It has been very quiet around MfA in recent years, leading one to doubt whether the band still exists. Where have you been during that time?
Since 2005, we have built a house on an island in the Mediterranean. It is now finished (see photo), and we have also set up a small recording studio there so we can really get started. We still want to live off music, and it was clear to us ten years ago that this can only work long-term if we radically reduce our living costs, meaning no rent, no heating and water costs, partial self-sufficiency, etc...
So, do you all live together in this house now? And do you also produce for other bands in the recording studio?
No, we have split up a bit. Part of the band is almost constantly there, while another part has found it too lonely to stay there permanently. We also still have a base in Gießen with a rehearsal room and storage for the lighting system, PA, etc. (see website), which is quite practical because it is centrally located.
In our studio, we only record ourselves; it measures only 2x2 meters, consisting of a vocal booth including a tape machine, mixing console + monitors. The drums are recorded on the terrace outside, which fortunately can be done day and night :-)
You have already announced a second internet album, which is to be made available for free online again. How far along are the works, and how many tracks will be included?
We will gradually release free downloads again, and after a few releases, there will be an Internet album 2.0 for self-building and purchasing. Included and almost mixed are some newer tracks like "Gentrification" or "Arbeitsagentur", but also older pieces like "Ekelhafter Antisemit", an early confrontation with the anti-Germans that we have only ever played live.
Will your old albums also be reissued at some point? They are practically no longer available even with a lot of goodwill. Your upcoming tour surely offers a good opportunity to bring some merchandise to the people.
The Hatjokers album is still available as LP and CD, just like the San Pedro live album. The Internet album 1.0 was recorded so poorly that we do not want to release it again, but we will re-record the big hits like "Amoklauf", "Langweiliges Leben", or "Vision der Unsterblichkeit" in our studio and offer them for free download. Maybe there will also be a "Best of" album again someday.
Some dates have already been announced for your world-ending tour 2012/13. But as we all know, the world is ending on December 21. What does this tour title refer to? How many stops are you planning approximately?
On December 21, there is also a big end-of-the-world party in Ostritz, meaning only if the world is still here for some reason on the 22nd, we will play in Dresden and also give the other concerts ;-) The tour title refers, by the way, not only to the general end-of-the-world hype but also or even primarily to the current situation in the world, which has not been as miserable since World War II as it is today, and our songs address a lot of that. Initially, 12 stops are planned, and then we'll see. This time we are doing the concept "MfA! in your city" (see website), and if that works, there will be more concerts in that style.
You bring the complete infrastructure for a concert, which is why you only need a suitable hall for a performance. Isn't that significantly more effort than just settling into a ready-made nest? What are the advantages and disadvantages here?
If we settle into a ready-made nest, the organizers usually want 40-50% of the ticket sales, especially if it is a fancy venue with a system measured by the regulatory office, glossy flyers, ticket pre-sale including taxes for Deutsche Panzer, etc. As an alternative, there are autonomous centers; many have a crappy system where we can't implement what we envision, and then it often means: more than 5 euros admission is not possible, and a flat 200 euros solidarity fee is deducted from that. When asked how the musicians are supposed to live, the answer sometimes even is "Go work!"... Sorry, but an anti-capitalist perspective looks different. The advantages of our approach are: We can cover the costs with the concerts and, if things go well, finance our lives somewhat, while the disadvantages lie more in the fact that the number of possible performance venues is initially significantly reduced, and we sometimes have to venture into unknown territory.
In the past, you had significant trouble with the authorities due to your lyrics, including your song "Hallo Verfassungsschutz". Is that all settled now, and what do you say about the never-ending series of misconduct by this office that comes to light? Do you pay special attention to not providing any grounds for further reprisals in your newer lyrics?
The trouble mainly arose because of "Amoklauf" after an investigation was initiated for "incitement to commit a crime". Although the proceedings were not dropped, they seem to be at rest, with the warning that we should no longer perform the mentioned song publicly. Of course, we cannot take any consideration for any crazy or radical-fundamentalist Stuttgart prosecutors in our music; what else is artistic freedom for? And the fact that police, judiciary, constitutional protectors, and intelligence services care little about rights and that they themselves are highly ideological and possibly even terrorist organizations can be seen in the NSU case. Therefore, the song "Hallo Verfassungsschutz" is more relevant than ever.
Videos of your songs were deleted from YouTube some time ago. Because of this, you also avoid commercial platforms on the internet. Is that still justifiable nowadays, when it seems like everyone is only on Facebook, if you want to reach people?
Well, it's not just about deletion but primarily about the fundamental question of who owns the internet and the activity or passivity of the users. On Facebook, YouTube, etc., people are presented with something finished; the design is set, the content is predetermined, there is advertising, and subculture or the private is being commercialized, so life itself becomes a product, and that is ultimately what it’s about. We wish for an internet of active users, where everyone who has something or nothing to say at least determines how it is presented and who has access to the data. Of course, Facebook and YouTube are now so dominant that part of the people cannot be reached if one is not present there. On the other hand, there is also a small but growing counter-movement, and those are the people who are more likely to attend an MfA! concert.
Assuming the tour turns out to be a loss-making venture and CD sales do not bring in enough money - according to the music industry, there is nothing to be gained here due to copying on the internet anyway - do you have a Plan B in the back pocket?
There is no Plan B; it's either all or nothing :-) No, seriously, if it should ever become impossible for us to live off music, then we will have to do something else, but we will think about that when the situation actually becomes concrete.
Then let's just hope that won't be the case anytime soon. At the moment, you are in preparations for the tour. What else do you need to take care of, and are there any stumbling blocks in your way?
As already mentioned, the main thing is to find locations that comply with our conditions. Otherwise, we just have to rehearse and also work on the sound, for example, testing how the drums, bass, and organ sound over the PA, which is completely different than in the studio and takes a lot of time if specific sound ideas are to be implemented live. For example, there is a huge difference between simply connecting a keyboard with finished sounds to the mixing console and getting started or, as in our case, where the organ runs through several effect devices into a tube amplifier, which is then recorded with several microphones in almost a surround manner.
Your homepage now redirects from the .de domain to .info. Are these the first signs of an upcoming world tour? Much of what makes MfA! special is the lyrics; can you assess how you are received abroad?
Freedom of expression in Germany is now strongly restricted regarding the internet; for example, every .de site needs an imprint if it goes beyond clearly private purposes, which creates all sorts of obligations, liabilities, risks, etc. Therefore, the switch to a foreign operator is logical.
There are few foreign fans. We occasionally sell CDs to European countries, and even Canada and Japan have been included, mainly the San Pedro album because it has subtitles.
Then I will quickly transform into a good fairy and grant you exactly one wish. What would that be?
One wish? Very theoretical question... we would wish that we could wish as much as we want :-)
