Stressfaktor is band which is on the border
between punk and metal. IT´s a border that they
manage to be on really well. Here´s an interview
with them done in april 2016.
Please tell me a little bit history of the
group?-The band of 4 members came together in
1997. They didn’t have a clue how to play their
instruments, but they didn’t mind at all. In
1998 Roman, who knew something about music,
joined the band. He tought us the most important
things and we soon recorded a demo tape: "Nomen
est omen". After that we released an EP every
year until 2001 ("Videokiller", Gesetze der
Natur", "UnterTag") and we also played very
much. From 2002 on we had some problems finding
a suitable drummer. That’s why our debut CD "Grenzwerterfahrung"
was not released until 2005. The next album took
some time as well, as our guitar player Kerstin
left the band and we had some problems finding a
suitable replacement again. So the album "Bruch"
was not released until 2009. The reason why the
3. album "Zurück auf Null" was not released
until 2014 was a general lack of inspiration.
Please tell me a little about every member in
the group right now, age, family, work,
interests and something bad about everyone?
Other bands before? -I think that would be too
much talking about everyone right now. Thus only
a few bands:-Markus : Rock for Riot (https://youtu.be/dsKPFKyk-h4),
Lillebror (https://youtu.be/-mqIWcjUCfo),
Spätzlesdreck (https://youtu.be/Gr9JOu9kvms)
Christian : Paranoid Disorder (https://youtu.be/UsjsBaaCtLU)
Frank : Motherlode (http://www.motherlode.de/)Andreas
: Stückwerk
I think
I can hear both punkrock and a bit of metal in
your music. Am I right? Favorites from the
past?-That’s the influence from the individual
members of the band. Our roots clearly are in
punk, but some members like hardcore and metal.
It’s important for us not to follow one stuck
style, but to just let it flow. If it’s ok for
everybody – why not try something new?
What´s the best thing with playing live? And
what´s the difference of playing now and when
you started to play?-Playing live is still the
best thing. You can concentrate all your energy
on that moment and you’re always surprised how
different the people react. And yet it makes no
difference for us if there are 30 or 300 people.
In the first years playing live was a lot
different to now. There were more concert
opportunities, the people got excited about
every band and there weren’t as many bands.
Today it’s different because of the internet and
the affordable self-productions. There’s really
a lot of bands and of course everybody wants to
play live.
How is it to play this sort of music in
Germany?-Not that simple, as we don’t limit
ourselves to one genre and not every CD sounds
the same. But we don’t care much about it.
How would you describe your music in three
words?-Authentic, propaganda-free punkcore
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle?-Punk is way more than just
music. Punk is also an attitude towards life,
towards institutions and society. But punk is
also fashion, even design. However, punk is
mainly in your head, not what you’re wearing.
Are there any good bands from Germany now? Is
the punkscene big? How is the situation in your
hometown?-At the moment there are many good
bands in Germany. It would go beyond the scope
here to make a list. The scene in Germany isn’t
as big anymore as ten years ago, but I would
still consider it as very important. But
referring to this it is quite calm in our town –
but this is normal situation every few years, as
people come and go.
What do you know about Sweden?-Not very much.
Only that you have a parliamentary monarchy,
that you’re not a NATO member and that you have
many protected landscapes. Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?-Anti Cimex, Mob47, Refused, Skitsystem, Wolfbrigad
Referring to your lyrics: Who writes them and
what influences you? Never in English?-The texts
are mainly influenced by snapshots in life –
what I have in mind at that moment or rather
what I have to shake off. There are two songs in
English, but I prefer to text in German, because
I can easier express myself in that language.
What’s more: My English isn’t very good,
especially the pronunciation.
Is there any subject that you never will write
anything about?-I can’t think of anything right
now, but there are a few subjects that just
don’t come into question for different reasons.
For example: I would never write a song about
party and drinking, as I care too little about
it.
Do you think that music (lyrics and so on) can
change anyone’s life, I mean people who listen
to music?-In fact I think that everyone should
make his own way according to his or her whishes
and needs. But if you mean that a text could be
the impulse to start seeing something from a
different angle that one hadn’t considered
before: yes.
I think your cover on your CDs is really nice,
who came up with the ideas? Which is you
favorite cover for a record, which band and
which record?-I work together with an old
friend. He can always represent exactly what I
have in mind, as I cannot draw at all. I’m very
happy, that Gerd Kornmann from
www.riotdesign.de
has always time for me. |