Metal Invader February 1997 This interview with Hansi is from Metal Invader zine, and the original can be found here. However, it's in Greek, so this version is a little easier to read for most of you.. Many thanks to Ares Terzopoulos for translating and sending it to me!! Here it goes.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- BLIND GUARDIAN INTERVIEW - METAL INVADER MAGAZINE FEBRURY 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Blind Guardian are in my humble opinion, one more band that met acceptance only after their last LP "Imaginations From The Other Side". Only after this publication did their previous masterpieces come under the spotlight, (perhaps the best speed disc in the history of metal), "Somewhere Far Beyond", "Follow The Blind" and the terrifying debut album "Battalions Of Fear". The fact alone that the German bards are in the studio in preparation of their next album is important enough to learn exactly what they are up to. Hansi Kursch (vocals/bass), who is responsible as much as anyone for the creeps we felt at the two live shows of the "ôõöëþí öñïõñþí" (Blind Guardians) in Greece, fully disposed (as always) at the questions I put forward, despite the lateness of the hour and the fact that is was the new year's day. Yours... - I know that you are in studio for the recording of your new LP, so the first question could not refer anywhere else... Hansi: Yes indeed, we are feverishly preparing our new LP but we still have nothing completed since we are at the process of composing the songs and not performing them. So I can't give you more details on the production of the album, the only sure thing being that it will be completed here in Krefeld on our own "Twilight Hall" studio, since it fulfills all presumptions, except drum recording. All I can say to you definately is that we'll start the final recordings in June. We don't know how long the recordings will take, but we'll probably be done at about the end of the year. If all goes well we intend to publish one EP at the end of 1997 and the album at the beginning of 1998. The most accomplished team for the fulfillment of the ablum are naturally the following: Flemming Rasmussen - Mixing, Piet Sielck - guitars, Cuny/Detlef Hèlster - drums, vocals. I believe I needn't tell you who is going to take up the lay out of our new album...!!??! - 5 months ago, in a conversation we had you had told me that your 'sound' would turn towards a more epic tone, is this true? Hansi: Even though the compositions have not been completed yet, I can tell you that our new LP will be 100% BLIND GUARDIAN. The musical progress we've made is indeed towards a more 'epic' direction as far as the songs we've up till now completed are concerned. Our new album naturally won't be far from "Imaginations..." but I couldn't say it's copying, since it is going to be more emotional and spontaneous. Our target for the future is to write the absolute "Rock Opera" and that's what we alway have in mind when composing. In our case that means a combination of influences like the old GENESIS, SLAYER, IRON MAIDEN, JETHRO TULL, Lorrena Mac Kennit, SKYCLAD, SAVATAGE, METALLICA and ICED EARTH. - Your new LP is a concept album as far as thematology is concerned and is referring to and old, traditional German story for a river? Hansi: It will be partly concept, since there are some tracks that will be referring to the "Rheingold Saga" that is the biggest legend in central Europe after the Arthurian tales. Certainly you'll be familiar with the German composer Richard Wagner that included this traditional poem "Song of the Nibelungen" in his opera named "Ring of the Nibelungen". What I'm doing is collecting information on the subject, studying it, and then writing the lyrics. We have already prepared two songs on that idea, "Rhinegold" and "Thorn". We also have prepared two musical parts that will definately fit with those lyrics. Our known musical and lyrical form combined with a "Manowar - Hail to England" style is the perfect combination for this story. One more song we've finished is "The Gnome" that doesn't fit with the rest of the story, however. - I read somewhere that you stated that from the first Guardian LPs there only 2-3 good songs which made me furious. Is that true? Hansi: No that's completely wrong.. there must have been some sort of a misunderstanding! The one who interviewed me mustn't have understood what I said. I'm proud for every album separately but there are definately some mistakes that I would never do again. For instance there are very good parts in every song but are not very clear musically. You can tell that it's a group consisting from young, talented musicians full of energy, but everything was quite premature. The same thing is happening with the lyrics mainly on our first album that could have been more worked on. I never said anything bad for our works, just that they could've been more perfect as far as sound was concerned. My favourite album is "Tales From The Twilight World", that really radiates magic. I believe that in that we had matured at last and it was full of energy, magic songs and deafening vibrations. The lyrics were satisfying at most cases and the only negative point is the mixing/production, which could have been better. - I'm glad you defined this point... Many bands that had disbanded in the past like OMEN, CRIMSON GLORY, W.A.S.P. are again in action. Do you believe that Metal today is following an ascending course? Hansi: Heavy Metal is no trend from the end of the '80s. I like very much many groups from that period. So, if groups from that period get together again and create Heavy Metal based on their roots, I am sure that they will have the support of Metal fans. But if they don't evolve musically, they will disappear soon as they will have also lost their glitter. - How do you see the new GRAVE DIGGER LP that is referring to Scottish history, in which you also took part? Hansi: I like it a lot, since I've taken part myself doing backing vocals. I believe they did a great job at the composing section as much as at the lyrics. Though I'm not a GRAVE DIGGER fanatic, since their sound seems to me a bit static; some of their song's really excite me, as they are contain a sense of raw power that establishes them as one of the most powerful german power metal groups. - Have you added new traditional organs or traditional rythms to your music? Hansi: Surely we'll add certain new elements to our music but I shall not reveal them for the moment. I believe you like surprises... even ourselves know not what exactly we'll do at the next album. - What exactly will the artwork for your new album depict? Hansi: It's not ready yet, since we've given priority to the songs and the lyrics that we have not yet decided wether they'll be a concept. The design for the sleeve and inner page, the video and the scenery, that we hope we'll be able to bring with us this time in Greece, will be defined much later. - What do you think for the following bands: VENOM? Hansi: I saw VENOM when they were headlining a big festival in Germany, a long time ago. I'd also gone to see PRETTY MAIDS, NAZARETH, SAVAGE GRACE, WISHBONE ASH and METALLICA. The result was me leaving the concert after the second song from VENOM, fortunately I've not seen them live since. What is happening with VENOM is the same with KISS... those guys created a trend: average musicians with average songs atracted the media with the shows they did. So we are bad musicians with good songs and therefore the mass media don't care much about us. - METALLICA and their new style? Hansi: I don't care about how anybody looks so I wasn't shocked when I saw their new look. But when I heard their latest album (I don't think this is translatable). For me they remain one of the most important Heavy Metal groups and I believe that their new album will be better, something that isn't hard for them to do. I also believe that only if the press will turn its attention towards true metal will they go back to their roots... - HELLOWEEN? Hansi: Helloween were one of the most important german groups of the end of the '80s worldwide with albums like "Walls of Jericho" and "Keeper of the 7 Keys" that are still in the spotlight. Unfortunately they were unable to reach the ultimate level and be perfected like musicians, and they also did not manage to maintain their glitter in the 90s. Their more recent albums are average - to be honest - but despite all these they are still popular in many countries. - EMPEROR? I'm old enough to answer that (...laughs) - I don't think what you said is right... Hansi: I apologise, but I don't know that band. I'll try it and answer in the future... - ATROCITY? Hansi: Maybe they are good at what they are doing, but it's not the kind that I like. - DREAM THEATER? Hansi: Definately very good musicians and they write good enough songs. Despite all this, most of their compositions, although very well worked on as far as the musical part is concerned, they are essentially without sentiment. I saw them live and I didn't like them particularly but most from the audience were really having fun. - In your lyrics we find references to Trolls and other outworldly persons. What do you believe one can take from your lyrics that he cannot find in everyday life? Hansi: BLIND GUARDIAN lyrics say much more than merely refering to trolls and such matters, I remember that I have mentioned this word only once in "The Hobbit". Indeed they may in their sum be be concerned with fantastic themes, but they are top to bottom personal and one can understand that they speak of freedom, truth, friendship, trust in human relationships - values that are hard for one to find in today's society. - From wich country do you get the greatest support? Hansi: All our fans give us the same support and love, so we are not interested in which country they come from. - In the letters you get from fans, which is the craziest thing you've been told about? Hansi: "Yeah, I gonna die!", all the letters people send to us are equally crazy. I don't know what to say first, it would take months! Characteristic may be a letter we got from a Japanese woman that was describing to us some weird stories, like that she was married to the now old singer from KANSAS!!?! That was really a queer and funny at the same time letter (incesant laughing!)... - What is the ingredient that makes metal music so unique? Hansi: Many have tried to define it but they couldn't because it's something that cannot be placed into a form. Maybe it is the aggressiveness that his music inspires, maybe the sentimentalism or, the progressive elements or its complexity or maybe just that simplicity that reaches extreme points or even the its orchestral spirit almost at classical music levels. Each and every part of these is as important as everything else and that is what makes metal unique! - Germany is one of the biggest metal markets in Europe. How much have you been supported by german fans? Hansi: German fans have helped us a lot so far in our course, since they established first in our country as one of the biggest metal groups, but I don't like talking about sales and figures, as they indicate nothing as far as the quality of a group is concerned (nba: a great answer from a real musician) - Has your music been identifyied with your your life(style)? Hansi: Yeah sure, but that's a bliss and a curse at the same time! - End this conversation with a verse from your new songs...! Hansi: "The wisdom in us both will make it special guaranteed - Come play the song of death".