Max Cavalera recently expressed his admiration for Deep Purple in an interview with Guitar World and placed them alongside bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.
Cavalera shared his list of the top 10 guitarists who shaped his sound in the chat. Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple earned a spot on the singer’s list with his music. Here is what he said about his choice:
“It’s probably quite an obvious one, but I just love Deep Purple. They’re so underrated in metal. They should be up there with Sabbath and Zeppelin. Listen to early stuff like ‘Hush,’ and it sounds like a ’60s song. Then you hear ‘Smoke on the Water,’ which is probably the most famous riff of all time and the one we all learn first.”
His Encounter With Blackmore
The musician also recalled meeting Blackmore during his Sepultura days, explaining:
“I actually met him during the Sepultura days. At first, we were in a circle with a bunch of people, and he wasn’t interested in talking to anybody. But the minute I asked, ‘Do you like football?’ he said, ‘Yes – come with me!’ and took me to the corner of the bar. We talked for two hours, and whenever people came over to bug him, he’d say, ‘Get out of here! I’m talking to Max about serious stuff. Leave us alone!’”
Cavalera also said he admired Blackmore’s ability to blend classical music influences with heavy rock. He pointed to Deep Purple’s live performances as evidence of Blackmore’s talent.
Cavalera’s Musical Beginnings
The rocker shared in a 2022 interview how he began his musical journey by teaching himself guitar chords and playing riffs. He also talked about the importance of Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water’ for him, saying:
“I remember learning Black Sabbath’s ‘Heaven and Hell’—that’s probably the first riff I ever learned. It’s a little tricky, but I got it. And it was really satisfying to me that I could play that riff good. I felt empowered. So, I ended up trying other riffs. I remember getting Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke on the Water,’ and then Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love.’ That kickstarted my passion for riffs that never went away.”
Cavalera started to work on his plans for the next Soulfly album. He is currently on tour with Go Ahead and Die on their Unhealthy Mechanisms Tour 2024. Soulfly will perform at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple Festival in May.