"Forget the drivel some - but it's really about music!"

With their new album to the H-Blockx reduced to the essentials: music that is not overproduced, but on stage as well, sounds like on the plate. Simais Laura met the band in Munich for an interview.

Like the last four years have been for you?
Tim: Each of us makes about its own projects in the music and the music. In many different areas, which of course also mean that you have taken less time to complete this band.
Steffen: There is really all been there: play as musicians from other bands or elsewhere, in the background in management, production and now, in my case a lot, but also organization, agency work. And of course everything has to do with music. And then come at a time like now, of course, to the H-Blockx. But all this has had the consequence that we had little time and so there was little energy to say, "Hey, we need to make a new album!" But we see now did not think we were gone for so long and that this is a comeback now. We've actually seen on a regular basis, the distances were a bit bigger, there was every year the festivals we have played. Now, unfortunately, are just for people who have waited four or five years now passed since the last record.
How then did the motivation and energy for the new album?
Gudze: In principle, there was already a spark and that was our performance at Rock am Ring 2010th To have seen our two producers of the new album and took it as an opportunity to talk to us and say. "That was so cool, somehow you have to do again what" And our producer Vince (Editor's note: Vincent Sorg including Die Toten Hosen, In Extremo) then said he would like to invite us by three weeks of studio time and try a set period of time to do something. And then Tim eventually blocked the only time that was available in the studio and the only question for us, came forward. And we have then taken, otherwise we would probably still not in the studio.
And then came the songs are there?
Gudze: I, I always call it a Lego box brought. Sketches, songs not developed as it was formerly often. I've deliberately kept open. But there were already too many riffs and songs with A, B and C part. But in any combination and still no tunes on it sung or implied. I'm just trying to keep as open as possible, that that simply throws in the middle and then you can take something out from the box, like what all fours, and thus it is just beginning times. And so we did that and then eventually was the first song. This was the bar and then nailed it luckily got its own momentum, so it worked. It could be that you rumstochert three days and it is not a pure river. That was quite a risk, but it have all admitted it and was mentally at the start and wanted to bring the energy. And so it has finally worked, and has become well. In addition, there was also Vince as a producer who knows us for twenty years, we personally know and all the feelings and the outside could be controlled well. He has managed the creative flow that has gone on and on. There was no place where we stopped, always one after the other and this is a great merit of Vincent.
That means the producer will also have an influence on the development process?
Steffen: Well, technically anyway, and also seen creative, but sometimes it is most important to keep the mood up. You may be in the band with the studio is not giving the feeling right now is nothing more, now we have to drive all the time back home. To say, but that was not there, then let's try something different yet. And contrary to accommodate every single respect, to make him small. And Vince was very good because he knows us well for so long and so well is just his way. That was the reason for difficult times that we always had desire to go on and work. We know that earlier in the rehearsal room before they made the first record. Since it was in the rehearsal room so regularly, so know all the bands. As you try to write something on a regular basis and often ends due to the different egos then in dispute, because there just is no one who says, "Hey people, you're stupid, but sometimes just forget the drivel, but it's really about music! ". And it worked great.
You were three weeks in the studio. That's a short time. The sounds have been very intense and must also be stressful?
Gudze: Sure you're up at night and get up in the studio until you no longer can. But tough, that's always a matter of definition. Some may experience the exhausting. For me it's the hottest to be in such a creative process with all other ...
Tim: Not ....
Gudze: Yes, Tim sees just different, but I feel better than anywhere in such a creative process and see it and create something to work on it. I can not get rid of that too. I sleep then three hours at night and wake up because the head rattles again and the next idea is there. Or maybe because it's a problem where I want to find a solution. For me, this is the hottest in the world and if someone has, as a producer as Vince, who prepares a bed that you can just feel and also ensures the flow, then it's totally good. And then I do not notice the effort. I'll come out even in these times with little sleep. I am then so on voltage, because to me just as much fun. That it was a bit stressful, I can see it after the three weeks when it's finished.
Have you then subsequently taken only once a day leave?
H-Blockx: Nope!
Steffen: Well, it was not final and complete. Henning has vocally as until everything was sung only for two days and that was also a time when the rest of us were aware not just in the studio. There are also times periods where you do not even so much on such a farm, and then it'd also add a touch of holiday. It does not sit all day at his instrument and played or worked on the computer. Actually, it was very intense but also relaxed and fun.
A farm ...?
Steffen: Yes, that's a farm outside of Munster. It is incredibly great, for what we do there a great club, but also the residence facilities. In good weather on the porch and there is a huge kitchen. We're part of the family and then have cooked each day to tenth, that is, that makes everything fun.
As you can see for yourself the new album compared to its predecessors? Where your opinion what are the biggest changes?
Gudze: Changes are primarily in the approach to the whole sound and aesthetics in the reduction to the essentials. The last album is much ausproduzierter, we have now taken on this album on it, that it remains playable with three people. We are musicians just as a trio. And this time it's not that usual, as it does in the studio that is still an awful lot to like about playing guitar and then layering in a chorus eight guitars. We wanted it relatively, of course, hold that the record sounds the same when they play live, and that the whole thing, when it's finished, and can bring back so on the stage and still sound like it, as we have shown in the studio . This has an effect on the mode of production. It reduces the whole thing and write the songs so that they work at the moment in which they were already playing as a trio. You should have no large structures with piano and strings, and tens of guitars. That's the big difference from the last album.
Steffen: We can not say that now is the way you have to do it. Or is this now the way we want to work just yet. It happens often after an album like the last. The production of the last album took a year and a half and it has worked very differently. It was produced much on top. Even those things that you can not simply live on stage. Only possible with a lot of technology and now it was us just the opposite.
Gudze: Ultimately, music is always a snapshot, and maps always what you feel in the moment now. And since we had such a vision that should sound like and that we want to have just because we feel comfortable with it. And it may be that it is different in four years. Then you do it differently. But everything is in flux and change and it reflects what is in this period just feels. That's what it feels just right for us and all are very satisfied. That does not mean it will not someday again different and again it takes more. It's open.
How does one song to be on stage when a lot is produced "on top"?
Tim: We just do not have many songs played live. This was the result. Of the eleven songs that have been recorded, you can not play like eight on the stage. And now it is so that we really all the songs from the new album can also play that way.Gudze: Or the nachproduzierten songs sound played live just different. They are then significantly reduced. Many bands can for example run with something else and play live to some clips, which are in the process. With us, there are also loops or samples, which makes even now no one. But then finally the live songs sound a bit different. Another version, slightly reduced. That is just not the madness wall of guitars. But the nice thing about such an album, as we have done now is that you will hear it and immediately live there again is because it is ultimately one is transferred to a Sun
The official release date is the 25th May Do you have a tour planned?
Steffen: Yes, first time there is now a festival tour. Always summer there are festivals twenty-five. That means we go every weekend in Latvia, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Germany, but of course mainly. Since we cover a lot of really starting. The festivals are, no matter how successful the album is now. In September, there are eight dates on a tour of clubs that we have suspended it. The only time we are up to that live activities.
When does it start with the festival?
Steffen: On 10 May And before rehearsing ...
What about when you rehearse? If you are diligent in the practice room?
Steffen: Yes, that's something new. In the past we have always taken before the festival, a week will be prepared and served as the first festival then also as a sample. And now, at least instrumentally reinzukriegen a little routine that we have practically built a rehearsal room in the studio. Even though I live for example in Berlin, I'm still only partially for an afternoon to Munster. We play our songs so twice, the new songs have been on it all. And then I go again. This means that quite a corner is more relaxed than in recent years.
Gudze: You get more a feel for each other and the thing that you made there, as if the periods are too long and you will not see another four weeks. There is so much more enjoyable. We also want to see us and hang out together. I think that's a lot more pleasant than it just so super durchzuknallen professionally five days in advance. So it's a lot more fun and much more alive, because you just kid around and hanging around each other more, we can even make. Then you have to swipe a sample is not completely and totally disciplined, because you can still make time for coffee and rumalbern.
Do you play like festivals?
Steffen: Yes. But you must be holding fast. The conversion is faster, it's a very quick sound check, which is associated more with technology cabling. And then we go and, accordingly, is different than preparing for a club show. But the environment is very different at festivals. Other bands and usually many more people than in their own club tour, and that's really true that you can not compare. If you play only festival that has at some point no longer fixed and will only play in a club and a private show. It is with soundcheck and preparation. And we do so in September.
Is she even really even to concerts?
Gudze: Time can be so divided as a musician and I'm already quite freely even at concerts. Not so super often, but clearly if there is something interesting. Muenster is now not just a city where all the play long nose the most interesting bands, since you have already run times even a bit further. This is much different then in Berlin, of course ...
Steffen: So I can go every day, I go too far. Sometimes not all the concerts and also from all genres. I have a buddy who has a great concert agency and therefore one has to do with the scene too much. And so I just happened sometimes at things that you might not know. I think that's super important. Easy to always see what people are doing. Do not think, "So I've seen it all." Since there are also a development.
As you can see the moment the development of music in Germany?
Steffen: I think it's currently quite positive. I must say as you take the Berlin still differently. As result very much, but it also creates much of what remains in Berlin. What is a hype since then and is cool and what may work only in Berlin. Why am actually quite happy that I spend much time there and in North Rhine-Westphalia and that you travel a lot. For as you see at festivals, what actually happened and happening in Germany, apart from acts that are just now apparently successfully.
You choose now a small independent label in Berlin ...
Tim: yes Independent, not small.
Gudze: Distribution is by Warner Music. It is a construct of several partners who together have a good infrastructure in order to release the new album. We have the new album are done then proceeded not so, how else does it: Have you ever apply with demos for record companies to get some money and then to produce the album, but our producers are on board. And we did not have large initial costs on the clock, which had to compensate, but we made the album and then Off and running. We have played the album, also presented at major companies, but also with indie-marketed. We have also sought a new management and there simply has voted chemistry. We looked at everything closely analyzed what can be done where. And have the conditions in this constellation, which have just passed. So it is for us the cheapest.
As you can see the internet in terms of music? Invite her music on the Internet?
Gudze: So I recently just bought CDs. I'm still a bit conservative. I also still as an old, ugly phone here, not a smart phone!
Tim: I think I bought CDs for years no more!
Steffen: I try as much with streaming straight. I do not know whether the successor at some point my iTunes library. But I always try mitzugucken as a consumer, but also for the job. It's important that I know a lot of music and hear. This is of course very handy with streaming and also exciting to see how this will in the future. We have succeeded indeed realized, as then, were still part of cassettes, the CD has vinyl, and now the MP3 increasingly replacing the CD. And now just solves the streaming from the Mp3. I try to make everything more neutral only once, instead of saying "CD was much better," because the arguments really are not there.
Tim: Yes, we already use all the possibilities.
On 25 Published May HBLX commercially. The single "Can not Get Enough" is already available for free download on the website of the band or the Facebook site.
Just in time for the album release the band comes to a concert in Munich:18.09. D-Munich - Factory Theatre