Helloween Exclusive Helloween Interview

[Kiske:]

Well, Japan. Weve been there, I think, two times now, and its always been

a great fun playing there. I like the venues. They are sounding very

good,

they look very good, and kids over there really appreciate good music and

stuff. And I think the next time were gonna play at the Budokan, which

is

pretty cool. Lookin forward to it. Its gonna be fun.

[Schwichtenberg:]

Japan has been always great to play there, and will be in the future. And

Japan people are great, its fun to play there and you feel very

confident

and convinient or whatever to play there. And Japanese people are listening

very carefully, I dont know. Its great to be in Japan.

[Kiske:]

"Kids of the Century" is the first life sign of us after two and a half

years. And after all those rumours going around about this band - me

leaving the band, me splitting up, or the band splitting up, and all that

stuff, which has been quite a lot. Maybe thats normal when the bands not

on the scene for a while. But after that it feels really good to have,

actually, a new album ready and a single out. So the kids know we are still

there. And with the music you can prove what you can do still even

without

one guy that just left the band. I think we found the right person there,

Roland. And I think the album says everything. Yeah, I wrote "Kids of the

Century" about more than two years ago now. And remembering that time I

feel like, when I wrote that song, I was in that feel of that all the kids

today, they just feel like they havent got anything to do with the

problems. Everything goes wrong, the nature or whatever. Just came out of

that feeling actually. And thats what the songs all about, I think. What

the kids today...Because I feel like everybodys responsible, especially

the kids. If they dont feel like they have to change anything or have to

make things better, nobody will.

[Schwichtenberg:]

I think having Roland in the band is.. we are as lucky as we have Michael

in the band by that time, we are lucky having Roland in the band. And hes

just doing great songs and great guitar work hes doing. And a good pal as

well. Hes a nice fellow. And he just fits in the band very much. I think

the fans will accept him of course.

[Weikath:]

Well, the nice thing about Roland being in the band is that I saw him

like, I dont know, fifteen years ago or so on stage, and I thought that

was pretty impressing, what he did there, and I could never forget about

that. And thats why actually I called him up then when we needed

another

guitarist, "Remember that guy?". And so it took me, like, four hours to

find out the number, like I had to phone up musicians I knew and suddenly

somehow I got the number, and phoned him up: "You might not know me, but I

know you. How about playing guitar in Helloween?" And he didnt even know

the band. So I had to give him some examples of our songs, like really

loud, cranked it up. And so, well, he was interested, like it quite a lot.

And then we went to rehearsing, we had to do the whole stuff within two

months. Cause then we had to go on an American tour and Japan meant two

hours of playing. And well, ha ha, quite a tough job I would say. After

all, I mean, we can handle that, we are pretty good, you know. And Im

sorry about that, but well... yeah, Roland is a very nice guy. Hes

doing a big part of the band with his character, and his kind of being.

And its quite a difference too how the whole thing worked before, because

he is a completely different character. He is a lot more calm and very

critical. Hes always got his own opinion and thats exactly what we need.

[Kiske:]

Yeah, we recorded the album at PUK studio in Denmark, which is a very

good

studio, I think, very lovely place. Its right in the middle of nowhere

but thats actually what we wanted, to really concentrate on the album.

And working with Chris was pretty cool, because hes got a very strong

sense of humor as we like it. And we had some cool moments there and

thats all caught on the album. Yeah, the production that Chris

Tsangarides has done is right in your face. Thats the best description

of the sound actually. So just check it out!

[Schwichtenberg:]

Crystal clear, or...

[Kiske:]

Crystal Tsangarides clear, ha ha!

[Weikath:]

I would say thank you to everybody who kept up the faith during all that

time, and after all, those rumours are untrue.

[Schwichtenberg:]

The best thing for the fans, for the people who like us, is just to listen

what comes from us directly, like this now, and the album of course.

[Kiske:]

Yeah, especially the album.

[Schwichtenberg:]

Dont trust any rumours or whatever.

[Kiske:]

The thing is, forget about whats been in the magazines, or what has been

said, or all the stuff. And just check out the album and you know whats

going on. Of course, the single as well.

[Schwichtenberg:]

Thanks for keeping the faith

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