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I guess the first question is quite obvious,
your first solo album in a career spanning the best part of 30
years – why so long?
Now, as the days pass and the reviews start
to come in, I’m asking this myself actually. I think the time was
just right. After years of discussion with all my band members, I
finally got tired of waiting for anybody else to record a new
album or to be ready to go on the road. I was sick of sitting
around. So I took the chance and the time was just right.
I actually released my first true 'Solo' album
with the first of the three Moon´Doc CDs. On these albums I wrote
all the songs and produced them. But, the difference compared to
“Loyal To None” is that I can now put my name on it, ‘cause this
time I also recorded and mixed it by myself and I was getting tired
of discussions with other people in terms of the songs, sound and so
on. I set up my own studio back in 2005, so it was natural to go
there and just start to jam a little bit with my drum-machine, my
bass, my guitar and finally put my voice on top so I could hear how
the demo songs would sound. After a while I started to really get
into the ideas…. And …like the songs.. and as none of my then band
mates (in Victory ) were in the mood to record a new album, I
decided to give these tunes a chance. I called Jiotis and asked him
if he wanted to sing on a solo album… And, he was ready to go right
from the beginning…. And when I heard him singing my melodies with
his voice the decision was made. This could be the start of a big
new thing actually? Finally I’ve got a chance to write, record and
release my music whenever I want and there’s no need to wait for
anybody…. Lovely !
What struck me about the album particularly
was how good the songs are which is normally quite different to what
you get from a perceived “guitarists album”. Was this first and
foremost the most important factor for “Loyal To None”?
Yes, it was definitely more important for me
to write an album with strong songs than to show my "talent" as a
good guitar player. This, I’ve proved for over 20 years. You’re
question is absolutely correct… because many good guitar players
tend only to write with six strings and not go outside and write on
other instruments, I wanted to show that I have the talent to write
a song by song album that then holds together…. And “Loyal To None”
is definitely that.
How did you go about picking the band
personnel for the album, and how did you settle on the final line
up?
Well, first of all, there are three very
important reasons why I chose Jiotis, Stefan and Peter. First of
all, they are great and very talented musicians. Second, I have a
strong relationship with each of them, and third, they all live in
the same area of Hannover which makes it easier to practice and
prepare for the upcoming live shows which are as important to this
idea as the album itself….. But Andy, you wanted me to say; the one
and only reason is, that they are good drinkers and wild party
animals, right? They are!!”
Vocalist Jiotis Parachidis has a superb voice,
it’s true, very well suited to the music. What were you looking for
in your vocalist for the album?
I was looking for a powerful, strong
passionate voice. Jiotis has got all of that. For me, he is the best
German heavy metal shouter out there!!
You’ve worked with some great musicians in
past bands, how do these guys stack up?
They’re different… that’s all I can say,
really. I have played with some wonderful musicians who all brought
different things to records, but this time I was bringing the music
and I need someone who could really feel it and yet, do it as well,
if that makes sense?”
How long did the writing take for the album?
Actually, I started about two years ago.
Whenever I found time in between producing or working for other
bands (which gladly, I do a lot of these days…), I would sit down
and work on my own songs. I wrote more than 20 Songs so that I could
have a huge catalogue to sort out the best ones from…. Those tracks
are now “Loyal To None”.
 How
do you prefer to write? (jamming, get a chord progression then work
riffs around that… etc?)
It’s quite different every time. Most of the
song ideas started during a guitar practice, just playing with ideas
on my guitar. All of a sudden, you play a nice riff, than you start
thinking about a melody line and so on….. After this initial first
idea I’m off to the studio and start programming drums and playing
bass as well…. One step after the other, one step after the other,
until the song is done.”.
Over what time scale was the album recorded,
mixed and produced?
Hard to tell really, ‘cause I could only
record and mixed whenever I found time in between my other work in
the studio. So lets say in between January 08 till August 08. There
was a lot of other work to do…, which I’m eternally grateful for.”
Did you have a final vision of how you wanted
“Loyal To None” to represent, and if so how close to that initial
vision is the finished product?
Of course, but the only real vision I had was
that I wanted to come away with an album I would like. That sounds
silly I know, but I wanted it sounding fresh, hard and wild as well
as well put together….OK? The end result is not that far away from
that vision, I’d say”
The album has been out for a couple of weeks
now, how has the reaction been?
Oh, Absolutely amazing and there have been so
many good reactions from places I didn’t think would like it too..,
which is so nice. There are so many good reviews. All over Europe
and in the Far East too, everybody loves the album…. And, now lots
of people want me to play the shit live, so here we are! We’re just
looking at how to get the ball rolling on this now…!”.
Are we likely to see any tour dates confirmed
just yet to support the new album?
Yes indeed. To play live was one of the main
reasons for releasing this CD, so, I think from September onwards,
we’re gonna hit the road running!!”.
Does good or bad press bother you at this
stage in your career?
Yeah, no question about it… I think the bad
press always hurts in a little way, but I still appreciate good
press and the more of that there is, the easier it is to deal with
the odd bad bit.”
Your guitar sound on “Loyal To None” is
everything a fan could want in the metal genre – big, bold and full
sounding. What particular guitars, amps and effects do you use?
First of all, I still only use my old ENGL
Straight Amps. They’re about 20 years old now, but they just have so
much warmth…. On “Loyal To None”, I used a Heritage Les Paul and a
handmade Duesenberg Guitar for the recordings, just going through a
Cry Baby Wah-Wah and a normal Ping Pong Delay….. as Effects.”
What are you personally looking for in your
inherent guitar sound, and has this changed over the years?
I think I’ll always sound the same really? I
pretty much found my sound very early on and I haven’t changed
guitars or those amps in 25 Years, Ha! Ha!”
How did you go about recording the amps – what
sort of mic’ing, any outboard eq/compression?
I used one 56 Shure, the Engl Amp, Engl
Cabinet with 4x25 Watt Celestions…, and in the Mix a T-
Racks Multiband Limiter. That´s it.
Who were you early influences and who are you
more recent influences?
My early influences have always been with me:
Ritchie Blackmore, Ted Nugent, and Van Halen. You can’t go wrong
with those…”
 Now,
2006 saw Victory appear at Wacken putting on an impressive display,
and then everything went quiet with the band – what happened, what’s
the current state of Victory?
Well, Tommy the other guitar player suffered a
heart attack not so long ago, so there’s been quite a break… this
was one huge reason for that, of course… But, right now we are
finishing a new album which will be released in July 09.”
What did you see as the highpoint for that
band and is your overall memory of the band good or bad?
Ahh, “Culture Killed The Native” was a really
big moment and “Temples Of Gold” – those have been my highpoints in
89 through ‘til 92.
You were in Accept for 2 of their most popular
albums “Restless & Wild” and “Balls To The Wall”, what was your
contribution to those albums?
Ha! Ha! No Comment…. Its way too many years
ago my friend!
How were the guitar duties divided in Accept?
Sorry, as I said, it’s in the past.
Ok, would you be up for another Accept
reunion? Do you ever see this happening given that Wolf Hoffmann is
busy being a photographer and Udo busy with UDO?
See above, Ha! Ha!
Being a veteran of the metal industry you will
have seen numerous changes over the years. Is the current state of
the market (e.g. illegal downloading rife, sales falling everywhere,
stores going bust) the worst you have known it?
Sorry, no comment on that...
How have Metal Heaven been so far in terms of
promotion and exposure for the new album?
They are doing an excellent job and it’s
really only all I can ask.”
What do you have lined up for the rest of the
2009 and beyond?
Well, I’m very blessed… There’s lots of bands
waiting to get produced and now I have this album to take out there
and present live. It’s going to be a really full time.”
Herman many thanks for agreeing to this
interview and thank you for your time, we wish you all the best for
“Loyal To None” over the coming months. Any final message for our
readers?
Thanks for your support Andy. Stay in tune,
and watch this space!
Official Websites
http://www.hermanfrank.com/
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