Das Prinzip is a young, fresh punk/hardcore band. How fresh is it actually? And punk or hardcore? Or even hardcore-punk?
The band has been around since September 2011, but the first full rehearsal only took place in December 2011.
Our musical style is quite varied; one song is total punk, another is a colorful mix of hardcore, punk, and metal, while another is a pure hardcore punk thrasher. So it's quite diverse.
The musicians are all still quite young; what experiences do you bring into the band?
We have all been making music since we were little, and we were or still are active in other bands, all of which come from metal, rock, and punk. We have all been playing our instruments for about 4-5 years and have now found a project where everyone can find themselves again.
So the individual band members certainly do not lack live experience.
Wouldn't it be more sensible nowadays for a big career to emulate Justin Bieber? Or what was your motivation to found this band?
We definitely don't want that!
Our thing is to make loud and dirty music and let loose completely. We can do without mainstream music. We want to stand on stage, have fun, and excite people, develop songs ourselves, and not be a puppet for a few commercial idiots!
How did the four of you come together, and how were you originally inspired by the music style you represent today?
A big motivation is especially to rebel against the Justin Biebers of this world and to create something of our own. We all know each other from school and from concerts that regularly take place here in the Vechta district and surrounding areas, and we realized that we all have the same ideas about music. After the first rehearsal, it immediately clicked, and we knew we had found each other.
That sounds like a wonderful love story. Have any fruits come from this already? You quickly recorded a few songs, didn't you?
Yes, so far we have worked on 9 songs, of which we have also recorded 3 songs, and on February 3rd, we had our first gig at the youth center in Dinklage. Dinklage is basically part of Vechta, our hometown.
You didn't record these songs in your living room with a simple cassette recorder, did you?
We are very lucky that the father of our guitarist (formerly Kennzeichen D) has his own recording studio in the basement, where we also rehearse, and he recorded us there.
A huge stroke of luck and a very nice gesture from him.
Do you want to convey a message with your songs? How important are the lyrics to you?
We definitely want to convey something! We don't want to be diverted from our path; we hate Nazis and definitely express our opinion in our songs. However, not everything has to be taken too seriously.
Are you already thinking about a debut album, or are the plans more focused on gaining live experience?
Definitely first towards gaining live experience; that is also the most important reason why the band exists. Recording an album would be great, but it is quite costly since our guy in the studio also wants to see some money at some point, and therefore performing in front of an audience definitely takes priority for now.
The first concert is just behind you. Tell me a little about your impressions. What reactions were you able to gather from the audience?
It was great. We had fun, and there was a real battle in front of the stage. It was a fantastic first performance!
Are there any further live performances planned in the near future? Where or with whom would you like to perform?
Most likely a band contest in Vechta in March, where the first winner gets to play at the Staatsforsten Open Air.
The next one is unfortunately not until July 14th at the Punk and Loud Festival in Damme (Lower Saxony), but we are still looking.
You are quite active online regarding self-promotion. How difficult is it for a young band to get in touch with organizers?
If the recordings are convincing, it usually goes smoothly; however, if the organizers don't know you beforehand and you don't have the luck to quickly make a few good recordings, it is relatively difficult.
Where do you see Das Prinzip in five years? Will the band still exist then, and if so - why?
I hope that in 5 years we will have recorded one or two albums and gained significantly more live experience with the band. It would also be great to have played with Alarmsignal or similar German punk greats, and I think and hope that the band will still exist then. Currently, the outlook is definitely rosy regarding enthusiasm and ambition.
Are there online resources to stay informed about news? Not everyone can get along with Facebook, where there are only very limited opportunities to present a band.
At the moment, we are in the process of setting up our own homepage so that we can be found more quickly, which will also go online soon.
Finally, I would like to have an introduction of the individual members, their roles within the band, musical background, and particularly annoying traits.
Steffen has been playing guitar very well for several years and has also been actively involved in the band since 2010 and is a chaos king.
Basti, our bassist, also plays bass in Haki on fire, and he often realizes during rehearsal that he has forgotten an important appointment he needs to attend.
Till, our singer, has previously sung in several metal bands, all of which have dissolved, and he always smells very bad after an hour of rehearsal!!!
I was also previously active in various punk and metal bands, and of course, there is only good to report about me. (Oh, my bandmates will get back at me for that!)
Now I'm curious how you will survive the first crisis after this interview and how it will continue with - no, with Das Prinzip. As a final word, feel free to compose a playful rhyme.
Who digs a grave for others, ends up shitting in their own pants!
