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 SprottenRock interview: Thank you Helmet & Abo!! SprottenRock is awesome! I highly recommend their "Couch Party" CD & think everyone should listen to them immediately! They're just really good!!!! -Mikki 4/05 DML: Could you tell us how the band got together and how did you choose the name, "SprottenRock"? Helmet: Abo, Sam and myself went to school together. We started to make some music (without a drummer!) and after one year Chrischan and Markus joined the group."SprottenRock" is Abo's idea I guess. There are some delicious fishes swimming in the waters around Kiel. They are small, tasty and are called "Sprotten". Abo: "SprottenRock" was my girlfriend‘s idea. We had realy fucked up names like "Die militanten Krümelkekse" (something like militant Cookies) or "Dioptrien". SprottenRock was the best one so far. Even though I hate those little fishies. I can't believe, that Helmet likes them... yuck! DML: How would you describe your music for those not familiar with the band? Abo: Ass-Kick-Rock with influences of ska and pop. Mix it with strange texts and too many ideas. That's SprottenRock. Helmet: It's some kind of crossover between "Die Toten Hosen" and "Die Aerzte", I think. Abo: I don't agree but they often compare us with these two bands. DML: You seem to have done quite well at various band contests, congratulations on that! Did those positive results effect you professionally (executives knocking on your door or bigger show attendances?) or are they mere trophy prizes? Helmet: Well, some sponsors wanted us to give a huge amount of money to start a professional hamster breeding farm. :-D Abo: Really? We could be rich by now... Nobody told me about that... These contests were great to leave our hometown behind and spread our music in different cities (which is very hard for a new band without a professional demotape). We got to know lots of cool bands and locations. Lots of cool gigs followed. DML: My friends don't quite understand when I tell them about "Das Konzert 1-3". Can you explain it to them and tell us what gave you the idea to add this sort of thing to your "Couchparty" CD? Helmet: Well, then let them listen to the tracks instead of telling them :-p Abo: It's just a short story about two guys who aren't able to enter the concert hall. They try everything to watch their favorite band "SprottenRock". I don't remember how the idea got into our minds. We just sat there and someone said: "Let's try this one..." DML: I like "Hamster-Song" a lot but then noticed that you'd released something called "Chicken Killaz!" as well and started to fear for the small animals in the world! What's the grudge??? *assumes you're killing the chickens rather than them killing you :-/* Helmet: It's not about animals, it's more about some very cool guys who think that they are the best. In fact the song title doesn't make much sense. Or maybe a little bit when you say "Chicks" instead of "Chicken". Abo: ...but no chick was harmed in this song! "Chicken Killaz" is just a synonym for assholes in big cars, with lots of money and lots of chicks in the backseat. It's very ironic and kind of a rock'n roll rap song. This song will also be on our new album. DML: You've incorporated alot of different styles of music on "Couchparty" and yet it all blends together very nicely! What are some of your musical influences? Helmet: Uhh, can anybody else answer this question? Abo: Sam and Markus like bands like System of a Down, Sepultura, Metallica... Chrisch is a huge fan of Wishbone Ash.I like bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Pixies, Slipknot, Murderdolls, Alice Cooper (the older ones!), Rob Zombie, Rancid, OkGo, Muse, Sublime, Helloween, Die Ärzte, Wizo, Schrottgrenze and much more. DML: Some of your songs have rather melancholy lyrics yet the music remains upbeat - could you explain these seemingly conflicting messages? Helmet: Actually I think that only very few songs are like that. This is a question Abo has to answer. Abo: I like contrariness. A very negativ text like in our song „Räggi“ and a happy melody. It’s a blink of hope in everything. And –if you turn it upside down- also a bit of despair in everything that seems to be perfect. Some guy who laughs at a funeral J DML: I understand you're working on a new album - How is that going and how would you compare it to previous releases? Helmet: This is by far the most professional record we are going to release. It will kick ass. The other albums were basically "experiments". DML: What do you guys do when not making music? Helmet: I am incessantly planning to rule the world. :-) And in my spare time I do professional video editing in the field of film post-production. Abo: I am incessantly planning to rule the word, too (I think everyone in this band does). I study economy, work for a small company and organize everything around SprottenRock and some of the most „spectacular“ (we’re working on that) concerts in Germany (www.coast-rock.de) with a friend of mine. I get bored when I just do one thing at the time. DML: What have been your best and worst experiences while playing with SprottenRock?
Helmet: Best: Huge stage, lots of people, cool sound and light Abo: Best: Sam nearly falling from the stage because of the hot lights burning down on his head. Helmet talking to a lovely girl that got drunk and puked between her legs. He didn’t recognized that this chick was not able to talk anymore. I think, she did not remember a word he said the day after. Worst: Myself leaving the stage even though the set wasn’t finished and the gig helmet already mentioned (3 people...aaaaargh). DML: Besides the new album, what goals do you hope to achieve within the next few years? Helmet: Be able to rock in YOUR town. Abo: Ruling the world and rocking every town we want to. DML: Thanx for the interview, we're really looking forward to hearing some new stuff from you soon! Is there anything else you'd like to add? Abo: Visit us at www.SprottenRock.de and write something in our guestbook. It’s new, empty and very hungry! It’s great to see that even in America some guys like German Rock Music. Thanks for that! More at:
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