RoD header

Translate

Interview with:  

Bernstein

‘Lichtwärts’ is the title of the debut from German newcomers BERNSTEIN on which they fuse melancholic electro pop with thoughtful lyrics. And of course the following interview is mostly about the album… but also about Herbert Grönemeyer. ;)

Reflections of Darkness (RoD): Since when do you make music and how did you meet?
Bernstein (BS): Well, we really started at the end of 2003. After everyone had worked on his own, we decided to try it together. Jens and Dirk are brothers, so they get to know each other by force. Frank is a school colleague of Dirk and so the circle was closed one day.

RoD: Your debut was produced with the help of José-Alvarez Brill. How did the contact come into existence??
BS: After we recorded the first demos we needed someone to bring us forward and to accompany us on the way to professional business. There are not much people on the level of José, when it comes to our kind of music, so we contacted him and sent him the demos. He was instantly hooked and after a first meeting, the collaboration was clear. It was also important for us, that we’re communicating on the same level and this is the case.

RoD: How much impact did José have on the tracks?
BS: He surely contributed his part for the completion of the album. We spent most of the time together in the studio. We never had any controversial discussion. Quite the opposite. As mentioned before, we’re communicating on the same level regarding the music. He knows, what we want and vice versa.

RoD: What do you say to the admonition, saying your music is sounding like Schlager music? I already read about that several times.
BS: Really?? We take that easy. Basically, German music has always been more criticized than any other. You just listen more closely. If you would translate some of the big English hits into German for comparison, you would soon end up with Schlager too. In the end music is just a matter of taste and everyone has to deal with that on his own.

RoD: Why did you choose the title ‘Lichtwärts’ for your album? Does it have a deeper personal meaning for you than the one catching the eye?
BS: We just named the album after the title ‘Lichtwärts’ because it describes the journey on which we are - musically and personally - best.

RoD: As I listened to the title ‘Das Meer’ for the first time, I was instantly reminded of Herbert Grönemeyer, because of the way of singing. Just coincidence or intended?
BS: Surely not intended. We never tried to sound like someone else on any title, but we did what pleased us in the end. That you can hear Grönemeyer might come from the fact that Jens listened to him far too much in the past. Maybe it’s such a subconscious thing. :)

RoD: The melancholy is resonating within many of your songs. Is it an overall important element or is it contingent upon the stories, told in the songs?
BS: It’s definitely a basic element of the album. Especially because melancholy is a beautiful and suiting transportation for this kind of stories, but this just came by coincidence in most cases. Strangely, we’re not really melancholic in the “real” life or walking through the world all lost in reverie. The composing then turns the switch and it sounds like it sounds.

RoD: You will present the new album live as well. Your homepage says there will be a special optical component. Can you already reveal something more and how far advanced are the plans for the tour already?
BS: At the moment, we can’t tell you anything specific. Important for us is, that a concept is behind it and you don’t just stand on stage and play down your songs, but we’re working on it. You will find the news on http://www.paradies.cc/.

RoD: Thanks for the interview and the last words are up to you.
BS: And we thank you ;)

{jos_sb_discuss:21}

Comments powered by CComment