[Griffith]

Chaos-Music : Hi Mr Paul , let me first say that's a total honor to have the Opportunity to make an interview with you .

Thank you.

Chaos-Music : Did you ever take any lessons in Guitar or are you pretty much self-taught?

Both. I had some really good teachers when I first started playing and on/off for years after. Eventually I spent a lot of time practicing and studying on my own.

Chaos-Music : You played with death in "human" record ,what do you think about this album?

I love the album. I remember being very pleased with the work we did at the time and still feel like it holds up as one of Death's classic records.

Chaos-Music : And what was your feeling of being able to work with Chuck?

I enjoyed it. Chuck was a good friend before we made music together, so our playing together was a natural extension of our relationship.

Chaos-Music : What can you tell us about Chuck Schuldiner as a human being...Songwriter and a bandmate?

He was passionate about music and his work. He was a very sensitive person and life was very intense for him. Chuck's songs were very much a reflection of his personality. He really found a voice and style that was truly original. I remember him as an original thinker and interested in the beauty of music. We had a good connection as guitarists.

Chaos-Music : From a personal standpoint, how did Chuck Schuldiner's death affect you?

I knew about his illness from the beginning and had a sense that it was going to be terminal. When I received the call that he died, I prayed that he was at peace and was able to surrender. I accepted Chuck's passing as his fortune. He exited the body at a young age, but left an indelible impression with his work as an artist. The way of his death was part of his life path, and we all will have our story too.

Chaos-Music : How did you get involved with "Master"? and are you still in touch with them?

I got a call from Scott Burns who was producing/engineering the album. He asked me to help because they had just fired their guitar player in the studio.

Chaos-Music : Can you tell a little bit about "On The Seventh Day God Created..Master"?

I literally came in and recorded guitars for 10 songs(I had never heard) in two days. It was very quick without a chance to second guess anything. Layers of rhythm tracks, and all the solo's improvised on the spot. I had to let go and just be the session guy, which in retrospect was a good experience. I like having time to flush out ideas and sit with music but that wasn't available to me in this situation, so I did the best I could.

Chaos-Music : Let's talk about Cynic,I would like you to comment on all Cynic Demos, Tell us your opinion about the songs, lyrics, sound etc. Your first demo was in 1988....

The beginning 4 track demo with some cool riffs...songs about animal rights, childhood abandon and mystical beings wrapped up in 3 thrashy, energetic tunes. Our friend Dodger did the cool artwork.

The 89 demo was young, earnest and politicallly steered. We were kids with big aspirations and the songs reflected the travails of our youth as nerdy musician kids that thought too much. Thrashier than the 88, more precise riffing and ideas coming into play. Another friend Sergio did the artwork on this one, which was more specific to the songs.

The 90 demo was more realized. We were finding our prog identity and merging a more emotional sensibility into the music. Metaphorical songs about the meaning of prison, accepting who we are and other psychological topics. The band was really finding it's musical language. Our friend 'Wizard of Gore' did the artwork. Kelly Schaefer from Atheist did backup vocals on the song 'Cruel Gentility'.

The 91 demo was the warm-up demo to Focus which Roadrunner flippedthe bill for. I had found a lyrical identity by now and was immersed in that language. The band was getting precise and serious about all the details. We were taking everything to another level.

Chaos-Music : What studio was Focus recorded at? How long did it take?

Morrisound in Tampa. The album was recorded and mixed in about two weeks total. Sean Malone was hired in the studio, so we took a break for him to learn his parts and then came back and finished bass and mixed.

Chaos-Music : What's story behind the Cover Artwork? how did you come up with a strange Cover Artwork ?

I was a fan of Robert Venosa since early childhood. I thought he was some old mystical character that painted before my lifetime. When it came time to find cover art for the Cynic album, I contacted Venosa's publisher and they gave me his phone number. I was shocked and thrilled to speak to him. We eventually became good friends and we're still in touch. check out venosa.com

Chaos-Music : What was the reaction of the media when the US band "Cynic" showed up?

The US press was positive. They seemed to get what we were going for. A lot of the heavier death metal scenes didn't get it, but for the most part it was a pleasant experience.

Chaos-Music : When did you play the last show With Cynic and what kind of feeling was it?

We played 'The Limelight' in NYC. (an old church converted into a club)..It was a great show for us and the feeling was confident. We didn't consciously know it was our last show.

Chaos-Music : In all those years, did you ever hear a band cover a Cynic song?

No.

Chaos-Music : What’s the difference with playing live with Death and playing live with Cynic?

Cynic was more personal and intimate, it was my work versus Chuck's work. Audience wise kind of similar, although I think Cynic attracted more thinkers and heady types. Death was more aggressive and the audience reflected that.

Chaos-Music : What was the reason to release a demo with Portal after the disbanded of cynic exactly? How did you come up with such an idea, i mean to engage a female Voc with the band?

We had changed our sound so much that we decided to call ourselves 'Portal'. We were writing and exploring new sounds. A dreamy female vocal was one of the 'sounds' that interested us. We had a female vocal sparsely used on Focus too.

Chaos-Music : Talking about that re-release on Focus, How did it come to hear some "Portal" Songs on it?

Roadrunner wanted us to add more material other than the album. Instead of looking into our past, we felt it was best to add songs that refected our future ideas.

Chaos-Music : Are you still in touch with Mr Sean Malone and Mr Jason Gobel ?

Yes.Just spoke to Jason today. Sean and I email and speak occasionally.

Chaos-Music : Have you ever thought about a re-union of Cynic ?

Yes, and more often lately.

Chaos-Music : Can you remember any great bands from those years which delivered excellent music but were just too unlucky to carry it up to the listeners?

Atheist, Coroner, Hellwitch to name a few...

Chaos-Music : What do you think of today's music scene compared to what it was back in The 80s...90s?

It's different but the same. Much of the ideas are recycled with new production. There are a few bands pushing the envelope, trying something new.

Chaos-Music : Which records have marked your mind the most?

That's a big question with a super diverse answer. What immediately comes to mind is Mahavishnu Orchestra 'Birds of Fire', John Mclaughlin 'My Goals Beyond', Pat Metheney 'Letter From Home', Still Life (Talking), Alan Holdsworth 'Secrets', many more t list depending on the day...

Chaos-Music : What was the worst/best thing that happened to you during a live show?

A bottle, thrown from the audience, hit my head once during a Death show, luckily it didn't break. The best thing happens all the time. When the audience and the performer feel a collective unity. Where the listener and the artist share in a greater experience together, as one.

Chaos-Music : Name the 3 high points and the 3 low points of your music career to date?

High: Cynic, Aeon Spoke's present, and today, having the hunger and aspirations to take my musical work to another level and committing to the practice.

Low: I don't really view the past experiences as 'low' now. They were what they were and lead to growth. Our 'low's' often contain hidden teachers that require an opening of the heart and a surrender to see.

Chaos-Music : Name a few Guitarists past or present that have been the most influential to your playing?

Segovia, Holdsworth, Vai, Metheney,Mclaughlin..to name a few.

Chaos-Music : How are things in "Aeon spoke" at the moment?

Well. We have an album coming out on SPV records in October.

Chaos-Music : This is some Rock stuff I'm hearing from this band. so what made you change your style from Technical stuff ( Cynic ) to Rock atmospheric ( Aeon Spoke )?

Life, listening...I still love technical stuff and am writing that kind of material also. It may surface later.

Chaos-Music : Who are some of the current bands that you enjoy today?

Radiohead, The Beatles, Pat Metheney Group, Ben Monder, my friend Jonathan Kreisberg trio, 20th century classical music, the list goes on and on!

Chaos-Music : What can we expect from you in the near future?

More music in all forms. Possibly a solo guitar record/symphony, another prog record, more pop songs, films scores...

Chaos-Music : Thanks so much mr Paul i hope that my questions weren't boring, so these last words are yours, what do you want to say to your moroccan fans and to our readers?

Thank you for the support. Stay tuned my dear brothers and sisters, more sounds to come...

Chaos-Music : Thank you for your precious time and keep up the good sound.

Thank you AZZ...great questions, blessings and health to you... see you on the road!

Discography:

Cynic - Demo 1988
Cynic - Reflections of a Dying World Demo 1989
Cynic - Demo 1990
Cynic - Demo 91
Master - On The Seventh Day God Created... Master 1991
Death - Human 1991
Cynic - Focus 1993
Portal - Demo 1995
Gordian Knot - Emergent 2003
Aeon Spoke - Above The Buried Cry 2004

Links:

http://www.aeonspoke.com/
http://www.cynicalsphere.com/
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[Bulldozer]

Paul masvidal, the man who played a good music with Death, the man which formed Cynic, Aeon Spoke..,
You really did a very good job on Human and your presence on scene was something special , i really enjoyed your live shows with Death..and with Cynic and its strong formation , I discovered a new kind of metal which I liked too much and witch started to constitute a reference for me and thousands of metalheads all around the world.
I hope that you will continue the good job you made, to give us more good music of a high level as you always made , we would like to see you and Cynic again , but things never occur as we want, anyway Focus will be enough for us for the years which follow while waiting for the appearance of a new "Cynic".
Thank you very much for this precious interview which means a lot of things for us , and good luck for your future projects
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Old TestAmenT

[Griffith]

I really appreciated your stuff with Chuck in Human, a great record with plenty of technical riffs and lyrically more intellectual. And Cynic's Focus is among my top five albums of any genre ever, Cynic were groundbreaking, among with Atheist and Pestilence, for infusing the music with jazz standards such as time signature changes, accoustic breaks, fretless bass work and odd-time signatures, And in my point of view the lyrics are very spiritual, and deal with morality and introspection mostly, with a heavy reliance on eastern philosophy. Cynic is probably my favourite group of musicians ever

Thanks Mr. Paul for your time and good luck for you future projects with Mr. Sean Reinert and Aeon Spoke.

All the best
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[Zero Tolerance Webzine]

Paul masvidal one from my favorite guitars after chuck schuldiner and james murphy because they have the same technical nearly , really you created good album with chuck schuldiner and sean. "Human" will be awlays in the high list of death metal because you made new style in this album that it's not stranger in the death band but there's some members of Death fan of this album , i remember that when i talked with richard christy i asked him about his favorite album, and he told me it's human album .i'm a big fan of death band from a longtime and i like all death members for that when u gave us this interview as we touched the moon it's the honor to doing interview with someone from Death members .

I didn't forget Cynic really it's was great projet with new sound and more technical they created new style "technical death " influenced from jazz and more styles , i like all their releases.

Thx so much Mr paul for this interview it's was so nice talking with u and the glory for us i hope seeing u someday here in morocco.
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http://zero-tolerance.110mb.com

http://www.myspace.com/alorchi

http://zero-tolerance.allgoo.net/index.htm "Forum"

[AsTaroTh]

I wish to show you my extyreme happiness Paul for this great interview!!!!
And I wanna tell you that you're a great man , who did a great job!!! and that you have contributed to make the Metal scene more and more powerful.



Thanks a lot Paul, For your modesty!!!!
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[phantom of the opera]

Thanks Mr Paul for taking the time to make this interview, you are such an awesome guitarist, and I love your work with Death , one of my all time favorite bands, and i hope too see a Cynic reunion so soon, Say hello to Mr Sean Reinert from me. Good luck in the future!
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You, you're walking away
You couldn't stay
You need a change of heart
(inkicha7)

www.myspace.com/damaskineus