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A: That's quite a significant milestone that truly delights me.
When you start out as a young person searching for your path in life
and then walking it, you can neither hope for
nor foresee such a time span. Life rarely runs in a straight line, and it feels
almost like a miracle to me that my main joy, music, has lasted so long and supports me.
Even though many colleagues have become more successful, I find
myself with my band in a quality niche that still attracts us
audiences at our live concerts and thus provides a
justification for existence in the music world. Living off it was not
granted to us, but making music has always given me a sense of purpose and joy.
When you are passionate about something, you have to stick with it, against all
odds; otherwise, you are just a flash in the pan, and DIE SKEPTIKER
are certainly not that after 40 years.
I thought the 35th anniversary was great, but a round birthday is
somehow even more spectacular, and I am very happy about it.
Q: You started with DIE SKEPTIKER in the GDR and experienced a
complete system change. In recent years, the AfD has been growing
stronger, and the climate is getting harsher. Are you afraid that there could be
a system change towards a right-wing conservative, possibly
dictatorial government?
A: If the CDU collaborates with the AfD, which they are already
partially doing, then that’s the end of democracy. It is simply intolerable
that such a new Nazi group gains traction in an enlightened society.
What the new Nazis plan has been vividly described by Höcke in his book, and it does not differ much from the atrocities of the Third Reich; he just wraps it in a language that is somewhat euphemistic. The inhumanities are clearly discernible from it; it's simply unbelievable that such a misanthropic person is not locked up.
Even Weidel and her ilk should not feel too secure; just look at the "Röhm
Putsch," "The Night of the Long Knives," just as a historical reference.
I wouldn’t worry about a system change in general, but I am certainly concerned about
a new right-wing dictatorship. History has shown where that leads, how it unfolds and ends; it brings nothing good.
I am also quite dissatisfied with the current politics, which is shifting further to the right under the CDU-led government, with the SPD watching idly, or rather tolerating the erosion of social achievements.
Nevertheless, that is never a reason to vote for a party that pursues deeply inhumane goals and wants to establish a new dictatorship. I have had enough of the comparatively milder version of the GDR; I do not want to experience a new Nazi dictatorship at all.
Q: Elections are taking place in Berlin this year. What do you hope for from these
elections?
A: I don’t really associate any hopes with it, just the wish that the current
governing mayor loses his office, along with his unsocial party, and that both may disappear into oblivion.
I think Berlin hasn’t had a good governing mayor for a long time, and the increasing social barbarism in politics is truly infuriating.
Rents are rising, clubs have to close, it’s all about the money; I can’t see any cultural
safe spaces, aside from elite culture like the opera.
Too little is being done against right-wing activists; instead, there’s a call to arms against everything left, even though the problems are caused by the right.
Q: Let’s talk about DIE SKEPTIKER. I would like to know how you manage to
still radiate so much vitality and strength on stage and sing with such a powerful voice.
A: Until May of last year, I worked in the event industry,
which was often physically challenging, perhaps that has kept me fit, because since I retired at the age of 67, I have gained a bit of weight, which was not an issue before due to a lot of job-related movement. But I am still fit, for which I am of course grateful to nature, and one thing I absolutely do not want is for me or the band to come across like a retirement group on stage.
Punk is wild energy that wants to be celebrated, and if that ever stops being possible, then that’s it for me with live concerts.
For the voice, daily practice is necessary to keep it supple and usable, and I hope it holds up for a while longer.
Q: Your guitarist had a wrist injury last year.
Can he play unrestrictedly again?
A: Yes, he can, but the surgery hasn’t healed completely.
Q: How is the tour “40 Jahre DIE SKEPTIKER” going so far?
A: We are just at the beginning of our concerts, but those that have been played
so far have been absolutely fantastic, both in terms of attendance and atmosphere. We hope it continues like this in the anniversary year.
It’s just great to still be appreciated after such a long time.
Q: Are there songs that are particularly important to you in DIE SKEPTIKER?
A: Actually, there are many, but to name a few songs:
The Caller in the Desert is Silent
Dada in Berlin
Pierre and Luce
Titania
When or How
40 years...
Q: On the tour single that will probably sell like hotcakes,
on side B is the song “Know Your Enemy.” I strongly relate the song
to a party, but the lyrics are probably intentionally left open; why?
A: Well, it has always been my lyrical approach to formulate things in such a way that
they gain a general validity, so they don’t spoil like a daily news item.
Today’s outrage is tomorrow’s forgotten, and I want to capture the overarching or general aspects of it. That was my approach even during GDR times, and the fact that it works is already proven by the fact that we can still play the pieces from the earliest times today without any problems. Not because they are arbitrary in the lyrics, but because my working method retains relevance even through societal upheavals. This is no coincidence; I consciously designed it that way.
I often lack the lightness to formulate things casually and quickly; for me, it should always meet a certain standard or make sense.
For example, I could never relate to so-called fun-punk bands, although they certainly have their place.
A line from ZSK goes: "All my friends hate the AfD."
Sure, that’s a good statement, but if this despicable hate party were to disappear into oblivion, that piece of music would be irrelevant and probably wouldn’t be played anymore. Therefore, I would rather formulate more generally against all right-wing parties, of which there are quite a few, as I did in "Know Your Enemy."
In "Know Your Enemy," there are also despicable individuals with dictatorial
ambitions in mind, and that is not only limited to Germany.
So from my perspective, it is framed more diversely.
Q: You are currently recording a new album. What can we expect on the album?
Can you give us a little insight?
A: I think it’s a good mix of faster numbers, up to
a piece that feels like it’s from Black Sabbath. I am also pleased that
the lyrics not only address current topics but also go very far back into antiquity and even biblical times in two pieces. Themes like war and rape are unfortunately perennial issues in human history and are very present even in stories about gods.
Musically ranging from punk to groovy, sometimes surprising, somehow
perhaps different than expected.
Q: On June 20, 2026, you will play at the Ostrock Festival in Neuruppin.
There,
you will be joined by bands like Stern Combo Meissen, IC Falkenberg, and also Sandow
or the Rainbirds.
What connects you with these bands, which at first glance have little to do with punk rock?
A: Not much, aside from the origin from the fallen GDR, except for the
Rainbirds, of course, who come from the former West.
Stern Combo Meißen, for example, is a very high-quality group that has existed for what feels like an eternity, over 50 years now - respect for that. They have high-quality compositions and lyrics and with Manuel, a great young singer and composer who keeps their level at a top level.
I can’t relate to Sandow anymore; they were interesting to me as a young band in the past, but the more they distanced themselves from earthy rock’n’roll, the more irrelevant they became in my view, but of course, their fans may feel differently.
This festival is not about my taste, but about presenting active artists from then to now.
I have no connection to IC Falkenberg; sure, he’s a capable musician, but not my scene.
I am looking forward to the Rainbirds again because I was able to experience them at their concert at the cycling track in Berlin Weissensee, towards the end of the GDR, and also got to know them personally in parts.
The festival is not a punk festival but a presentation of bands founded during GDR times, except for the Rainbirds, who are invited guests. In that respect, I’m fine with it, with the musically broad spectrum.
Q: Eugen, you have been writing poetry for years, have released a rock and a symphonic album under your name, and soon a new
album from DIE SKEPTIKER will come out. What do you have planned for the near future?
A: In the fall of this year, I want to release another solo album, which
will be very ballad-like. I like both the louder pieces with DIE SKEPTIKER and more contemplative tones. This is not due to age but rather the variety that should be presented.
After my two poetry volumes, a band biography is next on the agenda. However, whether it will be released in 2026, I cannot foresee or predict at the moment, as the concerts I am very much looking forward to take up a lot of time. I’m not putting myself under pressure; the main thing is that it gets done in the foreseeable future.
Q: What can we expect when you celebrate 40 years of DIE SKEPTIKER on stage?
A: The raw energy and fun of punk rock. We have exchanged some titles in
the program and also added new ones, such as the tour single "40 Jahre" and a number that will appear on the new studio album. We also have a title named "Berlin" from the album "Frühe Werke" in the program, which was one of my favorite songs during GDR times because it dealt with the division of the city. I had to update the lyrics a bit for that, but that was not a problem.
It should be an energetic evening, where we also look forward to our guests in Berlin, such as "Freunde der Italienischen Oper" and "Brutal besoffen." Not to forget DJ Vossi, who will play some hearty punk classics afterwards.
We are really looking forward to the evening in Berlin, as well as of course to all the other concerts.
That's something to let sink in.
40 years of PUNK ROCK!
How is that possible?
Founded in the GDR, the band has played through the turmoil of reunification, slowly but steadily gaining fans outside of East Germany and has now become an institution in punk rock. This is not only due to the fact that there are very few bands that have lasted this long. It is mainly because the lyrics written by Eugen Balanskat as the singer and head of the band are still relevant. Furthermore, the band has not become any quieter musically. Quite the opposite is true. There are indeed more than 1000 good reasons for that.
Eugen was kind enough to answer a few questions about 40 years of DIE SKEPTIKER and the here and now.
The band is on a big anniversary tour this year!
Attending is more than a must for everyone!
