Interview with Yusef Wallace, Rude

- Hello, Yusef! First of all, congratulations on your recently released second full-length, "Remnants...". How is it going so far? Have you already received any feedback? How does the audience perceive your new material?
- Well, I guess it’s going alright. It’s only been a day or two. So far I’ve heard only good things said about it. Most reviews and ratings have been in German, but their number rankings have been perfect so that’s cool. I guess people aren’t too big on the song “Child

- How would you present this album in comparison with your debut length, "Soul Recall"? Would would be the main difference? Did you set up any specific goals to achieve with that record? 
- This one is different because I had the other guys do more writing. I was just so busy this past year (when most of the material was written) living in Japan. The main difference to me is just the production and Chad’s drumming. He is a more hard hitting, strait forward drummer. Tony was full of frills and was very all over the place, in a good way! No real goals. Just put out another album we all felt good with.

- Tell us about the recording sessions: where did you record it and how did it go? Who produced the album? How much time did you have and was it enough?
- We always record in our rehearsal room. Jason has recorded our demo and albums all by himself. He then has to deal with how sloppy my playing is and how nitpicky I can be. I appreciate his dedication more than he probably knows! Recording is always really relaxed though. It only took maybe three days at four-five hours each session. There is a video on youtube of us recording if you’re curious about the conditions.

- The album is called "Remnants..." So, remnants of what? What is the main idea behind this title? Who in the band is in charge of the lyrics? 
- Well I kinda just really liked the word…So I used it as the title. It fit with the art. I usually write most of the lyrics. I wrote a ton of lyrics in about 2010, so i’ve been picking parts of old pieces and using them now. I don’t take lyrics too seriously. I use my voice as another instrument really. David wrote the lyrics for a few songs, and I used a poem my dad wrote back in the 80’s for the lyrics on House of Dust

- Once again, Dan Seagrave illustrated your work. Your choice of the artist, is it also some kind of homage to old-school? Can you say that this cover is a sort of sequel to the previous one? 
- Simply put, I use him cause he is the fucking best. I will continue to use him for all of our future albums. I’ll leave it up to the listener to decide weather or not this is a sequel to Soul Recall. Let your imagination take control.
  
- In 2016 you released a compilation CD, containing the records from 2008-2016. So, it can be a good opportunity to talk not only about that release, but also about the band's history. First of all, could you explain the different moments of the past, when you were first called Rude, then changed the name to Forsaker and played Thrash metal for a while, but then again moved back to Rude. What was the reason for such changes? 
- We started in 2008. I was jamming in a black metal band called Ghoulborn but a lot of my riffs weren’t being used. So I decided to take them and start my own band - Rude. I wasn’t very good but I still knew what I wanted to do. After a while my other bandmates just had to take work more seriously, or something. DP still wanted to jam, but with the new guitar player and drummer, it all felt different, so we changed the name to Forsaker. It was more like thrash and less like the black/death metal stuff I was playing. After a few years Forsaker stopped and Mike and David joined. Then we played a mix of it all. It just felt like Rude again, so I changed it back. Nothing crazy really.

- So, that compilation CD. It was an independent CD and exclusively prepared for your Asakusa Deathfest appearance. Why did you decide to do it? And what records can be found there?
- We’ve been out of march for a while. We needed some form of music to sell in Japan. I figured it was time to release some of the old stuff from 2008 so people could get a listen. It was exclusively for the show in Tokyo so I don’t know how many made it overseas. If you can find it, you’ll see why I said we sounded like Celtic Frost and Bathory when we first started.
There’s rehearsal tracks from 08, four of them. Then you have the Forsaker demo, some Rude rehearsals, Live tracks etc..

- Very often, you music is being compared to some of the best works by Morbid Angel and Pestilence. How do you feel about it? Was it your original intention to sound in the vein of those old-school bands or is it simply a result of their heavy influence on you?
- That’s fine. I don’t really think about it at all really. If I had to give a reaction I would just say “sick”. I just pick up a guitar and that is what comes out. I can’t force myself to change my style. 

- What do you think about that new wave of interest to the old-school Death Metal? Noways there is plenty of newly born bands playing or at least trying to play the music the way it was in the very beginning. Do you have any bands like that to recommend? 
- I don’t have anything to say about it. People can play whatever they want, whenever they want. I don’t listen to much new music to be honest so I can’t recommend anything.

- Could you tell us a bit about your cooperation with Patrick Mameli, and his projects Neuromorph and Moordzucht? How did it all start? What is the status of both bands? And could you shed some light on Moordzucht band?
- I asked him to do the solo on Haunted for our demo. Ever since we’ve just kept in touch. We just get along and I’m real easy going when it comes to doing other projects. We both understand the distance and patience involved, so there is no problem. Right now we are just writing. Not much to say really!

- Alright, thank you for this interview, Yusef. In the end, would you like to share some details about your upcoming European Tour? 
- No problem! We are just stoked to get over there and play. I want everyone to come say HEY! !!!!! Especially If I sent you a demo!