Originally published in Guitar World magazine · April 1995
Chuck Schuldiner interview (excerpts)
Interview1 min read
Guitar World: Do you listen to any current death metal for inspiration?
Chuck Schuldiner: Not really. I listen more to old Kiss and Iron Maiden albums for inspiration. Death metal today is just too limited and safe. But I still try to keep up with current music. I like the new Dream Theater [Awake] and Mercyful Fate [Time] records. It’s important to remain a fan, to still go out and buy records and pay for concert tickets – I don’t expect to get these things for free.
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CS: But you have to be careful not to become too complex . Music has to have a foundation – something that will stick in your ear. Hopefully, someone can listen to Symbolic and walk away whistling a tune, no matter how weird that may sound. You have to know where that limit is. Like Dream Theater; their music is very complex, but they definitely have hooks, which is crucial to making music listenable – and it’s something that will always be a part of this band.