ANGELZOOM interview (2/2)

From 1995-2007 Claudia Uhle was part of the band X-Perience . In 2004, she founded her solo project Angelzoom. X-Perience was revived for its 20th anniversary, but they split up again in 2024. We continue our interview with Claudia Uhle and producer Bernd Wendlandt about the new album “Grey Devotion”. Missed the first part? No problem, you can read it here .

Orkus: The different versions of “Lunatic Laundromat” are particularly interesting. How did they come about and what is this song about?

Claudia Uhle: The song is about not giving a damn about what others say about you. The laundromat as a symbol for gossip and the dirty laundry as a symbol for rumors and bad opinions. People should keep their dirty laundry and rumors to themselves. Don’t give in to other people’s opinions behind your back and you’ll live more peacefully.

Bernd Wendlandt: At first there was just the orchestral idea, but then we expanded it with a nice eighties retro beat to make the album a bit more upbeat. The lyrics speak for themselves. (winks) We often work with two versions, we love both sides.

O : It’s not just the song “80s Forever” that implies it: the new album has a huge portion of eighties sound and feel. What do you personally associate with this decade? What is “typically eighties”?

CU : We associate the eighties with a very unique mixture of melody, atmosphere and emotion. This period was stylistically extremely exciting because it was glamorous, cool, experimental and very emotional at the same time. It is precisely this arc of tension that still interests me today. For me, the typical eighties are strong melodies, electronic sounds, concise hooks, synthesizers, but also this special mix of hope and melancholy and these many wonderful voices of the most diverse artists. Many songs from that time were clear, catchy and yet idiosyncratic. This combines pop, wave and rock in an exciting way.

BW: Not forgetting the visual aesthetics and the courage of fashion and contrast: neon, strong contrasts, clear lines, but also black, a sense of style – the eighties had a very unique look. There was a lot of experimentation, especially in the new wave and post-punk scene. Big feelings without irony. Many productions were direct, passionate and emotionally charged. At the same time, there were many musical styles, rock, pop and immortal songs that will probably never disappear, much like the Beethoven, Mozart and Bach classics of the time. For many, the decade is associated with the first musical imprints, radio songs, videos, record covers and that special feeling of discovery. On the radio and on MTV, music “just” for our generation. That was very unusual and formative. The zeitgeist between optimism and uncertainty: that’s what makes the eighties so exciting, on the one hand a new beginning, on the other hand also coldness and social tension.

O: In your opinion, what was “better” back then than today?

CU: The music in many respects in any case. That’s why we tried to bring some of the feeling of life into the present day. With less music on offer in general, each album carried much more weight.

BW: The eighties had a lightness that is missing today. Back then, nobody cared who Boy George or George Michael loved, whether Sparks were funny or who danced through the Love Parade with green hair and shoulder pads. There was a live and let live that is very rare today. Everything was less important, less stressful and therefore somehow more intense. Synthesizers and drum machines had an organic, tangible sound, today many things often seem too sterile and digital. Producer figures such as Trevor Horn or Martin Hannett shaped albums with an unmistakable stamp and created sound worlds that are still there today. If you think of record covers, posters, fanzines, everything felt more magical than algorithmic thumbnails, reels, etc. Back then, people made music without constantly thinking about reach. Concerts had more magic, there was no constantly looking at the concert through your cell phone and the scene was a real home. Today, everything is faster, less durable with a very short attention span.

O: In contrast, what is better today?

BW: One of the hardest questions in an interview. You don’t find that much. (winks) Today, the freedom is unbeatable, you no longer need a major label, you can produce yourself and release worldwide. The technical quality and use of AI is enormously flexible and creative. But: the magic of analog studios and the innocence of the eighties are sometimes missing. Technically, we’re miles ahead, but a lot of things sound incredibly interchangeable and smooth. Who knows the number 1 charts these days, let alone artists that are currently playing on the radio, if they don’t play them 100 times a day? The eighties had soul, imperfection, risk. Today, many optimize for algorithms instead of feeling.

O : “Seek Your Own” is particularly touching and also inspiring. To what extent is there also a lot of personal stuff behind it? How did or do you feel in your search for yourselves?

CU : “Seek Your Own” is full of the personal, it reflects our own struggles with identity, creativity and the pressure to remain authentic. The search for ourselves was never linear for us, but a constant struggle between doubt and clarity. That’s what we wanted to capture: Music that says it’s okay to be lost as long as you keep searching. This also relates to the new split of X-Perience, which was a very intense, actually very good five years.

BW: For us as musicians and creatives, that means finding our own sound without chasing trends. The eighties aesthetic and melancholy on the album is not nostalgia, but what has always moved us, our path in crazy times. Everyone knows this search, be it professionally, privately or creatively. “Seek Your Own” says: It’s okay if it hurts, if it’s unclear. It’s the journey that defines you, not the destination.

O : The positive message of “Grateful” is also nice. Why was that also important to you?

CU : “Grateful” was essential for us, a joyful, happy moment, to then later show the emotional range of the album. Happiness is also part of it. While tracks like “No Second” or “Devotion” plunge into melancholy and darkness, “Grateful” is a moment of clarity, a reference to small, genuine moments of gratitude in the midst of a lot of gray. The song was written at a time when we ourselves were grateful, before we had even thought of the album, for the studio time in Orankestraße, the fans who have been loyal to us for years and the freedom to make music like this. A song that came about after “80s Forever” and encouraged us to write more. It’s not a perfect world, but a genuine appreciation for what remains when everything is shaky.

BW: Yes, one of the last productions in my studio, where I was able to produce music for almost 25 years. It was kind of cool to take a new step. But it’s also nice to see that things have continued just as well in the new studio in terms of creativity and sound and are working even better.

O: What do you do when you’re not feeling well?

CU : I love going for walks, usually in the woods behind my house, taking a bath, doing yoga or reading a book. That always relaxes me a lot. I often take time for myself. I need to be alone, it gives me strength.

BW: I like to go jogging, for the head and balance. Is it only half bad (winks) … I listen to different music, different artists, read or watch videos of all different styles to get inspired. Thinking outside the box, training and positive distraction.

O: Which good days do you remember most fondly?

CU : On days in the studio, when a new song has been created. When good ideas inspire you and you’re really happy about little things that help you move forward.

BW: Completed productions. Like little puzzles of three-minute feelings and sections that you have poured into music. Always really cool. Still intense, even with a CD in your hand. The haptic feedback of many hours of work is simply a mega feeling.

O: What always puts a smile on your face?

CU: The sun, nature, my children, sometimes a nice movie or music or a delicious meal.
BW: lots of things. Good music, good productions, great voices, good food and good wine, Monty Python, the weather and the sea. But I also often laugh at others, can you say that? (laughs)

O: What are the future plans for Angelzoom?

CU : A live tour and festival appearances in 2027 and of course more Angelzoom albums. (smiles) We are already collecting new ideas and sketches, let’s see.

Bernd: Sure, we’re planning live gigs for 2027 in Germany and a small tour in 2028. There are a lot of requests from abroad that we first have to coordinate sensibly. But we’re also definitely planning another album. Thank you!

Claudia Zinn-Zinnenburg

Listen to Angelzoom in our “Current Issue” playlist on Spotify: