Video Interview: Chris Peters of Samsara Blues Experiment & Fuzz Sagrado
This January, Berlin-based heavy psychedelic rockers Samsara Blues Experiment capped a run that began in 2008 with End of Forever (review here), their fifth album. In between its recording during summer 2020 and the release, guitarist, vocalist, occasional-sitarist and principal songwriter Christian Peters had relocated from Germany to Brazil for — what else? — love. Now married and living in a rural area about six hours from Sao Paulo, Peters has unveiled Fuzz Sagrado, a new solo-project the follows years of making largely synth-based explorations on his own under the moniker Surya Kris Peters.
While not necessarily lacking any synthesizer or keyboard elements in themselves — Peters handles drum programming (though the EP credits Slater on drums), Minimoog, Mellotron, Hammond, etc. — the three songs on Fuzz Sagrado‘s Fuzz Sagrado are enough of a departure to warrant being listed as a new outfit, especially since they boast so much more of a traditional ‘rock band’ style, Peters brings bass and guitar forward and, though these songs are instrumental, he’s begun working on vocal melodies and lyrics for subsequent offerings. Rock songs.
The motivation for the shift is relatively simple: he’s rediscovered his love of rock and roll, and maybe stepping away from the business side of Samsara Blues Experiment, as well as the big move, has facilitated this. In the extended interview that follows, Peters talks about the end of Samsara Blues Experiment and the beginning of Fuzz Sagrado. He talks about the relationships with his former bandmates bassist/backing vocalist Hans Eiselt and drummer Thomas Vedder — both of whom also have other groups going as well — and how it felt to realize that a band who had toured on four continents and been together for 12 years was coming to an end.
He’s still processing it. It’s still pretty immediate. But it should be noted outright that when Samsara Blues Experiment called it quits they called it an “indefinite hiatus” and Peters‘ attitude is very much never-say-never. End of Forever will see a new pressing early next year, with plans reportedly for a 2LP edition of the band’s 2009 debut, Long-Distance Trip (review here), sometime thereafter. He jokes at one point in the interview about doing a reunion at Roadburn as old men. I would hope to be there for it, provided they let me out of the aged-blogger rest home for the day.
As to future plans, there’s “30 or 40” Fuzz Sagrado songs in one stage or another of recording and you can actually watch the inner debate play out as he thinks about whether or not he’s ready to make an album with the new project. If you want a spoiler, I think it might be another EP or two before we get there.
This interview was an utter pleasure for me. I hope you also enjoy:
Interview w/ Chris Peters of Fuzz Sagrado & Samsara Blues Experiment, Aug. 24, 2021
Fuzz Sagrado‘s self-titled debut EP is on Bandcamp now. Samsara Blues Experiment‘s repress of End of Forever is due early 2022. More info at the links.
Fuzz Sagrado, Fuzz Sagrado (2021)
Samsara Blues Experiment, End of Forever (2021)
Electric Magic Records on Facebook
Electric Magic Records on Bandcamp
Tags: Brazil, Electric Magic Records, Fuzz Sagrado, Fuzz Sagrado Self-titled, Samsara Blues Experiment, self-titled
It was so nice to hear Christian’s story. Known him for years and we both have a similar experience, leaving the big city for the real country side (both in Portuguese speaking countries!).. Thanks Christian for bearing your soul… loved it.. yes.. I heard the full 81mins.. Peace.. and keep growing…..