20 years ago: ASP + BLUTENGEL + SANGUIS ET CINIS + SAMSAS TRAUM in interview!
From the spirit of cooperation – Part 1
(The following interview was first published in the Orkus! issue September 2003)
Ascension Day 2003 – a hot Thursday at the end of May. Actually a holiday, but in a large, almost empty post-industrial hall, an illustrious society has gathered and, sweating but patient, allows itself to be photographed individually, in pairs and in groups by a busy photographer. The venue is a large building complex usually used by Darmstadt students of the Department of Mechatronics and Machine Acoustics. Gathered there are Alexander Kaschte, mastermind of Samsas Traum, Chris Pohl and Constance of BlutEngel, Asp as well as Celine C. Angel from the Austrian Deathrock formation Sanguis et Cinis. They all have a share in the new Samsas Traum album “Tineoidea, oder Die Folgen einer Nacht. Eine Gothic-Oper in BlutMoll.” Alexander, of course, because it is his work, the other artists by lending their voices to various characters in the story. The work makes you tired, and the heat does the rest. But it takes until the evening hours before the photographer is satisfied and finally packs up his equipment. After a short consultation, they agree to board a Chinese restaurant, and the knowledge of what has been accomplished, the food, and of course one or two tasty drinks lift the spirits and make them talkative in a pleasant way.
Orkus: What were your reactions when Alexander approached you with his ideas for his album?
Chris: I thought it was totally funny. It was very interesting, although after the first listen I didn’t really know if I would be able to do anything with it. But then I could quickly identify with the role of the mad scientist, and above all it was a fun kind of assignment for once.
Asp: We were in the middle of producing our own album. Alexander was kind enough to provide me with a few things to practice with, but really, from the beginning I was like, “Yeah, fancy, I’ll do anything!” We just know each other and like each other, and I knew that what he brings me is good and I can always go along with that. That was then also so.
Celine: Alexander also sent me demos. I liked the fact that he gave me a free hand and I could decide for myself how to sing my part.
Orkus: Constance, you joined in addition.
Constance: Yes, it sort of came about in the course of the recording that we took over the background choir.
Alexander: That was kindly offered to me just like that. Originally, on the demo for Chris could take over a diabolical whisper. Chris then had the idea that Constance could take over the choirs, and that was implemented.
Chris: The idea behind it was that BlutEngel shouldn’t always be reduced to “When we sat together in the studio, I was allowed to see a bit more of the story. Then I quickly said three times in a row: “Duspinnstduspinnstduspinnst!” to myself, but that there are two people who shape the style of the band with their voices. Especially on this song for Samsas Traum, Constance was also able to really bring something to the table.
Orkus: Do you see yourselves also in the respective roles you take on, or are they such outlandish characters that they have nothing in common with you?
Chris: I have to admit that so far I have only really dealt with my part and not yet with everything Alexander has sent us. But the role assigned to me was at least not such that I could do anything with it at all.
Asp: My role should really suit me. Or “It’s all one big movie in my head that looks the way it’s supposed to look on the dot.” I asked Alex how the whole thing should sound, and his answer was: “sexy”. He had visited us especially, and that was also very important that he was there, because he made it so that I dared to go completely away from ASP and be absorbed in the role. I can still see myself flailing wildly in the vocal booth during certain passages It was a nice afternoon, also because Max from Chamber was there, who incidentally got my actual favorite track on the album.
Celine: I don’t represent any particular role in that sense. In this respect, it was not too difficult for me to pick out the appropriate passages and record them according to my ideas.
Orkus: Were you free to choose what you wanted to do?
Celine: I had gotten instrumental demos. I liked one song best of all, which I also told Alexander. Since up to this point the role distribution was not yet fixed, we decided together that we would sing different parts together in said piece. In this respect, Alexander then gave me a completely free hand.
Interview: Axel Schön, Christian Hector
Text: Axel Schön
Photos: Jens Howorka
Layout and image editing: Ingo Römling
In one week we will continue with part 2. Then we talk to the quartet about frowned-upon cultness and the idea of a live production. – Chris as a mad professor and head movies.
You can read the nostalgia review of “Tineoidea” here:
Listen to the album on Spotify:
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