Toxsin interview: We were fortunate enough to be allowed an e-mail interview w/ Toxsin keyboardist, Oliver Schröder. Thanx so much, Olli, you're AWESOME!!!! :) -Mikki 6/02

Olli: Ronald, Klaus and Robert are old mates and played in other munich bands before. After doing years of hardrock/metal stuff they decided to do powerful modern german metal. Myself moved to Munich 3 years ago and heard from their plans by the first drummer Wolfram (who left the band after 1 year)

DML: How is it that Gerrit joined Toxsin after his "stage dive" with Megaherz?
(wie kam es, dass Gerrit nach seinem sturz bei Megaherz bei ToxsiN eingestiegen ist?)

Olli: Gerrit was a substitution for the Megaherz show in 2000. after his 'dive' the shows need to go on with another substitution who became later a real member of Megaherz. Since Gerrit was in school with Klaus, he asked him to play with ToxsiN ..

DML: Are all you München musicians pretty close knit? Do you all kind of know each other by site or hang out for beers at all?
(kennen sich die muenchner musiker untereinander, verstehen sie sich und trinken ab und zu ein bier zusammen?)

Olli: Since i am not from Munich i just know a few bands when we played together, like Hammerschmitt or I-Trip.

DML: What other bands have you been in?
(in welchen bands habt ihr vorher gespielt?)

Olli: In my hometown i played with the hardrockband Agurs Words. I also started a Rammstein cover project with some mates ..

DML: You've mentioned Rammstein, Megaherz & Oomph! as musical influences, who are your ealier influences?
(Ihr habt Rammstein, Megaherz und Oomph als musikalische Einfluesse angegeben .. Wer hat euch frueher inspiriert?)

Olli: Before German metal became big in Germany i used to listen to speed and thrash metal .. Metallica and Motorhead in the 80's .. Clawfinger and Machine head in the 90's .. not usual for a keyboarder :)

DML: Who would you like to tour with more than anyone else?
(Mit wem wuerdet ihr unbedingt mal auf tour gehen wollen?)

Olli: I would like to do a club tour supporting H-blockx or some other more successful metal or goth bands. I don't dream yet about playing in stadions :-))) Playing some gigs in the states is one of my favorit dream ...

DML: What was the best show you performed in & why?
(was war eure bislang beste show und warum?)

Olli: While we toured with Shameless we had one gig in Metropolis, Munich .. lots of friends joined the gig and gave us a great feedback .. this was amazing!!!

DML: What was the best concert you've ever attended?
(was war das beste konzert, das ihr je erlebt habt?)

Olli: It was the Bizarre festival in cologne (95?) when Rammstein played one of their first big gigs ever .. they were no headliner, they played in the early afternoon .. i didn't expect to much and had no problem to get to the first row .. 30 minutes of noise .. fire .. smoke .. they impressed me more than any other band i have ever seen live !!!!

DML: You're currently working on a new album. When can we expect it & will it pretty much follow the same path, musically, as "Illusion" or are there surprises in store?
(Ihr arbeitet an einem neuen album. wann wird es fertig sein und wird es in die gleiche richtung wie 'illusion' gehen? oder gibt es ueberaschungen?)

Olli: We will do a straight ToxsiN album .. that means we stay hard. but we want to improve the quality of the sound and we are playing around with more electronical stuff .. as you may hear in 'Schattenmann' ..

DML: What will be the first single from the new album & do you have plans for making a video?
(was wird die erste single vom neuen album und wollt ihr ein video drehen?)

Olli: There are lot of plans doing a video .. but no money .. these are future events ..

DML: How well did "Illusion" sell in Europe & have you had alot of requests for it outside of Europe?
(wie gut hat sich 'illusion' in europa verkauft und habt ihr viele anfragen ausserhalb euopas?)

Olli: By today we sold 'Illusion' about 5000 times .. thats not too much ;) There were a lot of emails and reaction from the states to our page at www.mp3.com/toxsin (no longer available -M). So the music is still a hobby .. but it is fantastic to reach so much people over the internet. i didn't expect Americans take care about German lyrics. there is a German radio broadcast in San Francisco: Radio Goethe .. so there were already some ToxsiN airplays in the states :)

DML: I'm assuming Ronald is the "bracialvox" in the band. Is Klaus then the other main singer? Has anyone mentioned he sounds alot like Ozzy? If so, is this a welcome comparison?
(Ronald ist die brachial stimme der band. ist klaus der 2te hauptsaenger? hat jemand bemerkt, dass er wie ozzy klingt? wenn ja, wird er gerne mit ihm verglichen?)

Olli: Klaus and me doing usually the backings .. but Klaus sang 'Hold me back' on the very 1st cd. Someone mentioned he sounds like Elvis *lol*

DML: The "Illusion" booklet says "music & lyrics by Toxsin" but what part exactly did you each play in the creation of the album?
(im booklet steht: texte und musiv von toxsin. wer aber hat welchen part bei der produktion gehabt?)

Olli: Most of the lyrics were written by Ronald and Robert. the songs were developed in the practice room .. mostly by riffs from Klaus. i need to mention Roland here .. our guitarist before Gerrit. he wrote came along with some great ideas .. but left the band .. left Munich ..left Germany and moved to San Francisco :-(

DML: Where did the ideas come from for the lyircs?
(wo kommen die ideen zu den texten her?)

Olli: I don't know :) but I should translate the lyrics from 'Der Berg' for you .. this is a really funny one

DML: Why did you record "Ich Will" in English as well as German?
(warum habt ihr 'ich will' in deutsch und auf englisch aufgenommen?)

Olli: At this time we weren't sure if we want to do only German, English or a mixture of the lyrics.

DML: There are no English songs on "Illusion" but there are 3 on the "Ewig" demo. Does that mean you decided it might be best to stick with your mother tongue or will you try English again on the new album?
(es sind keine englischen songs auf 'illusion' .. aber 3 auf 'ewig'. heisst das ihr wollt euch in eurer muttersparche ausdruecken?)

Olli: Exactly .. most German bands try to sing in English .. believing to have more international success. If I look back I see only the Scorpions in the US and Helloween in the UK who went big outside Germany.

DML: Why does Nick have pictures in his "Illusion" booklet while I have none? (I bought mine from EMP)
(Warum hat nick ein bild in seinem booklet und ich nicht?)

Olli: The pic shows Roland .. who left the band .. left Munich .. left ... when we got the record deal the MTM label and barcode need to be on the cover ..

DML: What are your plans for the future either personally or professionally?
(was sind eure persoenlichen zukunftsplaene?)

Olli: I will always do music .. even when I cannot live from it. I go to work to get money .. I live for the music :)

DML: Where does the band see themselves in 2 years? or 5?
(wo sieht sich die band in 2 oder 5 jahren?)

Olli: I smoke cigars in the pool and watch to the golden records at the wall :)

DML: Someone asked if any of you have any German band tattoos... do you???

Olli: Ronald was tattooed like the guy in 'Moby Dick' .. Quickwek or whatever he was called :) Gerrit got some ..

DML: Do you have any favorite movies? books? albums?
(was sind euro lieblings filme, buecher, alben?)

Olli: I'm not that much into movies .. i like the Simpsons. i listen to a lot of new metal cd's like Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit etc

DML: What is the last album you bought & did you like it?
(was war das letzte album das ihr euch gekauft habt?)

Olli: H-blockx .. i like their stuff

DML: When will your US tour begin? J/K!!! :)
(wann beginnt eure us tour?)

Olli: Tomorrow ... hopefully

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