Nearly four decades into one of the most enduring careers in extreme metal, Cannibal Corpse<\/strong> drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz<\/strong> says the band is still taking things one day at a time.<\/p>\n Speaking with Jacob Ridenour<\/strong> on the Wildman<\/em> podcast, Mazurkiewicz<\/strong> reflected on life, longevity, and the unlikely endurance of one of death metal’s most influential acts.<\/p>\n “It’s going pretty good. I can’t complain. I’m just taking it day by day, of course,” Mazurkiewicz<\/strong> said. “You just gotta live life to the fullest, I guess, no matter what. But yeah, overall I’m in a good place right now personally, with the band and all that kind of stuff. So yeah, I can’t complain whatsoever.”<\/p>\n The drummer, who co-founded the band alongside bassist Alex Webster<\/strong>, acknowledged the surreal feeling of approaching the band’s 38th<\/sup> anniversary.<\/p>\n “It’s crazy to think that we’re going on the 38th<\/sup>-year anniversary of the band,” he said. “Of course, myself and Alex<\/strong> being the two original members, being there since day one. What a ride it’s been, what a journey.”<\/p>\n Despite the years, the band’s momentum hasn’t slowed. Mazurkiewicz<\/strong> says it’s especially rewarding to see the group remain relevant with fans while continuing to release new music and tour heavily.<\/p>\n “The fact that we’re still around and relevant and we feel that we’re making good music and fans are coming out to see us \u2014 it’s a great feeling,” he explained. “We’ll just keep going as long as we can. Obviously at some point it’s gonna have to end, but we’re taking it day by day. Either way, it’s going great. We’re happy to be where we’re at and have the fanbase that we have. It’s an amazing thing.”<\/p>\n When the band first formed in the late ’80s, Mazurkiewicz<\/strong> admits he never imagined they would still be performing nearly 40 years later.<\/p>\n “We were basically teenagers when we started, so your mentality is a little bit different,” he said. “At that point you’re thinking, ‘Playing in a band when you’re 40 or 50? That doesn’t make sense.’ You think the band’s shelf life is going to be a lot shorter.”<\/p>\n Those early expectations didn’t exactly age well: “I remember thinking, ‘When I’m 40, I’ll probably settle down and have a family and all that,'” he continued.<\/p>\n “But I’ll be 58 this year, and who would have ever thought that I’d still be playing drums in a death metal band and that we’d still be doing as well as we are? We’re probably doing better than we ever have in those regards.”<\/p>\n For Mazurkiewicz<\/strong>, the reason bands like Cannibal Corpse<\/strong> endure ultimately comes down to passion. “If you start doing this and you love it, that’s your passion and that’s what you want to do,” he said. “Once you get your foot in the door and things are going well, why would you want to stop?”<\/p>\n He even pointed to veteran rock icons like The Rolling Stones<\/strong> as proof that artists rarely walk away if they still have the ability and the drive.<\/p>\n “This is your life,” Mazurkiewicz<\/strong> added. “You’re gonna do it as long as you can. It’ll come down to health and all that. Can we do it another five years, 10 years? Who knows? We never thought we’d be doing it this long already.”\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Enter your information below to get a daily update with all of our headlines and receive The Orchard Metal newsletter.<\/p>\n