Doomed Confessionary: Chris Peters (Fuzz Sagrado)
Fuzz Sagrado is the new musical outlet for former Samsara Blues Experiment’s creative head Christian “Surya Kris” Peters (guitar, vocals etc). After the end of the world-renowned heavy psychedelic rock band, Peters emigrated to Brazil and started Fuzz Sagrado in 2021.
Two albums were released, »A New Dimension« in 2022 on Kozmik Artifactz and »Luz e Sombra« on World In Sound in 2023, as well as four digital EPs on Peters’ own label Electric Magic.
Can you say a few words about your band?
Fuzz Sagrado is not a band in the traditional sense. It all started out as a studio solo project, with occasional live events, or jams, where of course other musicians are involved. I started this project pretty much after the end of Samsara Blues Experiment, when I found myself in a rather difficult period – somehow fed up with a lot of things “in the scene”, or that particular genre, but at the same time still in love with 70s heavy rock. I began noodling around at home. Some of my first baby steps were a cover version of Black Sabbath’s »Sweet Leaf« in early 2021. But those who know me are aware that I’ve been around quite some time, more than twenty years now in bands like SBE, Terraplane etc.
What was the biggest challenge for you?
Here in Brazil I still face challenges on a daily basis. I had lived in Germany until turning 40, and since then I live here in the middle of the jungle so to speak (ca 400km north of Sao Paulo). Everything is new and different. In the beginning I had to get all the necessary equipment – since I did not bring much from my past, due several reasons – and that alone was a challenge for years, as everything is either crazy expensive or not available. Imports are barely possible. So that’s already a huge topic. The distances within Brazil are crazy too and it is still a third world country. I also still carry some sort of emotional weight after the end of SBE, which made it even kind of impossible for me for quite some time to play with just anyone. Like I said, I was fed up, of many things. Plus, one can not forget the “pandemic” and all that BS from 2020-22. We all went through a bunch of “crazy years”, didn’t we!
What can you be most proud of so far?
That I learned to produce my music, by myself. After 20 years of making in that scene this is just a huge thing for me, and I can not recommend it enough to everyone who wants to seriously get into music. It is just so liberating!
What was your biggest regret?
I really regret the end of SBE – not that it ended, but I made lots of silly mistakes that affect me until now. I can be too much impulsive, and that’s just not good … The fans of SBE are still dear to me! Some of them became friends, and believe me if I could change one or two things I would, … Seems though that I had to make these mistakes, to learn something.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
I really enjoyed the only Fuzz Sagrado concert last year in São Paulo – yes the only one so far because it is damn difficult in Brazil. But like I said, I’ve been around for quite some time and people know me, so eventually it doesn’t matter that much under which name I play my music. I’ve played a lot in the past, world wide tours with SBE on which a lot was my doing, organizing these with local agents, or bands. Most of them are still personal friends, which is amazing!
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Well, I’ve seen a lot through these last 25 years! I started out in a time when we still sent out demo cassettes to eventually get a gig, I’ve seen the early internet HTML-pages and guestbooks, but also webzines etc. It was a very different time in the earlier 2000s. The scene had a bit of a climax from 2015-20, just to decline again. Look at the numbers on youtube, no one seems to get anybodies attention anymore, only a few big names survived, and some of the new bands … while, … is that even stoner rock (or psychedelic rock) anymore? I don’t know! Guess, I’ve become old without noticing 😉
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
I listen to a lot of music, as part of my jobs in the music biz (working for labels, magazine etc), but also for pure interest. I love music, but to be honest the only thing that is on “heavy rotation” would be my own projects because this is really time consuming, but so far I love it. At the moment I am about to finish a new project which has some influence from 70s detective film-scores, or KPM Music if that rings a bell … jazzy funky stuff with lots of my trademark “acid”-guitar.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
To not care so much about anybodies opinion!! There’s always some “wise crack” who will have a different opinion, but when you’re happy: Be happy with what you do!
What are your guilty pleasures?
I sometimes still care too much about anybody else’s opinion.
Can you say something more about current music scene in Brazil?
Here in Minas Gerais, Brazil it’s just basically a whole lot of cover bands. Some are pretty good, but it’s still just cover … There’s a few bands in the capital city Belo Horizonte I think, the band Pesta comes to mind (traditional doom rock). But other than these legions of cover bands there’s not much going on, unfortunately … The vasy majority of Brazilians seems tyop like Sertanejo (Brazilian country) or Brazilian funk (not to be confused with that groovy 70s stuff!!)
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Right now I can just hope to have that kind of come back! Here in Brazil it’s not easy, and it’s also not easy to achieve anything abroad from here. We’re pretty much isolated. If there wasn’t the internet, I’d call myself Gillegan, or Robinson actually.
What are your plans for the future?
Play more live again certainly would be nice! Other than that you can expect quite a bunch of new records and releases this year! I have two main projects at the moment, besides Fuzz Sagrado I also continue with Surya Kris Peters (space rock / krautrock).
How can people best support you?
If people listen to my music that’s already rewarding. I am well aware of how much prices for records and other things have increased, and HOW MANY BANDS and musician are out there … everyone craving for attention 😉 I can not ask for nothing. Just let me tell you this: In the 90s I paid 30 EUR on average for a new CD-album! So you may wanna stop complaining about these “difficult times” 😉
Do you have any message for your listeners?
If you feel sad, or in a negative mood, look for the root of that and try to avoid it 😉 Do what makes you happy!
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Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well