Opeth Frontmain: We Don't Know If Drummer Mertin Lopez Is Ever Coming Back
Band Photo: Opeth (?)
Helen Barradell of Australia's X-Press Online recently conducted an interview with OPETH mainman Mikael Akerfeldt. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:
On the band's early years:
"I guess it gets more romantic in retrospect, almost like we actually had a good time. Of course we did have a good time but there's also been some very, very rough times for this band. You know, after the two first records we almost spilt up because half the band left. Nobody really cared for OPETH until we did 'Blackwater Park', which is our fifth record, and after that we weren't doing anything really. We weren't pulling people, we weren't selling records, I was the poorest man on the planet... not really, but for heavy metal, at least. But it was a rough ride and I feel like we are quite fortunate to be where we are today and I'm also quite proud of myself that we kept going, writing songs instead of working in a factory or something."
On the current status of the band's drummer Martin Lopez:
"Lopez is not on this tour, he's back home and he's not been playing with us. He's been sick for quite some time. He's had some panic attacks which have been plaguing us for a couple of tours and we've had to cancel them. I don't really know what it is. We get all these kind of things - they're saying it's a blood disorder on one hand and he's had some pains in his back and depression. It got to a point where he couldn't play anymore. He got so skinny and he couldn't play. Basically we just agreed that it wasn't working out. He had to get home and get well you know? And he's been away ever since, almost nine months."
On whether the fame game might be something Lopez finds a little to heavy to handle:
"Well, I don't know... it might be. He is a very social guy but he's not one of those guys who goes out looking for the fans and trying to...you know? He doesn't like that whole thing around him, he basically stays on the bus. It's got to a point now that he's been away for such a long time that we don't know what is going to happen. We don't know if he's ever coming back."
Source: Blackmetal.com
What's Next?
- Previous Article:
Dio Collaborating w/ Iommi On New Sabbath Material - Next Article:
Kylesa Performing New Material Live, Still Writing
11 Comments on "Opeth Don't Know If Lopez (Drums) Is Coming Back"
Post your comments and discuss the article below! (no login required)
Dude, this friggin sucks while other people can fill in and play his music(the last two times i saw opeth they had a fill in drummer) I honastly don't believe you can have some one write music that flowes as well as Martins did, not in Opeth. Im not a religious man but i will probably start praying from Lopez.
God Save The Opeth
Writer/Reviewer
I can hardly stand the thought of someone else playing drums for Opeth. Lopez has such a distinct style and character. So few drummers in the metal scene actually stand out, to the point where the ones that do (Mike Smith, Vinnie Paul, Joey Jordison, Gene Hoglan, Danny Carrie and Bran Dailor) are super revered....
I'm hoping against hope that Martin Lopez can get well and remain as a member of Opeth (at least in the studio) but if he's still out of action 9 months after leaving the last tour things look pretty bleak.
Writer, Reviewer
lol, whoops, my bad - sorry there, metalhead644 and the rest of you - ignore post three for me, i posted that in the wrong thread, hahahah, no wonder y'all got angry, hey. fred durst (shakes head) pfft, his name should be censored moreso than f*** and sh** and such.
To minimize comment spam/abuse, you cannot post comments on articles over a month old. Please check the sidebar to the right or the related band pages for recent related news articles.
Member
I hope he's coming back! I also hope he's feeling better.