Exclusive: Backstage with the band "Photos" in Heidelberg, "the devil" From: Johanna and Jean-Claude
"If you are not in the music industry wants to prostitute earns no money"
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| The "Pictures" during their concert on 15.12.2010 Heidelberger in "Hell" |
The first thing that strikes you when the band "photos" is the name. Some people will probably give up quickly on the Internet between offers and cheap camera image editing programs to find something about the band Photos. Here are the "Photos" is definitely the most interesting German bands.
After Thomas Hessler (vocals, guitar), Deniz Erarslan (guitar), Benedikt Schnermann (drums), and Frieder Weiss (bass) 2005 in Hamburg due to a rather lucky coincidence have formed a band, in 2006 there were already the self-titled, debut album. Awareness levels increased mainly due to the hit "giants" and soon had several appearances at festivals such as Southside or frequency on the calendar. The first work is characterized by danceable Indie Rock, which is enhanced with intelligent, personal lyrics from. Comparisons with Brit rockers and classic English indie bands will be raised again, but maintain the "Photos" a unique style and move since her first album between various genres. Although the band members are from different cities and only occasionally saw the rehearsals, working them eagerly to their music on, and so in 2008 the second album "After the Gold Rush." The rapid success and the associated positive and negative consequences will be processed on this album not only text but also in tone. Between cheerful pop songs and ballads mix with serious texts on the second album more and more electrical items. With these two albums in the baggage the band toured Germany and other European countries and even played at festivals in Asia. At least by participating in Stephan Raab's "Federal Vision Song Contest" 2009 remained the "Photos" apparently not a secret, but nor could inspire more people with their songs. End 2009 Hessler and Erarslan presented in an acoustic tour through Germany and Austria, some of their songs.
This year for the "Photos" a year of change. They broke away from their label EMI / labels and are now in Berlin indie label "Snow White" represented. There, they can now enjoy all the freedoms to which they have longed for for so long and had to make as much as possible themselves together with producer Olaf OPAL they recorded their third album "Porcelain", which was previously released in September. The musical change to its predecessors is hard to hear, everything seems something darker, more melancholy and quiet to be. Hessler's texts are now with synthesizers, psychedelic choruses and dull, harsh sounds and dramatized for thought. What he later in the interview as "The Night", describes well is a fitting description of the mood that prevails in the album.
Backstage at ...
occasion of the current "Porcelain" club tour we have Tom Hessler met the singer of the band for an interview at Heidelberg, "the devil".
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| Tom Hessler, singer of the band
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Face2Face: You are now no longer represented in your old label EMI / labels, but the Berlin Indie Label Snow White. What has it changed for you positive and negative?
Tom: After we released our second album "After the Gold Rush", we have determined for us as a band simply that we are under too much pressure from the major labels. It definitely was not what we wanted. We noticed that the number of tours and the pressure to record a new album, we are burdened by very very private. The band lives in that time the private life very much pushed to the background. That is why we are doing now as much as we can, we are all now themselves totally satisfied with "porcelain".
Face2Face: word "porcelain". Your new album sounds compared to the predecessors very different. It is much darker, more melancholy and quiet. Is there a particular reason?
Tom: We were, as I said, just not satisfied with our development. And not only we, but the fans were unhappy because we just could not do our best. All these feelings can be found in our music again. In addition, the album deals with the escapism in the nightlife and the whole Weggehkultur. I was at that time a lot of traveling in Berlin and have my feelings and impressions written down. The album is for me as a "journey through the night."
Face2Face: On your homepage offers her a "Fan Ticket". What does it mean?
Tom: This was an idea I had with friends. It's simply to offer their own, individual tickets to 60's model. The tickets should not be standardized and printed unkind to a normal paper, but the band fit and represent something. We sell tickets even on our home page and a thank you there for the fans a little surprise, most merchandise.
Face2Face : Have you called styling models?
Tom : Concrete examples we have not. In music, fashion, architecture and cars are the 60s style seen on the first taste. Black and white, Vitra design and Yves Saint Laurent, I think it's great, just to name a few
Face2Face . Many musicians such as Paul Smith of Maximo Park "or Brandon Flowers of the "Killers" of this year, released a solo album. How about with you? Are you working on a solo project?
Tom : I am doing a solo record to be incorporated, But this is all very beginning. It is avant-garde, electronic scoring. I just wanted to try something new. "Pop music" is seen over the years, grazed total. We work alongside the "Photos" on all other projects.
Face2Face : Our readers interested in what you listen to music privately. May you all have the same style of music or are there differences. Can you give us a Hörtipp?
Tom : As for the music styles, we are all different, so I can speak only of myself. Currently I listen a lot like the psychedelic slab of "Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Today" or the new album "1000 Robota - UFO". A really very successful drive, even better than its predecessor.
Face2Face: Since you are often on tour, you come at all to even go to concerts?
Tom: Probably not. The whole tour stress, we are always very happy when we are home and have some peace. We go off course and with Friends at concerts or when other bands play a concert but otherwise we just go now and at festivals
Face2Face. you were on tour in Asia. How is the Asian from the European audience?
Tom: the European audience is very particular and critical, everything is taken very seriously. The Asian audience is much more upbeat and curious. Even if the lyrics are not understood, and most can sing along anyway.
Face2Face: What is the best before and after the concert?
Tom: Before the concert, it's usually not that great. It's too cold, it freezes and has either hungry or full is to eat, you're either not drunk enough or too drunk. In addition, we are still nervous. After the concert, the euphoria is definitely the wildest. note that one inspires people and that music is good, which is best.
Face2Face: Do you have time to check out the cities where you play? Specifically about Heidelberg: Do you know you a little bit in Heidelberg?
Tom: usually have no time for us as we sit half the day on the bus. In India, we had more time, because we always had a day off concert and a day. We even went an extra ten hours to look around us for two hours, the Taj Mahal, but it was worth it.
Heidelberg, we do not even know we're playing here now for the third time, but we have never been to the castle.
Face2Face : If it does not work out with the music career had - what occupation would you like today?
Tom : My mother wanted me to always see a doctor or teacher. If I play the music I knew would not continue any more.
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