Information
Date: May 2001
Source: Deutscher Video
Interviewed: Flake
Translator: English translation from German by Mikki
Interview
Interviewer:If you compare "Mutter" with "Sehnsucht," which similarities & which differences do you recognize being an involved musician? Flake:We said to ourselves, at the beginning of the studio work, that we should try to make the new album different & varied. We wanted to integrate new musical influences, for example, the original punk from Great Britain. "Zwitter" is such a song with which we tried somewhat of a punk style. Besides that, we wanted our ballads to no longer be so guitar heavy, something more suitably designed for the radio. Also I think Till, with "Mutter," no longer rumbles when he sings. Rather his good vocal abilities can be better displayed. Nonetheless, a band like Rammstein can never entirely slip from their skin. I want to say: although we've tried hard with this musical development, the typical Rammstein sound is always omnipresent. But I think "Mutter" is by no means a personal repetition of "Sehnsucht."
Interviewer:Very good to hear on a song like "Nebel", that definately shows a very dark atmosphere.Flake:"Nebel" is, of course, the most dramatic song on the album & completely new for us. With "Nebel" musical influences like Massive Attack are instilled & I must confess that "Nebel" is my personal favorite. I love musical challenges & "Nebel" was one.
Interviewer:In the song, "Links", one could see a political message. Was that intentional, because in numerous interviews you have always said that you didn't want to become a political band.Flake:We are definately not a political band but after the numerous character defamations like, "Rammstein are right" or "Are Rammstein nazis?" we simply had to take up a position. We had in interviews not taken a position, there are many journalists who only write what they want to hear. Therefore a statement was too risky. We wanted to take a position to this problem as musicians & that with a good song. "Links" is clearly meant politically because our hearts lie truly left. We have never had anything to do with the right scene & also don't know how the "right" reference & Rammstein came to be placed in the world. And just because we play hard German & martialistic music doesn't make us nazis. We are definately not Nazis & the song, "Links", should help to end this stupid gabbing.
Interviewer:Was the expectation on "Mutter" great? Flake:The pressure was tremendous- but not altogether by the record company! We'd placed obvious pressure upon ourselves because we didn't know if we were in the position to produce a good album again. We wanted, first & foremost, to create a good, varied album & had in the initial studio time many ideas that got rejected. Everything was too tense. The record company had exerted hardly any pressure on us but we naturally knew that everyone expected success. Our first mix was unsatisfactory. We really didn't know exactly who could then mix the "Mutter" CD until we hit upon Stefan Glauman. The first mix was completely out-dated & we spent again 3 months in his studio in Stockholm. But after that we were finally satisfied... we had, after a good year delay, managed to create a good album.
Interviewer:How has your life changed after the enormous success? Are there drawbacks to success? Flake:Our life hasn't really changed because our success didn't first come about through "Engel", but has instead continually built itself up over the last 5 years. Besides that we are no longer in our 20's, rather all around 35 years old. That doesn't raise one up more but one knows how to get around different situations. We live also still in our apartments in the Prenzlauer Berg area & can, as before, go by foot to see one another. The only thing that has changed for me, personally, is that, for the first time, I bought myself a Mercedes that cost more than 1500DM. We have always remained as we always were.