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UMmusic Interview - June 2004


We had fun, and if theres a different feel to this album, then thats the reason why says Christoph Schneider FOR RAMMSTEIN.

Reise, Reise the Berlin bands fourth studio outing since 1995 is a collection of firsts: the first time the six have recorded in Spain (El Cortijo Studio, Malaga); the first time bassist Oli has sung on an album (he underpins Tills more dramatic vocal moments); the first time Schneider has torn up the rhythm rulebook (check out Keine Lust/No Desire for Rammstein shuffle nummer eins!), the first time the group have worked on songs they werent all committed to right from the start (some of which are now amongst their favourites); the first time theyve recorded a track as in-your-face commercial as second single/ video Amerika or as stripped-to-the-groove acoustic as Los/ Lets Go, and as mentioned above - the first time in a long time the recording vibe could genuinely be called relaxed. Fun even.

So does Reise, Reise still sound like Rammstein?

Absolutely!

Many of the bands signature motifs continue to strike a major chord the extra widescreen production (courtesy of Jacob Hellner, who has been integral to the studio side since day one), the German vocals (with the exception of Amerika,
which switches in and out of English, and Moskau, where Till gets some distinctive Russian back-up) and the ability to write songs that, in a just & fair society, would be adopted as anthems by independent states the world over. However, from the bands point of view, Reise, Reise (either Journey, Journey or Voyage, Voyage, depending how literary you wish you go!) represents a move that takes them well beyond the comfort zone voyage, voyage, indeed For me, this project marks a new beginning, says Schneider. After the Mutter album (2001), we found it difficult to be with each other, because our egos were causing a problem. There was a lot of tension in the way we were working together, and I guess we were using that competitive atmosphere, the aggression, to drive the creative process

Certainly, we achieved good results that way, but for this new album we decided to do things differently; we spent a couple of months apart, and that made us realise just how much wed accomplished over the years. So when we went into the studio this time, we made sure that the atmosphere was a lot lighter, and that we explored each others ideas in full. If we hadnt done that, we would never have emerged with a song such as Los
NOW CONFIRMED for release on September 27 2004, Reise, Reise 11 tracks, nigh on 50 minutes of music - is without doubt Rammsteins most complete set of recordings, taking the band into areas that - under the old working regime - could easily have remained unexplored. Would Mutter-era Rammstein have been quite so keen to turn off the distortion (Los) or dismiss their preferred military two-step in favour of a full-tilt stomp (Keine Lust)? Probably not. But now, after an extended (though fruitful) period in a black & white world, Rammstein 2004 are starting to see the grey, and having a damn good time doing it

Says Richard: With Mutter, there was very little flexibility involved, it was almost like we were working towards some sort of a masterplan; plus, that was a very hard record to make from an emotional point of view, because as six strong individuals we were all trying to make ourselves heard

This time, however, weve done things on the recording side that we wouldnt have in the past, including writing in the studio, something that gave us a real sense of freedom. But I honestly dont think we could have reached the place we are now without going through the whole Mutter experience we survived that, and it made us all a lot stronger
Certainly, Reise, Reise (the album) shows a band prepared to ditch the masterplan in favour of an approach that, by previous standards, could almost be described as reckless. Since the release of their Herzeleid debut back in 1995, the Rammstein reputation has been hammered out on words such as disciplined & precise; here was an act whose power seemed to stem from their symmetry, their ability to work in unison, to deliver the well-aimed (musical) blow then deliver it again. Naturally, that quality continues to have its place, but Reise, Reise tracked over a six-week period & mixed in Stockholm by Stefan Glaumann, reprising his role on Mutter is a rocknroll album at heart, packed with raw power (Stein Um Stein, etc.) and raw emotion (Ohne Dich, Amore, etc.) in equal part; a record that moves like a well-oiled machine, but with a human hand very much at the controls

From drums through to vocals and all points inbetween, Rammstein have created a body of work that not only frees up their collective skills, but moves those skills to a higher, more spontaneous level, the whole thing supported by mandolins & accordions, choir & orchestra parts. Whether or not Till actually went to train his vocals in a local monastery, as a poker-faced Flake will tell you if you ask, must remain the subject of some debate, but theres no denying that with or without monkish aid these are his finest vocal performances to date

If thats true, says Till, Its because of the music I was given, which is full of great melodies. The way it normally works is that I take the instrumentals out of the studio, turn up the volume, then start searching for the right words. About 80 per cent of the time I have a pen & paper with me, so I can jot down ideas and file them away on the computer until its time to go back in the studio, which is when the approval process starts On one track, I came up with 24 different sets of lyrics before the band said they were happy - theyre very critical! Getting the final OK is a bit like putting a car through an inspection!
WITH FIRST single, Mein Teil, however, its likely that the approval committee didnt need too long to make up its mind; a No. 2 hit in both Germany & Spain, this is perfect Rammstein lyrical fare - the true tale of Armin Meiwes, a 42-year-old computer expert from Rotenburg, Central Germany who advertised on the internet for someone to eat and eventually found a willing dinner companion in 43-year-old Berliner, Bernd Juergen Brandes. Not only did Meiwes end up devouring a good part of Brandes, but the good part he started with was the engineers penis, which the pair of them flambed in red wine & garlic then shared out 50/50!

Needless to say, this whole high-profile affair caused a great deal of controversy, especially in Germany, although - if truth be told - it isnt without its darkly comic side; indeed, one of the possible treatments for the Mein Teil video saw Till decked out as cannibal chief preparing to make a meal of the unfortunate Flake, and then of course theres the title of the track itself Mein Teil or My Tool What sort of tool?! You decide for yourself, but chances are that red wine & garlic are likely to be involved
With the cannibal clip having been passed over for practical reasons, it was
decided that in keeping with the feel of the new album the video should follow a less scripted path, giving the band members a chance to interpret the music in their own particular ways; for Richard, this meant wrestling against himself, for Flake dancing in under-size ballet shows, for Paul & Oli an extended trip to the make-up room and for Schneider an equally long trip plus a temporary period (occasionally in public) as Armin Meiwes mother (!), and for Till a feather-strewn session with an accommodating angel
Each band member came up with their own performance independent of the others, explains Flake, and it was kept a secret whilst the filming was going on, which was all done I one go, no cuts, no breaks. There was a huge black box in the middle of the soundstage in Berlin, and we just went in there one by one and did our own thing
Overseen by Zoran Bihac, who had previously worked on the Links 2 3 4 animation back in 2001, the end result is a striking exploration of the darker side of the Rammstein psyche. By way of contrast, the video for second single Amerika (directed by Jorn Heitmann, the man behind the Ich Will & Sonne clips) is an altogether more tongue-in-cheek affair, in which the members of the band can be found both round a campfire and up on the moon, providing the ideal tone for a song that successfully pairs the words wunderbar & wunderbra - surely a rhyme long overdue for a group who, by their own admission, dont approach everything with too straight a face

There are people who think were incredibly funny and there are people who think were incredibly serious, reflects Paul, its just down to personal opinion. I suppose in that respect were something of a mirror whatever views or preconceptions people have just reflect straight back on them

FUNNY, SERIOUS or somewhere inbetween, Amerika promises to be one of the highlights of the show when Rammstein take to the road again in early November; already, many of the dates are either sold out or being added to, with a third night at the Velodrom in Berlin the most recent extension to a tour that is set to run well into 2005.
Following a series of shows in Germany, the band will be heading further afield
(to Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Poland, Czechoslovakia & Switzerland, with more to come) accompanied by the sort of incendiary stage trappings that saw them triumphing in the Best International Live Act category at the UK Kerrang! Awards in 2002

But of course we havent been able to play the new numbers live as yet, points out Oli, so theyll probably change here & there when we take them out on tour, which I know is something that happens with a band like Depeche Mode. To me, its a positive thing, because it means that well end up with two different versions of the songs the studio one, which we did our very best on at the time, and the live one, which will develop night by night

In the build-up to the tour, the Rammstein camp (collectively & individually) have been busy promoting an album that not only stands as the finest of their 10-year-plus career, but as proof positive that great things can be born out of adversity. There should have been a lot of pressure on the band as they went into 301 Studios in Stockholm to lay down the drum tracks not all of the material was cast in stone, the money advanced for the project had already been spent and the experience of Mutter had generally been difficult, causing plenty of late night soul-searching. In the event, however, the recording process was to prove an enjoyable one, causing an ongoing bout of confidence/camaraderie to break out in the ranks, a bit like back in the early days

This was definitely the easiest album we've ever made, concludes Paul, and because of the three-year gap between this and our last record, it was important that we took a more experimental approach by our standards, anyway.
Recording this way is a bit like taking the veil off a woman you really hope there's a pretty face underneath!

Statuesque, shapely and 100 per cent wart & blemish free, Reise, Reise is indeed a thing of beauty

INTERVIEW CD 1
TILL & FLAKE QUESTIONS / RESPONSES:--

1) The video for first single Mein Teil was directed by Zoran Bihac, who also worked with you on the Links 2 3 4 clip; where did the idea for the treatment come from?
Flake: Well, Paul came up with the concept in the first place, and his idea was that each member of the band should deliver a performance based on their original reaction to the song, their feeling about the music
Till: Zoran had a good idea for the making of the video - he set up a big black
box in a huge auditorium, and each member of the band could go into the box and
do their own thing
Flake: Zoran also decided to have each band member work on their own video independently of the others - they were all kept very much under wraps; indeed, even today, we still don't know what the other band members videos are like
Till: There's one collective scene in the video, where most of the band members are on leashes, like dogs, and were all taken out for a walk on a big avenue here in Berlin. Were almost naked, in broad daylight, during rush hour!

2) Can you explain a bit about the personas you adopt in the video? Flake?
Flake: Well, I can only say what I did myself, because I just wasn't aware of the other concepts. For my part, I did my best to keep an open mind about everything, I did my own thing, and moved in my own way
Till: The compromise we reached with Zoran was that each band member could bring their own toys to the shoot, and they were free to play with those toys, to explore their own ideas, and that worked out well, but I don't know what the other guys got up to everybody did it their way
Flake: The interesting thing is that video was all done in one take from beginning to end there were no cuts & no breaks, so the clip runs through from start to finish with no interruption to the action
Till: It was the recording of the video that was done all in one take, and then
later it was edited together into what you see now

3) Is it true that one of the other treatments considered for the Mein Teil video had the band playing the part of cannibals?!
Till: This treatment would have been pretty funny! There would have been a plane crash, leaving the band members stranded on an island, and then the whole cannibal scenario would have kicked in. However, the idea turned out to be quite problematic because of the cost involved, so we had to go for a different option, and the video we have now is what we came up with
Flake: It would have been very funny, though - Till would have been the chief cannibal, so to speak, and I would have been sitting in the big pot as dinner, while the other band members danced around! That was the plan

4) Was it hard to find a suitable treatment for Mein Teil because the subject matter, although true, is just so gruesome & potentially controversial?
Flake: The story in the song is so clear and it's put forward in such a straightforward way that we didn't feel it necessary to tell it again in the video, so we were at liberty to do something different

5) The general reaction to Mein Teil as a song has been very positive, and yet it's probably the heaviest, nastiest track on the new album. Were you surprised when it was chosen as the lead single?
Till: Coming back after three years, releasing our first song as a single, we could have opted for a ballad, but we didn't want to do that; we wanted our first new track to be musically tough, so we could arrive back on the scene with a bang!

6) Lets talk briefly about a couple of other new tracks Amerika, for example; its a very catchy song with a lyric that will definitely raise some smiles, but is there a serious point being made here as well?
Flake: We conceived Amerika as a kind of Trojan horse, and we suspect that it's going to get a different reaction in the States to the rest of the world

7) Amerika is the only track on the album containing English words & phrases; did you record a version with all of the lyrics in English? Till?
Till: When we were writing the song there was a chorus in there that was in English; we didn't set out to write the whole thing in English, but we liked it when we heard it, so basically we just kept going
However, we also made a German version and then we looked at the two and decided to stick with the German one, because its more to the point; that's what we wanted, so we simply went with the version that suited our needs the best

8) And Morgenstern: what's the story here?
Flake: We don't explain the lyrics to our songs - you hear them, you feel them, and the more we would try to explain them, the more the magic would be sucked out of the music. Till: One of the problems with our music, if you don't understand German, is that you read the lyrics as a translation, and so for this album I'm going to try very hard to make sure that when the words are translated into English, its done not just to a good standard, but by someone who has experience with literature. Also, I'm going to check through the translated lyrics carefully before they go up on the internet; hopefully, this will help people to get a better understanding of the music in general

9) Till, how do you come up with the lyrics? Do you like to hear the music first?
Till: The process I normally follow is that I take the instrumentals out of the studio, check them out, and if I cant come up with anything straight away, then I turn up the volume, listen to the music really loud, and just keep looking for the right lyrics or jotting down new lyrics in place of the ones I already have. In fact, for one of the songs on the new album, I wrote 24 different sets of lyrics before the band said it was OK!
As you can see, they're very critical! What they do with the lyrics is pretty much what happens to a car when it goes for an inspection; I present what I have to the guys then they give me a list of things that don't really fit, or don't seem to work if we were dealing with a car, it would be a broken exhaust or faulty lights and then finally, once all of the work has been done, they give the whole thing their seal of approval

10) So are you always writing down words & poems & phrases, keeping them in reserve until you need them in the studio?
Till: About 80 per cent of the time, I have a pencil and paper with me, not always, but most of the time, and I'm very forgetful too, so I'm always taking down notes and ideas that I've got, and saving them on a file on my computer; then, when it comes time to start work on the next album, I open it up and I think yeah, this fits, this works, this is what I'm looking for
11) Till, your vocal performance on the new album seems to have moved to a higher level still were you aware of this at the time?
Till: Aware of it, no, but if its true then the impulse came from the band, from the music, which was more intrinsically melodic this time, and went to different places too; so I tried to adapt my voice to that, but - as I said before - I wasn't aware of doing anything bigger or better, and I wasn't always necessarily in favor of it, but that's how it came about
Flake: As a band, we told Till that he should take time out to train up his voice, to go to a monastery and take some singing lessons, and it turned out to be a smart move; it gave us the opportunity to focus fully on the music and allowed him to do the same with his voice
12) When you're laying down vocals, do you need a certain kind of atmosphere in the studio? Candlelight? Darkness? What works best for you?
Till: The most important thing for me is to have a nice view of things, and if I've got that then I can pretty much record anywhere. Lets see I need a lot of light too, that's important, but if I have those things I could even record in the bathroom - it would work!

13) Lets talk about non-studio stuff for a moment; presumably, you're now fully occupied with promo trips and sorting out the stage show for your tour in November
Till: We've just been out on a promotion tour that is coming to an end today; we've been all over Europe for the past couple of weeks
Now, we have two weeks off, and then we get into the really intensive preparation phase - we have to get the stage show ready, to sort out our costumes and the whole performance side of things
Flake: We already have some ideas, though for example, during Amerika I would like to see bombs dropped on stage, and for Meil Teil well definitely eat a lot - in a well-cultured way!

14) Till, are you thinking of new ways to set yourself on fire during the live show?!
Till: Well, the question is how far can you go? We've already done so much in this area, done it all, so to speak; so if there are new ideas, then well certainly try them out, but we don't feel that we have to do anything

15) Is it true that one special effect on the Mutter tour was so realistic that you had to drop it from the show because it was too disturbing for the audience?!
Till: The effect you're referring to is when Flake set me on fire in a particularly dramatic way, because instead of putting the flames out with an extinguisher, there was actually flammable material in the extinguisher, which resulted in the fire enveloping me even more
So everybody runs and tries to put out the fire they cover me in blankets, whilst around and about all hell is breaking loose everybody's screaming because they think I've genuinely hurt myself! But then I stand up, I'm not injured, and everything's OK. The band didn't think it was such a good idea, but I loved it!
Flake: Actually the band did like the idea, but the audience was so shocked by it that they didn't know what to do, they didn't know how to react, and girls were fainting two & three rows back. The problem was that the rest of the show became something of an anti-climax because the shock of that moment was just so extreme.

16) Till, do you enjoy the feel of the flames? Has it become a bit of an addiction?
Till: I'm not addicted as such, but when I'm performing onstage there's a different chemistry going on inside, and if you add fire to that then it makes the whole experience even more intense. But it's a good feeling, it gets a lot of the emotions flowing

17) The title of the single, Mein Teil, can be translated into English in a number of different ways; which is your favorite?
Till: We like my tool.
Flake: We also had an idea involving war weapons, some kind of World War I scenario, with a battle going on and people dying and bombs exploding; all that would be happening in the background, whilst up close you'd see these generals bent over a map, dividing up territory, saying that's my part, that's my part, that's my part


INTERVIEW CD 2
PAUL & OLLIE QUESTIONS / RESPONSES:-
1) In the past, you've recorded albums in Sweden, Malta & France, but this time around you relocated to a studio in Spain; why did you decide to go there?
Paul: This is Paul, hello, left-sided guitarist. What's important when were making an album is to get as far away as we can, as far away as we can afford to go, and then record the album there
If we were to record in Berlin, then we'd all have errands to run we'd be picking up our children, going to see our tax consultants or visiting the dentist, and so were lucky that we have a record company dumb enough to pay for us to record an album where we can all be left in peace. And if it's cold in Germany then of course we try to go to a warm country to record our album!

2) Do you enjoy the whole recording process?
Oli: When you're a musician, you live in different phases - there's the recording phase, the production phase and then the whole performing side. When were in the studio, were really happy to be in that phase, doing that particular thing, but when were done with that, were also happy to get out and get on with it

3) By the time you went to Spain, was all of the material 100 per cent ready to record?
Oli: Normally, everything should be done before you start recording, but in this case it wasn't, and it made our work more difficult, cos were not the kind of band that goes in to the studio and just thinks things up. So we didn't make life any easier for ourselves, but in the end everything worked out fine

4) Did you get the chance to play any of the new songs live before you went into the studio?
Oli: No, this time around we didn't have the chance to play the songs live. We were practicing at our studio for about a year, and we were so ready to go that we wanted to record before Christmas, so it just wasn't possible to perform the songs for our fans, we went right to the studio
Paul: What might happen is that well go and perform the songs live and then change them, so there'll be differences between the recorded versions and the versions that we play on the road; that's what happens with a band like Depeche Mode, and I think its a good thing, because it means that you end up with more than one version of the song
So, we've made the songs as good as we can, we like them the way we've recorded them, and if we like something else later on, then well simply make changes. Also, what is different with this album is that sometimes a song that two band members liked a lot actually made it onto the final track listing; in the past, songs that only a couple of us liked or a few of us liked would never have had the chance to get recorded or get on to an album, but that's changed this time - some of those are included

5) How long did it take to record the new album?
Oli: Well, what we did on this record is we took a break between recording and mixing, which is something we didn't do for Mutter; looking back, we realized that maybe that wasn't such a good idea, so this time we built in a break just to make sure we were completely happy with the music. After recording, we took about three-and-a-half weeks off, then we mixed the tracks in Stockholm for six weeks. So the recording went on for six weeks and the mixing for another six weeks...

6) Reise Reise is Rammsteins 4th studio album since 1995 are the records becoming harder & harder to make because the band is forever getting more ambitious in terms of music & arrangements?
Paul: The way bands usually work is that they start out as a trio, and then before long in their career there's a whole brass section involved, then a percussion section, then a string quartet and then a choir. Pretty soon, they're this huge band!
Were about halfway down this path, and if we don't watch out, the next album will see us with a string section onstage! Interestingly enough, though, this was the easiest album we've ever recorded. In contrast to Mutter, we felt absolutely no pressure there was pressure, of course, but we just didn't let it get to us.
Another factor was that wed already received our money for this record, and already spent it - not the ideal background for recording a new album; plus, there were personal differences amongst the musicians, but when we got into the studio and started on the songs we found it easy to work together, and the recording went more smoothly than ever before
Oli: Maybe it was because the conditions surrounding the making of this album were so bad and so unfavorable that it all went off so well...

7) Tills vocals sound like they've moved up another gear on this album; did you do something different in the studio?
Paul: Well, normally Till will double up his own voice, but for this album Oliver sang along too, mostly on the refrains, so if people think that Till sounds really, really good, then that's at least partly because of Oliver's involvement...

8) I guess that's something new for Rammstein it must be exciting to try out fresh techniques like that
Oli: It wasn't just a case of it being exciting, it was more that I realized what a great voice Till has, and I was really interested to double that up

9) Ollie, how did you discover that you had a voice? Was it a surprise for producer Jacob Hellner?
Oli: Well, I didn't really arrive at this idea myself. During band practice we would usually sing along with the songs, and Jacob told me to go ahead, he said that I had a good voice, and that's how I ended up singing on the album

10) Will you be singing live as well?
Oli: I hope not!
Paul: But the rest of us would like to see it!
For the next tour, we want to do as much live as possible, and sing as much live too

11) And Reise Reise breaks other new ground too; as well as Oli singing for the first time, you've also included an acoustic track called Los (LetsGo)
Paul: Well, it was more or less our duty after three albums - three solid rock albums - to do something a little more experimental. Los was actually a normal rock song, but we realized it was maybe only half as good as a track like Rein, Raus, for example, so we turned off the distortion equipment and thought wow, this sounds pretty good! Its like taking the veil off a woman. If you're lucky, there's a beautiful face underneath. When you're recording music, the distortion can be a real help its actually much harder to record a song without distorted guitars than it is to record a song with distorted guitars. Metal bands especially often hide behind those distorted guitar sounds

12) So did you find a beautiful woman behind the veil?!
Paul: Yes! And I hope the feedback we get on this song will encourage us to do more experimental music in the future. But what's funny is that what we call experimental is just normal music for some people although its definitely experimental for us!

13) The new album has been produced by Jacob Hellner, who you've worked with in the studio since day one. Did you consider making a change this time around? Perhaps bringing in an American rather than a Swede?
Paul: We were somewhat insecure about the set-up for this album, including the relationships within the band; everything at the time seemed a bit unsure, so we were very happy to have at least one constant factor, and that was Jacob. But still, down the line, wed like to go a step further and work with a new producer - not so sure it would have to be an American, though

14) Lets talk a bit about the video for Mein Teil; in it, you both assume very different, though equally striking personas Paul, how long did it take you to be transformed?
Paul: When I got to the fitting room, the woman there put a normal sales person type suit on me when I was expecting something completely different. It was a misunderstanding, I guess. But I gave her a hard time and kept on giving her a hard time until she supplied me with the costume I thought I was going to get in the first place.
But even then it still wasn't good enough, so I did what we always do with Rammstein when we need to make something look lived in; you take a measure of instant coffee and make a paste out of that, then you mix in some burnt paper, then pour that all over your clothes, and it makes them look old then the director knocked out a few of my teeth and I was good to go!

15) Oli, where did the inspiration for your performance come from?
Oli: Well, I had a good think about what I was going to do in the video, and I made the mistake of telling the director that less is more, so he gave me what was virtually a diaper to wear, something that just barely covered me, and I did what I could with that. During the actual shoot, it was supposed to be a sensitive set; all those not involved in the video were asked to wait outside, but there was still about 30 or so people standing around, and then you're supposed to get up in front of these 30 people and think up the dance or whatever that you're going to do. So I tried to concentrate, I tried not to think about what was happening, and when they turned on the music full blast I just blocked everything out and did my best to react to the music, and to move in my own way. I danced like crazy for four minutes then afterwards I felt kind of bad - I had to go and lie down straight away. I was exhausted!

16) Do you think there's more intrinsic humor in the band than people realize?
Oli: We've always been a band with a sense of humor; we don't really know how people see us, but we ourselves don't take it that seriously
Paul: There are people who think were incredibly funny and there are people who think were incredibly serious, and you can sort of pick your position on the spectrum. Basically, when we try to be serious about something people take it as a joke and when we try to make a joke, people take it seriously. So were not intending to go out and explain what we mean because people will simply make up their own minds. The way I see it, were more or less like a mirror whatever views or perceptions people have tend to reflect back on them
When we started out, we basically just wanted to be a German band, and then we realized - or rather we didn't realize at the beginning - that the country simply wasn't ready for a German band. Actually, that's still the case, but its getting better day by day. So we've learned not to get too excited when people misunderstand us we've stopped reacting to that now.
17) The title of the single, Mein Teil, can be translated into English in a number of different ways. Which is the one you prefer?
Paul: Well, there are many meanings and innuendos, many possible options; it could be a part of the male anatomy - my dick, my tool, my piece. No translation gets it quite right

INTERVIEW CD 3
RICHARD & SCHNEIDER QUESTIONS / RESPONSES:-
1) What was the atmosphere like in the studio when you were recording the new album?
Schneider: The atmosphere was very similar to what it was like when we recorded the first album in the sense that we were working together as a band this new outing is a typical band record we played a lot as a unit in the rehearsal room and that marks, for me, a new beginning, because we went through something of a crisis before we started work on this album

2) Was it a personal crisis?
Schneider: Yes, it was a personal thing. While we were working on Mutter, it got to the point where we couldn't really stand each other any more; our egos had grown so much that there was no longer any space to be creative all that mattered was how much influence we were able to have on the music or the various band decisions.
We weren't listening to what each other had to say, whether a different opinion might be more valid than our own, so after that album we had to put some distance between us and have a good think about what Rammstein really means to us, where the strength of the band lies, and how we could get back to some basic values to make the whole thing work again.
After a couple of months apart, we all realized how important Rammstein is for us, how far wed taken the band, and that it would be a great shame to just break up or whatever. So we tried to start work on the new album in a very light atmosphere, giving everybody a chance again and bringing in new ideas; we wanted to establish a creative vibe, and to use all of the potential of Rammstein, and these are the things that make the record sound different
Richard: First of all, I must say that Rammstein is really six strong characters in a band together, and sometimes there are people who have a vision and want to take that vision somewhere, but they don't realize that other people may suffer as a result of this; if youre completely set in your ideas, if you aren't prepared to look left & right, then this can lead to problems, and certainly after the Mutter album it was very important that we were able to take a break and start to consider the bigger picture
What you learn is that sometimes you have to be prepared to make a mistake, especially if it keeps the band happy; if a song doesn't turn out the way you personally hoped it would, it isn't the end of the world, as its possible that the trust between the individual members will grow stronger as a result of this. But I do feel that the whole experience of Mutter was a really, really important one for us to go through - an experience that made us stronger; yes, it was a tense, aggressive record to make, but its only because of this emotional aggression that the recording of the new album has been so relaxed
In order for Rammstein to function properly we do need these six strong characters, and because its so tough to live in a democracy there's probably always going to be someone who's trying to take the lead, trying to become a dictator in a way, so we constantly need to remind ourselves that Rammstein is a democracy, that we don't have a leader

3) So was there a different working relationship between the band
Members this time?
Schneider: You can make a good record in many different ways; it can have a very aggressive atmosphere, a very competitive atmosphere, and the end result can still be a success. Many times in history, very strong records have been made like this. For us, wed become used to recording with a lot of tension in the air, but from my point of view, that simply wasn't working any more; in fact, I never want to work like that again! I don't care that Mutter turned out well, and its definitely a great record, I'm just no longer interested in that kind of approach; what's more important is establishing a relaxed atmosphere, an atmosphere within which people can support each other as individuals and also attempt to realize the full potential of the band, sometimes by bringing in different influences
And that's what happened with this album; we got back to a fruitful working relationship, and we made a good record in a light atmosphere, a creative atmosphere, an atmosphere low on tension & hate and high on creativity. This is the way I like to work, and to me that's more important than whether the record is good or bad
Richard: I don't think its that easy, actually. Sometimes I feel I like it right now
because the atmosphere is so relaxed, but on the other hand, I know that we also achieved good results when we were standing up to each other. You know, the danger right now is that everyone may get so relaxed that they cease to care as much as before - they might be prepared to just let things go. I guess you have to strive to maintain a strong balance in these situations. For myself, Im quite happy to fight for the things that I believe in, but I understand that everyone has to feel comfortable with what's going on, that's the important thing

4) Would you say there are certain musical things you simply can't do within the context of the band?
Schneider: If you want to do a song purely for yourself and you aren't prepared to change that song to make it work for the band as a whole, then you really have to create a side-project. This is one of the points we clashed on in the past

5) Is this the most varied & adventurous album you've made so far?
Schneider: Yes, because in the past there were probably only one or two really strong inputs into the songs, whereas there are six different characters in this band, all of whom like different kinds of music. For this album, all of these characters have had the chance to exert their influence, and that's why you're now hearing a greater variety in the music
Richard: Also, were now open to do things that we wouldn't have done in the past just listen to the song Los, you know? There was this kind of light feeling in the studio, we were prepared to try things out just to see what might happen, and we were just much more creative all round. With Mutter, it was almost like we were following a master plan, going through certain routines, trying to reproduce everything that was already inside our heads rather than letting the creative side have more of a sway. This time around, however, we were writing in the studio, which was an incredibly liberating experience, allowing us to develop more as musicians; the whole approach was something new for me, and I have to say I really enjoyed it

6) Schneider, you seem to have approached the drumming in a bit of a different way; would it be fair to say that your style on Reise Reise is altogether more natural?
Schneider: Yes, definitely. In the past, there's been a certain recipe when it comes to writing songs; there was this typical industrial vibe, the straight groove, the combination of electric music and heavy metal guitars, and me more than anyone was getting tired of this approach, this type of drumming. It was important that we tried something new, because I really didn't have any fresh ideas for that style of playing; I didn't feel comfortable going through those particular motions again and again, even if you could argue that it had become a trademark of the band. It was time to bring ourselves to a new point in our development, and the drumming is where it all begins. Also, I'm very keen to develop my skills as a drummer.
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7) Speaking of developing as a drummer, tell us a bit about Keine Lust (No Desire)
Schneider: That is a new step for Rammstein, because this kind of rhythm is in some ways alien to what we do. Its not really a part of our mentality, because the typical German approach is usually very straight this shuffle beat just isn't our type of groove. However, we took up the challenge, and we made the shuffle rhythm sound like Rammstein!
Richard: When we were young, we were huge fans of Gary Glitter, but then Manson took over that kind of beat so completely that at one point it was virtually forbidden to venture down that path. We had tried our hand at it in the past, but it never really came out as well as we hoped

8) And Dalai Lama? That seems to veer in a new direction too
Schneider: From an arrangement point of view, his song is definitely different to other Rammstein material. Our songs usually have a more pop arrangement, which is guitar riff, verse, guitar riff, chorus, etc., but the structure here has more in common
with a hip hop track; it keeps coming, it keeps coming, it keeps coming, and then there's almost two different choruses its a new thing for us
Richard: There was one thing that was unique about this song; it was the first time we recorded a piece of music where it wasn't possible for us to change anything so Till wrote the lyrics exactly in line with the arrangement like Christoph says, it almost has a hip hop/rap mentality to it, and for some reason it all fitted perfectly. The music and the lyrics just blended together, it was unbelievable, and its something were all very proud of

9) Do you think that some of the more diehard fans will be surprised by the diversity of the album?
Schneider: I guess there might be some fans who only like Rammstein for the style we pursued on the Sehnsucht & Mutter albums, that very straight industrial approach. If so, then they might feel that something's missing this time, because that aspect of the music isn't as prevalent any more. However, as I said before, we just didn't feel comfortable repeating ourselves in that way; it was necessary for us to establish a new direction, and we are happy with the way things have turned out musically... We took a new step, and we hope that the fans can follow us, although it isn't actually that big a step
Richard: I think the most important thing is to be as authentic as possible. I mean, there's no way we could have delivered another Mutter, nobody would have wanted to hear that; its boring to repeat yourself, and for us it was important to follow our instincts, to go with our feelings. If you're convinced that you're doing the right thing, then its much more likely that the fans will support you, because they know that you're being real

10) Its been three years, of course, since the release of your last studio album, so I guess people might expect a bit of a fresh take on things musically
Richard: Maybe they're just happy that something new is coming out!
Schneider: In the modern music industry, three years between albums is a pretty long time, but then that's the rhythm of Rammstein. We can't work any quicker
Richard: were German!
Scheider: Yes, our songs have to grow, to develop, and that takes time. We haven't been lazing around for the last three years, we've been working hard on the songs, but to get them to the point where they're ready to be recorded isn't a quick or easy process. To be honest, we don't care too much about all the marketing arguments, the suggestion that people might forget you if you're off the scene for too long, because we've already had a similar experience with the Sehnsucht & Mutter albums there was actually four years between those releases
I think that people are aware of Rammstein - they know that were not a product that can be rushed into doing things, were more real than that. The way I see the band is as something unique, something with its own show, its own music, its own way of doing things, and these days there are very few acts in the rock & pop worlds with our kind of stability
Richard: As a European band, especially a German band, we need a lot of time to play the markets around us. American bands, on the other hand, have it easier they tour in America, then they come to play maybe 10 or so shows in Europe, and everyone seems to know them straight away, because the US star is shining so brightly at the moment. As a German act, we have to tour through all of the European cities, and spend a lot of time in our own territory, then head off to America to play, so the development period for us, the amount of time we have to put into building an album campaign, tends to be greater than for US bands. We cant be coming up with fresh material at will because were on the road so much, so one record a year isn't going to be possible; we definitely need more time

11) Lets focus on the Mein Teil video for a moment, as it sees the band interpreting the music in a number of different ways. Schneider, have you always wanted to dress up as a woman?!
Schneider: I don't like that question!
Richard: I can answer that
Schneider: Well, first of all, its fun to do, to see how it feels when you dress up like that. Your personality changes, of course, because all of a sudden you can explore your feminine side; you start to move differently, too, your whole behavior shifts in a different direction, and I have to say it was an interesting experience!
It was all to do with the story, of course, and you know what that's about the case of cannibalism where some truly weird things took place, things I've never heard of before! The guy at the centre of the story was living with his mother even though he was around 40 years old, and there was a picture of his mother in one of the magazines that carried the story that picture looked so scary and so much like a cliché of this type of person, that I decided I should play the mother in the video

12) Some of the scenes in the video were shot on the streets of Berlin did anyone mistake you for a genuine woman?!
Schneider: Yes! Some kids came up to me and asked: What are you? Man or woman? Are you transexual?! And then I was approached by this older woman who was taking her dog for a walk she started talking to me, saying that she knew people in the TV business, and that she and her dog were part of a show; she was really addressing me in earnest, and I thought that maybe she doesn't realize that I'm not a woman, so I played up to the fact and continued to chat with her it was all good experience. When you look like I did, people talk to you differently, and approach you in a different way I would recommend any man to try this once in his life

13) Richard, you're doing battle with yourself in the video how did you find such an excellent look-alike?
Richard: Well, at first I was going to come up with some kind of a dance performance; I tried to work out a routine in my little room at home, using a chair as a prop, but I just ended up falling over. Then something happened that prevented from going down this route full stop, so I had a meeting with our manager, and I explained to him that I didn't want to do anything funny, because I wasn't in that kind of a mood. He asked me how I was feeling, and I told him that I felt like I was fighting with myself all the time, so he suggested that maybe I should do something along those lines, which was an interesting idea, you know, wrestling with yourself
Anyway, that's how the idea got started, so then I put an ad on the internet, on the website, and we got about 3,000 emails from all over the world, from people who felt they'd make good doppelgangers, but the problem was that none of them really knew how to wrestle. Id started wrestling when I was 10 years old, and I did it for seven years, so for me it was important that someone could really wrestle, that they could show me some good moves, because I was a little bit out of shape.
So there was this one guy, and he didn't look like me, but he had the same body and he was a really, really good wrestler in fact, he was a champion, a German champion, so we put some new hair on him, and I did this whole wax thing with the hair because I know how do to it, and he was such an amazing guy he was able to teach me some things about wrestling, to lead me in a way, and I have to say that I never truly realized how hard this sport is

14) Were you a strong wrestler when you were young?
Richard: I was OK. I mean, in East Germany everything was about sport, that's how you were measured; I was definitely competing a lot, but there was no time for me to do anything else. For years, I had to go to competitions at the weekend, and I just got tired of it in the end, because I was more into music than sport I do think it's been a big help, though, a way of getting rid of a lot of aggression, because
I was always in trouble when I was young, so it was definitely a good outlet for me at the time

15) One of the Remixes of Mein Teil has been done by the Pet Shop Boys.
Were you surprised they were keen to work on a track as heavy as this?
Schneider: Yes, very surprised, but they liked certain elements in the song. They're working right now on a kind of symphonic project they're doing the music for an old Russian movie, and that's how they found out wed been working last year in a similar way ourselves; this one composer did an album called Mein Herz Brennt, where he used selected lyrics of Rammstein and made symphonic music around them it was an interesting record, a really different approach for us, so the Pet Shop Boys listened to this record and decided that they wanted to work with the same guy, Torsten Rasch, and that's why the whole remix thing came together so well

16) Mein Teil can be translated into English in a host of different ways. How do you choose to translate it..?
Richard: I mean, that's the good thing about Rammstein, everybody has his own translation. But for me it's definitely my tool point.
Schneider: For me, it's my part

17) Which part?!
Schneider: Every part!
Richard: My tool!
Schneider: He ate everything, not only that part
Richard: But first, he was interested in that part
Schneider: Both of them were
Richard: And actually, the other thing to remember is that it was the only part they were eating together, celebrating

18) And finally, Rammstein isn't really a political band, but is there a particular message that you're keen to put across..?
Richard: Our message could be that it is possible to make good music when you're relaxed - that you can go into the studio and leave your ego outside
Schneider: Yes, I agree with this, and to be authentic and a big entertainer. Don't care, be yourself, be unique, and Id like to think that Rammstein are proof that you can succeed in this way a German band with German lyrics, selling records all over the world, something that you wouldn't expect to be the case. You don't have to follow some pre-determined rules or copy someone else who's already famous to make your mark, to do your own thing and overdo it! That I guess is the message of Rammstein and to show a bit of anger too!
Richard: Our final message could be - if there's a strong, strong dark side you can be sure there's also a really strong bright side. So don't worry, were fine

Interview by Dante Bonutto.

© 2005 Minx