Interview: Gojira

Fast alle Komponisten schwerer Klänge, die wir bisher gesprochen haben, erzählten uns, dass ihnen Auszeichnungen - egal, wie prestigeträchtig sie auch sein mögen - eigentlich schnurzpiepegal seien. Manche Kapellmeister lassen diese Ehrerbietungen völlig kalt, einige beschweren sich darüber und den damit angeblich zusammenhängenden Kommerz. Nur die wenigsten trauen sich wirklich zuzugeben, dass ihnen solche Auszeichnungen etwas wert sind und als eine Bestätigung der vielleicht ganze Dekaden umspannenden Arbeit betrachtet werden. Doch warum ist das so? Ist diese Einstellung noch ein Relikt aus alten Tagen, wo man als Rocker aufmüpfig gegen die Eltern, gegen die Gesellschaft und gegen die Politik rebellierte, wodurch eine offizielle Auszeichnung für diese Musik eigentlich die dahinter steckende Intention irgendwo ad absurdum führt? Oder liegt es einfach an der Mentalität dieser Szene und der Musiker, die eine gewisse Härte und ein Desinteresse an der öffentlichen Meinung als "guten Ton" an den Tag legen müssen? Vor der Presse mokiert man sich über die Ehrung, aber zu Hause steht schon die gläserne Vitrine samt Hermelin-Auspolsterung bereit? Auf dem Wacken Open Air 2013 trafen wir einen Mann, der von einer Website sogar zum aktuell größten/wichtigsten/talentiertesten Drummer gewählt wurde. Viele wird es nun vielleicht wundern, dass da kein Name, wie Bill Ward, Nicko McBrain oder Herman Rarebell fällt. Nein, es handelt sich um Mario Duplantier von der französsichen Death Metal-Band Gojira. Im Interview verriet uns Mario, was es mit dieser Auszeichnung auf sich hat, was sie ihm bedeutet und was sein Spiel an den Drums so besonders macht. Viel Spaß beim Lesen!

The Interview:

Mario: Hello guys! Mario: Thank you! It was pretty intense. I had a lot of fun, but it was pretty hot on stage! Mario: Oh yeah, it was really loud. I'm glad we got ovations by the crowd, it was really a pleasure to play on this stage. Mario: Well, my mother was born in the US and came to France when she was 25. I was born in France and went to school there, I was raised in France. I definitely feel like a french guy. Mario: Yeah, I was raised far from the big cities in between mountains and forests and seas. I guess this influenced me in some way. I'm also still living there, I never moved to a big city, because I love the way of live there between the forests and far from the ocean. Mario: I live near to the Atlantic Ocean, a really wild sea, not like the mediterranean sea. The bascian country contains also high mountains, both are signs of high power. I guess that Gojira has also this kind of power. I like the sound of big waves, sometimes we try to redo them. (laughs) The lyrics aren't about problems in the cities or politics, we write about nature because it's what we see at home. Mario: Yeah, of course! Mario: On the one hand yeah, but on the other hand ... You know, I'm a perfectionist, the other bandmembers too. We always try to do our best, but after the records are done we think: ''Awww, we could have done this better!'' But now we try to think about future and make an even better record. Mario: Yeah, one website chose me and I was nominated for the Golden God Awards in LA, but I didn't win. Of course I'm very proud, I work a lot on my drums, I practice a lot. Sometimes we also start writing songs based on a drum riff! Mario: Twenty years ago, I was about twelve years old then. Mario: Igor Cavalera (Sepultura), Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Gene Hoogland (Death). I mix their style and try to use everything! Mario: No, but he has a really unique style to play. You know, on the Kill'em All record you hear that he doesn't do the crush on the first beat. And of course the way he plays the snare... He's a genious! Mario: They are very busy! They have schedules that would blew your mind, they are always giving interviews or are travelling. But they are also very polite, down to earth. We sometimes had a dinner together, one time we even surfed. Real gentlemen, really a good lesson. It's also a big influence. When you tour with Metallica, you try to watch everything you can. They have a crew of about 80 people, for everything there's a guy: Light, mixing and so on. Mario: Yesterday I discovered a guy called James Blake who combines Pop-Electro-Music, he's really good. It's a bit melancholic, really experimental. It hit me like a shock yesterday when I listened to it for the whole day. We had a travelling day ... Mario: I guess he must be famous, we are playing on a festival in Belgium next week and he's also on the main stage. I listen also to a guy called 'Ron' who makes Electro-Music. I aslo love Meshuggah, I'm listening to them at times. Mario: I love every kind of music and also artworks like paintings! Mario: Motörhead. I heared that there are rumours that they wont play, but I've seen the drummer and so I'm pretty sure that they will take the stage. I would also like to check out Soilwork, because I'm friends with the drummer. He's the best one in Europe! Mario: Yeah! (laughs) Mario: Sometimes he comes an says you are so good and then I say you are the best man. Of course it's a pretty subjective question. (laughs) Mario: We will be touring Europe in August and going over to the US for October and November, then we will maybe also go to South America. We have big touring plans for this area, but we cannot reveal with which band we are going to tour, because it's not official yet. But it's a big name! Mario: Yeah, you rule! (laughs) Mario: Tom Araya is in the band, Kerry King of course, Paul Bostaph had an important role in the band. Then there's Gary Holt. I don't want to judge on them, I think it's a good line-up. Gary is amazing on guitars, we also toured together. I only wish the best to them! Mario: Thank you, too. I had a good time!
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