So what can you tell us about this new tour ?
We’re just coming out here to play some of our new music for these beautifull french people. We’re here to play some punk rock music, heavy metal and hip hop, soul, jazz, roots, reggae. So now we’ve got some futuristic ideas about music that are classical too.

You were in Paris 2 days abgo, how was it ?
Oh it was hugh men ! It was really good, there was a hugh pit, we had some really good time on stage.

Your line-up has changed since your last released. Can you introduced your new members ?
There is my new guitar player, Jackson. My band is much better now. It’s more punk-rock. It’s heavier and it’ more punk, all at the same time. So I’m really happy with my band. Hed Pe is better than who’s in the band, it’s a way of life, you know.

How did people reacted about your last album “Only in America” ?
People like it because it’s different, it’s not comercial. It’s not pop music. And it’s more punk than our old stuff. It’s a good time. The music is very good live, when we play it live on stage.

For this album, you’re on a new label “Kock Records”?
Yeah, we switched. They’re a californian punk label. They’re really good, we’re happier. They are doing a really good job.

You have just finished a new album I think.
Yeah it’s done. It’s more punk and more like soul. It’s less metal. I don’t know, labels are hard, you listen to it, and then you tell me.

What are your musical influences ?
Right now I’m really into old punk like the clash and sex pistols. But I also love, Hatebreed, and hip hop. I also listen to old soul, like Ray Charles, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield. I love that band Rancid. That’s pretty much it, old punk-rock.

Right now what do you listen in your tour bus ?
Right now, I’m listening to Bob Marley, Hatebreed and Jay Z.

“Only in America” was mixed in Europe. Will it be the same for the new one ?
The new one, I mixed it in somebody else house. But I recorded it in my house. The technology was higher than the last one. In “Only in America” I recorded on this (showing an old laptop). I recorded the guitars right into here. On the new album, we used real guitar amps, putting a mic in front, like professionels. But I still did it in my house, with my desktop computer.
Technology is good for musicians and artists, because you can do thing yourselves, at home. Without having to pay a thousand dollars a day for a studio. At home, it’s free. Ten years ago, you couldn’t do it, you had to go to a big studio. Now you can have the same software in your home, that they use in the studio. And the result is that the new album sounds really good.
It’s like you know, the sex pistols, they did one album. You could remaster it, but why ? you know. It sounds good the way it is. Like an old album of Ray Charles with 2 mics in the room. Like somethimes the computer fucks up music, it ruins it. Listen to old jazz, old blues, oh it sounds so good! And it’s done with only one microphone you know.

It’s the first time for us to have someone doing an interview while being tattooed.
It’s good, because they are realted. Music is an art, tattooing is an art. There is definatly a link between music and tattoo. Because punk music says “I don’t care” and this, when you turn your body into a piece of paper, you say “I don’t cre, it’s my body, I’m doing something that people in suits don’t do”.
This tattoo means for me that anything is possible. Because undernief of what he’s doing was a very bad tattoo. That I got lazer on it to get rid of it. So it wasn’t really nice after that. And this new one is just beautifull. I call it “tour ink”. Because when you’re on tour, people come and say “do you want a tattoo for free” ? But sometime it’s not very goo, that whaqt happened to me.

What do you think about the bands Sikh and Kheisha, did you know them before this tour ?
I don’t really know them. But they are nice guys. They do good music. As I told you before, I’m not really into heavy music, but what they do, they do it good.

You were talking about Hatebreed. Do you know the new band of Jamey Jasta “Icepick” ?
Oh yes of course. I haven’t even heard it, but I’m sure I’m gonna like it. Anything that Jamey does, I’m gonna like it. I really love his words and the way he sings. He’s just really great.

We did an interview of Ray from Downset, we asked him what he thinks about your band, his answer was “I got love for these kids, I’m glad that people are mixing all types of music”. Have Downset been an influence for HedPe ?
Downset are friends with my DJ. But I don’t really know them though. I’ve met some of them a couple of time, they are good people.

They said that what is intersting in your music, is the fact that you mix hip hop, metal and some very other things.
Yeah, but you know, we’re not the first to do that. In the early 80 Johnny Riot from the Sex Pistols, an Africa Bombada which is some of the early hip hop. They did this song (he starts singing) “Speak about destruction”, have you ever heard that ? That’s an old song with hip hop and punk rock. Even Public Enemy did it with Anthrax with “Bring the Noise” and then Rage Against The Machine did it also. They are the best ones to put hip hop and metal together. Nobody can touch Rage Against The Machine. Eh there is also Limp Bizkit! Jesus, it’s terrible! (big old lough!!!)

Do you know the french metal scene ?
I don’t know it at all. What is it like ?

There are bands like Gojira, Dagoba who toured with Sepultura. They are really like big metal.
When we started in 96, I was more in that type of metal, I still like bands like System of a Down or Slipknot stuff, but I’m more into old punk rock than the new metal thing.

And about Hip Hop, do you listen to bands like House Of Pain ?
I don’t really know their music, except for the “Jump Around” song. I’m more into bands like Wu Tang.

Do you know how many shows you have done since the beginning of HedPe ?
Wouah, I don’t know ! Thousands, it’s my life !

In which country haven’t play and you would really like to go there to play ?
Brazil ! Because my parents are from Brazil. I would love to go there ! I think we could do good there. Also Max Cavalera is from there. He is a big influence on me. I love him. He’s like a big insperation, I toured with Soulfly a lot. So we’re friends, but more than that, he changed the way I sing.

With which band would you like to play with ?
Rage Against The Machine, you know, the reunion ! Who else would I like to play with ? Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slipknot…

We know that you have filmed some shows for a DVD maybe ?
Yeah, but it’s not gonna ome out for a while. We need to work on this before we can released it.

Do you remember your best show as a spectator ?
I’ve seen a lot. I’m really lucky, because being in a band I’ve seen many shows from the stage like System, Slipknot, Korn, Tool, you know, all right there from the stage. So I’m really lucky. But I would say that System and Slipknot are just incredible. And of course, Rage was the greatest !

And the most disappointing one ?
Jesus, I don’t like to say negative things. It’ll comes back to me!

As an american, what do you think about the Bush politic inside and outside the USA ?
Wouah ! Very complicated ! I think there is a secret world government, that’s what I think. I think Bush is a retard, and that the elections are false. They are not real. I think that the US is the big strong guys for a secret society in London and Paris and the Netherlands. Everything is underneeth, secret. I don’t think that Spetember 11 was Al Kahida, I think it was like the CIA. Exactly like in Pearl Harbor ! That’s what I think.

Is this difficult in America to sy, or to hve ideas against the government ?
Well, you’ve gotta be carefull. Right now over there it’s a little bit scary. The police and stuff, scary, they are sending you to Gwantanamo Bay, and I don’t want to go there !

What are your planes for the next month after this tour ?
I’ll go to Japan, touring, for 7 days or something. And we’ll try to come back in Europe after the new album comes out.

Do you know who will make the distribution for this new one ?
Versus is gonna do it. It’s a good company. They do a good job. Like in Paris so many kids knew the words !

Because in France, sometimes it’s very difficult to find american artists cds in shops.
Is it ? You know why ? Because we are in 2006 and you guys are in 1996 !!! (big big lough) We’re in the futur and you guys are in the present !!! I’m just kidding, just kidding !!! Yeah !!

Interview Nathalie & O.S.
Translation Pierre