing a straight metal bit, I still have some kind of groove, of pocket, the Brazilian pocket or the Brazilian sauce behind, and that’s something that I cannot get rid of.
I remember there was something funny, because when I joined [SLIPKNOT], we were doing our first rehearsal, and [SLIPKNOT percussionist] Clown [M. Shawn Crahan], he came to me, and I remember that I was just having fun during the rehearsal, playing some Brazilian stuff. And he came to me, like, ‘Oh, what are you playing?’ I said, ‘Oh, this is a Brazilian rhythm.’ I don’t remember exactly what I played. And he was, like, ‘Okay, but you know this is a metal band, right? This is a fucking metal band. It’s okay if you have your Brazilian background, but this is a metal band.’ It’s, like, ‘No, no, I know exactly what are you talking.’ But nowadays, it’s totally fine because, like, when we were recording, a few times he came to me and said, like, ‘Oh, what do you think about throwing out some Brazilian stuff, Brazilian rhythms?’ And I was, like, ‘Okay, I think you changed your mind through the years, and that’s something really good.’ So, yeah, of course I’m not playing a traditional Brazilian band the way I was supposed to play it. Of course I’m changing, I’m evolving to fit into the SLIPKNOT world. But still, I’m being able to still have my DNA and to express myself into the band.”
He also talked about the task of honoring Slipknot’s past and looking towards the future:
“Oh, I’m not sure about that, what you just said about myself being one of the best metal drummers. I don’t agree with you. But I’m just doing what I like. I’m just being who I am. But I never search for that. I never search for that kind of title or prizes or contests. I’m just doing what I like to do, and I’m trying my best to support the band’s music.
But, yeah, I believe that that was a very difficult thing to replace Joey, that those are big shoes to fill. And what I did the best that I could do, to learn his drum parts, to respect the old arrangements from Joey, to keep the… And beyond just playing his arrangements, but keeping the energy alive. Playing SLIPKNOT, it’s not only about playing notes correctly, but it’s having a different attitude. It’s having the energy. It’s to keep the soul of the band alive.
I remember since day one, when I was playing with them, Clown, he came to me and he told me, ‘Man, you don’t have to be concerned about playing everything right. There is no wrong or right. But there is the soul of the band. There is the idea of the band, the attitude, the energy. So that’s what we want.’ So I understood that since day one. They’re not looking for perfection. They are looking for something bigger than that. So that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to honor Joey’s legacy. And also, now with the new songs that we are doing, I’m trying to express myself, to be myself. They don’t want to have another Joey in the band. They made that very clear since day one. They’re not trying to make myself to play like Joey. They want me to be myself. Because it doesn’t make sense. Otherwise, you just go and you find a Joey Jordison [clone] that plays exactly like him and put [him] in the band. So that’s not what they were looking for. They want something with personality that would be able to bring ideas, to be another member to work in the band, another member that will give them new ideas, to give new things, bring new things. So that’s what I’m doing my best to support the band. But, yeah, that’s the most important. Besides everything, besides my playing, everything that I practice or study, I’m here to support the band’s music. I’m here to make the other musicians happy with what I’m playing, and present that to the people the best way possible.”
[via Blabbermouth]
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