Scrit: So the rumor is Los Natas are hard at work on their new album, a return to the heavy, titled De Las Cenizas, Hombres Montagne. Did I spell it right? What does it translate to and what can you tell us about it? Billy Anderson (Corsario Negro) is to produce again?
Sergio: Mmm... it has been pretty confidential �til now but I guess we are doing it very soon, so OK. Yes, Billy Anderson is coming back to Argentina in March 2006 to track the new shit. It means something like: From the Ashes, the Mountain Man. It�s heavy, yes, like a sequel to Corsario Negro maybe. It�s pure Los Natas! Faster, sharper, straight to the heart thing. Not so bassy sounding, more into hurting highs.
Scrit: There is also word of a live album called Viernes Verdes. What can you tell us about this?
Sergio: Yes, its already recorded and mixed. The thing is that almost one year has passed since we recorded that Viernes Verde show. That�s too much time I think to (have passed) for a live album release. It was cool having a test on live recording but I don�t think it will be released as a professional CD.
Scrit: You�ve been to Europe to tour twice now. Is there a plan to return to North America, as you did in 2000, before blessing the Euros with yet a third tour? Was that the only time you�ve played the United States?
Sergio: We played in the States two times. One trip recording Cuidad de Braman; the other one to tour with Nebula. As now the new album may come out through Small Stone Records, Detroit. I think we�ll try to pull off a release tour in the US before coming to Europe again in 2006. I�d really love to drive back on the US1, west coast and all, but also hope they let us "Latinos" get in the country with no problems, green cards for work, visas and shit.
Scrit: The Munchen Sessions was a rad album and the final song �Tomaiten (Jamm Aleman)� was a truly cool collaboration. The general consensus is Los Natas and Colour Haze are two great tastes that taste great together. How did working with Stefan Koglek come about?
Sergio: We worked very well with Stefan and we are very thankful to him mostly because of his introducing us to European promoters, bookers, bands, and clubs. So I�d say Stefan helped a lot in the European campaign. Now, the studio recording was nuts. We tracked all in one day of studio, then Stefan mixed and post-produced the whole thing himself, coming and going, with corrections through mail. We even tracked bass for �Soma� and vocals for �El Negro� in Argentina and then sent to paste them in Germany! Also both bands together, yes, were a great show for venues and crowds in Europe.
Scrit: How are the desert sessions in Argentina? You live in a part of the country in close proximity to the open sprawling desert? I know there are some beautiful ones down there. Isn�t there one which runs right up to the coastline and then a sheer, steep drop into the Pacific Ocean?
Sergio: I live in the suburbs of the city, as I need to work, take my kids to school, take care of the business and all. But we usually take our Ford Econoline `81 and drive to the sea (300 km), mountains (600 km) or either huge deserts (250 km). We use to do gigs in parts of the country you need to travel a lot on the road to get to, and in the middle we enjoy the huge desolate landscapes with our friends.
Scrit: You spend a lot of time outdoors or in the mountains? I know at least a few Europeans are envious of the landscapes we get in the Americas that you just don`t find in Europe.
Sergio: Yes you cannot find these non-humanized places in Europe, true!
Scrit: Aside from the outdoor festivals, you ever used to play out in the open in the ol� Kyuss generator party tradition?
Sergio: We used to rent beach houses here in a place called Ostende. Spent all summer - two, three months daily - working on classical music concerts as sound guys, and had this house in the middle of nothing with all our gear. We used to do that back in 1994/95/96, just before we did the Delmar album. The place has huge woods that on one side has the Atlantic Ocean; the other side are huge desert sands. We played music for hours, invited friends, barbecue, LSD, weed, booze, all.
Scrit: From what I understand Los Natas rarely, if ever, plays material from the Livin� La Weeda Loca album. Any particular reason?
Sergio: Maybe those songs were done with bassist Claudio, and we don�t have a very good feeling about that moment, I guess. We love those songs and from time to time play one. We are doing �El Convoy� right now. Also, we have so many songs by now and it�s hard to choose for the gigs. But true there are some that I don�t feel I want to play anymore.
Scrit: How often would you say you are performing? It seems your live output over the last year or so has been in overdrive.
Sergio: We play gigs almost every weekend, thank God. Europe tours have been three times, that�s one per year, 25 gigs each, and we rehearse with Walter mostly three or four times a week. We don�t �practice� the songs - we just go for them, we ride, swallow and spit the music almost every day of the week.
Scrit: There are a lot of eager hands hoping to get the Bee Jesus double vinyl soon. Any word on its eventual release?
Sergio: I must say that release won�t come to light by now, as I just talked with Beard of Stars Records. The people and owner have had many health problems for a couple of years and won�t be able to work that much, or spend more money. So basically Bee Jesus is ready to be licensed to a new label for LP release. Now The Munchen Sessions DLP is about to be done and also a new 10" Los Natas /Cabron split was just released.
Scrit: Has Los Natas played, or plan to play any acoustic shows? Or did the few shows you played in support of the Toba Trance albums sort of cover that?
Sergio: We played many Toba Trance shows to support the album, yes; mostly here in Argentina. Toba gave us the possibility to cut the show in two parts for different sounds, guitars and vibe. That�s good air for the crowd. We included some guest musicians on crazy little guitars, trumpets, classic guitar and even a DJ for storms, noise and landscape support and ambience. But no, we never did an acoustic show like the band Kiss! Yet!
Scrit: If it is something you don�t mind discussing - what were some of the elements that lead to the departure of former bass player Claudio Filadoro Rimec? And how did you come upon Gonzalo Villagra?
Sergio: Mostly Claudio had a bad attitude, as far as I�m concerned, that made me feel bad in front of other people with him, hanging and [bragging] about how big the band was. I would say he was full of shit and Los Natas (the music and spirit) could not stand that energy anymore. All this pretty much was after the US tour. Then I talked to Gonzalo who I already knew from the Santoro project. He was a big man, no bullshit. We prepared the Corsario Negro recording in only six months. So we used to say, �We changed a bicycle wheel for a truck wheel!�
Scrit: How does Los Natas like to spend their off-time? Are any of you family men, married?
Sergio: I used to be married - now I spend all free time with my two kids at home, in the swimming pool, riding bikes, doing little music with them. I like to hang out with friends too, girls, go to techno rave parties outdoors in the suburbs. I like to go fishing and swimming as a sport. Pretty simple life! But yeah! I mostly spend free time with my two kids. I love them so much!
Scrit: You seem to have shot quite a few music videos. Do these air ever on Argentinian television, or is it more for fans� enjoyment on the website?
Sergio: We shoot them on local MTV, Much Music, and some local crappy TV stations. But as you said, I think by now it has been more for the fans, website and people to have something to relate to the music with. We had never really had a budget on a pro video clip. Hope we can pull that off for the new album, I think the band NEEDS a pro video to save face!
Scrit: Did Walter Broide join Poseidotica permanently in addition to Los Natas, or is it a one-off project for the their new album Intramundo?
Sergio: I think he only helped them out on the album recording and played one live show some time ago. He did drums and kind of production on the album. Personally, I don�t feel very good about some local bands as this one. They constantly ask for favors from us and at the same time talk shit behind our backs and rip off ideas, names and shit! They even did a festival called Sabado Negro (Black Saturday), instead of Viernes Verde (Green Friday)! So fuck them all man, bands should learn to swallow cum for years as we�ve been doing! It�s not an easy job to do and need real men to do it!
Scrit: Tell us a bit about the Road Movie documentary. It`s been in the works for a while now. How or when do you plan to release or show it?
Sergio: By now it has been a friend of ours� dream and side project. A little far from being professional, but [that�s] very expensive, I know. All kinds of video, DVD, movies are much about money. I think one day we�ll meet someone that would realize our music needs a whole movie. But I say one whole movie per Los Natas album. That day we�ll have one clip cut for each of our 61 songs! Oh, oh I am a dreamer, yes I am! (circa 1984 TSOL live).
Scrit: I�ve seen this great photo online of you and the band hanging out with Brant Bjork and the Bros. When did you guys share the same stage? I heard you all even jammed out together- is that true? Do you remember what song it was?
Sergio: We met Brant Bjork in a New Year�s Eve party at Scott Reeder�s house in Palm Springs. It was 1998 and the US trip to record Cuidad. Then we met Ruben Romano from Nebula, made very good friends, and suddenly ended up at that party. We played three songs and it was Unida�s first gig. We met Brant there, his friends, and talked a lot about music, life, and women! By that time, he had Yawning Man on its beginning and gave me a tape K7 of very early stuff.
Later on, we met him along with The Bros in Belgium again and shared the stage in Leuven, Belgium on our 2003 European Tour. During their set, he just asked me to be on stage, I did and Brant took off his Strat guitar and gave it to me!
He passed to the drums and I said - ho ho! So we jammed something there in the mood of our song �Tomaiten.� Brant was hitting the drums very hard and fast, I did some vocals in Spanish too, for like 35 minutes! Crowd was nuts!
Scrit: Tell us about the Toba Natives and the inspiration to create the Toba Trance albums from their name.
Sergio: These people live in the south of the country, they are very poor, and no one gives a shit about their health, territory, or food and education. They love Mother Nature and that�s their inspiration and fact in life. Very calm people, they jam for hours in the night on their tunes, along with taking peyote, with such hand-made instruments like little drums, snares, flutes, rocks, whatever.
Scrit: Who would you ideally love for Los Natas to play a show with?
Sergio: I think that would be something like Los Natas anda Kyuss reunion. Or if that�s not possible, Los Natas and Pink Floyd.
Scrit: Thank you Sergio, you�re the man. And we all look forward to De Las Cenizas, Hombres Montagne.
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