SPARK: Does that mean there's something going on in Blind Guardian?

SPARK: Let us go back to Demons&Wizards. Do you think you guys will be able to pull off some live concerts or will it not be possible?

SPARK: Were you thinking about Europe or the States?

About "Demons & Wizards"

Jon: There was magic in the air. The chemistry was right immediately, and it was clear to us there that we'd have to be stupid to not use this enormous creative potential.

Jon: Mark Prator, who drummed on the last two Iced Earth albums, played the drum parts, while I took care of bass, rhythm guitar, and some leads. The remaining leads and all the solos were done by Jim Morris (owner of the famous Morrisound Studios in Florida). He's not only an excellent producer, but also a fantastic guitarist with a lot of feeling. Unfortunately hardly anyone knows that.

Jon: I call that "Studio-Ass", haha. When you sit in the studio and listen to your recordings over and over again, it's not easy to lose any calories.

Thus the Wizard of both of you has had a little bit added...

So to say, haha. By the way, I find that the project name describes us rather well. We've toured Europe twice with Blind Guardian, and naturally we were constantly pulling each other's leg. It has something to do with the classic good vs. evil pattern. Blind Guardian is always grinning in their promo photos, while we usually look a little pissed-off. Then sometime my wife said "Demons & Angels", and I broke in there immediately with "Demons & Wizards", an old Uriah Heep album.

Jon: Hey, angels can also kick ass quite nicely.

Not only in the musical style do you combine the qualities of your two main bands.

Jon: The cover of the disk is somewhat clearer compared to an Iced Earth painting. It looks somewhat comic-like, and is even made by the same people who did the artwork of our "Alive in Athens" boxed set.

Hansi: The boys are always glad when they don't have to see me for a while, haha. During the Demons & Wizards production they already wrote songs for the next Guardian album. If I was there I would only be in the way.

Has your hearing problem been completely cured?

What can we expect in the coming months from your main bands?

Jon: Jon: First I need to take a break, since I haven't had a vaction since my honeymoon five years ago. In February we will probably go into the studio to record the next Iced Earth disc. It will be a concept album which takes up the "Something Wicked..." storyline. Parallel to it I want to try to publish a comic book, which will be based on the album.

Interview with Blind Guardian by Jeremiah Lewis

Hansi: It's a big pleasure for us to do this interview. As we all are big Tolkien fans, this is a good chance for us to present ourselves to people who are not familiar with the band so far. We might find a new fellowship.

Hansi: To talk about the band is always a little boring. I try to make it as short as possible. We were all, more or less, born as Tolkien fans and started our skill, the one or the other ignorant of course call it rubbish, 14 years ago, when we all were almost ready to enter our "tweens". From these days on we gained popularity day by day and finally, even without the big push of any record company, we became one of the biggest heavy metal bands worldwide. The biggest step we have made with our actual output Nightfall in Middle-Earth. This one has caused a lot of attention everywhere and is announced as one of the best metal albums ever, not only by the fans, but also by the critics.

Almost each Metal fan on that planet recommends at least one piece of our catalogue to be one of his best. This is not only a German or a European phenomena. You can find the same kind of movement in Japan and also in the States. Of course it is a slow movement on the American market, but the buzz around Blind Guardian is increasing. People over there recently started recognising that the most valuable music nowadays is being performed by European artists and we belong to the most significant ones, I am happy to say.

From the early days of the band's career on Tolkien had always been an important influence. In a lot of cases even more musical, than lyrical. Majesty as an example was our very first attempt to come up with a mixture of Tolkien lyrics and music based on the emotions we had while we were following Frodo on his way to Mount Doom. I believe everyone who is into the story knows how many emotions, smells, pictures and noises he/she has to face until he/she reaches the end of that magnificent journey. We use these feelings and transpose it into music. In the beginning we were far away from being perfect. Unfortunately we still are. On Majesty we were very young and very inexperienced. Both from the musical, as well from the lyrical side we were partly able to catch the spirit of that amazing story, but not more. It was too early. I would call that a Sword and Sorcery song more than a High Fantasy song. On that one the try counts.

Later we attempted Tolkien stuff again on Tales from the Twilight World, when we did a song called Lord of the Rings. We did far better. It is a nice song, which people like in general. The song sounds a little naive and almost simple structured. This one is a homage to Frodo again. Though Frodo is structured a little more intellectual than his hobbit companions, he still is a hobbit. This basically is the reason why we have chosen this more folksong-like piece as another tribute to Professor Tolkien and his splendid world. We did a song called The Hobbit on a later album called Somewhere Far Beyond and this one is a good example for our progression as musicians and songwriters. The song contains a lot of strange elements, starting with a slightly different rhythm. It also features a unique arrangement.

How have you been influenced by Tolkien's works, and why have you chosen to honor his amazing work of fantasy through music some would call unorthodox?

This explains why the combination Metal and Tolkien is not unorthodox for us at all. Whatever we are doing musicwise, it only can be one aspect of Tolkien's world -- our personal one. A guy will like it and call it "Middle-Earth music", while the next one will hate it and call it "not even Mordor worth music." On Nightfall we dared to dedicate the whole album to Master Tolkien. I personally am very proud about that one. It features the story in a suitable way. I am sure that in the future whenever a song calls for it, we will continue using lyrics inspired by Frodo, Maglor, OlÕrin or whoever is closest to our hearts in these moments of giving birth to a song. Whatever people finally think about our songs, they should not forget to consider that we always try to honour Tolkien's world with our music and not to stain it.

Hansi: It at least does for us. Some people will agree, others won't. It is a very personal point of view. We try to match things which have attracted us somehow and we have to be amazed by those things in complete. Otherwise it would not work. From my point of view we are taking an advantage out of theses stories in finding some of our ideas there. On the other hand, we deliver this emotion to people who might be attracted to read these stories. We never steal things or copy them and we always try to make clear where we have taken our inspirations from. The essential spirit of these words motivates us, gives courage and strengths to us and is an enormous inspiration in our music and also in our lives.

Jeremiah: To come to the point, you have hopes that you will be asked to compose and perform the soundtrack to the Lord of the Rings movies. Why do you feel a heavy metal soundtrack would compliment the stirring and fantastic vision Peter Jackson has for these movies?

Of course, we can't mess with Mr. Goldsmith or Mr. Williams orchestral-wise, but I am sure inspiration-wise we are at least even. As these people are established, they are connected to certain sounds, we in the end can do whatever we feel fits best. The point is we are prepared and to be honest we recently started working on a classical project. Guess about what? Either we will be involved in the movie or not. One day we are going to release our acoustical vision of that tremendous story. The Lord of the Rings deserves fresh new music far away from all clichÊs and categories. We have prepared some samples, so whenever there is a request we are ready to show.

Hansi: If we were asked to do it and we would be independent, it would turn out to be a musical, which does not make sense for a movie. So I, as a vocalist, would have to keep my mouth most of the time, unfortunately. The vocalparts would be leaned on Tolkien lyrics taken from the story and as well would be presented in Quenya, Sindarin, or whatever language fits best to the particular part. I have prepared some big, almost "Carmina Burana" like choirs, as well as some single voice folk stuff. Though we know the story almost perfectly, a screenplay will be necessary and from a certain point on it will be very important to work with the moving pictures as well.

Jeremiah: I’d like to thank you all once again for allowing me the pleasure of this talk. Good luck in all your future music projects, whatever they may be.

Journey To Middle-Earth

Blind Guardian are a special band. Almost all their lyrics deal with
stories from important fantasy writers. This time, in "Nightfall in
Middle-Earth" they touch the extreme by creating a concept album
inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Silmarillion". Realizing once again
that if I love some bands it's precisely for their particularities, I
hear Hansi Kursch speaking for some of the stories haunting his mind

MH: Unfortunately, Hansi, I've heard nothing from your new album. I'd
like you, therefore, to describe it.

Hansi: It is, I'd say, the evolution of "Imaginations From The Other
Side". All the elements comprising that album are present in the new one
as well. Yet, I believe, using them we've taken them to their limits:
more choir vocals, richer instrumentation and the variety of the tracks
is far greater this time. One can hear from almost thrash songs to
melancholic ballads. We wanted to make the very most out of our
abilities, from backing vocals to drums, that are almost singing.

MH: I belive that in your last two albums you've had influences from
bands like Savatage or even Queensryche. What of the influences in the
new songs?

Hansi: Our basic influences are, mainly, the same, meaning the bands
you mentioned and Queen. We've tried to give to our music the most
personal character possible. We sound very epic, I'd call what we're
playing now fantasy metal. To give you an idea, the new material is
close to the direction we'd taken with songs like "And The Story Ends"
or "Mordred's Song". One of the songs reminds me of Sepultura, though
the vocals are nowhere near theirs. There are also influences from
Jethro Tull and older Genesis.

MH: From what I know, the album is based on "The Silmarillion" by J.R.R.
Tolkien. Give me some more information. With which, exactly, stories
from that book do the lyrics deal with?

Hansi: Generally, I've looked into the Curse of Feanor. I began with the
destruction of the Two Treesby Ungoliant and Morgoth and went so far as
the fifth battle of Middle-Earth, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, where 
I finish, with the ruin in that battle. The first song speaks of Morgoth
and the legendary spider, Ungoliant. The second. "Nightfall", for the
darkness that fell after the destruction of the Trees and the Exile of
the Noldor from the Blessed Kingdom, Aman. The third song is about one
of the central heroes, Feanor, the tale of the Battle under the Stars,
and, mainly, Feanor's thoughts and feelings following the Kinslaying he
brought about on his way to Middle-Earth. The fourth song has to do with
Feanor's son, Maedhros. Maedhros was captured by Morgoth, the Dark Lord,
and hanged on a rock from his wrist. This is the story of his isolation.
The next song, "Mirror, Mirror", tells of the incident when Finrod and
Turgon saw visions created from the Lord of Waters and decided to create
hidden fortresses to protect themselves from the disaster to come. The
sixth song, "Noldor", has to do with the curse of the Noldor nad their
march through the ice of Aman. Next piece, Time Stands Still, is the
tale of the challenge to Morgoth from the Noldor's High King. Fingolfin,
and the Battle of Sudden Flame. The eighth song speaks of Maeglin, who
enters the hidden vale of Tumladen to join the forces of Gondolin and
about the wish the new High King of the Noldor, Fingon, to rediscover
the way to the Blessed Kingdom. The Following song, speaks of Finrod
that dies fighting  a wolf, and for the story of Beren and Luthien after
the death of Beren, how he feels in Halls of the Dead where he is
waiting for Luthien, as she has said to him. The last song, "Dark
Passage", has to do with the Battle of Unnumbered Tears and especially
with Hurin, the most famed, perhaps, warrior of the human kind.

MH: So, the narration is almost parallel to the chapters of the book.

Hansi: Correct. I left out the creation of the Sun and Moon and the
first war in Beleriand because I tried to tell the story from the
perspective of Maglor, the bard. I shall eventually continue the story
to the end, unti the War of Wrath. There will be a note along with the
lyrics for Maglor. He is the composer of these songs and is for me the
main character in the story.

MH: Shall I assume that the next album will also be a concept on
Tolkien's work?

Hansi: Yes, something like that is very probable. I don't know though,
if I'll continue with the "Silmarillion" or if I'll go into "Akallabeth"
or "The Lord Of The Rings".

MH: I believe it'd be extremely interesting to if you were to get into
"Akallabeth"

Hansi: Truly, Tolkien's text is relatively small, so there's a lot of
space for someone with a little imagination to tell of that tale. I was
impressed, however, from the characters from the part of the story I
busied myself with, and I believe it is a very interesting part, since
it's the most important part of the history of the elves.

MH: I believe that Tolkien's work, along with all its recent
publications of his manuscripts, is something one can really go into
studying.

Hansi: You're obviously talking for the "The History Of Middle-Earth"
series. I'm really very into it. It's something that excites me greatly.

MH: How important is literature for your life?

Hansi: Very important. For Blind Guardian, Tolkien consists the main
source of inspiration behind most of the songs. For me, personally,
there are many other very important works, like for instance the Ring of
the Nibelungen, which I think is almost as important as Tolkien's work.
Literature is, perhaps, the only place where I can retire and let my
mind go free, since most of the rest of my life is dedicated to music.

MH: What other writers have affected your life and lyrics?

Hansi: Definitely Stephen King. I love the "Dark Tower"! Stephen Grandy
with "The Rhinegold Saga", Marion Zimmer Bradley, Gary Jennings, who is
a historic (note: must refer to the writing style)  but his writing
style is very much like fantasy.  T. H. White, since I'm interested in
the epic of Arthur, Mary Stewart

MH: Michael Moorkcock, I assume

Hansi: Of course, he's amazing! It would be worth it to make a concept
album about his work. I was talking with an Italian friend of mine, who
told me something that I think is as important as it is true; let me
tell you here that the story, that in the album stops before Turin, will
be continued in an EP that will be released later in '98 or early '99,
where I will mostly deal with Turin. So, the said Italian, told me that
Turin is the character that inspired Elric, from Michael Moorcock [if I
ever meet you, I want to talk to you about that, Mr. Kursch! - Ares].

MH: Probably, I never thought about it.

Hansi: Neither had I, but there are a lot of common elements between
them character-wise, especially that tragic element which moves me
greatly in a hero.

MH: However, Elric's stories were released a fair while before the
publication of "The Silmarillion"

Hansi: Indeed "The Silmarillion" was released in the '70s, if I'm not
mistaken.

MH: In '77

Hansi: Then maybe there's someone else who inspired both of them.

MH: If someone has no idea whatsoever about Tolkien's books, Stephen
King's etc., how differently does he sense the music in relation to
someone who knows what the lyrics are about?

Hansi: More appropriate to answer this question would have been Thomen,
since he's read nothing of all this. I believe it's not so important to
understand the lyrics, as is perceiving their spirit and being open
minded as far as fairytales and things not about reality are concerned.
There are, however, elements from real life in those stories: the way
one faces life, the way the story is felt and compared with real life.
So, regarding the lyrics, one might try to see them from a different
perspective, if he's not into fantasy. As about the music, if someone
likes fairytales and dreams, he can feel it even if he has not the
slightest idea as to what the lyrics are about.

MH: There is the opinion that Tolkien's work has been allegoric.

Hansi: He said it himself that it's mostly a story. Of course there are
parts of it

MH: That express true feelings?

Hansi: Yes, my feelings. For instance, "The Silmarillion", was written,
as far as I know, during the First World War. So there are points when
one can say that it's not just a story.

MH: I wanted to hear that from you because there's the opinion that in
reality, he meant something else.

Hansi: He main goal was, I believe, to play with the reader. To get him
into the story and into a character of the story. He wanted much more
than to teach something or to make comparisons with reality: he wanted
to excite the reader and make him a part of the story. For example, the
description he did of the Valar, was like saying that the Valar were the
readers: they are giving life to the story. He is Eru, who creates the
cosmos.

MH: What other bands do you think have used successfully Tolkien's work
in lyrics?

Hansi: I can't answer that because I know hat a lot of death or gothic
bands deal with such topics and I don't much like their music, so I
don't know who is considered successful . There are however from time to
time bands that are inspired very successfully from Tolkien's work, but
I'm not sure their success is because of Tolkien. It's the same as with
us: those lyrics help to approach and audience that under different
circumstances would not listen to your music, but the main part is
always played by the music.

MH: Those death metal bands you mentioned, tend to use the "evil" side
of Tolkien's work. What's your opinion on that?

Hansi: To tell the truth, I've never happened to read their lyrics.

MH: They compare him with Satan etc.

Hansi: That's stupid! I'm trying to handle the matter realistically,
giving more emphasis to the heroes' feelings than the story itself. I
try for instance to give the feelings of isolation when Maedhros is
hanging from the rock, looking towards the peaks of Thangorodrim, with
the cold winds and the barren land around him. That's the way I try to
handle the "evil" side and I think it's much more exciting than
comparing with Satan. You've probably noticed that nowhere does Tolkien
describe "bad" characters. There is no, for instance, description of
Sauron. He simply plays with the feelings and with some verbs to give
the atmosphere surrounding him. So, there is quite vague an image of
Sauron, but there's no way I'd compare him with Satan.

MH: Since we've been talking about concept albums, there's something
I've always wanted to ask: is "Somewhere Far Beyond" a concept album? I
have the impression that every song is a story from a different world,
and that all the narrator s from those worlds have gathered as shown on
the cover. Am I right?

Hansi: Yes, you are. Of course, you can see every song on it's own.
"Time What Is Time" is about someone who finds himself in the Blade
Runner world, "Journey Through The Dark" is for someone who's forgotten
who he is, for time travel and for Jhary-a-Conel, the Michael Moorcock
character. "Black Chamber" deals with someone found in the Twin Peaks
world and his fate is dark, "Quest For Tanelorn" is obviously for
Jhary-a-Conel also. "Ashes To Ashes" is based on reality, it has to do
with the death of my father. "The Bard's Song - In The Forest" and "The
Piper's Calling" are about the gathering itself, "Bard's Song - The
Hobbit" is obviously about the Hobbit and "Somewhere Far Beyond" is
about Stephen King's "Dark Tower" and about someone who found himself in
there.

MH: Are there any lyrics that you've written based on your own fantasy
stories?

Hansi: Yes, in "Imaginations From The Other Side" there's "Bright Eyes",
which continues with "And The Story Ends".

MHi: That story kind of resembles Michael Ende's "Never-ending Story"?

Hansi: Yes he's very good, most of his books I like especially.

MH: "The Mirror Inside The Mirror" was great book.

Hansi: An incredible book, really!

MH: He is a genius

Hansi: Was, unfortunately (note: Michael Ende died a couple of years
ago). As I was saying, "Bright Eyes" and  "And The Story Ends" resemble
"The Never-ending Story. I was not influenced from there, I just tried
to write a story that ended up taking same direction.

MH: What the story about, exactly?

Hanis: It's about and isolated child living in reality. Despite its age,
he's about ten, it's very smart and has some special talents. He's not
getting along well with the people around him, including his family. So,
it's isolated and eventually starts loosing it's mind. That's happening
in "Bright Eyes". The reason why he can't get along with other people is
that he has already shaped his own perspective about truth and he does
not belong to the people who always say "yes". In the end, through the
mirror you see on the cover, he comes into contact with another world.
Both sides, the good and the evil, are interested in that child because
of its wisdom. In the beginning, the child does not accept the
imagination from the other world with positive feelings. When he does,
the dilemma is created: which path will he take? Take the good path or
the evil path?  Stay in reality or jump into another world? Eventually,
and that's the end of the story, in "And The Story Ends" to chid makes
that jump, finds a friend, but it is not clear which path he took.

MH: Would you be interested in writing a full text and publishing it?

Hansi: Yes. I'm always working on something like that, but at a very
slow pace. I can't go faster cause there's not enough time, since
currently I am a musician. I write many short stories, I have the ideas
for the lyrics and the covers; some things could be published with the
lyrics, but for something to be published in book form, that will take a
long time. Perhaps in a decade, not before, since it takes a lot of
experience to form a specific style to create something interesting.

MH: Why do you think Tolkien is so popular among heavy metal fans?

Hansi: I think he fits the music, because those two create a new world.
Tolkien on those grounds was a perfectionist;  there is everything in
his works: spirit, mythology, politics, languages and there's a
corresponding variety in heavy metal, since every kind of it is a new
world. Now what else? What I know for sure is that I'm into Tolkien and
I'm into metal.

MH: Give me some details regarding the artwork of the album. Is it again
done by Andreas Marschall this time?

Hansi: Yes, he's done the cover of  "Mirror Mirror" which has been
released a couple of weeks ago here in Germany. Incidentally, it very
successful, since it's at #42 of the mainstream pop charts [at the time,
Mirror Mirror was at #8 of the Greek mainstream pop charts -Ares]. This
has never happened to us before. The cover of the EP shows the Noldor
making their way through the ice. Specifically, it's the messenger of
the King who is ahead of the others progressing through storm and snow,
holding Fingolfin's banner in his hands. The album cover will be the
dance of Luthien in front of Morgoth. Morgoth is almost asleep and Beren
can be seen in front of the throne in the form of a wolf. I gave Andreas
a lot of detail as to how Tolkien describes his creatures and I can't
wait to see what he'll come up with. I just saw a few sketches and
Andreas' perspective of the room where the scene takes place is very
original and interesting. The wolf has become quite aggressive looking,
but I like it, as I like a lot the way he's drawn Luthien.

MH: What's your opinion of the general situation in heavy metal?

Hansi: I believe that it's becoming popular again. It's something I
hadn't expected so soon. I like bands like Rhapsody or Hammerfall. My
only problem with metal, as it is currently, is that it's very old
fashioned and very little open minded. Even though the roots are at the
metal of the past two decades, I believe that new elements should be
introduced. For instance, I get a bit tired of Hammerfall, since it's
the same music I had been listening in the '80s. I prefer, for example,
Savatage's style, who are constantly evolving. That's what we are trying
to do: be heavy metal while at the same time adding as much progress and
as many influences as possible.

MH: What's your opinion on progressive metal?

Hansi: There's the corresponding problem there also. Playing progressive
music doesn't mean playing very technically. Many of the band that call
themselved progressive metal, forget to write any noteworthy
compositions. Technically speaking, however, progressive metal is very
interesting.

MH: What do you think was the importance of "The Forgotten Tale" for
Blind Guardian fans?

Hansi: I think the album was liked by all interested in folk metal. Of
course, all those interested more in our speed metal side than are folk
metal side, were probably not satisfied. In the end, the album was
successful, though it didn't have the tremendous success our company
hoped for since the "Mr. Sandman" single didn't work out. The poblem
was, I believe the songs used in previous albums. It would have been
better if only songs like "Surfin' USA" or "Mordred's Song" in it's
second form.

MH: What's your unfulfilled musical dream?

Hansi: To write a full rock opera about "The Lord Of The Rings". That is
also the wish of Andre, so it's very possible that something like that
may happen in the future. To be honest, we've already written four songs
that I think are better than anything in "Imaginations" or
"Nightfall". We'll see, for the time being I believe "Nightfall In
Middle-Earth" is a very good album and an EP will follow.

MH: That will be called?

Hansi: We still don't know yet. Presently, there's the title of a
ballad: "Harvest Of Sorrows". It's in the vein of "Scarborough Fair" of
Simon & Garfunkel. There's a doom metal song, a typical Blind Guardian
song and a typical Blind Guardian orchestral piece. For the time being
we've recorded the drums and the base for the EP but we haven't decided
if it will be out at the end of '98 or the beginning of '99.

MH: To wind this up, what are your plans for the coming tour?

Hansi: The first part of the tour will be in central Europe: Germany,
France, Austria. Switzerland, Italy for a festival, Czechoslovakia,
Hungarry.

MH: Greece?

Hansi: We'll definitely be in Greece this Fall. We couldn't come in
Greece during the first part of the tour, but we'll come in the second
part, along with Spain. Germany, Greece and Spain are the most important
European markets for us. In August we'll play in Brazil and Argentina,
perhaps Colombia. Next, we'll play in Japan and Southeast Asia.

MH: Good. Hope to talk to you again soon!

Orestes Raptis

The Heaviest generation of the german melodic-metal

No one doubts that Blind Guardian is one of the most impetuous band in the metal scene nowadays. They can be proud of giving the world such masterpieces as Imaginations of the Other Side , Tales from the Twilight World and the great Somewhere Far Beyond among other excelent albums. By now, the band is in the process of recording the new album. Rock Brigade had a chat with bass player / vocalist Hansi KØrsch to know what is happening with the band, which is formed by Markus Siepen ( guitars), AndrÊ Olbrich ( guitars ) and Thomas Stauch ( drums ).

ROCK BRIGADE - We heard that you are already working with the new album. Does it have a name ?
HANSI KøRSCH - No. Although we're working hard with it, we did just the instrumental parts and almost no lyric. The ones there are done lead us to say that it will be a concept album, but we don't have everything ready yet. When we have , we will see which fit better in the songs and then we will find a title. ( Note from the tranlater :) - We know by now that the album is named Nightfall in MiddleEarth and it is a concept album about J.R.R Tolkien's books )

RB - What's the album about ?
HANSI - It is a fantasy theme again. As I told, not everything is done yet, but I believe we will do something based on "Lord of the Rings" book. But I can't really say what it is about now.

RB - It seems that you are really influenced by Tokien's work.
HANSI - Can you notice that ? [ laughs ]. I always liked those dark and epic stories, mostly because it amazes me how they can join different elements creating an unique effect : mythology, history and of course, society - everything in just one narrative. It's that what we want to make in our songs, different realities, that mix together to create something new.

RB - How is it possible to write songs inspired by a book ?
HANSI - Usually, my ideas are in the songs, but I try to get something from those old stories to make my own story, whith my words and point of view. I think that Tolkien's stories are not important because of the book itself, but of the way they affect me by some reason. And, because it affects me, it makes me write new lyrics about them.

RB - Do you think that who likes Blind Guardian knows Tolkien's work ?
HANSI : I am sure. I mean, some people don't care about lyrics, for them the topic of we are talking about is not important. But many people are interested in the lyrics, specially when it is like our kind of lyrics. And, as we talk about Tolkien, if these people don't know him, they will read his books, because they heard about him in our music. Then, they can understand better the topic we talk about.

RB - Why did the band decide to make those accoustic and orchestred versions that are in " the Forgotten Tales" album ?
HANSI - Because we didn't have other songs and they were the stuff we could put there to complete the album without making it full of demo versions. We thought that it would be more interesting to have fun, and at the same time , show you this other side of the band. Of course there are other songs that could be improved if done by other ways and that is what we had done in the album. Some of songs alredy had 7 years ! When we went to re-record them, we were searching for quality, cos we wanted to show the band's progress.

RB - Talking about the covers in that album and knowing that they always have been appearing through the Guardian's albums, was there any criteria to choose them ?
HANSI - The main criteria is : everyone must feel something for the song. But it's better if the song didn't have much success. We play covers mainly to relax and have fun, so we elect weird covers. We can change them a lot since they are not well-known. We can take MrSandman as an example. We all were atracted to the song, which was written 30 or 40 years ago. We thought it would be a good idea to play it in our way.

RB - Do the covers appear naturally in the rehearsals ?
HANSI - Most of them. Take Barbara Ann for an example. Firstly, we played it in the begining and in the end of our rehearsals, just to get a little crazy. Slowly, we modified some parts until we got to a point when we played the song for 20 or even 35 minutes, doing whatever we wanted.

RB - You played in some songs with an argetinian band, Nepal. How did you feel singing in spanish ?
HANSI - It was fun, the only problem we had was tha lack of the time, and because oft he playbacks, we could't erase the voices in spanish that were already sung. I had some problems to find some notes. But spanish is a cool language, even better than english.

RB - What did you think when they asked you to help ?
HANSI - I liked the idea, but it was clear that we would need some help because it is very difficult in other language besides english. I was surprised with the song, cos it is not too fast and not very different from what we do.

RB - Did u already think about singing in Dutch ?
HANSI - Not really. Some band have been doing it, with success, but personally I don't think it works well in music and lyrics. Some thing sounds weird even if translated to Dutch. It's a very rude language, we never thought about using it in our music.

RB - Since we're talking about Germany, do you think that the metal scene there is weak nowadays ?
HANSI - Yes. It is influenced by all those american trends. However, we have a strong underground scene, where people really live for music. Sometimes heavy metal is popular and there are people listening to it and sometimes it is restricted to the underground , like now. We had great bands in the 80s, but nowadays we can't find good new bands from Germany. It's easier to find good new bands from Argentina, Brasil, Spain and France.

RB - How was the tour you made recently in places like Thailand and Bangkok ?
HANSI - It was really cool, but people saw us as something exotic. We felt like animals in a zoo's cage. They didn't know what to expect, because it is not common to have metal bands around there.

RB - It must be very difficult to play songs like Imagination From the Other Side live. How can you describe a Blind Guardian concert ?
HANSI - Don't ask me how, but it works. After making the album, we focus on the concerts. We don't work with anyone in the samples, even if we have a keyboard player. And we let the public to sing with us also. We never exagerate while planning the concerts.

RB - Is it hard to keep all those choirs live ?
HANSI - Not much, since the fans always sing the background parts and I just keep to the main vocal. Sometimes I even don't sing, cos they do everything for me and they do it very well. And when the public sing with us, our mistakes appear less [ laughs ]

RB - Imaginations From the Other Side was very different from the other albums, maybe because you had emphasized the epic side and gave less importance to the velocity and rage from speed metal. How will the new album sound ?
HANSI - I believe it is in the same style of IFTOS, but it will have more speed metal parts. We didn't loose our influences.