Hello you four, after I had the chance to review your new CD "100%", I became aware of the band and would like to thank you in advance for answering some questions.
The first thing I noticed is that you can't deny certain influences from the Onkelz. Is it just my feeling, or is there something to it?
Well, yes, we all listened to the Onkelz back in the day. We went to many concerts, etc. Music has always played a very big role for all of us, especially German music. That might have been one reason to make music ourselves. However, I wouldn't label the Onkelz as a musical inspiration or a major influence on our music. I believe since the Onkelz split up, none of us have really listened to their music anymore, and at that time we had just started making music ourselves. So, there are many influences coming together, especially since we all have slightly different musical tastes.
What about musical role models? What are your favorite bands at the moment?
We don't really have role models or idols. The time of heroes is over! ;) Personally, I'm currently enjoying Social Distortion, Rise Against, Rancid, and Volbeat. But I also like bands like Pipes and Pints, always and constantly Mr. Cash, and the album by The Sorrow I find great.
What was the first album you bought?
I think it was "ACDC-Live in Sydney"... or in another city, I can't remember exactly.
How would you describe your music?
Full throttle Rock'n'Roll!! Full throttle because it comes from the heart and because we give it our all. Rock'n'Roll is music but also a way of life, I think. Going your own way, with all the consequences, setting your own limits and goals, and not chasing after ideals, that's what we try to express in our music. We take the freedom to do whatever we want. That's not always possible in real life, but it certainly is in music.
Who writes the lyrics for you and who is responsible for the music?
For the current album, I wrote the lyrics. "Richtung Wirklichkeit" comes from Stefan (bass). Since I play guitar, I roughly create the melodies, but the songs only become what you hear on the album through the interplay of everyone. A lot changes through the rhythms and the vocals. So everyone leaves their mark on the song. As for the lyrics, we don't have any strict rules. Last year, I was the creative one, but fundamentally, there's room for every idea from any of us. The best stuff ends up on the album.
As it says on your homepage, the current lineup is not the original lineup. How did the separation from your previous drummer come about?
At some point, we started making music together. It was fun, and we had a good reason to drink beer together once a week. Then we played a few gigs, first at birthdays, then at small motorcycle meetings and festivals. At the beginning, there were no big ambitions regarding the band. But as it often goes, people liked it, we had a blast, and so we played more and more. Then at a certain point, it just didn't fit with Christian's (our drummer) plans anymore, as he was also very busy with work. So we made the decision together that a new guy would take over the drums, as we didn't want to scale back the band. We parted ways amicably, without any bad blood. Christian even showed Henning a few things, and we are still very close friends, sometimes all going to a gig together.
What do you want to achieve with your music?
First and foremost, the listener should just have fun. We write about what moves us, about experiences from our lives, or take a stance on various issues. If someone can relate to it, if they can identify with it, then that's just great. However, we don't see ourselves as world improvers and don't provide a master plan on how little Otto should master his life. Music should entertain, and if we can convey a feeling beyond that, great!
Can you live off your music now, or do you still have to maintain a regular job, and if so, what do your bosses say about your success?
We all still work. However, one must say that the band has become so time-consuming that you really have to plan well here and there. Financially, we definitely can't live off music, and there's not really enough time for a 40-hour job either. As for the bosses, it works quite well for us; otherwise, it would sometimes become difficult.
In your song "Timmi halts Maul," you clearly take a stance regarding the right-wing scene, which can't be said of all Deutschrock bands. How do you behave if a few of those characters are actually present at your live performances?
Fortunately, that happens very rarely, but if someone clearly identifies as a fascist through clothing or statements, they are not allowed in at all or are thrown out. And if we don't notice it during the gig, the audience usually takes care of it themselves! I think people come to our concerts to just have a good time. I can't remember that we ever really had problems because of a few confused individuals.
What are your plans for next year regarding tours, and are you perhaps considering a new album?
We will be playing a lot in 2011. Starting in June, there are about 50 concerts lined up this year. We've been lazy long enough, and we're really looking forward to it!! For next year, we don't have any concrete plans yet, and we aren't really thinking about a new album. You don't always have to release new songs that are basically rubbish just to give fans new material or earn a few bucks, depending on your perspective ;) We prefer to wait until we have good material again... that takes time! ;)
