Joseph Duplantier
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Joseph Andrew Duplantier (born 19 October 1976) is a French-American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of heavy metal band
Gojira Gojira (ゴジラ) is the original Japanese name for Godzilla, a giant monster at the center of a media franchise. It may also refer to: Films * ''Godzilla'' franchise, known as ''ゴジラ'' (''Gojira'') in Japan ** ''Godzilla'' (1954 film), rele ...
. He is also a record producer and environmental activist. Duplantier was born in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
and grew up in
Ondres Ondres () is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is only two miles from the nearest beach (Ondres plage), which is well known for being a good surfing spot. Population Culture Ondres is the home ...
. He was raised in an environment where music and arts held a prominent place. He learned to play the guitar at the age of fourteen and formed his first band in high school. He studied art and began working as a graphic designer before co-founding the
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
band Godzilla with his younger brother
Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
in 1996. He was also a member of the band Empalot along with his brother. Godzilla changed its name to Gojira, which rose from obscurity to international prominence. He is also the former bassist of Cavalera Conspiracy, to which Gloria and
Max Cavalera Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera (; born August 4, 1969) is a Brazilian musician. He co-founded the heavy metal band Sepultura in 1984 with his brother Igor Cavalera, and was the band's lead singer and rhythm guitarist until his departure i ...
invited him. Duplantier possesses United States nationality by parentage, which led him to settle in New York City in 2011. He is a recording studio owner in Ridgewood, Queens, called Silver Cord Studio. Throughout his career, he affirmed his concern for nature and animals. He is engaged in thinking about ecological problems and environmental protection, reflected in his lyrics. Duplantier also expressed his support for
indigenous peoples in Brazil Indigenous peoples in Brazil ( pt, povos indígenas no Brasil) or Indigenous Brazilians ( pt, indígenas brasileiros, links=no) once comprised an estimated 2000 tribes and nations inhabiting what is now the country of Brazil, before European con ...
through fundraising efforts.


Early life

Duplantier was born on 19 October 1976 in Paris. His mother, Patricia (''née'' Rosa; 6 October 1950 – 5 July 2015), was
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
. She was born in
Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...
, and grew up in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. His father, Dominique Duplantier, born in 1945 in
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
, is a French
painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
and architectural drafter, a former student in history at the '' Faculté des Lettres'' and
engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a Burin (engraving), burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or Glass engraving, glass ...
at the
Beaux-Arts de Paris The Beaux-Arts de Paris is a French ''grande école'' whose primary mission is to provide high-level arts education and training. This is classical and historical School of Fine Arts in France. The art school, which is part of the Paris Sciences ...
. Due to this, Joe Duplantier (and his brother) has dual nationality of France and the United States. He is ''franco-américain'' (French-American) based primarily on the principle of ''
jus sanguinis ( , , ; 'right of blood') is a principle of nationality law by which citizenship is determined or acquired by the nationality or ethnicity of one or both parents. Children at birth may be citizens of a particular state if either or both of t ...
'' (right of blood), applied through ''attribution à la naissance'' (attribution at birth), because born outside the US but obtained its nationality as he fulfilled the condition stipulating that "at least one of his parents is American". In 1977, the family left Paris and moved to
Ondres Ondres () is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is only two miles from the nearest beach (Ondres plage), which is well known for being a good surfing spot. Population Culture Ondres is the home ...
, a small seaside town in the
Landes department Landes (; oc, label= Gascon and Occitan, Lanas ; eu, Landak) is a department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Southwestern France, with a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It borders Gers to the east, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, to ...
, in an old house with no heating system dating from the
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reache ...
period. He was raised there, in southwest France, near the
Basque country Basque Country may refer to: * Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map) * French Basque Country o ...
, at north of
Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
. His sister, Gabrielle, was born in 1978 in
Bayonne Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...
, and his brother,
Mario is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
, was born in 1981. His mother, manifesting a marked interest in art activities, was a
yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
and
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
teacher in the periphery of Bayonne. The work of precision and patience of his father, who got up every day at 4:30 am to work, had a significant influence on him. His mother described him as "always active, very creative. Sensitive, gentle", with "some secret force within him, some unusual maturity". As a child, the awakening of his ecological conscience had begun after walking on oil traces on the beach. When Duplantier was thirteen, he discovered
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
for the first time, accompanied by his cousin during a visit to his family in
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, near
Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...
. Greeted at the airport by his maternal uncle, it was then that he realized how attracted he was to the city. He grew up in an environment where his parents listened to
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
, fado,
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
,
Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
, Chopin, Piaf,
L. Shankar Lakshminarayana Shankar (born 26 April 1950), better known as L. Shankar, Shankar and Shenkar, is an Indian violinist, singer and composer. Early life, family and education Shankar was born in Madras, India, and raised in Ceylon (current- ...
,
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
,
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
,
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...
,
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop si ...
,
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...
,
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
,
the Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Police ...
, Supertramp, and
Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...
. His sister listened to world music,
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
, and
African African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
. According to Duplantier's recollection, he began by taking
piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
lessons but soon realized that he preferred the guitar. He began playing his mother's
classical guitar The classical guitar (also known as the nylon-string guitar or Spanish guitar) is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wooden string instrument with strings made of gut or nylon, it is a precursor o ...
, which only had two strings. He listened to hip hop music during a period of time while his cousin was passionate about
Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
and
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
. He experienced
bullying Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by others) of an imba ...
at school. Subsequently, a second incident marked him when his brother contracted
ear infections Otitis is a general term for inflammation or infection, inner ear infection, middle ear infection of the ear, in both humans and other animals. When infection is present, it may be viral or bacterial. When inflammation is present due to fluid bui ...
after swimming in
polluted water Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...
. With his brother, he was dismayed by the
household A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is im ...
and
industrial waste Industrial waste is the waste produced by industrial activity which includes any material that is rendered useless during a manufacturing process such as that of factories, mills, and mining operations. Types of industrial waste include dirt and ...
s and dead animals stranded in the
protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
of the
dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...
s of Ondres. Through the influence of his cousin, he began learning to play Metallica's " Fade to Black" on the guitar when he developed his understanding on this matter. At the age of fourteen, Duplantier began listening to Metallica's ''
Ride the Lightning ''Ride the Lightning'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at ...
'' to find out more about this musical genre which aroused his curiosity. He continued his interests in metal music with '' Master of Puppets'', then Sepultura, and seeking to define his own musical identity he pursued
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
through the band
Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
. In high school, at seventeen years of age, he formed his first band, called Eclipse, and embarked on
jam session A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without exte ...
s with his brother, who had a growing interest and aptitude for drumming. Duplantier went to
university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
for two years and spent between three and four years in art school, after which he began working as a
graphic designer A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography, or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, ...
for a short time. '' Dead Man Walking'' by
Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film ''The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards for his role ...
has been his favorite movie growing up. When he was a young man, he distinguished himself by picking up trash on a beach and scattering it on a French parking lot, attracting the attention of the local media. Duplantier said: "I found it so weird; people aren't bothered by what's on the beach, but when it's on a parking lot, it becomes a problem".


Career


Gojira

Duplantier and his brother began their band and established themselves on the southwest France live circuit. Initially called Godzilla in 1996, the band was later renamed
Gojira Gojira (ゴジラ) is the original Japanese name for Godzilla, a giant monster at the center of a media franchise. It may also refer to: Films * ''Godzilla'' franchise, known as ''ゴジラ'' (''Gojira'') in Japan ** ''Godzilla'' (1954 film), rele ...
. He recalled building cabins in the forest as a child. Then, at the age of twenty-four, he decided to return to the forest and built a new one where he would live with his girlfriend for two years without income or electricity. Gojira's 2001 debut studio album, '' Terra Incognita'', was written during this experience. When launching the band, singing in French was irrelevant for Duplantier; he chose instead to sing in English in efforts to globally project the band's aspirations. Thus, he said he did not sing about the problems of France but international issues and the damage inflicted on the planet. He said, "We consider ourselves above all as human, not French." According to Duplantier, the band's primary goal was to maintain complete autonomy and "total control over the band's music". He has been responsible for the
artworks A work of art, artwork, art piece, piece of art or art object is an artistic creation of aesthetics, aesthetic value. Except for "work of art", which may be used of any work regarded as art in its widest sense, including works from ...
for Gojira's albums, each representing an idea that he spontaneously designs, highlighting visual
minimalism In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...
and conciseness while trying to stand out from the codes of the metal scene. Touring in support of their second album, '' The Link'', Duplantier used to let his imagination run free when performing the songs' extended outro, developing a propensity to experience a " vision" while in a "
trance Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
"; saying, One of his first achievements was when the band reached headliner status in France and performed at the Paris'
Élysée Montmartre Élysée Montmartre (french: L'Élysée Montmartre) is a music venue located at 72 Boulevard de Rochechouart, Paris, France. It opened in 1807, burned down in 2011, reopened in 2016, and has a capacity of 1,380 patrons. The nearest métro statio ...
, promoting ''
From Mars to Sirius ''From Mars to Sirius'' is the third studio album by the French progressive metal/technical death metal band Gojira. It is a concept album addressing environmental issues and the rebirth of a dead planet through a space travel storyline, with t ...
'' and then initiating their first tours overseas, notably in America. In 2008,
Randy Blythe Randy is a given name, popular in the United States and Canada. It is primarily a masculine name. It was originally derived from the names Randall, Randolf, Randolph, as well as Bertrand and Andrew, and may be a short form (hypocorism) of them ...
flew from the US to France to record his vocals on and was hosted at Duplantier's home in the southwest for a week. In 2012, he also occasionally played drums in live performances when he and his brother switched places. A week before the release of Gojira's ''
Magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
'', he expressed his disillusionment when he said that the metal genre did not receive the attention of the main French-language media. He described the genre as a niche that has been perceived as culturally unimportant in the country, compared to
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
and
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Benoit Guerin, department director of ''
Ouest-France ''Ouest-France'' ( ; French for "West-France") is a daily French newspaper known for its emphasis on both local and national news. The paper is produced in 47 different editions covering events in different French départments within the régio ...
'', echoed his view and wrote, "In France, odern'' chanson'' is the queen", noting that it took Gojira a significant impact on the metal music scene and decades-long experience "to benefit from media spotlights worthy of their rank in their own country". Throughout 2016 and 2017, the French press would publish after scrutiny that Gojira ended up being one of the largest exporters of music from France, leading the country's metal category. In 2017, Gojira performed two consecutive sold-out concerts at the Paris'
Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
, at a time when the band was at its peak of popularity. In 2021, '' Fortitude'' increased Gojira's media exposure in France and earned them global chart success through the album revolving around Duplantier's committed and positive lyrics. The band was scheduled for its first headlining
arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
tour in Europe and the UK in 2022, including the 20,300-capacity Accor Arena in Paris (it was postponed to 2023 due to COVID-19 restrictions). Duplantier portrayed the band's lifestyle as "marginal", comprising musicians more creative than "self-destructive", and more interested in art than partying. He later said they were "lucky" to meet because communication was the indicator of their personality matching and also noted that none of them have drug addiction problems. Thus, the line-up, including
Jean-Michel Labadie Jean-Michel Labadie (born 14 July 1974 in Cambo-les-Bains, Basque Country) is a French musician best known as the bassist of metal band Gojira. Career Labadie grew up in the Basque Country, and played bass in regional underground bands. Sin ...
and Christian Andreu, has never changed. Duplantier portrays Gojira as "four brothers, united, to live our passion".


Empalot

He was also in a festive and theatrical band playing a fusion of musical genres called Empalot, involving his brother and friends, which toured in France from 1999 to 2004. For him, the project was synonymous with fits of laughter and happiness.


Cavalera Conspiracy

In 2007,
Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
and Igor Cavalera initially asked Labadie, bassist of Gojira, to do bass duties for their band, Cavalera Conspiracy; however, Labadie was busy with prior commitments, including Gojira. Instead, Duplantier ended up being the band's bassist through the influence of Max Cavalera's wife, Gloria. Playing Sepultura's "
Territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...
" with the Cavalera brothers during the first jam session in the presence of all the families left him indelible memories. Moreover, while working with the band on their debut album, he experienced a diametrically different studio process, as the songs composed in the morning were recorded "spontaneously" in the afternoon. The studio session lasted fifteen to twenty days. Duplantier stated that Gojira and the recording of ''
The Way of All Flesh ''The Way of All Flesh'' (sometimes called ''Ernest Pontifex, or the Way of All Flesh'') is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler that attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the ...
'' had been his main priority, which led him not to do extensive touring with Cavalera Conspiracy. In 2008, he was replaced by Johny Chow on bass duties for Cavalera Conspiracy. Max Cavalera regretted that Duplantier did not appear on the band's second album, '' Blunt Force Trauma''. Cavalera said, "He is a great musician, with a lot of good ideas."


Silver Cord Studio

Duplantier is the owner of Silver Cord Studio, a recording studio located in
Ridgewood Ridgewood may refer to: Geography Australia *Ridgewood, Western Australia Canada * Ridgewood, Ontario *Ridgewood, Edmonton, Alberta United Kingdom *Ridgewood, East Sussex United States *Ridgewood Heights, California * Ridgewood, Illinois *Ridge ...
,
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
, New York, which he designed himself. After the experience of Gojira's recording studio in the
Landes ''Landes'', or ''Lanas'' in Gascon, means moorland or heath. ''Landes'' and ''Lanas'' come from the Latin ''plānus'' meaning “‘flat, even, level, plain’”. They are therefore cognate with the English plain (and plane), the Spanish word '' ...
, called Le Studio des Milans, Duplantier sought to continue producing albums independently and planned to create new premises for the band in the US. A friend brought his attention to the Rockwall Studios complex, which contains 100 spaces for artists. Following the project initiation, he teamed up with a friend and sound engineer from
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. With the DIY ethic, he built the studio with the help of friends and people he hired. Duplantier managed the construction project and was involved daily over a period of six months. The studio's construction began in November 2014 and was completed at the pivotal moment of the recording start of Gojira's ''Magma''. Becoming the band's headquarter in the US, Duplantier's Silver Cord Studio was inaugurated in April 2015. The studio's name refers to Gojira's instrumental acoustic song, "The Silver Cord", from ''The Way of All Flesh''; he said that like the song, it "now means something else, something very different". On 6 June 2015, it became available for other bands, artists, and producers. In 2016, by acknowledging that he appreciated creating musical arrangements while being responsible for the overall production of recorded music, Duplantier saw himself more as a
producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
than a musician. That year, Gojira has been considered a "bi-national band". Following a vocal collaboration with
Car Bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...
on "Third Revelation" in 2012, Duplantier decided to undertake his production activities (apart from Gojira) in 2016 for their album, ''
Meta Meta (from the Greek μετά, '' meta'', meaning "after" or "beyond") is a prefix meaning "more comprehensive" or "transcending". In modern nomenclature, ''meta''- can also serve as a prefix meaning self-referential, as a field of study or ende ...
''. He mainly produces American bands at Silver Cord Studio. In September 2018, Nick John, the Gojira,
Mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...
, and
Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
manager, died from cancer. Mastodon performed a rendition of
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
's
Stairway to Heaven "Stairway to Heaven" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by the band's guitarist Jimmy Page and lead singer Robert Plant for their untitled fourth studio album (often titled ''Led Zeppelin IV'') ...
at his funeral while Duplantier recorded it on his cell phone. Afterward, Duplantier readjusted the audio taken from his phone and recorded it in his studio with Mastodon for an enhanced version. It was released for
Record Store Day Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...
on a 10-inch album limited to 1,500 copies with the studio version of the song on the A-side and the live version on the B-side, whose sale proceeds were donated to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.


Other projects

Duplantier has written and recorded hundreds of demo songs since the early 2000s, which are of an experimental genre. With his music, he explores different sounds, ventures into clean singing, and continues his "personal development", which thus indirectly influences Gojira's compositions.


Artistry


Influences

Duplantier's early influences include bands such as Death, Metallica,
Morbid Angel Morbid Angel is an American death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling ...
, Sepultura,
Cannibal Corpse Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band formed in Buffalo, New York in 1988, now based out of Tampa, Florida. The band has released fifteen studio albums, two box sets, four video albums, and two live albums. The band has had little radi ...
, and Slayer. He said that the ambition of Gojira in their early days was to be "violent and dissonant and weird". Duplantier cites Mike Oldfield and his 1983 album '' Crises'' as a significant musical inspiration. As he grew older, Duplantier mentioned other musical styles as influences, such as
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
, traditional
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
, Americana, and
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
. In 2021, he has also discussed how
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
, Led Zeppelin and
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
are continuing inspirations to him. Other artists who Duplantier has cited as influences include Portishead,
Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
, and
Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
. He has also been surrounded by non-musical influences, such as noise, landscape, and emotion. Duplantier has a wide range of musical tastes. He has an interest in the music of Massive Attack, "old
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
", Dead Can Dance,
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
,
traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
, and
Stephan Micus Stephan Micus (; born 19 January 1953) is a German musician and composer, whose musical style is heavily influenced by his study of traditional instruments and musical techniques from Japan, India, South America, and other countries. With the exc ...
. He has expressed admiration for French singer and songwriter Alain Bashung.


Voice

Duplantier has been known for his aggressive vocals and own signature style, going from a typical
death growl A death growl, or simply growl, is an extended vocal technique usually employed in extreme styles of music, particularly in death metal and other extreme subgenres of heavy metal music. Death growl vocals are sometimes criticized for their ...
to an emphasis on clean singing in Gojira's latest works. He began using the
screaming A scream is a loud speech production, vocalization in which air is passed through the vocal cords with greater force than is used in regular or close-distance vocalisation. This can be performed by any creature possessing lungs, including human ...
and guttural vocal styles in an instinctive response to his "rage about the world", the planet's environmental problems, the "cruelty of other kids" at school, and
politics Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
; he said, "I had to grab a guitar and start screaming". Duplantier's clean singing had already appeared on ''Terra Incognita''s "Clone", conveying the message of human interference with Mother Nature. He used different techniques on the ''From Mars to Sirius'' album, going from a "growling timbre" to "semi-clean" vocals in an intonation echoing
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
singer Jaz Coleman. He experimented with his voice on ''The Way of All Flesh'', and then he continued the clean vocals with the low note on '' L'Enfant Sauvage''s "Born in Winter". In addition, he brought the
vocoder A vocoder (, a portmanteau of ''voice'' and ''encoder'') is a category of speech coding that analyzes and synthesizes the human voice signal for audio data compression, multiplexing, voice encryption or voice transformation. The vocoder was ...
for robotic voice effects in "A Sight to Behold". In 2016, Duplantier said he redefined his vocal style with an even greater emphasis on singing. He has expanded his
vocal range Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...
by personal choice, citing a "vital" need to sing to develop vocal versatility and style diversity. He would take a new vocal approach to his performances during the recording of ''Magma''. On ''Fortitude'', music writer Chad Bowar regarded his vocal performances as a combination of all of his previous techniques: "harsh and melodic". His throat singing was incorporated with various musical forms punctuating "Amazonia", such as the
woodwind instrument Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the greater category of wind instruments. Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and Reed ...
and the Jaw harp. For their review of this album, ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' stated that Duplantier's "vocals and lyrical writing remain at the top of his game, and they further cement him as one of the most unique sounding aggressive vocalists of all time."


Lyrical themes

In 2016, Duplantier gave a broad interpretation of the lyrical theme of Gojira's songs, saying, "My lyrics speak above all about the liberation of the soul, encourage to see the beauty of things." According to Duplantier, the title of Gojira's second album, ''The Link'', was a
symbol A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
ic "link" between earth and sky, in allusion to an individual spiritual journey toward self-knowledge. The roots of the tree symbolized the
unconscious Unconscious may refer to: Physiology * Unconsciousness, the lack of consciousness or responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli Psychology * Unconscious mind, the mind operating well outside the attention of the conscious mind a ...
, while the branches symbolized the
divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine
; thus, the link represented the
trunk Trunk may refer to: Biology * Trunk (anatomy), synonym for torso * Trunk (botany), a tree's central superstructure * Trunk of corpus callosum, in neuroanatomy * Elephant trunk, the proboscis of an elephant Computing * Trunk (software), in rev ...
. Thematically, Gojira's third album recounted the transition from a situation of conflict and war to a situation of serenity that he hoped to see accomplished within humanity, hence the album's title, ''From Mars to Sirius''. Duplantier paid homage to the intelligence of whales on the album and was also inspired by an idea of
extraterrestrial life Extraterrestrial life, colloquially referred to as alien life, is life that may occur outside Earth and which did not originate on Earth. No extraterrestrial life has yet been conclusively detected, although efforts are underway. Such life might ...
on the "ocean planet"
Sirius Sirius is the list of brightest stars, brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek language, Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinisation ...
C. At that time, he said he has been interested in "other worlds" beyond the
earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
and "
different realities ''Different Realities'' is the fourth studio album by Swedish rock band Siena Root. It´s an album of two musical pieces, where side A is leaning more to the electric side of Siena Root, and side B more to the acoustic. The B-side is a "raagmala" ...
". While he theorized that
whales Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and ...
would inhabit Sirius C, ''From Mars to Sirius'' was also ecologically themed. Some of the lyrical themes of Gojira reflect Duplantier's personal beliefs in preserving the environment. Adrien Begrand of ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' noted that he explored the
metaphysical Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity, and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of conscio ...
, "elemental", environmental, and spiritual themes on ''The Way of All Flesh'', using words "often poetic" in an approach exhibiting "sincerity and complete lack of pretension". The album ''L'Enfant Sauvage'' elaborated on the theme of man's relationship with
nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physics, physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomenon, phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. ...
and was juxtaposed with his "difficult" choice he made—collectively with Gojira—to integrate himself "to a certain extent" into society to devote his life to music, rather than living "in a cabin surrounded by nature". The newspaper ''
Voir ''Voir'' was a francophone alternative weekly newspaper in Montreal, Quebec, published by Communications Voir. ''Voir'' was founded by Pierre Paquet in November 1986. The first issue of the newspaper was published on 27 November 1986. Later on t ...
'' describes him as "caught between the
concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...
and the
bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...
" and writes that he has nevertheless retained his lucidity to focus on art. The philosophical reflection on the relationship of man to nature has been a theme that perpetually fascinated Duplantier. Duplantier's texts also explore themes such as
anguish Anguish (from the Latin ''angustia'' "distress") is "extreme unhappiness caused by physical or mental suffering." The feeling of anguish is typically preceded by a tragedy or event that has a profound meaning to the being in question. Anguish can ...
, death, and loss. He has a philosophical view of death which he, therefore, describes as "the idea of death", and believes in the
afterlife The afterlife (also referred to as life after death) is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's identity or their stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. The surviving ess ...
, a notion he shared with his mother. ''Magma''s writing and release allow him to understand and accept his own ageing and to apprehend his departure to "another dimension". "Stranded" is a personal song; thus, he did not want to reveal the meaning of the lyrics, nor to whom the song was directed, particularly the line "You kill me face down, dead". However, Duplantier explained problematic communication with a person close to him whom he esteemed. Lyrically "Silvera" focuses on topics including exploitation of farm animals by industrial and
animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
and detail cruelty inflicted on animals shown in the lines, "Dead bodies falling from the sky/We are the ape with the vision of the killing." Speaking on his own behalf and on behalf of Gojira, Duplantier said, nonetheless, that e"do not go on a crusade" or impose isideas on other bands while on tour. According to him, music has remained the most important; saying, "It is raw and in your face." Reviewing "Amazonia", Alec Chillingworth of ''
Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...
'' praised its musical style combined with the themes Duplantier drew on his lyrics and described it as Gojira's "starkest, definitive protest song".


Advocacy and activism

Duplantier supports and is part of the environmental corporation
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is a non-profit, marine conservation activism organization based in Friday Harbor, Washington, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington, in the United States. Sea Shepherd employs direct action t ...
.
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
's ''Radio Metal'' asked him what he would do for a living if he was not in Gojira—or even if he would not have made music at all; he responded, "I would be an activist in
Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...
or Sea Shepherd, an action that defends the planet or the animals. Without any hesitation." He said of himself and Gojira that they spontaneously headed toward
Paul Watson Paul Franklin Watson (born December 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American conservation and environmental movement, environmental activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine c ...
and Sea Shepherd and began supporting the organization because, according to him, they became "hard heads" similarly to the band due to the same
nomad A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...
ic lifestyle; adding that they "give everything for their passion, to defend the earth". He felt "mentally" and "spiritually" engaged in the future of the planet; he said, "I have it in my guts. Why? I never really knew". Duplantier observed that the planet has been overpopulated and thus argued about his lifestyle in accordance with his convictions, saying: "I try to reduce my impact", adding, "but that seems like just a drop in the ocean". He has been interested and worried about the environmental impact of animal husbandry which demands resources such as water, food and contributes to
deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...
. Duplantier was a
vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism m ...
but switched to a
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...
diet. He has been vegan since 2014. He constantly described himself as an animal-defender speaking in favor of preserving species while evoking humans' responsibility, saying, "The
extinction Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
of so many species is going to be one of our legacies". His inner conviction has been represented in ''Magma''s "Silvera" lyrics, shown in the line, "No other blood in me but mine", validating that he does not eat any animals. Duplantier is a member of the International Artists Solidarity organization. Duplantier said he was "not a fan" of
Greta Thunberg Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg (; born 3 January 2003) is a Swedish environmental activist who is known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation. Thunberg's activism began when she persuaded ...
, although he appreciated that she "has no filters"; he felt rather in the same line of action as English singer
Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-eart ...
, referring to the latter's activist work in the 1990s. In April 2021, in an interview with
Zane Lowe Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter. After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
on Apple Music 1, he mentioned his intention to launch the band's own foundation to develop its activist branch. He has said being sensitive to the
deforestation of the Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world, covering an area of 3,000,000 km2 (2,316,612.95 square miles). It represents over half of the planet's rainforests and comprises the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropica ...
, and after reflection and speech, he decided to undertake actions to accomplish positive results. During the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, using
Zoom call Zoom, stylized as zoom or Zoom Meetings is a proprietary videotelephony software program developed by Zoom Video Communications. The free plan allows up to 100 concurrent participants, with a 40-minute time restriction. Users have the option ...
, Duplantier decided to initiate a dialogue with the Indigenous leader Sonia Guajajara of the Articulation of Indigenous People of
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, an Indigenously-owned organization fighting for their rights. Guajajara represents more than 300 Indigenous tribes of the Brazilian Amazon. He also spoke with fifteen other Indigenous leaders. In 2021, along with Gojira, he launched Operation Amazonia, an auction to raise funds for the APIB. The charity auction raised more than $300,000 through donations from Metallica,
Tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...
, Devin Townsend,
Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash ...
, Slayer, among others. For several days in late August 2021, Duplantier participated in demonstrations supporting the Indigenous cause at one of the largest rallies of Indigenous people in Brazil. The protests held at
Monumental Axis The Monumental Axis ( pt, Eixo Monumental) is a central avenue in Brasília's city design. The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Espla ...
were in opposition to a proposed law initiated in 2007, called "PL490", that would change the status of native people. PL490 would supplant the '' Fundação Nacional do Índio'' and the
Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...
which decide on the demarcation of Indigenous peoples' lands, thus giving "the last word" to the
National Congress of Brazil The National Congress of Brazil ( pt, Congresso Nacional do Brasil) is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government. Unlike the state legislative assemblies and municipal chambers, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senat ...
. The
bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Plac ...
("law project" in Europe) being in a favorable environment in 2021, allows the exercise of economic activities on the lands of Indigenous peoples, the modification of their demarcation, and the prohibition of the expansion of existing reserves. The protests also oppose the "federal government's anti-Indigenous policies". An action organized by artists, including Duplantier, was undertaken during the protests in the Three Powers Plaza, in front of the
Supreme Federal Court The Supreme Federal Court ( pt, Supremo Tribunal Federal, , abbreviated STF) is the supreme court (court of last resort) of Brazil, serving primarily as the Constitutional Court of the country. It is the highest court of law in Brazil for consti ...
, with the intention of "putting pressure" on it and raising public awareness. The action, led by the Indigenous women of
Guarani-Kaiowá Guarani-Kaiowás () are an indigenous people of Paraguay, the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul and northeastern Argentina. In Brazil, they inhabit Ñande Ru Marangatu, an area of tropical rainforest. This was declared a reservation in Octob ...
, resulted in a performance by Duplantier accompanied by these artists who poured blood on the ground and then mopped it up, shouting repeatedly "Indigenous blood, not a drop more". Duplantier said that it was "A beautiful example of unity and how to turn anger and despair into chanting and dance."


Personal life


Family

In 2010, while Gojira was on tour supporting Metallica in
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
, Duplantier met his future wife twice in the same day during a "day off"; then
Lars Ulrich Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...
invited them to drink wine together at the end of the night. In late 2011, Duplantier relocated to New York at the start of the recording of ''L'Enfant Sauvage''. The couple got married, and their daughter was born during the winter months of 2012. His wife, Vilma, is an artist and animal rights activist. He described Ulrich as having become a "kind of godfather" to their children, Mila, and Orest. Though he lived in the outskirts of Bayonne in southwest France, he now resides permanently in
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and son (born 2014). His children have been raised listening to Billie Holiday, the Beatles, Michael Jackson,
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
, and metal to develop their musical sensitivity. Duplantier said he had made a long-planned move to the US because of his dual nationality, and to remain closer to his maternal family and Gojira's management, record company, and lawyer. He is a
bilingual Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...
speaker of English and French. In mid-April 2015, he (and his brother) flew back to France after an unexpected abrupt deterioration of his mother's state of health. His mother, diagnosed with
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
, asked the family to organize a "great celebration" and a "huge fire" after her death. On 5 July 2015, his mother died in France. His sister, Gabrielle, is a
fine-art photographer Fine-art photography is photography created in line with the vision of the photographer as artist, using photography as a medium for creative expression. The goal of fine-art photography is to express an idea, a message, or an emotion. This stand ...
working alongside her father on the family property in Ondres. During the
November 2015 Paris attacks The November 2015 Paris attacks () were a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist attacks that took place on Friday, 13 November 2015 in Paris, France, and the city's northern suburb, Saint-Denis. Beginning at 9:15p.m., three suicide bombers ...
, she was barricaded in a room close to the Bataclan theater's events while working on a photo shoot. Being in New York, Duplantier stated he was unable to reach her on the phone during the mass shooting; he said, "It was horror. There are no words". She survived the attacks on the Bataclan.


Political views

In 2008, Duplantier made a pro-US discourse, stating that the influence of the United States has "a lot of weight in the world, in the world's economy", benefiting from being "a very culturally wealthy country", and has succeeded in "facing the future instead of being in the past". In 2017, he revealed that he no longer believed in politics, saying that "people spend too much time thinking about politicians", wondering "what they can do for them." He added: "I believe in revolution, but the revolution must come from each individual, from within." In 2021, he declared himself opposed to
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
ian president
Jair Bolsonaro Jair Messias Bolsonaro (; born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and retired military officer who has been the 38th president of Brazil since 1 January 2019. He was elected in 2018 as a member of the Social Liberal Party, which he turn ...
, who accelerated the destruction of the
Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...
and impeded indigenous peoples' rights.


Equipment

When playing with Gojira in 2009, Duplantier's equipment was listed as the following: *Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature San Dimas Style 2 *Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro Mod San Dimas Style 2 *Jackson SLS Guitar *EVH 5150 III amplifier head *EVH 5150 III 4x12 Cab *Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner pedal *Noise Suppressor pedal *Dunlop .88 millimeter tortex picks *DiMarzio ClipLock black strap


Discography


Gojira

;Demos * ''Victim'' (as Godzilla) (1996) * ''Possessed'' (as Godzilla) (1997) * ''Saturate'' (as Godzilla) (1999) * ''Wisdom Comes'' (as Godzilla) (2000) ;EPs * '' Maciste All'Inferno'' (Gojira) (2003) * ''End of Time'' (Gojira) (2012) ;Studio albums * '' Terra Incognita'' (2001) * '' The Link'' (2003) * ''
From Mars to Sirius ''From Mars to Sirius'' is the third studio album by the French progressive metal/technical death metal band Gojira. It is a concept album addressing environmental issues and the rebirth of a dead planet through a space travel storyline, with t ...
'' (2005) * ''
The Way of All Flesh ''The Way of All Flesh'' (sometimes called ''Ernest Pontifex, or the Way of All Flesh'') is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler that attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the ...
'' (2008) * '' L'Enfant Sauvage'' (2012) * ''
Magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
'' (2016) * '' Fortitude'' (2021)


Empalot

* '' Brout'' (demo, 1999) * '' Tous aux Cèpes'' (full-length, 2002) * ''
Empalot en Concert Empalot were a French experimental rock band formed in the Landes in 1998 by brothers Joe and Mario Duplantier of Gojira. The band members were Laurentx Etxemendi on saxophone, Joe Duplantier on vocals and guitar, Stéphane Chateauneuf on vocal ...
'' (live, 2004)


Cavalera Conspiracy

* "Sanctuary" (single, 2008) * ''
Inflikted ''Inflikted'' is the debut studio album from Cavalera Conspiracy, the Cavalera brothers' first record together in 12 years - since the release of ''Roots (Sepultura album), Roots'' by Sepultura in 1996. Album information Max Cavalera had indicate ...
'' (full-length, 2008)


As a guest or session musician

* ''Eros & Thanatos'' by Manimal (on "Dead Meat") (full-length, 2004) * ''Through the Absurd'' by Trepalium (on "Sauvage") (full-length, 2004) * ''Contraires'' by MyPollux (on "Coffre à Souhaits") (full-length, 2006) * ''Demi-Deuil'' by Aygghon (on "La Terre Dolente") (full-length, 2006) * ''All Seeing Eyes'' by Klone (on "All Seeing Eyes") (full-length, 2008) * ''For Death, Glory and the End of the World'' by Kruger (on "Muscle") (full-length, 2009) * '' 7th Symphony'' by Apocalyptica (on "Bring Them to Light") (full-length, 2010) * ''
Deconstruction The term deconstruction refers to approaches to understanding the relationship between text and meaning. It was introduced by the philosopher Jacques Derrida, who defined it as a turn away from Platonism's ideas of "true" forms and essences w ...
'' by
Devin Townsend Project Devin Garrett Townsend (born May 5, 1972) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He founded extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad and was its primary songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist from 1994 to 2007. He has also h ...
(on "Sumeria", alongside
Paul Masvidal Paul Albert Masvidal (born January 20, 1971) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist, singer and a founding member of the progressive metal band Cynic (band), Cynic. He has remained a continual member in Cynic for nearly three dec ...
of Cynic) (full-length, 2011) * ''
w^w^^w^w ''w^w^^w^w'' is the second studio album by the American band Car Bomb, published in 2012. The album was first released online, reaching the #2 spot on Bandcamp.com's top sellers list during the first week of October 2012. In a statement at the ...
'' by
Car Bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...
(on "Third Revelation") (full-length, 2012) * ''
The Old Believer The Old Believer is the third studio album by American band The Atlas Moth. It was released on June 10, 2014 under Profound Lore Records Profound Lore Records is a Canadian independent record label founded in May 2004, which "began as the 'hobb ...
'' by
the Atlas Moth The Atlas Moth is an American post-metal band from Chicago, Illinois, that formed in 2007. Background The band made its full-length debut on Candlelight in 2009 with ''A Glorified Piece of Blue-Sky'', following up in 2011 with ''An Ache for the ...
(on "Blood Will Tell") (full-length, 2014) * ''Damballa's Voodoo Doll'' by Trepalium (on "Damballa's Voodoo Doll"), alongside Matthieu Metzger of Klone (full-length, 2015) * ''
Meta Meta (from the Greek μετά, '' meta'', meaning "after" or "beyond") is a prefix meaning "more comprehensive" or "transcending". In modern nomenclature, ''meta''- can also serve as a prefix meaning self-referential, as a field of study or ende ...
'' by
Car Bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...
(on "The Oppressor") (full-length, 2016) * ''
MCID ''MCID'' (initialism for "My Crew Is Dope") is the third studio album by American rock band Highly Suspect, released on November 1, 2019. ''Loudwire'' named it one of the 50 best rock albums of 2019. History On August 16, 2019, Highly Suspect anno ...
'' by Highly Suspect (on "SOS") (full-length, 2019) * ''Heavy Steps'' by Comeback Kid (on "Crossed") (full-length, 2022)


As a producer

* ''
Meta Meta (from the Greek μετά, '' meta'', meaning "after" or "beyond") is a prefix meaning "more comprehensive" or "transcending". In modern nomenclature, ''meta''- can also serve as a prefix meaning self-referential, as a field of study or ende ...
'' by Car Bomb (full-length, 2016) * ''Badder Than Brooklyn'' by Decatur (full-length, 2017) * ''
The Legacy of Shi ''The Legacy of Shi'' is the second studio album from French heavy metal and hardcore punk band Rise of the Northstar. It was released on October 19, 2018, through SharpTone Records in the United States, and everywhere else on Nuclear Blast. The a ...
'' by
Rise of the Northstar Rise of the Northstar (abbreviated as ROTNS) is a French heavy metal and hardcore punk band from Paris. Formed in 2008, the band combines heavy metal, hip-hop, and hardcore punk with Japanese pop culture influences. The band currently consists ...
(full-length, 2018) * ''NYNX'' by McLoud (full-length, 2019) *"SOS" by Highly Suspect (song, 2019)


Notes


References


Sources

*


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Duplantier, Joe 1976 births 21st-century bass guitarists 21st-century French singers 21st-century French male singers Cavalera Conspiracy members Death metal musicians English-language singers from France French bass guitarists French environmentalists French heavy metal guitarists French heavy metal singers French male guitarists French multi-instrumentalists French people of American descent Gojira (band) members Indigenous rights activists Living people Male bass guitarists Musicians from Brooklyn Progressive metal guitarists Record producers from New York (state)