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Teufel
Mailinterview about his
first solo album Absinth
Teufel Homepage
Teufel @ MySpace
Your first solo album Absinth hits the streets on September 17th. Does the title reflect what you want for your listeners, to be hooked by your music and lyrics?
Well, Absinth causes light hallucinating effects and I hope my lyrics and music captivate them and take them to another world - or give them an emotional high. I would be happy about that. And, of course, they can enjoy the CD while drinking a glass of Absinth.
You're working as a musician for more than 20 years now. Why is 2010 the perfect year for your first solo album?
It just happened. The songs developed over a longer period of time and I just don't want to wait any longer.
How long did it take, from first ideas till final mix, to finish this CD?
About 5 years. I wrote the songs one after another and later had the idea to make my own album.
All songs have been written and produced by you. Was it important for you to apply only your own ideas to make this album a pure "Teufel" one?
To produce, write, mix and design the album on my own from the very beginning to the end is what made it attractive. These experiences will surely leave their mark on upcoming CDs. But doing all this alone again in the future - well, I really don't know yet.
There are great titles on the tracklist - am I right when I say that you'll never ever write any lyrics in English 'cause of the fact your stories can only be told in German?
That's right. I think and write in German, the language I prefer to verbalize and to write my metaphorical lyrics in. I think it's also the best way to understand me and my lyrics, 'cause almost all of my fans are from Germany.
On the album we'll find a special version of Berthold Brecht's Mack The Knife. Why did you choose that "ancient" song to perform it your way?
"There are some who are in darkness, and the others are in light, and you see the ones in brightness, those in darkness drop from sight!"
Greed, jealousy and the chasms of human soul, double standards, all this is Mack The Knife for me. That's why this song has a very special meaning to me. And it was great that it was possible to play it on bagpipe.
15 Tracks - you're pampering us with a well filled CD. Hymus Codex Gigas is the only instrumental title, played on bagpipes. Have bagpipes been used for all other songs too or are there hard guitar parts and electronic beats?
There are bagpipes, but not in every song - doing an album without bagpipes would be unthinkable for me. For me it's very important to write good songs.
The music of Tanzwut has been tagged as medieval industrial rock. Will your CD also be tagged like this and put in that genre of rock music - or would you like to hear another description?
I think that description fits for my CD, too. Since lot of the Tanzwut stuff came through and with me I couldn't exclude it on my solo CD. So everyone will recognize some affinity.
We've seen you live on stage with Tanzwut at the Summers End Open Air in Andernach. How do you combine your other projects with your solo career in the future?
Tanzwut will stay my main band. But you can see me with my solo project and also with a medieval acoustic project - and, of course, as a DJ in a few clubs.
You'll surely go on tour through Germany to present the songs of Absinth live to your fans. Are there any plans how your live band will be put together - will there be some old acquaintances among the guests?
You'll see some Tanzwut musicians, but I don't want to talk about the details yet. Currently I'm planning the live show to get it on stage next year, perhaps at the ZITA Rock Festival in Berlin.
It's a fine line from devil to jester and vice versa - how much of a jester are you?
Both are so close to each other, that I almost can't separate. The jester and the devil are both, tempter and seducer. I was able to act out both sides during my time as a busker and was also able to continue on stage and now with this CD.
Are you your own labels (Teufel Records) only artist or are there more already?
I'm the only one at the moment. I've got requests, but haste makes waste. The label is just a few month old, so I have to think twice.
A book will be published in 2011, containing all your poems and lyrics. Will it have a special cover, shape and/or paper?
I'm currently under discussion with a designer, a guy who has bit more know how than me. But a decision how the book will look like has not been made yet.
That's it! Thanks a lot for your time! We wish you a lot of success with Absinth and fun on all stages in Germany!
Thanks!
Translation by Susanne Blum
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