Sepultura’s Derrick Green doesn’t like to see musicians drunk on stage: “I always thought this was not cool at all”

Author Samuel Järvinen - 12.7.2021

Derrick Green, lead singer of Brazilian metal band Sepultura, stresses the importance of a healthy lifestyle. He spoke about this in a recent interview with The Metal Mixtape.

“I’ve noticed so many artists, as far as older artists that I admire, taking care of themselves, and it really was an inspiration to me. I mean, even artists who are in completely [different] genres of music, like Sting or Lionel Richie or Sammy Hagar, they all look fantastic for their age, and they’re still playing music and still able to do their thing. And I always idolized that. I never thought it was cool that people were dying young who were musicians… I always thought this was not cool at all — to go out on stage and be completely messed up.”

“I thought it was sad and tragic seeing Amy Winehouse come out, knowing her potential, and then doing these horrible shows and having her career end [so suddenly]. It was barely starting. It’s very sad. And I just never liked, as a fan, to go to a show and see bands wasted while they’re performing or not being able to do their job or just look beaten down. It’s just, like, ‘Wow.’ It takes a lot away from the artist. So I felt that, for the longevity and to really be serious and professional about what you do is to really put aside the drugs and the lifestyle that people think that rock and rollers have or the preconceptions that people have about that and go with something that makes me feel good. I love to do music, and I love to feel healthy doing it.”