Hello Guys, thanks for having this interview. Well, a question to start with: why is your band called Girls Under Glass when it consists of male members only ? What does the name stand for or derivate from?

Hello Gothtronic, are you sure that Sisters Of Mercy were really sisters? Girls Under Glass is just a name, maybe a bit weird, but we wanted to have a name that does not automatically give you a concrete idea about the music behind the name…something like "Dead Of The Dawn" or whatever.

‘The alternative scene has changed much over the past two decades; more and more bands have proved that their idea of crossing and melting different elements in music - from Metal through Electro -Trance to Industrial can be successful. Girls Under Glass have always been innovators of musical openness and known for their overlapping mixture of styles’ That’s what your website states. Girls under Glass have produced quite a few now ‘classic’ songs. Did the band ever have a glimpse of major success?

That really depends on how you define "success". Sales-wise we never reached bands like Project Pitchfork, Wolfsheim or many others, but we never had this aim to do so. Otherwise we would have had to force a tottaly different development and we would have worked on a very strong and certain image. But, as you know, we never did, because we are mainly interested in music and substancial themes than in optical criterias.

What were your experiences with the release of the album Firewalker through Nuclear Blast, a major label? Did this experience influence your vision on marketing and promoting your music?

No, not on promo or marketing. But "Firewalker" was important because we recognized our limits and the same time we saw where our real strengths are. That’s why the following three albums, "Equilibrium", "Minddiver" and now, "Zyklus" are much stronger and more homogen. We stopped experimenting around with new styles and influences and concentrated on what we can do best. Apart from that "Firewalker" was the best selling album so far, so obviously we found lots of new fans with that album. I hope they are not too disappointed about the more gothic ones that followed.

How does the band feel about the new label Dependent. How did this happen? What is the idea behind Cellar Door? Will this sublabel feature more artists?

Sorry, if you wann know more about Cellar Door you should ask the labelowner Stefan Herwig. I can only tell you that he liked the GUG album so much, that he founded this sublabel to give us a label platform that fits to the band. We feel great about it. I think Dependent is one of the best indie-labels in Germany and Iam proud that the people who are working there are 100% behind the band. That’s the feeling we need as a band.

The title Zyklus represents a time to end or close and a new beginning at the same moment. This is metaphorical perhaps with the change of label. Does this really feel like a rebirth (as the promotional texts imply…)?

No. Zyklus does not have anything to do with the label-change. Its more metaphorical for where we stand as a band and what the music is like. It’s a certain idea we really brought to the point, for us it´s THE perfect album. But the same time its nothing more than a starting point for anything that happens in the future. That the point zero.

The album Zyklus is ‘simply’ brilliant with very good songs, vocals and even a couple of songs with hitpotential. I dont know why but it’s one of my favorite albums of GuG already (together with Christus). Do you consider a breakthrough still possible after all these years? Did the band miss out on any chances to extent your audience in the past?

Oh yes…we did many mistakes and we fucked up important concerts badly. And we never took care about sales or what our fans like about GUG, so we were living in our own cosmos only. We just didn´t take care about anything that would bring us success. And of course from a certain point of view this is stupid. On the other hand this gave us the freedom for a natural development which finds its climax in the best GUG album after 18 years of existence. But when I watch the market, the general sales, the P2P download scene and the CD Rippers, its hard to imagine why Girls Under Glass should sell more records than they did before. The whole spiral shows downwards and that’s a fact we have to live with. All musicians have to live with it!

What inspires you when you write your music and lyrics?

Life! The real life with all its problems, with its beautiful sides, with the feelings we have, with the thoughts and discussions about life and its sense. For ZYKLUS I just didn´t need any external input or ideas. My mind was full of questions, my heart full of love and pain at the same time. This sounds a bit lyrical now, but, come on..listen to the lyrics of the record and you know what I mean.

How does a Girls under Glass song come to birth? Could you tell something about the creative process?

There are certain times of immense creative output and ideas. I often have ideas while I sleep or dream. And luckily I remember some of this the next morning or even during the night so that I work out very simple melo-line and do some notes about the idea. Later we try tor work these idea out and create a song out of it. With some ideas it works, with some other ideas, it won´t. Hauke and Axel have ideas on their own so after a break we usually have after releasing a record and playing some concerts, we meet each other and see how the ideas work together and if there is a certain direction that gives us orientation. And after working for another 6 months we are usually in the position that we can produce this in a studio and make some real songs out of it.

Do you have any favorite or personally ‘special’ songs on the album yourself? If so, which? And for what reason?

Normally yes. For this record I don´t have any faves, because we are convinced that the album works as an album. 12 good songs do not make a good album. There are different things that need to happen and we also wanted to make sure that we keep up a dark and melancholic atmosphere and combining this with real powerful and strong songs. So picking out a certain song would be a bit unfair. And Iam convinced that all songs on this record are good songs, although they are all very different.

Is there any difference in singing in German or English? Why both?

Why not? These are the two languages I grew up with. We did it right from the beginning and also Wolfsheim, Pitchfork, Ooomph! are doing it as well. There is nothing special about it. For me its easier to write English lyrics, but for some songs I think that german lyrics are working better. Then I try out german lyrics and..Iam right..it works better. Its nothing I plan or I follow a certain intention.

You have collaborated with various musicians through the years and have established a firm place in the alternative music scene as a band. Who got the idea to do a duet with Peter Spilles?

It was me. During the production of "Ohne Dich" I recognized that it reminds me of some older Pitchfork songs, especially the keyboard line. And 6 months later, when we discussed the possible singles and we decided to go for "Ohne Dich" I got the idea for the duet, because I was sure that it would work.

What’s the scene like in Hamburg? I have been to a few parties over there and get the impression that it’s a really nice, cosy and relaxed scene over there. It must feel like a family thing at times? Could you elaborate some more on the Hamburg music scene?

Sorry, I can´t because Iam not involved in this party scene and Iam also not interested in being involved.

What about the side projects? Is Trauma still alive? Will Sonic Pictures ever be resurrected?

Trauma is somehow in a "coma". Its not dead, but also not really active these days, because we concentrate all our power on Girls Under Glass, which is our main band, and not our project. These days Iam more interested in guitar music anyway, so that Trauma does not feel important to me. Its nothing that inspires me in the moment. This, of course, might change in the near future. Sonic Pictures? Who´s that? Another GUG sideproject? Haven´t heard of it, so obviously Iam not involved. I guess it must be Axels sideproject with some other people.

Could you tell something about your own favorite musicians or vocalists?

Yes, sure. I like Deftones, Korn, Fear Factory, Ill Nino, A Perfect Circle, The Tea Party, Placebo, Maria Solheim, Bohren & der Club Of Gore, Sigur Ros, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and many more. For mediation of course I listen to more quiet stuff, like Dewa Che, Deva Premal, Steve Halpern etc.

What plans do you have for the future? What can we expect from Girls under Glass?

You can expect some gigs in germany and Europe. We will also play some of the bigger festivals, we do lots of gigs outside Germany and from autumn on I think we will prepare our 20 th anniversary for 2006. We like to release a special record then and it will cost us some energy and time to realize it.

Any last words to our Dutch readers?

Live long and prosper. Have a great year 2005 and if we come to visit you, you come to visit us. Hopefully J.

Best regards to all of you, ZAPHOR

© TekNoir, gothtronic, 2005
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