You
joined Domain at the start of the new millennium. 'Last Days Of Utopia'
was your fourth album with the band. How have you seen your role or
impact in the band change since you first joined?
Well, I'd say my impact and status within the band
has changed tremendously. Whilst Domain during the first two records of
the reunion, "One Million Light Years From Home" and "The Artefact",
basically was Axel Ritt's band and more or less his brainchild,
especially because of my work with other musicians, I gained more and
more respect as a singer and motivator in trying certain things
differently.
I must admit that this was my first actual
experience of hearing Domain, how would you describe the band to a
reader that hasn't heard the bands material?
Difficult question, because "Last Days Of Utopia"
in fact was a turn for Domain into a whole new direction, with all its
symphonic elements, something, we haven't had before. Basically, I'd
describe the band's sound nowadays as Melodic Power Metal, sometimes
with a twist towards Hard Rock, sometimes with another one towards
Classic Heavy Metal.
I believe the storyline and idea to do
something around the 'Last Days Of Utopia' was your idea, what gave you
the inspiration and foresight to see that something this grandiose could
be pulled off?
Thanx very much, Andy. Well, the basic sketches of
the story I carry with me for more than three years now. Actually, I
started working on the concept, while I was on my summer holidays in
Croatia years ago. In fact, it took me two years to convince Axel to do
a concept album like this and work out all its different chapters. But
in 2004, when Axel realized that this could be his chance in fulfilling
a long kept wish and arrange songs with full orchestration, we finally
could start our personal journey to Utopia! If you ask me, it's the best
album, we've ever done! Surprise, surprise... :-)
How have the fans of Domain taken to this
release?
To our own surprise very positive! It's a change
of pace for sure, but "Last Days Of Utopia" sold more copies than any
other Domain CD since the reunion!
Has it done well with the press?
I know, we've lost some of our Melodic Rock fans
amongst the writers, but we've gained way more amongst those, who didn't
like, what we've done so far - we've broken new grounds for the band,
especially regarding the classic Metal press, and this is what we wanted
to!
What
would you say this has done for the future of Domain in regards to
artistic approach?
...we can't keep Axel from adding orchestra sounds
to our new songs! Haha! :-))) Seriously, it helps to believe in doing,
what we want to! We took the risk in trying something new (also having
the very fortune in finding a label that could cope with such a sound!)
- and won! We've already started writing and recording songs for the
next album, and I feel that there's less pressure on all of us, and this
is really inspiring!
I believe that work has commenced on the next
album already, where do you see the next album heading?
In both of our true musical directions: the next
album somehow will be two records in one. On the one hand, we'll have
about 45 minutes of classic Melodic Metal Songs, catchy and heavy, on
the other hand, the album will also feature one 25-minutes-opus, that
will have all those orchestral and symphonic elements, we've had on
"Utopia" - no risk, no fun!
Looking back over the other albums you have
done with the band, what do you feel are the highlights of each album
and why?
You want me to point out single tracks?! Alright,
not easy... here we go:
"One Million Light Years From Home":
- "When It Comes To Love": I'm a singer, I love
ballads, and as we had the chance to tour this album twice, singin' this
tune with only Erdmann playing his wonderful piano was magic each night.
"The Artefact"
- "Charade": Fantastic tune, which we still do
live! Contains everything that's typical Domain: Fanfaric keyboards,
heavy guitars, speed and a sing-a-long chorus.
"The Sixth Dimension"
- "Your Favourite Curse": This song to me somehow
was like my breakthrough within the band. For the first time I could do
my own lines and style like I wanted it to! This is like the first 100%
Lizard-Domain Song! Still one of my favourite live tunes.
"Last Days Of Utopia"
- "The Beauty Of Love": Another ballad with the
brilliant Erdmann Lange on piano. Every time we play this song live I have
one certain girl on my mind (not the same one every show that is...).
- "Endless Rain": Heavy, epic, brilliant guitar
solo, huuuuuuuge choir parts, simply fucking amazing!
Vocally who are your influences?
Well, in general its the Classic Rock voices, guys
that could really sing and simply knew, what they were doing, like
Hughes, Turner, Coverdale etc., but it was four guys, that had a major
impact on my style of singing:
- Robert Plant: The original Hard Rock-voice!
Everything he did was unique! The reason, why I started singing Hard
Rock and Blues in the first place.
- Jon Bon Jovi: In the late 80s and early 90s
simply the ultimate Rock singer! Perfect voice, perfect feel, perfect
looks! Like a role model for everyone.
- Ray Gillen (RIP): For me the best Hard Rock
singer ever! ...and the reason, why I got me a vocal teacher about 100
years ago :-)
- Sting: ...because he's so fucking different from
anybody else around. Whereas most Rock singers take their inspiration
and lines from the Blues, he was way more Jazz-influenced, in fact,
listening to him singing Jazz traditionals still makes me shiver...
Where does the 'Lizard' in your name come from?
Ok, well, comes from a tattoo of a lizard, I
always wanted to have. One US friend of mine gave me that nickname, who
I kept telling that one day, I wanted to have this Saigon Kick album
cover "The Lizard" as a tattoo. Strangely enough, meanwhile I have a
lizard tattooed to my arm, but a different one, whereas our new Domain
bass man Jochen Mayer for sure has the original lizard!
You have a great distinctive sound that can
travel through many moods, this must help when composing music.
Thanx very much again, Andy. Well, I try to vary
my singing at least slightly (well, I try to...) with every different
band or project, I'm working on. In Domain for example, I try to stretch
my voice a little more Metal-like, whereas in Evidence One I sing more
like Melodic, less aggressive and edgy. On Iain's record for example I
had the chance to go back to my roots and give it more of a natural
Blues feel. The cool thing is, there's people out there, who love my
singing with Domain, but not with E1 and vice versa! That's perfect,
because it keeps the bands themselves unique - if somebody likes my
singing in general, well, that also fine with me! :-)
What do you feel are your strengths and your
weaknesses vocally?
I'm getting older! :-) To me personally it feels
like my voice changes all the time. I know how to warm up and sing my
parts, no problem, but to me, it's like it changes its sound somehow.
For sure, the voice gets deeper and darker with age, so it's getting
harder, hitting the high notes, but on the other hand, I love this rough
and edgy sound, simply because I have to sing more like with power.
Strength...? Well, ask those, who are forced to work with me! :-)
2005 also saw the release of another excellent
album, Iain Ashley Hersey's The Holy Grail. You sang on a few tracks on
this release. How did you hook up with Iain?
Man, I'm so happy, he finally got this done! I
know Iain (by e-mail) for about four or five years now, since the
release of his debut CD! Ever since, we both wanted to work together, but
it took us so long to finally record these three songs! I love his
style! There's not many guitarists around these days, who can play like
that! Finally, last summer, while E1 was supporting Alice Cooper, we had
the chance to hook up and have a couple beers together! Cheers, Iain!
All the best for the future, my friend!!!
Your voice is equally well suited to the more
classic rock material on offer here, How did you record in the studio
with Iain or where your parts recorded elsewhere and then mailed/emailed
to Iain for tracking?
Most of my work aside from Domain or E1, including
my work for "The Holy Grail", I record at my close friend Stephen
Seeger's (Midnite Club) studio. We know each other for such a long time,
and it doesn't take long to get things done. He knows my voice and style
for so many years, and really knows, when I'm best or when I can do
better.
Would you like to work with Iain again in the
future?
Hell fucking yeah!!!!!
I believe another project that you contributed
to has just been signed, namely Code Of Perfection. Can you tell our
readers about this band and album.
Yes, Code Of Perfection (www.codeofperfection.com)
is the first solo band of former Demon Drive guitarist Thorsten Koehne.
Brillant, mainly instrumental stuff in the vain of classic guitar hero
stuff like Cacophony or Racer X. Their debut CD, which will be out any
day know, also features the likes of Keisuke Nishimoto (Hideous Sun
Demons, Kelly Simonz) on bass and as guests Michael Angelo (ex-Nitro) or
Alex Beyrodt (Silent Force) amongst others. I sang on three tracks and
more or less try to manage and help the guys a little.
Can you tell us about your time with Evidence
One.
E1 represents the music, I grew up with. Classic
US sound like Dokken, Y&T etc. The band was founded by guitarist Robby
Boebel (Frontline) and me four years ago and runs perfectly! Last
summer, as I said, I was on the road with Alice Cooper, did support
shows with the Scorpions and Krokus and managed to sign a deal with
Nuclear Blast records - when Domain's my family, E1's my baby! :-)
You seem like a musician that constantly has to
be busy, is this assumption correct?
Yes, right! I'm a workaholic, when it gets to
singing. I love working with other musicians, and I do it for living, so
I need to keep myself busy somehow. You know, this is my life, the life
I always wanted to live since my 18th birthday, when somehow gave me a
magic Led Zeppelin bootleg - I'm a Rock singer, nothing more, nothing
less, and there's 365 days a year to fill! :-)
What's in store for 2006?
Besides the next Domain, which will be out
September and a couple other guest appearances, I'll start working on
Artension guitarist Roger Staffelbach's first solo album. This is
something, I'm really looking forward to! Roger and I really have grown
good friends! We're of the same age, listen to same albums, love the
same music - that record's gonna be a fucking blast!
Any final messages for the readers of
Virtuosity
One?
As I always used to say: Don't believe the
critics, judge yourselves! Listen to the bands, you're interested in and
don't follow trends and hypes ...unless you really like them!
Carsten, many thanks for your time.
Thank you, Andy! And keep up your fantastic work,
man!!!
