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 Arndt Peltner interview, 2006: Arndt Peltner is a radio journalist & the producer & moderator of the excellent German music radio program Radio Goethe which airs Thursday nights at 8:30pm PST on KUSF & is also played on 30+ stations throughout the US, Canada & worldwide. We had done an interview with Arndt in 2004 but November, 2006, is Radio Goethe's 10th year anniversary & we wanted to help celebrate by asking a few more questions from our favorite German DJ!! These questions were put together by Greg Pilling. Thanks Greg & MANY, MANY thanks to Arndt for taking the time to do this great interview!! We're looking forward to the next 10 years!! -Mikki 11/06 DML: It's been over two years since we last interviewed you, Arndt, and you have made a lot of accomplishments in this time. Most importantly, Radio Goethe has turned 10 years old! Congratulations on an amazing achievement! Arndt: Thank you. DML: What has kept you motivated to continue Radio Goethe over the years? Arndt: On one hand the interest in the show. I found more and more stations willing to air the show. That is a good feedback. On the other hand the response I got. I wish I would get more response from listeners, but what I got is positive. I still like the show, it gives me the freedom to introduce some unknown, some obscure, some of my favorite bands. I think itıs a privilege to have the opportunity to create my own radio program and know that listeners are out there. It's a privilege, a chance and in a way a fantastic opportunity. I feel blessed to have all this. DML: What is your relationship with KUSF's staff like now that you have such a long-standing history with this station? Arndt: That is a tough question. I can't give you a straight answer. KUSF is split up in New Music (M-F from 12am to 6pm) and cultural programming. Radio Goethe is a cultural program. I have this impression that I'm seen as someone who is appreciated but also kills peoples nerves with telling them over and over again, that KUSF is more than just New Music. In my view the cultural producers bring a lot to the station and pull in different listeners. I feel, my work is appreciated as the "German guy on KUSF". DML: Did you do any kind of formal training to become a radio announcer? Arndt: I was trained to be a radio reporter. I was able to shorten a 24 months program to 18 months, because of experience prior to the beginning of the program. I was mostly learning by doing, since my training overlapped with the fusion of four stations under one roof. Nobody really felt responsible for me for a long time, so things weren't done in the normal way. One part of the training that got missed was being a host of a show. When I started Radio Goethe on KUSF I saw this as a chance for myself to practice in real life. I still have the tape of that first show and it is very embarrassing to listen to it today. But hey, I learned a lot in these years and I don't think I will ever come to the point where I will say, I don't learn anymore. DML: Out of all the people you have met and interviewed, who stands out in your memory the most? Arndt: That is a tough question. I met so many people through interviews. I like people who tell me their stories, I'm not really starstruck. It's nice to interview famous people, that boosts your radio show, but for me people with a story are much more important. I like to listen to Hans Joachim Irmler of Faust, I did some great interviews with him, late at night, after a couple of bottles of wine... a lot of stories. Former German internees in American internment camps during World War Two, inmates on Death Row, immigrants in the US... like Kurt Singer, who had a life that reads like a James Bond movie. He became a friend, he died early this year. For me it's important to connect with people. I met a lot of really, really nice people through Radio Goethe. Friendships developed... i.e. with Kai of Sonic Front, Stefan of Fiddler's Green, Rene of Infamis... I had a lot of great conversations, and sometimes less interesting ones. So, it's a tough question. Important is, to be curious, to have an open mind and open ear. DML: Why wasn't there a compilation this year? And do you plan to continue releasing more in the future? Arndt: To be honest, I don't think there is great interest in a compilation like this. I thought there is, but I was wrong. The compilation wasn't genre bound, and I guess that was the problem. People don't like a mix from Industrial to Rock, from Medieval to Electronica on one compilation, that was my impression. I thought I should produce a compilation for the tenth anniversary, but somehow I got this impression, that there is not enough interest... and these days I'm asking myself if there is still enough interest in Radio Goethe as it is right now... Maybe changes are necessary, I'm not sure and don't know yet in what way. So, to answer the second part of the question, no plans exist for future releases. DML: Let's say there is a fan of Radio Goethe who listens to the show and signs the guestbook, but wants to take their support to the next level. What would you say is the best way for an ordinary fan to show extra support for Radio Goethe? Arndt: Spread the word, try to get in touch with your local college station and tell them about it, let me know about the station. Link Radio Goethe, make the show more popular on different forums. I'm open for suggestions how to spread the word... I'd love to hear more from listeners, what they like but also what they don't like... Give me feedback, should I change the music selection, should I have more information or featured artists on the show etc. DML: What is this new Radio Goethe club "The Verein" all about, and how does someone become involved? Arndt: It is founded because of practical reasons. Radio Goethe is supported through a grant by the German government. This financial aid is running out next June. By then the framework has to be established to ask foundations and companies to support the cultural program Radio Goethe. A "Verein", a non-profit organization, is the first step to reach that goal. The idea right now is not to get many members, it's more a legal and financial step.
DML: Do you have any way of working with record labels or music promoters here in the USA to spread German music? Arndt: I have been in contact with a few labels over here and that wasn't very satisfying. To be honest, one label killed my nerves bothering me all the time to play their bands, telling me at the end I'm cheap for not buying their Cds, for telling me, I'm doing an idiotic job for playing bands that are not released over here, not understanding, that I'm doing the program to promote Germany, the German culture and the German language through German bands... and of course the way is the goal. By playing German bands, I promote them as well. But to take this a step further, I don't think I'm the right person and I don't really have the patience and time to do this.
DML: You have already met the goal of 30 stations that you stated in our last interview, so that brings us to our final questions: Arndt: To be honest, I don't know. I think it could go either way, many things might happen, depending on my personal situation, depending on the development of the radio landscape, depending on the interest from listeners (I see this as one of the most important factors for the future of Radio Goethe). I like to further build up Radio Goethe, make it available in different languages, maybe producing different genre programs, offer news and information on bands, culture, politics in Germany through the website... I have many ideas, we'll see if it's just an idea or a possibility to realize. DML: Thank you for taking some of your time to do this interview. We sincerely appreciate your responses, as well as all of the support you have shown for German bands over the years. Best of luck in the future! Arndt: Thank you for listening, supporting and helping out a lot. By: Greg Pilling More at: |
