JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford has weighed in on GOJIRA‘s efficiency at this yr’s Olympic Video games opening ceremony.
GOJIRA carried out a shock rendition of “Ah! Ça Ira”, a preferred track in the course of the French Revolution, alongside opera singer Marina Viotti in addition to a variety of beheaded figures representing the slain Queen Marie Antoinette.
Halford advised Heavy Consequence about GOJIRA‘s look (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I used to be shocked and shocked and thrilled and delighted to see steel on the Olympics, as a result of I am an Olympics fan, like most individuals, as a result of it is teamwork. All of those athletes get there by their very own ability and endurance and perseverance, however there is a crew round them. And any winner will say, ‘Yeah, if it wasn’t for my coach, if it wasn’t for my household, da, da, da, da, da.’ So, what I imply by that’s, the GOJIRA band is a household, it is a steel household, it is a steel neighborhood. So, wow, that was simply such a thrill. And shoutout to the French for doing one thing like this. Some nations could be somewhat bit hesitant, however that is the fantastic thing about France. They’re such a cosmopolitan place for all arts. It isn’t, like, ‘Oh, you’ll be able to’t put steel within the Olympics.’ ‘You say that. It is GOJIRA.’ It is nice. They usually deserve it.”
Rob added: “I would been rooting for GOJIRA. I like that band. I have been a GOJIRA fan since day one. So, sure, once more, a giant thrill for that band. And I hope to stumble upon the fellows on the [2025] Grammy Awards [where GOJIRA and PRIEST are both nominated], on the pink carpet or no matter.”
GOJIRA made historical past as the primary steel band to ever carry out on the Olympic Video games in the course of the opening ceremony of the 2024 summer time Olympics in Paris, France on July 26. Working alongside composer Victor Le Manse, the quartet injected their signature heavy riffs and punishing rhythms into “Ah! Ça Ira!” . Joined by French-Swiss mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti and practically 300 classical musicians, GOJIRA carried out from the home windows of Paris’s iconic Concierge amidst a grand spectacle of pyrotechnics. The efficiency made worldwide headlines and was extensively thought to be some of the talked about moments from the 2024 Summer time Olympics.
Talking solely to Rolling Stone following the efficiency, GOJIRA frontman Joseph Duplantier commented: “We took it as a possibility to signify the steel scene. So it was our activity to essentially go for it and lay it down, not simply be there and play a number of notes to shock individuals. We determined to go full-on with double-kick drums, screaming, growling, epic moments, and a tempo breakdown on the finish; we actually needed to point out what steel is all about.”
Requested by Heavy Consequence what it was prefer to be the primary heavy steel band to ever carry out on the Olympics, GOJIRA drummer Mario Duplantier stated: “It is mind-blowing truly. We’re nonetheless a bit excessive, I really feel, within the band. We’re nonetheless making an attempt to grasp what actually occurred by way of the influence of the ceremony and the influence on the earth of steel.
“We felt like the celebrities have been aligned as a result of we’re a French band, the ceremony was in France and two of the 4 guys who have been the creators of this ceremony have been large GOJIRA followers and so they referred to as us,” Mario defined. “So, we additionally felt very fortunate.
“There’s not that many bands in France. Think about you probably have a ceremony in England, for example, there may be 1000’s of legendary bands. However in France, it is probably not the case. You could have a whole lot of bands who play exterior of France, however the record just isn’t that large. So, there [was] probability for us to be referred to as. So we nonetheless really feel very humble. It was such an ideal second and an enormous increase for our profession.”
Requested how lengthy it was from the second that it was talked about to him and his GOJIRA bandmates that they’d carry out on the Olympics till the precise efficiency, Mario stated: “We obtained the decision again in November 2023, and the ceremony was in July 2024. So, couple of months. We needed to preserve it secret. We labored with the author of the music of the ceremony, as a result of we weren’t allowed to play our music. So at first we have been, like, ‘That is bizarre,’ as a result of we actually thought if we may play a track, that may be wonderful. However in truth, we actually needed to create one thing that match with the theme of the revolution. So it was a giant problem, however a really enjoyable problem as properly. And we labored along with Victor Le Manse, with the man who writes the whole music of the whole ceremony. And, yeah, the relation was excellent — very chill. No drama, no stress, nothing. And Joe [GOJIRA frontman Joseph Duplantier] and I, as a result of primarily we labored — Joe and I — on this undertaking, we had a whole lot of issues to say and we have been very free to do virtually no matter we needed, as [long] because it match with the theme and all that. So yeah, wonderful.”
Concerning how his life has modified within the a number of months since performing on the Olympics, Mario stated: “It is actually refined. As a result of we have been a band for 30 years and we already had a profession and we have been touring worldwide. However, yeah, it is a plus, it is a bonus. You go to a retailer and a few persons are, like, ‘I noticed you on the Olympics.’ But it surely’s not like a loopy change. Additionally, it is a band that performed; it isn’t like one particular person. We’re a band and an entity, so it isn’t like one in all us was the principle man with a reputation. It is actually GOJIRA performing over there, however many individuals do not realize I am taking part in in GOJIRA, as a band additionally. However, no, what we are able to inform it is the general respect for the band now, since we did that. And, as I stated, we, we have been very fortunate to have the ability to do it and having this fucking bonus.”
GOJIRA‘s fiery look on the Olympics angered some Christians on-line, who rapidly branded it “satanic”. Even the controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate accused the West of “worshipping the satan”.
Posting a clip of GOJIRA‘s efficiency, Tate wrote: “Satanists management the west and so they present you that they worship the satan. It isn’t a conspiracy principle. They actually present you. Are you blind?”
Requested by Rolling Stone about Tate‘s criticism that GOJIRA‘s efficiency was “satanic”, Joseph stated: “It is none of that. It is French historical past. It is French allure, , beheaded individuals, pink wine, and blood in all places — it is romantic, it is regular. There’s nothing satanic. [Laughs]
“France is a rustic that made a separation between the state and faith in the course of the revolution. And it is one thing crucial, very pricey to the inspiration of republican France. We name it laïcité. It is when the state just isn’t non secular anymore, so subsequently it is free by way of expression and symbolism. It is all about historical past and information. We do not look too shut intently at symbolism by way of faith.”
Concerning whether or not he and his GOJIRA bandmates thought a lot concerning the duty of representing steel on the world stage, Joseph stated: “I attempt to not suppose an excessive amount of about that as a result of it continues to blow my thoughts. [Laughs] The Olympic Committee may have requested actually anyone to play. I am considering of bands like METALLICA or AC/DC which might be family names and powerhouses in our style that all of us revere and are our heroes. We by no means thought of ourselves the largest band on the earth that may be worthy to play the Olympics or something like that. It is so bizarre.
“The way in which I give it some thought is it is a problem in 2024 to present hope to individuals, to point out one thing unique. Individuals have seen all the pieces from touchdown on the moon to A.I. So it was a problem for Paris and the Committee to specific one thing contemporary, new, and unique [by booking us] and in addition present what France is all about.
“A minimum of for our half, the truth that steel and opera had by no means been seen collectively on TV and in entrance of so many individuals earlier than is an announcement for the nation of France. It is saying, ‘Hey, look. We’re nonetheless pushing the boundaries on the earth.’ So congrats to France for placing this collectively.”
Concerning who picked the track “Ah! Ça Ira” for GOJIRA, Joseph stated: “That wasn’t us in any respect. That was the crew of younger individuals and composers and designers that determined the entire theme. We have been in the dead of night when it got here to the entire ceremony; we have been simply concentrating on that image and that second of Marie Antoinette. We did not know the way it was going to look or the way it would slot in with a complete efficiency. I did not know Girl Gaga or Celine Dion have been going to be there. We have been in [the Olympic Committee’s] confidence, and we weren’t allowed to inform our those that we have been going to do that. We did not know what was going to occur in any respect. We simply went forwards and backwards with the composer of the Olympic ceremony, Victor Le Manse. He threw us a tempo and a tenet. After which we did our factor.”
GOJIRA is taken into account a standard-bearer for French rock and bringing French rock to a world viewers. Steel Hammer declared GOJIRA “steel’s most vital band” in 2016.
GOJIRA has been nominated for a Grammy Award 4 occasions — twice in 2017, for “Greatest Steel Efficiency” and “Greatest Rock Album” (“Magma”),as soon as in 2022 for “Greatest Steel Efficiency” and as soon as in 2025 for “Greatest Steel Efficiency” for “Ah! Ça Ira”.
