CANNIBAL CORPSE bassist Alex Webster 2013 interview on censorship and the early years | Raw & Uncut

Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster interviewed in Toronto in 2013 by Sam Dunn for the doc Metal Evolution: Extreme Metal about his band's early controversies and censorship, and why extreme metal endures. This extended interview excerpt is presented raw and uncut, with new director's commentary.
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[@mauricetogo]

I would pay cash money to go to an event where Alex would just talk about his love for metal. That would be a really cool spoken word gig.

[@stephenl5416]

I actually met Alex Webster when I was 15 in Connecticut on the Vile tour. Such an amazing down to Earth human being. A true metal fan before anything. I told him how I did very much love the first Six Feet Under album but that It literally took me a day or two learn how to play the entire album on guitar and he thought that was hilarious. He admitted that he forgot how to play "The Bleeding" and that if they were to put it back on the set list he'd have to learn some of the parts all over again. At the end of our conversation he goes alright man I gotta go. We have a bunch of Asian chicks waiting for us. Lol. Such a cool guy. Cannibal Corpse will always be my favorite Death Metal band right next to DEATH! I wish so badly I could have net Chuck Schuldiner and pick his brain.

[@hunterwilliams8923]

Or Trevor Strnad, the king of living extreme music

[@ernestoflores1057]

I did back in the 90s back home in PR. I starts playing bass. And he told me, "never stop doing it music is the shit"

[@someoneelse101]

I had that option when CC came to Cork in 2006. Aside from the music tastes, Alex feels like the kinda person you've known you've known all your life.

[@drewharrito5705]

100 agree. I would too

[@juliussw9153]

Most chill dude in death metal after Chuck.

[@mmaking8664]

Karl Sanders begs to differ

[@SillyBoydo]

Papa Karl the kind of guy that when you meet him you sit on his knee and be calmly lectured on Incanting Hittite dung and Using magic scrolls to fend off crocodiles then you hug him, he pats you on the back, scuffs your head and sends you off as he gets back to his newspaper and coffee :(

[@Jeff-zg6ht]

FluffyCaveman Papa Karl's the kinda guy to shake hands with the entire audience before and after a show. I shook his hand on this past tour with overkill in febuarary

[@lenaryan]

Check out my interview with Travis Ryan from Cattle Decapitation. He's chill and super nice too ;)

[@actionkato2133]

You can hear the passion in his voice when he speaks. Alex continues to be the driving force in Cannibal with his enthusiasm.

[@DeadGlassEyes]

I know Alex and he is honestly one of the best guys not just in metal, but in general. Very smart and down to earth guy, no ego whatsoever. Awesome guy. But all of the guys in Cannibal are like that.

[@Beirstube]

DaemoniumCC I met CC and Behemoth on their American tour a few years ago. Jesus Christ they were amazing. Even though it started late they were super friendly and even went against the venue and spoke with each of us a little longer and signed more items than we were allowed to have. When the show was over they were right in front of the venue outside of their business. Rob even recognized us from the meet and greet and actually called us over. It was a brutal show and an awesome meet and greet.

[@DeadGlassEyes]

Yup, that sounds like Cannibal alright. Very friendly guys who truly appreciate their fans.

[@Grimeyhoob]

Corpsegrinder is even friends with a lot of the Christian metal bands, not a judgmental prick at all.

[@damagebrain1000]

death metal is not a rich man's music of course all musicians are down to earth ..

[@mercyfulfrost2831]

Absolutely. These dudes are friendly as all hell. I am from Buffalo and we love our CANNIBAL!!!

[@acidfather]

I love how Alex is so down to earth and not using f-bombs to sound tough, his band is so brutal that he does not need to fake it.

[@ozzmarkk]

You nailed it

[@killer070911]

Yeah

[@HorrorUberAlles]

"They'll let us play 'Fucked With A Knife' but they won't let us play 'Hammer Smashed face'" It really cracked me up!

[@surferdude8086]

"If we were better musicians"???? Dude, you guys are insanely good.

[@billgeezeriommi]

I know right even in the early days they were talented as fuck lol he's just being modest

[@blindguardian1979]

exactly...especially Alex, I was blown away seeing him in person...one of the better bassists i've ever seen

[@KyleS.1987]

Alex fucking owns. His bass book is fantastic.

[@salottin]

True!

[@RardTangler]

Favorite metal bassist by far!

[@TheOriginalGraphicGod]

Great interview. Never got into CC like a lot of my friends but always respected what they did.

[@sdtghjhc]

Try The Bleeding album. That got me into the band. Without skipping any song on the album.

[@DefMettle]

thats too bad. the zenith of death metal

[@marcorodriguez7694]

What's not to like??? Eaten back to life, The Bleeding, Butchered at birth all great albums!

[@Vlad.The.Drac.]

Try "KILL".

[@motivatedthinker2940]

@@sdtghjhc I liked their other album Global Evisceration a lot better.

[@wesleykrempel5270]

death metal helps me vent all my hatred,anger,frustration....doesnt exactly free me from it but,it helps...and I love it...

[@labra-dog]

Life is good

[@michaelmcgilvry7123]

I went to a cannibal corpse show back in 2002 or 2003 back when my son was a little guy like 3 or 4, the next day I was like Mr rogers with him . I got all the tension and stress out at that show.

[@butcheredalive]

Nothing like some good old fashioned meathook sodomy in the car after a shift that pissed you off. The louder the better

[@deanarupe73]

Alex is a great guy. We played with Cannibal Corpse a few times and Alex was great to talk songwriting with. He really inspired me in how I wrote my lyrics.

[@Surgicalshred]

He's such an inspiration. Alex Webster is an icon of death metal \m/

[@AutisticHighHeeler]

Sam and Alex nearly look like brothers from different mothers.

[@lilizzat2517]

Alex webster inspired me to play bass over guitar.... damn... Because his so damn good at playing bass!!! CANNIBAL CORPSE RULES!!!

[@metalassassin9537]

One of the "greatest" bass players in death metal history!

[@Ghostus6]

Good interview! Alex always looks like such a nice and friendly dude. At 03:40 the camera guy is thinking: "I just want to shoot nature documentaries.. and now look where I'm at"

[@Disciple0fMetal]

Ghostus6 lol

[@kingsizeblues616]

Awesome interview and Alex is just so fucking cool.

[@AxlAlexander]

bard icus At first I didn't know how I posted a comment without typing anything, then it hit me haha

[@kingsizeblues616]

LOL dude, at first I thought I'd replied to myself and forgot... then.. XD

[@AxlAlexander]

Seregor is the man!

[@jeffk3929]

bard icus Well said...Alex is very down to earth and extremely talented. A very well accomplished musician.

[@bytemevv-4616]

Alex Webster is your friendly... Neighborhood... BASS Player lol

[@Jellybeantiger]

hahahahahaaaaaaaa(with reverb)

[@Minotauro_di_Chieti]

The smartest member of CC.

[@goodmansteve2481]

Their all fairly smart, listening to them talk, but yeah, he’s definitely a pretty smart guy

[@user-wn6vl4gy5f]

he's just the most serious

[@CarlHH777]

Why are some of you surprised when people who make aggressive music are nice? Just like in every genre, there are nice and shitty people. Is that really surprising? "Dude plays aggressive music, he must have anger management issues".

[@Neuroneos]

@G.S.K. Can’t you just be a cool guy for one second? Don’t be getting all egghead over someone’s pronouns.

[@Aiden-ee8jg]

Censorship is a disgrace to music. These guys worked their asses off writing tomb of the mutilated and its one of the greatest death metal albums recorded, but they can't even play it in Germany.

[@Scipio-Africannabis]

Id really like to have a beer with Alex Webster

[@salottin]

Awesome! He's so laid back it seemed like a 3 minute interview. When I went to see them here in Brazil (300-350 km from where I live) he was the only one who actually stopped when I was waiting to shake their hands. That made me a happier person, knowing that I shook hands and exchanged some words with my idol.

[@Nightbreed82]

I still can't believe Cannibal Corpse didn't make it on the "essential early Death Metal albums" chart. My vote would be for The Bleeding (even though it's a 1994 album). If that Lock Horns episode happened 15 years ago, they'd be on there for sure. Kids these days... P.S. - Get off my lawn!

[@chrishawkins2267]

Again, great interview! Alex was the first Death Metal bassist that I could actually hear the bass. Not only that, he's over the top yet tasteful, genre-defining, and never settling. Great stuff!

[@juanneman]

Alex is a great, normal and intelligent guy who knows how to say things convincingly.

[@JoySynthesis]

Death metal is a conspiracy designed to sell cargo shorts

[@FreneticZetetic]

Extreme metal with a gory aesthetic is like peanut butter and jelly.

[@ThePUNKROCKSTER]

Cannibal Corpse is one my fave bands \m/

[@questioneverything1771]

I feel so bad for Alex, he's done these same interviews that basically ask who, what, when ,where and why. I fortunately got to meet Alex in Tempe,Az; along with the others except for Paul.

[@Antiprogressivepraxis]

That's lame about the censorship, but which German fuddy duddy busybody would even be able to discern the differece between "Fucked With A Knife" and "Hammer Smashed Face" anyway? lol

[@DefMettle]

fuck yes, a dude that says arbitrary instead of random, in the 21st century. thats i guy i can respect.

[@cannibalcorpse6664]

Love this guy hes super awesome! also the best metal bassist beside cliff burton

[@HorrorUberAlles]

Easily one of the Top 3 best Death Metal bass players, for sure

[@killswitchlee123]

For me, some of the best Metal bass players (across the board) are; John Myung, Dominic “Forest” Lapointe, Steve Digiorgio, Alex Webster, Geddy Lee, Ryan Martinie, Jared Anderson, Rex Brown, Terry Butler, Jonas Bjorler, Nick Bullen, Joe Payne, Dick Lovgren, Pig Benis, To name a few...

[@bishjb]

One of the best live metal acts.

[@HeatherRichardson-g3p]

I can vouch for that

[@metalmacabre9991]

Alex Webster so cool, he's such a cool humble person his band has accomplished a lot it was in death metal and it's cool to see him like you know still being the same guy he was back then nothing's changed about him I like Alex Webster a lot really good guy.

[@dudleyhamby2029]

Alex is the GREATEST death metal bassist of all time. Absolutely mind blowing!!!! I was a teenager living in Florida during the 90s in the hay day of death metal. Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Death, Decide. Such a great time in life and a great time in music. I miss those days everyday.

[@dimifisher7942]

why everybody is ignoring morbid angel!??

[@P3rm4frost]

He's so well spoken, intelligent, a true gentleman and very charming and.. Adorable. A real sweetheart of a guy and true love for music and the community.

[@halfpipefreak]

0:08 ofcourse i fucking believe it. How the FUCK wouldn't i believe it. huh ?

[@jakeslam3845]

Knowing cannibal corpse started in the buffalo ny area makes me proud to be from there

[@OnePlickyDood]

thanks Sam! this was killer! always glad to listen to that man talk.

[@dza6010]

Webster is BEAST

[@88omair]

"By the time *Tomb of the Mutilated* came out, then we started to run into problems." Yup that'll do it

[@paulbeahm3891]

Went to see them and thy art is murder opened for them. They were good and fun to watch, younger guys very theatrical performance. Then cannibal corpse came on. Old guys with wedding rings, no theatrics just music and their ability to play it. My mind was blown 10 times more watching cannibal corpse.

[@paahl1572]

He’s so humble saying they weren’t good enough to play like the bands the listen to or at the end he’s unsure if Cannibal Corpse has had an impact on music. Alex, you absolutely have had a profound impact on heavy music 🤘🤘🤘

[@MellonVegan]

About why some songs can get played and some cannot (or could not): At least in Germany, for something to be put on the Index, someone (anyone) has to file an appeal for it, so to speak. Someone has to contact the authorities in charge of the process and tell them "this album is too extreme". Unless you do that, they won't look into it. So some CC albums were banned just because some guy (or woman, a teacher, iirc) filed a complaint. Afaik at least some of those albums are not banned anymore, though. And they did play Hammer Smashed Face when I saw them live a couple years back.

[@lambknot]

Bloodthirst and Kill are bad ass records - Murder Worship, Blowtorch Slaughter two of the heaviest songs ever.

[@coffinfeeder7732]

Oh my god finally someone else thinks Bloodthirst is the shit. Something about that album just strikes me as compelling. I think the word for it is consistency. All the writing is top notch, I never skip a single track when I pop it in my stereo.

[@carlosjbg]

Believe or not, this interview was what got me into Cannibal Corpse. I already have listened to 'The Bleeding' like maybe 10 years ago, because I read somewhere or someone tell me that even people that really dislike then can't deny how good it is. I remember seeing the potencial in the album when I listened to it, but even while I enjoyed death metal at the time al lot, bands like Vader, Bloodbath, The Faceless, Napalm Death... shit, even Nile, I couldn't get to totally enjoy it. In part because of the production, but mostly the vocals, they weren't for me. So I just never went back to then. But the years passed, taste evolved, and I got to see this interview. The man gave me a lot of good vibes. I remember thinking, "I would defenetively go for a beer with this guy" xD. Then you know youtube... I end up watching a concert/documentary about an european tour that they did, and I got quite impresed with how good they are technicaly, and wanting to listen more of then. 'Red Before Black' come out and I jump to it, and wow! I enjoyed very much, it become one of my favorites of the year. Love the production in that album, and the song writting. And now I am knowing their discography little by little. So yeah, thank you for upload the interview.

[@dESTRON76]

I know this is old but we have such a similar story and I am glad you stuck it out and get enjoyment from this music. I got into Fear Factory 'Demanufacture' and that bridged the gap for me.

[@CMOOREtbay]

Yeah! Conquering Dystopia!!!!

[@JurgenD]

Great interview !

[@c.matthatter8264]

Great interview! I love CC , Alex is such an intelligent, laid back guy. He seems really nice. Sam is a great interviewer. Thanks for the video!

[@kutchini27]

awesome interview. ALEX WEBSTER is a great person and bad ass bass player

[@rileywoods7150]

Absolutely a fantastic interview! Alex is such a great person and a flawless bass player! Always will love his work and what he does in Cannibal Corpse, including his other projects!! Thank you guys so very much for doing this interview! Always love to watch the videos on the channel all the time!! A BANGER TV fan for sure!!

[@junechris]

He's one hell of a bass player, more recently realized how good he actually is!

[@john.vandijk]

Great interview, love to see more of these!

[@loriniemann768]

their fucking awesome and the best guy's you'll ever meet

[@Staminist-MMF-80]

I genuinely take my hat off to these guys! Making a living playing this kind of music is not only hard labour - it is painful! And I speak from experience... To get on that stage every night on tour and give 100% - that is massive blow to a regular guy's body, some wouldn't last 1 or 2 songs!

[@beatlejuice5951]

I hugged Alex after a show in PDX. couldn't help it I love this guy, I love his mind, he's a genius of death metal my favorite music. this guy's a legend and he was so fucking chill and cool to me in person. he even threw me a water bottle at my first cannibal corpse show. super cool fucking guy.

[@reginene]

Im so jealous

[@tristanhavrilak6048]

I don't think Alex knows how good of a musician he is

[@MusicStudent1]

This guy’s “Extreme Metal Bass” book/CD instructional was the most fun bass method to work through as a bassist. (It was fun “work”). I became a MUCH better player after that and had a blast in the process. I’ve become a CC fan because of it.

[@maxweidenbach2919]

MusicStudent1 I loved that book! I still use some of the exercises as warmup routines. As a finger player it's a godsend

[@Metalhead6528]

am i the only one who thinks that Alex is so pretty?

[@slasherdimension6935]

Believe it or not? I know you guys at Banger have no respect for Cannibal Corpse -cough cough the death metal lock horns episode-but they are the best death metal band in existence. More Cannibal Corpse please.

[@zackcoffmanguitar]

Slasher Dimension I totally agree. That was such bullshit.

[@newcheese8554]

It wasn't until I was older that I got into CC, dismissed it for so many years. Now I love it they are so legit its so refreshing these days.

[@ManuelTrevigno]

One of the Best Bass Players in History

[@metalmatt1396]

I'm glad to see Alex giving props to Necrophagia. Everyone seems to forget that that album was very influential to all of the early death metal bands. It WAS the first death metal album, it came out like 2 months before "Scream Bloody Gore".

[@GravelordNEETo]

metalmatt Too bad he accidentally called them "Necrophagist" lol

[@stevemiller1959]

I bought butchered at birth when released with the white cover and it had a place to mail it to get the uncensored version fucking awesome, back then I was getting postcards in the mail about new death metal releases 92-93' for cannibal, deicide etc.

[@stevemiller1959]

Also was awesome seeing them in an old ass church in Salt Lake city spring 92 with epidemic and unleashed, also disincarnate and bolt thrower at same old ass church 🤘

[@christopherrobin7776]

Those were the days, weren't they?

[@danielMayheM13]

Moves to heavier to more heavier stuff like me man got the taste🤘🤘

[@OleksiiTheAngry]

as years go by, I tend to think anything and everything you spend your time on matters more than you might have thought. So, if you write songs like "F*cked with a knife" and the musical component of it underpins the name, you're definitely not 'coming from a place of love' or whatever the common phrase is right now. BUT Closing a blind eye on what's been ACTUALLY happening in the world is not a solution either. Pointing fingers at 'extreme music' is the easiest thing to do, and it's not at all a way out. These guys have never 'praised', 'advocate' or 'called for' killing, they depicted it in its horrific details. The world IS a dark, terrible and unbearable place some times, not at all 'a place of love' all 100% of the time, so... The uglier it is depicted, the more brains will start thinking about actually doing something to make it right. AND Some proper statistic would be nice, like, what DID actual serial killers or maniacs listen to, what WERE their triggers etc. If people who blame CC would have actually dedicated some time to listen to it ATTENTIVELY, or go to their gig - I mean, come on, they band and the fans exchange so much energy back and forth that there's very little left to listen to something more, let alone 'getting violent' against someone.

[@jamespeterson4275]

SO happy he name dropped Necrophagia their importance is SO understated. RIP Killjoy :c

[@tenthousandagainstone7967]

Alex and the guys in Cannibal Corpse are clearly very intelligent. As much as people will try and say they're brain-dead, immature and the like, they're flat-out wrong. We all have a Holiday that celebrates horror movies, ghost stories and all of that ffs, why isn't it okay to have a style of music that explores that avenue of entertainment? Metal, particularly Extreme Metal, is the horror genre of music. But then, alot of people don't really like horror movies either, so I guess there'd be alot of over-lap of the naysayers of both.

[@orlandopadilla2464]

I seen cannibal corpse earlier this month. My dumb ass didn't know Alex was walking around the bus. I thought he was from immolation. I didn't recognize him. With white hair

[@AndrewGrey22]

Modern Left Wingers: "This guy needs cancelled and censored! He should not be able to save those terrible things!" Alex ever since 1988: "Hold my beer".

[@jakepayne2985]

“Alex rules” or “Alex kicks ass” seems to be the consensus in these comment sections. And oh so rightfully so. Cannibal rules, Alex rules, death metal rules, censorship blows. Fuckin Bob Dole

[@yoe91]

on that last sentence, well you sure did add your own stamp, Alex. One hell of a stamp..

[@DesGardius-me7gf]

I look up to Alex Webster.

[@heavymetalzombiepilot4049]

I think that Metal taps into a very primal side of human nature that will probably always reside in us but I think that the media, religion etc. went and took the lyrical themes and artwork a little too seriously, because at the end of the day, the priest is statistically more likely to molest the altar boy than a fan of horror films or just the general macabre is to reenact and imitate what they watch and listen to; and the media especially gives a sort of fame and recognition to the people who are doing ACTUAL harm.

[@sebasreartes]

Cool dude! Waiting for Lock Horns, Sam!!

[@sotirisaspiotis145]

My God that voice... besides an exceptional bass player he could also be an exceptional narrator!

[@blackdrop3844]

I think what media really wants to ask is if this music makes pedophiles and rapists act on their fetishes..but again ...rap is about piping pills and high school kids listen to that... so why not ... fuck it

[@Eduvoltaire]

Cannibal Corpse Show was fucked in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

[@pendeyo]

could listen hours to him

[@Max-rn3eb]

fuck yeah

[@polindon]

Dude.. I could spend hours just listening to Alex talk about things he likes

[@danandersson7768]

The only objection I have with CC is the song necropedophile. Leave the kids out of it.

[@dvdtretas]

He looks like Bret Hart.

[@JoeyArmstrong2800]

"Upstate New York"? Buffalo is Western New York.

[@patefutch1063]

Why wouldn’t you just go get a new fucking interview? I swear this guy

[@Chuloloc]

Most humbled guy on the planet. Hail Alex Webster. Long Live Cannibal Corpse.

[@EonSlumber]

Butchered is a little too far. The only one I don’t listen to. I own everything they have done.

[@SuperBoomshack]

I wonder what they would have done for work had they not been in a band?

[@dean1618]

The negative is always gonna help them. It like telling a child not to do something, they will go and do it.

[@fredlivingston3766]

Awesome cannibal is but the bands didn't just make the scene so did the fans without us there is no scene

[@spodespo]

Alex is one of my favorite musicians of all time.

[@narekavedyan8910]

Awesome guy, awesome interview! I'd appreciate the complete Ihsahn interviews, both from "Headbanger's Journey" and the extreme metal episode.

[@devildozer]

When I turned 18 in 1993, I went down to my local tattoo studio and got "Cannibal Corpse" tattooed on my right lower leg...I've never regretted it since. Alex absolutely should be the spokesman for death metal like a previous commenter posted.

[@aggrontuslight7381]

in all honesty the 90's was their spot that they along with the many others totally owned and influenced bands like motionless in white, PTV, AILD, and others. the problem though is that most bands of the post mordern 2000's do not have this peice he is explaining. they all say that they are putting their own mark down but yet let the fans dictate what is made appropriate and entertaining... its sick and not metal, surly you can make nasty heavy brutal violent music and be a honest person and nice. its called not letting the fame get to you, and for me bands like cannibal corpse have that "i want to be this" and stick with it and make it better n better like they continue to do. do our newest gen have what it takes to isolate and take in nothing but their own? bands of the 20's, 30, 40,60,70,80,90's have. now thats not to say that there as some but yeah this vid is nice to see a actual person that supports metal.

[@jeffsilvey8799]

YEEEAAAAAHHHH. I saw you guys when I was around 15 and now that I'm 22 and had some more experiences the like has blossomed into a personal favorite. I hope Pat is doing ok and is in a level mindset.

[@ataconazi]

he's very articulate and interesting to listen to. Also a great player I don't like too much of their music after they moved away from the grimier, ugly sounding music (basically after barnes left) but i 100% respect how important they are to extreme music as a whole.

[@AlabasterSmudge]

One of the greatest bass players ever!

[@skatterpro]

When Alex fucking Webster says he wasn't good enough, in any respect, it just blows my mind. Humble greats, what's not to love?

[@thetruth2502]

"They'll let us play Fucked With a Knife but not Hammer Smashed Face." Possibly the single greatest thing I've ever heard.

[@karlbryant9242]

This guy right from the get go,Alex Webster seems really nice and a very cool dude! He reminds me of Dave Ellefson ,formerly of Megadeth.Its nice to listen to another nice guy from the metal scene!