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We're here at the Sputnikhalle in Münster, Germany. I am talking to Freddy from Rocketchief and he is going to tell us why they are going to play here tonight.
I am Freddy and we are going to celebrate the release of our CD "Rise of the Machine" via Fastball Records with a release party today. We hope this is going to be a big party!
What happened in the five years since you joined the band?
Well, I joined as the singer in 2005 and after that the band had another line-up change when Robert joined the band as our new guitarist with a big 70s rock influence. By the way, he's the guy over there dragging the sofa in here for whatever reason. Now we are not playing just stoner or high-energy rock but also added in a good dose of Led Zeppelin.
You are playing as today's headliner and although this is your hometown a good part of the audience might not know you. While it is rather typical and actually a main goal of most bands to play in front of new audiences, how do you approach this situation?
I think you have to free yourself from any reserve. For example, we played at a metal festival last week in front of a die-hard metal crowd although our music is targeted at rock fans. You have to watch your audience without faltering. When the crowd is not just where we want it we put in the next gear, increase the pace, kick even more *** and hope to sweep the crowd away.
Did you learn from mistakes made in the past?
Absolutely, particularly I as the singer. In the past I was inclined to adapt to the audience too much. When they appeared calm and restrained then I mirrored their behaviour in fear of appearing presumptuous. But that's the thing about music: You want to present your songs and convey the fun you are having. There's no reason to restrain yourself, put your fist up in the air and rock hard! That's what the people want to see and that's how you can win them over.
So don't let them get you down, keep watching and put the pedal to the metal?
Exactly.
Is there a core lesson you would like to pass on as an advice to young bands playing their first gigs?
I think many of them make the mistake of not planning through their shows. What songs to play in which order, what to say between the songs or what to do when the guitars have to be tuned. There are lots of gaps in the performances that make them look unprofessional and maybe even boring. The audience is there to be entertained, just do something, talk to them or insult your bandmembers for fun. It does not matter what you do as long as you keep the power up and keep the crowd from leaving for a beer.
The show must go on. To conclude this interview, what three albums are on heavy rotation in your music player right now?
That's a difficult one. I've got a Doomriders CD in my car these days but I also love to listen to a lot of old stuff. Thin Lizzy right now. And... I recommend checking out Kamchatka.
Will there be a tour after this album release? Where can our viewers find out more about your future gigs?
Make sure to check out our MySpace via www.rocketchief.de. You can find all our latest tour dates there. We will play a show with the V8 Wankers in Essen very soon and make a short trip to Switzerland for a couple of gigs in September. And we hope to get more gigs to fill our calendar.
So make sure to check out Rocketchief live and buy their great new album! Thank you Freddy.
Thanks for the interview!