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AMSTERDAM – Ex-Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera left the heavy metal band in 1996. Now 41-year old Cavalera believes it's time to speak freely. “A lot of people don't know this, but I feel like I should say it.”

Until recently people assumed that Cavalera quit Sepultura because the other band members didn't want to prolong the contract of their manager Gloria, with whom Cavalera was married. However, the murder of Gloria's son Dana Wells, stepson and good friend of Cavalera's, turns out to be an important factor as well.

On August 17th, 1996, Sepultura played at the Monsters Of Rock festival in Donington (UK). After Cavalera and his wife were informed about Wells' death, they immediately flew back to the United States. Cavalera: “Andreas [Kisser, guitarist, red.]' wife tried to bury Dana before Gloria got home. We stopped it because Gloria's daughter Christina found out about it. She [Andreas' wife, red.] was trying to get him buried and be done with. That was one of the reasons I quit Sepultura.”

Still, the things that happened shouldn't have to stand in the way of a reunion. Cavalera already made Kisser an offer. “I said: 'If you want to, just have your camp manage you and Paolo [Jr., bass, red.], and Gloria will manage me and Igor [Cavalera, drums, red.]. That way we're both happy.' But that was not good enough for him. He doesn't want Gloria involved. He wants to do the whole thing himself.”

Cavalera regrets the hassle. “Maybe with the reunion we can put all of this behind us.”

Interview: Martin Kuiper
Text: Tom Springveld

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