Stardust 2000
-the first official WAVE IN HEAD - fanclub-
Interview with Michael on 24.September 2001,
when he was just about to go into the studio. While the debut CD “Time To Speak” keeps in the A Different Drum Sales Charts for weeks and the second MCD “I Began To Hope” was just released, Michael found some time to answer some questions.
Stardust: Michael, your debut
keeps in the A Different Drum Sales Charts for weeks, it even reached
No 2. How do you feel about it? Are you proud about it or don’t
you care much about it?
Michael: In a way I am proud to
be among the best ten for such a long time. I had not expected it, even
if it is not the Media Control or the Billboard charts. After all I
see that my conception of music can not be totally wrong.
Stardust: “I Began To Hope”,
the second single of the album was released. Some say it is the best
song of the album. What do you connect with it?
Michael: First of all, long evenings
in front of the computer (laughs). No, I liked the song already during
the development. But it has no different or bigger meaning to me than
any other song.
Stardust: “I Began To Hope”
is a song from your promo CD “Criminal Ballad”. It captivates
with many mixes and unreleased material. It’s almost an EP. Is
it a preview to the next album?
Michael: I wouldn’t put it that way. I don’t think
you can draw conclusions from the MCD to the character of the next album.
I will have to surprise myself. Anyway, on “I Began To Hope”
you can hear things you couldn’t hear before, which results from
the co-operation with Empire State Human.
Stardust: Michael, were your expectations
met? How far did you get in touch with fans in America or responses
from them?
Michael: The responses from the
United States are really positive. Concerning the status, Wave In Head
is by some persons even compared to Camouflage, which honors me. However,
I’m still at the very beginning, which became very clear to me,
again. Before I can talk about fulfilled expectations, I better wait
for the next two years (laughs).
Stardust: Next year you take part
at the Synthcon in the United States. What can the audience expect?
Will there be a tour in the states afterwards?
Michael: I have contact to several
promoters, but so far they have not talked about fixed dates. Therefore,
I proceed on the assumption that there will only be a single gig without
a following tour, unless the demand doesn’t chance rapidly. The
Synthcon visitors will see me in classical two-person cast. We will
perform a cross-cut from “Time To Speak” and the new album,
which will be released in summer 2002. After the concert I will stay
around there for a while. If you like, just talk to me. I’m always
interested in feedback.
Stardust: A frequently asked question:
When will there be a tour to the album? Except for sporadic gigs, Wave
In Head perform quite seldom live. Why?
Michael: Here you have to think
differently from a professional band. I still have a regular job to
do. I do not think about an album tour in Germany, yet. I’m not
known enough to fill bigger halls. I will think about it in the future.
A tour in the United States would make more sense (maybe in co-operation
with label colleagues), but, considering the time, it is simply impossible.
It is very hard to reconcile everything.
Stardust: You just make a remix
of New Order’s “Blue Monday”. How came it about and how
does it feel to cover this classical song?
Michael: Made, not make. It’s
ready. How it came about? Synthphony Records made an inquiry via e-mail
(three cheers to advance!). It is kind of strange to work on a song
you wriggled to as a 13 year old on the dance floor in holiday camp.
During that time I had no idea how my interests would develop.
Stardust: Now to something different:
It is hard to buy your CDs in Germany. Will there be a universal solution?
Michael: So far there is only the
solution by internet via SPR (links on my homepage). Of course it is
not ideal, since the CDs come into the country and into availability
with considerable delay. Unfortunately there is nobody to care for an
availability in record stores. There exists no so called license contract.
Of course it is possible to bring CDs from American production to German
record stores. However, A Different Drum only made negative experiences
with it and had high financial losses, to say nothing of the artist
who usually did not get a single DM out of such co-operations. With
a license contract a German record company would produce the CDs themselves,
which would limit possible losses. I am in principle interested in a
license contract, but certainly only with a record company that works
after the principle of a co-operation that is profitable for both sides.
Stardust: Michael, if you have a
look at other bands of the genre, many of them take a longer break after
a release. Unlike them, you went straight back to the studio. What drives
you?
Michael: I always make music. All
the time. Or I make remixes and something like that. There is no time
to rest if the ideas that have to be realized pile up. Another point
is that I like to keep in touch with the fans. Those of you who want
to be regularly informed by me - just send me an e-mail. This might
have the effect that there exists no impression of resting.
Stardust: You are in the studio
again to work on the new album. What can the Wave In Head fans expect
and when will the album presumably be released?
Michael: I have the follow-up contract
for the new album, which plans the release in summer 2002. Exactly the
time period I will need. Again, I will try out all sorts of things.
Nevertheless it will be an electronic album, again. Very likely more
electronic and refined than the last one. The sounds will here and there
be a little fierce or strange. However, almost every song will have
a typical structure, with chorus, verse and melody, and will therefore
be catchy and hopefully more infectious than “Time To Speak”.
Stardust: What happened to your
“Emotional Machines” album?
Michael: (Grins) Well, the idea
is not put into the files, yet. Wait and see, I always say.
Stardust: When you are in the studio,
how do your songs develop? Do you have a certain concept?
Michael: Like other bands, too.
I’m only cooking with water, as anybody else. First there is an
idea, a melody, a sound, a sequence, and little by little I make a song
out of it. Afterwards (usually quite late), the lyrics follow and at
the end the vocal recording, the mixdown and the digitalization of the
demo, which once in a while appears unchanged on a CD.
Stardust: Apart from your momentary
studio work, what does the future bring? Do you have concrete plans
for the future, any planned projects or will we be surprised at what
time brings?
Michael: You know me, I never make
plans for three years or more. For the time being I see no further than
the release of the next album. Everything beyond summer 2002 does not
exist yet in a musical sense. All sorts of things are possible. Let
us be surprised together.
Stardust: Thank you for the interview.
Probably the last one for a while, because I guess Wave In Head will
make himself scarce in order to produce a super album.
Michael: Thanks, too. I will do
my best. (grins)