Fan Words: "I'm so happy for choosing Death and Death Metal"

Chuck Schuldiner - 1980s

Alihan Biber: I'm from Istanbul in Turkey. And a lot of metal volunteer lives there. I'm one of these volunteers and I'm so proud of this. Because it's not only liking a music style, it's a 'life style' ! I'm so happy for choosing Death and Death Metal. First, I must thank all of groups (Iron Maiden, Billy Idol and especially KISS) who profoundly influenced The Schuldiner's Heart. We will never and never forget The Schuldiner and his Death's Legacy. We love you always, and we respectfully commemorating you.. We are waiting all of Death Lovers and we're proud of your thousands of support, and we're waiting more.. Lastly, you are living and growing in our hearts The Godfather Of Death Metal. Rest In Peace!

Nastia Krivenko: In my own opinion Chuck was handsome man! But He also was genius musician and even more: He still staing! And will be forever! Personly for me Chuck still alive. I guess that for many His fans too. He became a big part of my life forever. Dear Chuck, since that day that I know about You to day of my DEATH!

Chuck Schuldiner: The eternal sound of perseverance

Magazine: Metal Maniacs / USA

 

From Empty Words collection.

Magazine: Metal Maniacs / USA

Article: Reincarnation

Written by: Jeff Wagner

Published: November 1998

"I'm a dreamer, and I've been following this dream for 15 years of my life, throughout all this garbage and soap opera that occurs in the industry. All I want to do is write music and do whatever I can to further the re-emergence of heavy metal in America."

For Chuck Schuldiner, there is no life after Death... life is Death. Even after the band's selfimposed hiatus in early 1996, the return of this most vital entity was imminent. After forming his power metal alter ego in Control Denied and working within that realm for the better part of the last two years, Chuck has returned with a new label [insert massive applause to Nuclear Blast here], a refreshed Death lineup, and the expected bitter musical/vocal vitriol.

The new, seventh Death full-length, The Sound Of Perseverance, is a wake-up call to the entire metal scene, with staggering instrumental chops as its backbone. The album fuses the best elements of '95's Symbolic (crisp production values, blatant melodicism) to '91's Human (dizzying technicality, rhythmic finesse), adds several new stretches outward and beyond, and spits out one of the most refreshing displays of metallic vision since... well, since the last Death album. Death has yet to disappoint. After taking in several cuts (that is, being blasted and blown away) from The Sound Of Perseverance in the control room of Morrisound, Chuck and I retreated to discuss the hiatus, the reincarnation, the new members, and the state of the Death metal art in 1998. First and foremost, Chuck's adamant about quashing any rumors or misconceptions you may have heard or read about Control Denied in the drama of the Death hiatus.

"There was a statement related to Control Denied, a rumor, that I quit the Control Denied thing because of lack of label interest. And that is so untrue. That is the farthest thing from the truth. I do things when I feel they're right. There was and is label interest in Control Denied, but I felt that the time was right to bring Death back. Believe me, when the Control Denied material does come out, it will not be dated."

And then there was all the talk about Chuck borrowing Control Denied material for Death and vice versa.

"That whole big rumor got started on the Internet. I fucking despise the Internet, I think it's a load of crap. It's ridiculous for me to have to sit around and explain to people that what they're reading on there is bullshit. I need to really clarify this in this interview, that whatever they read on the internet, if it's not from me or part of a Nuclear Blast website, it's not official and they should not even pay attention to it."

Especially if it's in toilet paper like Metal Maniacs, right?

He laughs, and continues. "The rumor that I'm having to borrow material from Death for Control Denied is bullshit. The way it's presented is that 'Chuck's running out of ideas' which is the biggest, most absurd statement. That's so far from the truth. I've got 40 minutes of riffs written for the next Death album, and at the same time I'm writing material for Control Denied. I'm always writing. I can assure people there's no "borrowing" going on. Al material on this album was 100% written for Death."

Magazine: Metal Maniacs / USA

In the end, as much as rumors have always plagued and bothered Chuck, his musical spirit has remained noble, his intentions nothing but respectable. He doesn't pretend to fully understand the motives behind his critics and spirit crushers.

"Metal's such a delicate stage in America, why does anyone want to put someone down who's trying so hard to do something positive?"

Read the full article here.

Curiosity: Chuck's collection of books

From Empty Words (Perennial Questions).

Evil Chuck

What are Chuck s favorite books, especially in music and philosophy? [Mahyar]

Jane Schuldiner (Chuck's mom) - Hello Mahyar. I looked at Chuck's collection of books and here are some of the authors, he had a wide range of interest, I found. Maurice Sendak (Chuck's all time favorite from childhood on) Joseph Murphy, Leo Buscaglia, James Herriot, official biographies of bands he liked, such as Iron Maiden and Kiss, among others, Caroline Knapp, Aristole, Socrates, Nietzsche, and Steven Baker. I have to look further for his books on music. There are still rooms in his house I have not gone through.

Eric Greif (ex-manager of Death, chairman of the Perseverance Holdings Ltd. and friend of Chuck)- Chuck also liked The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel (1975) and The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley (1952).

 

Fan Words: "My tribute to a Immortal Musician"

Click by Güliz Gonca Yakut

Uğur Karataş, from Death TR team: "I was listening to Slayer at that time and in a magazine I saw Death and wondered how it was like. I started to listen to Death and since then Chuck has been my God and Death has been the best thing I have. I have been a passionate fan of Death for 13 years but I still have the excitement as if I was still 12 when I open a Death song randomly it feels like it's the first time I am listening to it and I get excited. I really can't express myself!"

Death TR/BR team dedicate this to all Schuldiner family members (especially Mrs. Jane, Beth and Chris): thanks for sharing the son, brother and uncle with us. Eric Greif ex-manager of Death and eternal friend Chuck, thanks for the tireless work. Yvonne and Kees, remain strong. You are the differential in this relationship idol-fan. And fans around the world (including ourself): We are all one big family. Thanks!

Click by Güliz Gonca Yakut (Tribute for Chuck Schuldiner)

Official Chuck Schuldiner Tribute by Relapse Records

More information - Relapse Records Official (click)

"When Machine And Man Collide" To Be Completed:Tim Aymar Speaks Out

From Empty Words (Official Death/Control Denied/Chuck Schuldiner tribute page)

Chuck and Tim Aymar

On December 13th we will once again take at least a few moments of our day to remember the "Father Of Death Metal", Chuck Schuldiner. Those who know Chuck's music from Death and Control Denied have faithfully and patiently awaited the announcement of the completion of Chuck's dying wish which is to get the final Control Denied record out to you , and along with my other band-mates, I am extremely happy to be here to fulfill the promise I made a decade ago.

When I first talked to Chuck about auditioning for a new band he was working on, an extension of his former band Death which he called Control Denied. We first talked over the telephone, and he was not at all like what I had expected him to be. My band-mate, co-writer and dear friend Jimmy Dofka from Psycho Scream had turned me on to Death a few months before, and the picture I had in my mind of Chuck, judging only by how precise and beautifully violent that music is, was of a brutal tyrant. I mean after-all, just listen to Gene Hoglan's drumming and the command of Chuck's blood soaked screaming, and you'll know what I mean. Well, I was delightfully wrong. The voice on the phone was just a guy like me, an easy going, slow talking hippie with a burning passion for metal. We both understood the seriousness of the business at hand, but neither of made it seem anything but exiting and fun, and that was awesome. That's just what professionals do.

We talked about our tastes in music and inspirations and our idols. We were definitely on the same page. He said he wanted me to audition because from what he'd heard already from Psycho Scream, my voice had all the qualities he had been looking for since he began his journey into metal. There's a bit of everyone we both liked in there, a bit of Dio, Halford, Tyler, Gillan, Bonnet, all the best screamers in the biz. With that in mind, we set a date and I flew down to meet him and do the audition. I thought maybe there was a chance he was blowing a bit of smoke up my ass, because that's just what some people do. But no, as it turns out, he was one of the few people in this biz that didn't.

I arrived at Orlando International and just grabbed my stuff at the luggage return, when Chuck, Scott, Chris and Shannon came running and screaming through the hallway like pack of wild dogs yelling "Tim Scream, Tim Scream", my new nickname which later, at the house I found inscribed on a half gallon bottle of Jim Beam. They mugged me of my luggage, lifted me up and threw me in the air like a rag doll. I knew this was gonna be a hell of a week already. Surprisingly, we jumped into the car and they had the Psycho Scream tape in the player, and they were singing along like they'd known it forever. We got to the house and there it was... the ominous bottle with the letters J and B scratched out and the rest of the letters sharpied in to spell out Tim Scream. We got to work right away...on the booze, and then we listened to a bunch of stuff from Chuck's vinyl collection.

Once we got rolling in the studio, the work went smooth as buttermilk. We knocked out 3 songs in 2 1/2 days rather than the 5 we expected, so Chuck mixed down the tunes and when he was finished he called me into the kitchen. He poured us each a shot of Tim Scream, handed me one and said "we're all very happy about this, and if you want the job, I won't even call Halford back." I could not believe what I had just heard. He not only wanted a voice like one of my all time greatest idols, he had planned on auditioning him after me. But that's how he said it. That's just what bosses do.

Tim Aymar

The police showed up at our first practice as a band. Chuck was polite, but firm in his conviction when he said " you might think you know who you came here to hassle, but you don't know I'm probably the only person on this street who's house is paid for and my taxes are paid as well, I've been all over the world with my band and that's how I bought this place and not how these people who called you tell their children who say shit to my nephew at school and send him home crying. I just paid like 10 grand to sound proof my home so these people would not hear us, and now you're telling me it's too loud? what is the law? I'll abide it". He wanted to know because that's just what good neighbors do. (...) Read the full story here.

Death TR/BR, one more time, would like to thank Yvonne and Kees Kluitman.

Tribute to Chuck Schuldiner

Chuck Schuldiner: 9 years without you, man!

Hey Death's friends and family from all around the world,

On the next December, 13, it will complete nine years since the father of the Death Metal have passed away. To honor the musician who bequeath us so many talent, the Death TR proposes a diferent tribute. Until December, 13, we'll change our photos from the facebook profile and put Chuck's photo. We'd like remembering that this is no idolatry: it's a sincere and true way of homaging our guitar hero. Chuck and his legacy will never die!

In Turkish:

Önümüzdeki 13 aralıkta, Death Metalin yaratıcısının aramızdan ayrılışının dokuzuncu yılı olacak. Bize bir çok yeteneğini bırakan bu müzisyenin onuruna Death TR farklı bir onu anma etkinliği teklif ediyor. 13 aralığa kadar Facebook profil fotoğraflarımızı değiştirip yerine Chuck'ın fotoğraflarını koyacağız. Hatırlatmak isteriz ki bu sadece ona olan hayranlığımızı ve onun dokuzuncu ölüm yıldönümünde bizim gitar kahranımızı unutmadığımızı göstermek amacıyla yapılacaktır. Chuck ve onun bize bıraktığı miras asla ölmeyecektir!

In Portuguese:

Ei amigos e família Death espalhados ao redor de todo o mundo,

No próximo dia 13 de dezembro, irá completar 9 anos desde o falecimento do pai do Death Metal. Para honrar o músico que tanto talento nos legou, o Death TR/BR propõe uma homenagem diferente. Até o dia 13 de dezembro, nós mudaremos nossas fotos do perfil do facebook e colocaremos uma foto de Chuck Schuldiner. Lembrando que isso não é idolatria: é uma forma sincera e verdadeira de homenagear nosso guitar hero. Chuck, seu legado nunca morrerá!

Best Regards,

Death TR/BR Team

Death: Official Links

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Death and Chuck: Official Myspace

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Death Official Lastfm

Death Videos

Chuck Schuldiner Official Tribute Page

Death/Control Denied and Chuck Schuldiner Official Page