I Love This About Flake, That You Look At Him And Think You Know What Hes Up To, But Then Hes Way More

I love this about Flake, that you look at him and think you know what he’s up to, but then he’s way more unpredictable.

Looks like a professor, actually was a wild-partying alcoholic.

Looks like he should be calm, actually very anxious.

Looks like he should listen to classical music, actually in love with Meg White.

Looks like he wouldn’t enjoy Emigrate, actually has played it on his show

I doubt flake would listen to Emigrate, not his genre of music at all!

Well, if you ever listened to Flakes radio-show you would know that there is no genre, that Flakes “range” - the variety in his playlists is very big from classic to rap to death-metal and very weird electronica, you name it, Flake has played it. I think in general Emigrate is something Flake can digest very well. I could not say that its his favorite music that he can not stop listening, but its something he can appreciate and value, because its something his friend did with a lot of passion and that makes its important for him. So he would definitely listen to Emigrate more likely than a random American rock-band.  

Edit: I think its important to add that Flake has played Emigrate in his radioshow on two occasions i think? @notafraidofredyellowandblue help, once i think it was when topic was solo projects and other time.. well that was more recent...

Thank you so much for doing these, @notafraidofredyellowandblue​, they are such a service!

Flake's "Des Tastenfickers podcast" 🎹 podcast - my takes (index)

Because it annoys me that half the time i can't find my old posts again (once again i'm looking at you Tumblr), this is a bit of a list of my takes on Flake podcast posts 🎹 still missing several i think, but i'll add them if i ever find them again..

2020-05-27 Solo albums / Soloplatten

2020-06-24 Drugs / Drogen

2020-07-22 Children / Kinder

2020-08-11 Remarkable bandnames / Bemerkenswerte Gruppennamen

2020-10-14 Supergroups / Supergruppen

2020-11-25 German bands who sing english / Deutsche bands die englisch singen

2020-12-09 King and queen / König und Königin

2020-12-23 Rocksongs with a piano /Rocklieder mit einem Klavier

2021-01-13 Dads / Väter

2021-01-27 Humor

2021-02-09 Youth / Jugend (with daughter Mimi)

2021-02-24 Radio

2021-03-10 Songs with spoken lyrics / Lieder in denen gesprochen wird

2021-03-24 Whistling / Pfeifen

2021-04-14 Africa / Afrika

2021-04-28 West bands who were more popular in the GDR than at home / Westbands die in der DDR beliebter waren als im Heimatland

2021-05-12 Bands named after cities / Bands die wie Städte heißen

2021-05-26 Instrumental songs / Instrumentals

2021-06-09 Certain harmonic sequences / Bestimmte harmonische Abfolgen

2021-06-23 Girl bands / Mädchenbands

2021-07-13 Streets / Straßen

2021-07-28 Classical music in rockmusic / Klassik in der Rockmusik

2021-08-11 Noises in music / Geräusche in der Musik

2021-08-25 Music in tv shows / Musik in Fernsehserien

2021-09-15 Running / Rennen

2021-09-29 Rivers / Flüsse

2021-10-13 Unmistakable songs / Unverwechselbare Lieder

2021-10-27 War - soldiers - peace / Krieg - soldaten - frieden

2021-11-10 Remarkable albumtitles / Bemerkenzwerte Plattentitel

2021-11-24 Cars / Autos

Thank you again @notafraidofredyellowandblue​ for another beautiful translation! So much good stuff in here! The major labels are stagnant! Till probably would find him annoying in the studio! “ the more you try to explain yourself, the more you are used by the media to disperse misunderstandings”! He calls Flake to ask about his radio show!

Richard interview web.de 2021-11

published 2021-11-11, by Jakob Buhre

In which Richard talks about, apart from his new album and the epidemic, rolemodels, speaking out on political topics, why he changed his record company, and apart from Till (who he always talks about) mentions another bandmate 🌹

WEB.DE News

Rammstein-Gitarrist im Interview: "Habe auch überlegt, mit der Musik aufzuhören"

Rammstein-Gitarrist Richard Kruspe hat die pandemiebedingten Tournee-Verschiebungen genutzt, um mit seinem Solo-Projekt Emigrate das mittler

attempt at translation:

Interview with Rammstein guitarist Richard Kruspe: "I also thought about quitting music"

Rammstein guitarist Richard Kruspe used the pandemic-related postponement of the tour to record the fourth studio album with his solo project Emigrate.In the interview, Kruspe talks about "The Persistence Of Memory", changes in the music industry, freedom of expression in the Corona era and why the imprisonment of a Russian fan reminds him of the GDR.

How should one imagine the musician Richard Kruspe in the Corona period: as someone who longs to get back on stage, or as someone who enjoys the long break?

Richard Kruspe: To be honest, I had already gone into isolation before Corona, after the last Rammstein tour. That was maybe the biggest tour in our band history and when I came home afterwards, I at first fell into a deep hole. I withdrew, in the mean time considered to stop playing music because I no longer saw any point in it. Of course, you don't like to experience such a depression and if you don't get help from outside, you have to be able to reflect yourself extremely strongly.

How did you find your way back to making music?

I had to reminisce a bit, looking back like with a time machine, how I started with music, what the reason was why I started Emigrate. This project had a lot to do with my move from Germany to New York in the early 2000s, which for me was a big cultural change and like a new beginning. Occupying myself with this gave me new courage and I felt the appetite to go to the studio again.

You have now recorded songs for the first time that were composed between 2001 and 2018.

Yes, the songs had already been written, but I rearranged them in places, changed some of the lyrics and then re-recorded and sung them all anew.

In "Freeze my mind" from 2001 you sing about how you escape reality.

For me, the song embodies this feeling that I had at the time of wanting to break out of my previous environment, including the Rammstein world, to experience new things, to prove myself in a new world.

So is the content of the album "The Persistence Of Memory" a retrospective with a simultaneous further development of the sound?

Certainly. There are always sounds that have an expiration date that you no longer want to hear because they have been overused. Aside from that I have not only developed further in terms of sound, but also in terms of the arrangement - after all, you learn new things.

What is the reason that the new Emigrate album is no longer released by a major record company?

In recent years I have noticed that working with majors no longer works for me. When I sat there in meetings, it was very sobering in places. There was so much uninspiredness that I sometimes thought: This can't be true! A lot is just repeated because it has worked in the past, they play it safe. Then I ask myself: Where are their new ideas? I think days of big record company are over. That was actually already when they failed to defend their place in the business at the time of Napster. The only reason majors still exist today is because of their back catalog.

... and bands like Rammstein who are successful all over the world.

For Rammstein it was of course important that we had a big record company, without whose support we would never have been able to become such a strong live force. And I definitely understand that the record companies have to act economically. But with Emigrate it was important for me to get inspiration. And I didn't get them from majors anymore. But that's not a problem either, because there are many small companies that have their own ideas. It's much more exciting and inspiring than participating in such a stronghold of industry.

One of the surprises of the new album is your version of the song "Always on my mind", which is known from Elvis, but also from the Pet Shop Boys. Till Lindemann is now singing the piece for you ...

The original idea was to work with the original voice of Elvis on this song. I heard his version a few years ago and was very impressed with its performance. Back then he recorded the piece in one or two takes. At some point I thought about who else, besides Elvis, had a voice that got through so well - and in the end I came up with Till .

He's on an Emigrate album several times, but you haven't played guitar on his solo albums yet, have you?

No, because for me the focus is mainly on musicality, for me an album has to have a certain musical character, while Till just likes to play live. Till is also someone who is quite annoyed by situations in the studio, where I can be very complicated when recording songs.

Do you also enjoy the aspect of being the sole boss at Emigrate?

Sure. An Emigrate album isfor me also much more personal because the creative process is completely up to me. Nevertheless, I keep noticing that working in a team has many positive aspects. Sometimes you have ideas that you don't know whether they are good or bad. Thanks to your colleagues, you can tell very quickly whether they are a bit useful.

Would you give your Rammstein colleagues an Emigrate album for test listening before it is released?

No, definitely not. (laughs) Though someone like Flake (Rammstein keyboard player, note by the editor) would probably be very open about it. We have a lot of respect for each other and are in a lively exchange. For example, I regularly listen to his radio show - and then call him to ask him what kind of weird stuff he said. (laughs)

Emigrate is only available on audio medium, not live. Isn't that unsatisfactory for you?

Not at all. I entered the world of live playing with Rammstein, and I never had the feeling that I wasn't playing live enough.

Not even during the Corona period? The new Rammstein tour has already been postponed twice.

Playing concerts is definitely part of my job, but only a small one. I never had this feeling "I have to play myself on stage". For me the moment of creation was always more interesting, the creative process.

They say you are a real nerd when it comes to guitar.

Unfortunately yes. Over the years, I have invested a great deal of time in fine-tuning sound that probably only 0.05 percent of people have heard. I could get lost in that very quickly. Nowadays, however, that has changed a bit. If I go to the studio today but have no idea, I don't fiddle around forever, but then try to devote myself to other things. During the Corona period, for example, I built a complete New York-style barbershop for the house I live in. I now also spend a lot more time with my children than I used to, where I always worked in the studio at night or on weekends. I don't do that anymore today. In general, it became particularly clear to me during the pandemic that there are so many other things in life than just music.

What knowledge did the Corona period bring you about our society?

Of course, the pandemic is something like a magnifying glass under which certain problems become particularly visible, whether in the school system, in digitalization, education and so on. It was interesting for me to see how quickly you can get used to certain things, such as isolation and loneliness - and how difficult it is to get out of this state again. Being social now seems like a muscle that you first have to train again. I didn't understand why politics didn't manage to set positive accents; instead, the focus was always on fear. I would have liked to have encouraged people to say: Okay, there is this virus, but we also have an immune system, let's try to strengthen it!

Some artists have gone public with statements about Corona and the measures . Did you also have this need?

In principle, I think a lot, but first try to figure it out with myself and those around me. My point of view is that you should always start with yourself, when you have managed that, you can move on to your partner and family. But to put yourself out in public to lecture others, I'm not the type for that.

In June of this year you spoke up on Instagram when Navalny-campaigner Andrei Borovikov was sentenced to two and a half years in a prison camp in Russia on the grounds that he shared the Rammstein video "Pussy" on the VK social network seven years ago...

I usually think three times whether I should post something like this, but on the other hand I am also a very emotional person. When I got the news of this judgment, I knew that I just had to take a stand - because I felt a lot of injustice there.

Does this form of repression in Russia remind you of your time in the GDR?

Definitely, of course! We grew up with this insane form of injustice, in the form of pretending to be, hiding, not opening your mouth because you are afraid of being punished. The censorship of oneself, the constant question: How authentic am I still, how far do I have to bend myself?

Would it be difficult for the band as a whole to protest publicly on this matter?

Unfortunately, when you take a stand, you often find yourself being used immediately, for headlines, for quotes. And the more you try to explain yourself, the more you are used by the media to disperse misunderstandings, that's my experience. As a band, we wanted to get involved with nothing and nowhere, neither for a good nor for a bad cause. In this particular case, we were used as a vehicle, an excuse. Because in reality the verdict wasn't about the fact that this person shared a video of us. But unfortunately that often happens that musicians are blamed for things that happen in the world, that art is misused to distract from the real reasons and to cover up the real problems.

A few years ago you said that rebellion today is "no longer in guitar music, but in language." Are you still a rebel?

No, probably not anymore. Rock music no longer has this function of rebellion, it is now more in a genre like hip-hop. Of course, I wonder when the next musical revolution will come, can it still exist? We have so much quantity today, I don't know whether a kind of rebellion can even arise in this mass of musical information. I would wish so, because sometimes I'm a little bored with today's musical landscape.

To what extent was music a means of rebellion for you in the GDR?

Back then, the punk idea that you don't have to be a trained musician to make music played a big role. The message was: You can also write a song with three chords and express what you want. That's why there were a bunch of bands that just started playing, people who hadn't studied, in contrast to the musicians in the more state-influenced bands. And rock music as such was already rebellion back then, demarcation, a cry for change. I still remember that my parents used to admonish me because I was listening to music that was too loud in my childhood room.

Today you are the father of three children yourself. Do you see yourself as a role model for your children?

Very difficult question. First of all, I have to be a role model for myself, even that is incredibly difficult. I believe that you make a lot of mistakes, including small things that you may not even recognize as mistakes, but which can have a very big influence on children. When I became a father for the first time at 23, I wasn't ready for it at all, but today at 50 it's a completely different situation. I now have a lot more desire and time when it comes to children and upbringing, and I think I've also become a little "wiser". In the past, when there was a problem, I would often was helpless about it. Today I am someone who looks and tries to find solutions diplomatically and together with the children.

Who was the role model for you?

I had a good relationship with my father, but very early he wasn't there any longer. My stepfather wasn't a role model for me as a teenager, neither was school, nor was the state - I somehow had to cope with it myself. In music, I later appreciated Martin Gore from Depeche Mode and Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails very much, but I wouldn't call them role models, but rather people who I have great respect for. This "I want to be like him or her" never existed for me.

In recent months, concerts have not only been canceled due to Corona , but also because musicians like Nena made statements about Corona policy . Are you worried about that?

Yeah yeah I think we have to learn again to accept when people have different opinions. You get pigeonholed so quickly these days instead of really talking about the things, the fears that keep people going. For example, if someone talks about the possible dangers of a vaccination today, they are immediately put in a corner with unconventional thinkers. It's too simple for me! I find it worrying when people are so afraid to say what they think. It's like censorship that we impose on ourselves.

Do you feel that fear in people around you?

Absolutely. Just the looks when someone tells a small group that they have not been vaccinated. We have to become more open again to listen to other opinions - that's completely normal! We live in a world where freedom of expression is a very important achievement. But at the moment I am noticing that a lot of people are afraid of saying certain things - and that shouldn't be the case, I have a problem with that.

Are you also concerned about the division in society?

It is often said that social developments in the USA will reach Germany around 10 to 15 years later . And when I look at what's going on there, how people are turned against each other - that's actually the worst that can happen, we have to prevent such a development. I try to do this myself in a small way, am always open to discussion in my environment and first listen to information XY without immediately categorizing and judging my counterpart.

-----------------------

Surprisingly many questions that weren't in other interviews 🍀

Loved his answer to "Would you let your Rammatein bandmates listen to an Emigrate CD" "No definitely not" and then laughing 😁

fanfic ask game (do it, this is an order!!)

Hello my angels! Happy International Fanworks Day!! I just found out this is happening, so I made a quick fanfic ask game in honor lol. Reblog if you’re a fic writer and down to be asked these questions! (Especially moots, please entertain me, I’m nosy.)

😂 What’s the funniest comment someone has left on a fic of yours?

🙅‍♀️ What is one trope you refuse to ever write?

😜 Describe a current WIP without using character names. (Points if your followers guess who the fic is for.)

🎶 What music do you listen to when you write?

👀 Do you have any words/phrases you use habitually? 

⏰ What time of day do you prefer to write?

👻 Have you written holiday-themed fics? If yes, which is your fave? If not, what’s one holiday you’d want to write for, and which character(s) would the fic be for?

🗑 What is one fic idea that you loved at first but then scrapped?

🤡 What’s the dumbest thing you’ve written?

😭 Have you ever made yourself cry writing a fic?

💰 What’s one trope you wouldn’t write, except for money?

🔪 Fuck marry kill 3 tropes (asker’s choice of tropes).

🏅 What is the fic you’re most proud of?

☕️ Do you drink anything when you write? Coffee, tea, alcohol, etc?

📚 What grammar mistakes do you always make?

📌 If all your fics/WIPs fell off a ship and were drowning (go with it), and you could only save one, which would it be?

✏️ What is your fave fic from another writer?

⏱ What’s the fic you spent the most time on? (Was it worth it lol)

☀️ Has anyone ever left you a comment that made your day? What did it say?

💡 What’s the weirdest thing you’ve been inspired by?

💋 Fuck marry kill 3 of your own fics (asker’s choice of fics).

❤️ Who is your favorite character to write for and why?

🤔 What’s one genre you’ve never written that you’d like to try?

🖊 What is the most recent line you’ve written?

❓Write an alternate summary for a published fic without using names. (Points if your followers can guess the fic.)

💕 What is the WIP that you are most excited about?

And it’s so good!

Wait, there's a fanfic based off the Lifad album art??? What is is called?

It is Unter dem Haus by @themarten

Anyone know if more of the promised subbed videos happened? Because this one is really excellent, just look at those goobers.

Gesundheits-Tee

all of their scenes in this movie are so absurd

subs were done by me since the DVD doesn’t offer any subs (not even in German)

@babypaulchen first one of the subbed videos!

this was taken from the movie “flüstern & SCHREIEN - ein rockreport” (1988) which was produced by the DEFA (the state-owned film studio of the GDR); directed  by Dieter Schumann

I’m gonna upload a few more clips (with subs!) soon but you should definitely buy the movie if you’re interested in Feeling B!!