Empty Words, the official website for the legendary DEATH/CONTROL mainman Chuck Schuldiner have posted an interview with Chuck's mom, titled: Chuck Schuldiner: The Man Behind The Myth, published in the Brazilian newspaper O Dia. Written by Mara Vanessa, an excerpt follows:

In the early eighties, Charles Michael Schuldiner, also known as Chuck Schuldiner, was an ordinary teenager that liked playing the guitar, having fun with friends and going to heavy metal and rock n’ roll shows. At the time, the musical style known as thrash metal was growing exponentially in a part of San Francisco, California known as the Bay Area. This growth contributed to the rise of heavy music, spreading it through the four corners of the world. Because of this inspiration Chuck Schuldiner, age 16, decided to move on with his band, because the time had come to leave the garage and the school parties to conquer another places.

This was the kick-start of Chuck’s musical career and the birth of one of the most iconic heavy music bands of all time, Death. Another major step was the 1987 release of their debut album, Scream Bloody Gore. Considered a classic in the genre, it presented an approach that was completely different from everything people were listening to at the time, with complex and well worked guitars, predominant guttural vocals and a partnership between sound and lyrics which bordered on perfection.

The rest is history! With each new release the band became even more famous, helping to create a new style inside the heavy metal. Moreover the degree of influence of the guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner grew exponentially. With each new release, the fans, musicians, bands and the specialized critics burnt. This part is purely a biographic register. What few people know is that the prominent American musician was a peaceful man, close to his family, an excellent cook, who liked animals, gardening, and being in contact with nature.

“Chuck has said many times that if he were not a musician he would be a veterinarian or a cook," says Jane Schuldiner. "He loved animals and was an advocate for them, and he really loved to cook, sometimes creating his own recipes. We all loved to eat at Chuck's house, whether it was a cookout or a sit down dinner inside. No eating in front of the television for Chuck, at his house we all ate dinner at the table set with real dinnerware, not paper plates! But our favorites were the cookouts."

According to her Chuck used to maintain the family interactions during the mealtime: “No eating in front of the television for Chuck, at his house we all ate dinner at the table set with real dinnerware, not paper plates!”, she says.

Together with her daughter Bethann and her grandson Christopher, Jane Schuldiner has been watching over the musician’s legacy. This approach is nothing new. Since the beginning Chuck had full support of his parents to choose his professional and personal way of life. “I never had problems with them, and they stayed true to themselves and us, their parents. We have always been so proud of our children,” reveals Mrs. Schuldiner.

Unfortunately the negative image of the heavy metal listeners and musicians remains as it always existed. Regarding this, Jane Schuldiner highlights: “I have received letters from parents as well as fans addressing the issue of heavy metal behaviors. There is no heavy metal behavior, just angst in young people's lives that may or may not cause acting out in a negative way. You cannot judge by the way young people dress or the music they listen to.”

Read the entire interview here.