Page 66 - ISSUE 2

GRAPPLER Fall 2018

MUSIC GM: Have you had to use what you’ve learned as a martial

artist in the real world, whether it be on an unruly fan, or
just being in and around heavy metal circles?

FEATURE MB: It’s funny you mentioned it, I was just telling somebody
a story over the weekend. We were doing direct support for
Carcass, and we were in New Haven, Connecticut (USA).
This place, Toad’s Place, it’s like right near the Yale campus,
by the Skull and Bones House, and it’s always fun to be up
there and it was a packed show.

So [after our set] as I’m walking out, I see security struggling
with this guy to get him out of the out the building. The guy
looked like he was pretty loaded, wearing khaki pants, no
MATT BRUNSON shirt, a Mohawk [haircut], kind of a big dude.
FROM CROWBAR
So I’m walking out the door, and as they’re kicking him
out, something told me, ‘Just hang back for a few seconds.’
I guess that’s kind of the martial arts thing, like, ‘Okay let’s
Matt Brunson is a man of many talents. The Louisiana see what’s going on here.’
native is a life-long martial artist, with backgrounds in
Hapkido, Judo, Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It always reminds me of the Dimebag Darrell situation,
[when] a fan came in the back door and shot him while he
He has also played lead guitar for Crowbar since 2009. was on stage at Alrosa Villa [Columbus, Ohio, USA]. Ever
The legendary sludgecore band has melted millions of faces since then, fans getting on stage and fans being unruly and
since its inception in 1992 with albums such as Obedience trying to make their way back into the building, [we all] kind
Through Suffering and Time Heals Nothing. Despite their of treat it a little differently once it became a reality that it’s
longevity, they still follow a relentless touring schedule, possible for somebody to do that. So [this] kind of set off a
where typical days off consist of riding in a van 14-straight- little alarm bell, you know? I think he was just trying to get
hours through Europe. back in to enjoy the show, obviously, but it always kind of
makes you worry.
Crowbar is slated to resume performing on 29
September in the United Kingdom. Grappler Mag took a There were three police officers down the street, and they
moment to catch up with Brunson before he heads back see what’s going on, and one of them comes over. The cop
across the pond. tries to grab him, and [the guy] pulls away and tries to force
his way in again. The cop flips out the MEB, the expandable
Grappler Mag: You’re so well-versed in several disciplines, baton, about halfway. He jams the guy in the ribs and tells
how would you describe your style? him to get moving.

Matt Brunson: My style is very old school. I come from a [The guy] turns around and starts trying to advance
real traditional background, so I really focus on the self- towards the cop, so I was like, ‘Alright, fuck this’...Standing
defense aspect of the art, as well as the competition aspect. shoulder-locked him, put him on the ground, got the knee
I don’t want to be closed-minded, but I also want to make in his back, his arm pinned. I look up, and the cop’s looking
sure I focus my training. at me, and he’s bug-eyed, like he wasn’t expecting that.
He’s going to pull out his cuffs, and I’m like, ‘Come on man,
let’s get this going.’

Written By:
BRANDON IBARRA

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