Phil Demmel Recalls Securities When Participating In The Sepultura Vocalist

Phil Demmel (Instagram @aka.sidekick.photo)

JAKARTA - Former Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel recalled one of the historic moments in his life, namely when he auditioned for Sepultura's vocalist position when Max Cavalera left in 1996.

In an appearance at "Put Up Your Dukes", the podcast hosted by Exodus former vocalist Rob Dukes, current Vio-Lence guitarist, Demmel talks about how the audition took place.

"I stopped playing music [at that time]. I married my first wife, young and stupid. I have a good job, I'm in the union and skating snow, playing golf, and playing basketball three times a week. I just do that and stop playing music, "Demel recalled.

"Then, the audition came up. And it was, like, 'Yes. Because I once had a band called Torque and I sang and played guitar and was used to it, why not? [But] I think they [Sepultura] have [discovered] Derrick [Green] and that's already an agreement [that he will be in Sepultura].

"But it was a valuable experience to enter and write lyrics from one of their original songs and make my own expressions and come in and sing them. So it's a valuable experience... James Murphy [former Testament guitarist and Death] recorded [vocals] me [in his studio]. I think it's on YouTube somewhere. It's not that good, man. It's the middle of the 90s. I think the tone has also changed a bit. It was a song called Choke that was on the first album [Against, 1998] Sepultura with Derrick."

Regarding the vocal style he used for Sepultura auditions, Demmel previously told Rock Talks that "It's a bit hoarse, like Chuck Billy [Testament] a little bit. If you listen to Torque's footage, you'll know. I made the whole record with me singing. [That's] the same sound."