Magazine: Metal Invader (Greece) Date : March 1997 Interviewer: George Koukoulakis
The truth is that I was anxious to meet Kai Hansen for the first time. I had prepared 80 questions and in my mind was wandering the thought of how he 'd react to my questions about Helloween and Ingo. The thing I didn't expect was to find him dusted and full of paints and putting lamps to his new house. He welcomed me with ouzo and syrtaki… Kai Hansen was a friendly and happy guy who was impressed with the fact we would do a biography and not just another interview and he opened to us and surprised us with his last activities. The interview took place at the studios of Gamma Ray with the of Kai's friend and guitar player of the band, Dirk Schlachter. Past, present and future with revealings, news and comments with Mr. Kai Hansen in the year 1997.
Metal Invader: Lets begin with the past. What inspired you to start writing this type of music and what existed before Helloween?
Kai: Listening to radio I understood that I liked more hard songs, so I started with Slade, Sweet and that kind of things. Later was Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and bla bla you know… (laugh)! Then in my room I continuously did headbanging listening to that music. Now, what made me start playing was my will to play… drums! Back then when I listened " Born to be wild "of Steppenwolf. I made my first set of drums with cans until I was going to buy my own. But I made my parents angry with all that noise, so they didn't like my idea ! I almost bought them but my parents bought me an acoustic guitar, so my career as a drummer had finished and I started classic guitar lessons. Soon I got bored and I wanted to play " Smoke on the water " and that kind of things…, I plugged the microphone into the amplifier and stuck it inside the guitar so I could play louder. Then I was looking the shops windows and thought that electric guitars were those with the four thick strings (… laugh)!! Sooner or later I got my first electric guitar.
M.I.: And you discovered that they didn't have 4 strings, isn't it?
Kai: Yes (… laugh)!!
M.I.: Was there any band before Helloween ?
Kai: Yes… Oh! Grave Digger (watching the videoclip of "Rebellion" from the video tape of Metal Invader !). Yes, there were a couple of groups! When I started playing I persuaded a friend to play the bass and others so we made Kathrin-Wheel (if I heard well). Later I met Piet (Sielk well-known producer) who also had a guitar and we were changing once me once he at bass and vocals, until we met Ingo (Schwichtenberg-drums) and Markus (Grobkopf-bass) and we continued for a long time together.
M.I.: The only one who's missing is M. Weikath…
Kai: Yes, he came a little later, while we as Second Hell or Iron Fist had already started playing music. Piet left for America for a year, so we were apart for a while. Then I met Michael Weikath at a party. We talked about music, he told me that he was playing guitar and that he needed a second guitar player for his group, Powerful, so I joined, we played for a while at the band but we didn't suit with the others. So we left the both of us and found Ingo and Markus after half a year we were together and we had written songs like "Metal Invaders" and we met Limb (Scnoor, their first manager, now manager of Angra, Heavens Gate) who had contact with Running Wild who were at Noise and so we made it… !
M.I.: Was the sound of Helloween at the EP, the "Walls Of Jericho" and "Judas", the one you wanted ?
Kai: It was the mixing of Mike and me. The songs I wrote with Piet were more hard rock like UFO, but our sound became heavier when Judas Priest came, especially when I listened to the "Exciter" I started writing faster songs e.g. "Metal Invaders" that I wrote with Piet with a hard rock style, changed, like the homonymous song of Iron Saviour (more about Iron Saviour at the end). Generally our sound was the mixing of Mike who wanted them more melodically and me who wanted them with more speed and power. On this standard the songs were written, I adopted melody and he adopted speed… Until then there was nothing truly comparable, except Iron Maiden who had that combination but a bit slower.
M.I.: What was the response of the people, the response to your sound back then?
Kai: The collection of Noise "Death Metal", was a test for us, for Running Wild, Dark Avenger
M.I.: Hellhammer ?
Kai: Yes and we had the best reviews from the press… At Noise they didn't believe to us. We entered the collection because the other band that supposed to enter had fallen apart or had some problems. However that's how they decided at Noise for the EP (the homonymous) and after the response of the people came the contract.
M.I.: When Michael Kiske joined it was the beginning of a new era for Helloween and not only. There was a change to your sound with the release of "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" Pt. 1…
Kai: I wouldn't say it changed much. There are 2 reasons : 1st) I stopped singing, especially when we started I had no idea, nor technique, nothing just what came out of me, more screaming and yelling. At "Helloween" and "Walls Of Jericho" I was ill, so we had a thought for a singer. Especially to play more complicated melodies at the guitar, because it was the period when we wanted to be heroes of the guitar. Now we are not interested but back then that's how it was… Looking, one day, Mike came with Mike (… laugh). At the beginning I couldn't get used to his voice because he was influenced by Geoff Tate. I remember when we listened the first LP of Queensryche the "Queen Of The Reich", and we said "Ah ! there is a singer towards that direction" and Mike (Kiske) had the elements, the skills! 2nd) It was the production and the producers! Until then we were wild,… 1,2,3 go and then chaos! Then we worked with Tommy Hansen and Tommy Newton who "cleaned" Helloween. We were like wild horses who needed someone to tame them.
M.I.: Even in the first Keeper are songs that cannot be paralleled with "Victim Of Fate" for example…
Kai: Right, but generally they remain the same. Of course there are changes. Like in "Twilight Of Gods" that I liked the refrain to start with opera, something like that… Things I hadn't done before like the backing vocals. I refused to add backing vocals before the keepers. At "Walls…" Mike (Weikath) insisted to try, but I didn't want to because I belived that backing vocals made the song sweeter and softer.
M.I.: What made you write a 13 minute-long song ?
Kai: I always wanted to do it, because I liked to listen to long songs like Rainbow songs. So I tried to do something like that. It was the song "Halloween" that had to do with our name, so it had to be something different. It was something I worked with Ingo for "Keeper… Pt. 2", I had the riffs and we worked it together. Naturally as you know "Keepers…" where going to be a double album, but finally… That's why in the first part most songs are mine because it was closer to "Walls Of Jericho", while we let Mike for the second, because we said that it was a big step…
M.I.: (Somewhere there came the food and eating came "Rebellion In Dreamland" in the screen of the TV, so …) Do you like the video ?
Kai: Oh yes, very much.
M.I.: You enjoyed it as I understand.
Kai: Yes, because the video has a story, you know we are farmers and each one of us finds a piece from the of the single "Rebellion In Dreamland"…(after some laughing and comments about the video between Kai and Dirk we returned to our conversation).
M.I.: So what did bring success to Helloween then ?
Kai: I 'd say we did the right thing at the right moment and with a little luck, because we did something that no one did before and it was like extreme metal without brutal vocals. It was heavy metal that you could sing easily, but it was also powerful and aggressive together.
M.I.: How much did Limb help Helloween ?
Kai: At the beginning he did a good job to promote us, as our manager, although he was young. He did a good job at promotion, organization and had contacts with several people. Of course that had its limit, because Helloween grew faster than he did in the society of managers.
M.I.: Success was quick or it was something natural that came slowly ?
Kai: It was a process, but there was a moment that we thought that we were more famous than we really thought we were.
M.I. All the songs were yours and Mikes, why ?
Kai : Yes the primary point of change were the "Keepers…" where it showed that were two , mine and Mikes. I think that there was a problem, because he saw me as the major songwriter and believed that because I sang the fans attention was to me and not to him.
M.I. : That's where all the problems started ?
Kai : Completely yes ! There was some kind of egoism battle.
M.I. : The rest of the band had any problems ?
Kai : The truth is that the band hadn't stability and balance because me, Ingo and Markus were together for a long time and we were a team so Mike was like… the other side.
M.I. : Despite that the rest stayed with Weikath…
Kai : Sure, but they didn't stay with Weikath, they stayed with the name Helloween. That's what I believe.
M.I. : As you said, the three of you were like a team you could fire Weikath and you could continue with the name Heloween (Ingos idea) without any problems.
Kai : No, no… it was my decision to leave Helloween and change something, because the condition in the band and management was not good, we had 3 managers…
M.I. : Why ?
Kai : There was Limb, Harry Smith and Rod Smallwood of Sanctuary and the band wasn't so united and strong to decide over them. I sat with the guys and told them, I want this and that, to change some things like not going on tour for a year or something else. Of course I could persuade Ingo and Markus to fire Weikath, but it was my decision and I had to do it. The others were interested in success and not for the problems.
M.I. : Before you left did you discuss with the others about what were you thinking ?
Kai : It was a condition that you couldn't talk truly with the others as a friend. Only with Ingo I could really talk, of course I talked with everyone but… it was different. I had tried before but my words wren't listened so I fed up.
M.I. : By listening all your albums with Helloween how would you list them, according to your preference ?
Kai : It's difficult!! I don't know it's very difficult because there are different times. Before I 'd say first "Walls Of Jericho" then "Helloween" not because I don't like it but because it isn't an album and because at "Walls…" we play better. Later I would prefer the "Keeper…1", "Keeper…2" and the live album.
M.I. : "Judas" ?
Kai : Oh, I like this song very much, but you can't put it over "Walls…" so I 'd answer you the same again.
M.I. : You told me what made you leave Helloween, but what made you continue with Gamma Ray ?
Kai : I didn't want to stop composing music. I was at a point that I didn't want to tour just compose and leave all the commercial stuff. It was sure that they would give us a contract at Noise and I had so many ideas for songs that I wanted to record. I was looking for people to come and make the album not like a band, maybe later as a band, so that's why I wanted to be released with the name Kai Hansen or Hansen. But I said lets give it the chance to be a good group!
M.I. : That's why there are two covers ?
Kai : That's right! The company wanted my name for the sales, but on the other side I didn't want to leave the chance to move forward as a band.
M.I. : That's why outside it was Hansen and inside Gamma Ray ?
Kai : Right!
M.I. : How did you end up with Dirk (Schlachter-guitar), Uwe Wessel (bass), and Uli Kusch (drums) ?
Kai : Mathias was at drums.
M.I. : Yes Uli Kusch was at the EP later, however, how did you end up with them ?
Kai : At the beginning I met Mathias from a friend, then came Uli. Before "Heading For Tomorrow" I went to a intesive class for guitar, for 6 weeks where I met Dirk, who was playing and plays bass. Maybe you could say the story so I can finish my carbonara (…laugh).
Dirk : After we met we didn't continue together, but after 3 weeks we decided to work together. That's how "Money" ("Heading For Tomorrow") came up and since there was the line up we decided to record it.
M.I. : Ralph Scheepers is missing (loud)!
Kai : Mmm! (eating) Ralph was the first I started, because I knew him since he came as a singer for Helloween!
M.I. : Really?
Kai : Yes, Ralph then was with Tyrant Pace (and I thought Helloween were to hevy for him), he didn't like speed that much, we was more with the style of Priest. Surely, as himself knows, he bit his ass (!!!) for not coming and lost the chance.
M.I. : You can't know if Helloween would be so successful with Ralph…
Kai : Right, I don't think they would be! I don't know… So when I left Helloween, I was used to work with a singer and Ralph was what I was looking for.
M.I. : Why you chose unknown musicians and you didn't try to make something with famous, more successful?
Kai : That's a policy, I wanted good musicians. Of course if I had famous musicians success would be easier, though they have demands and specialties. My demands are enough (…laugh!!)
M.I. And the name? How you decided Gamma Ray?
Kai : At Hannover where we recorded the album, we didn't have found a name, so one night we went to a disco and played a song of Birth Control, who were famous at Germany on the '70, which was called "Gamma Ray" and we took the name… "Gamma Ray, Gamma Ray, Gamma Gamma Gamma Ray…" (at the rhythm of the song). Right, that's the song only that the music is different, only the melody reminds the original…
M.I. : When you were thinking of Gamma Ray did you count on a continuous comparison with Helloween?
Kai : Yes sure! And it never stops. Every time we release an album or Helloween release their own and you read the reviews… oh my god!! (ironic laugh). Fortunately there is now review saying that Gamma Ray are trying to be like Helloween… You know I was a member of Helloween and that never changes. The thing I can never understand is why Helloween are such a big name and Gamma Ray are always below?
M.I. : Would you like my opinion?
Kai : Yes sure!
M.I. Well, with Gamma Ray there was success with "Insanity & Genius" and even bigger with " Land Of The Free", I don't believe the bang of Helloween with the "Keeper…" can be ever be repeated.
Kai : Nor do I believe it! I believe that the name Helloween is kept that high not because of the current situation but because of the "Keepers…". If you ask someone if he likes Helloween he won't tell you: I like "Pink Bubbles…" or the "Master Of The Rings" e.g. but he 'd tell you : "Sure I like them, especially the "Keepers…"!
M.I. : Really? I haven't thought it that way!
Kai : I believe that, and from the ones I know… I understand it, because Gamma Ray owe to Helloween and Gamma Ray fans are fans of the old Helloween.
M.I. : Now what you expected and expect for Gamma Ray?
Kai : At the beginning with "Heading…", although I knew it was good, I didn't share the expectations of the company for gold and platinum records, because no one who leaves a band sells as good as the band. So the sails were as I expected or maybe 1/5 less than I expected, because I was used that way. Though it made me see reality. From there and on I didn't have true ambitions except with "Land Of The Free" for which I had a good feeling that it will go up, it will make the next step.
M.I. : Step or jump? I mean did you expect that good sails?
Kai : No, because you never know the market because grunge was in fashion. However our audience waits us a step ahead.
M.I. : Now what do you expect from Gamma Ray?
Kai : It's difficult to say, because now Gamma Ray it's me and Dirk. Although we were getting well with Jan and Thomas, they left, not with hatred, but they left… A part of our success of "Land Of The Free" was that we were becoming a team. Now I think that we will write fantastic songs for a fantastic album but I don't know how will the fans will react to the change of the formation of the band. For example Dirk now wants to play bass.
M.I. : Why?
Dirk: Because from the beginning I was a bass player. Especially at the first tour I was you know, shy with the guitar, at the second I liked it a lot, but now I want to play again bass.
Kai : He's better at bass, it's the instrument that it belongs to him, when he plays the bass you can see it… I was telling him!
Dirk : It was better then with the guitar.
M.I. : Good, how did you decided to sing again, when Ralph decided to leave?
Kai : The problem was that he wasn't here in Hamburg, but he was coming the week-ends from Stuttgart… so he got tied with the others. I have used to sing when I write the songs and when we were rehearsing, I sang, because Ralph wasn't there. I have a past as a "shouter" and not as a singer (laugh), but now I have improved. We asked him Hamburg and Gamma Ray or there without us, so he decided to leave. He already had written to Priest, his idols, something it began for fun when one day I told him that, he did it and he was in the first 10. We wanted to do something better, we posed the dilemma and he decided. Then we asked our selves, is there a singer who any of us wants, to play with us? Anyone good? No, so then…
M.I. : What was your dream, singer or guitarist?
Kai : It has changed…, as I said at the beginning I wanted to be the hero of the guitar, but that doesn't concern me anymore. Singing was always beside me and I couldn't sing without playing guitar. No…
M.I. : Is there a new formation, what next?
Kai : We do rehearsals, we try bassists and drummers but nothing is sure.
M.I. : Any famous?
Kai : A. C. (we have news !) who was before at Running Wild, who is a very good drummer and our primary choice, but we will see… I know him for years now and he's very cool. I'm interested in finding a very good person and not the best drummer in the world!
M.I. : Have you recorded anything yet?
Kai : Only some songs as demos.
M.I. : The rest are written?
Kai : Not all of them, but we have the basic scenario. It will be called : "Men, Martians And Machines" and it will have to do with space, everything that has to do with mankind, aliens and machines. Like "Independence Day" or theories which say that the pyramids where build by aliens etc. I got the idea when I was seeing an episode of Star Trek (!!!) where captain Kirk and Spok are trapped in a Castle of Illusions.
M.I. : And what about your musical style?
Kai : It will be harder than the "Land…" with more orchestral and massive parts but the base is more straight in your face…! "Somewhere Out In Space" is the fastest song I have ever written at 190 bpm and I may write more like this. Talking to Gamma Ray fans I have understood that they prefer the songs faster.
M.I. : Like "Man On A Mission"?
Kai : Yes.
M.I. : Despite the problems and disagreements with Weikath, you surely had some good moments, isn't it?
Kai: Yes, especially at the beginning, sure, but Mike has a different level of thinking and acting. He's a little eccentric. And from a point and after you can't stand more this eccentricity.
M.I. : Sometimes the press worsens relationships more, because interviews are one sided and here isn't Mike but Dirk and Kai and the same thing happens from the other side. Are you willing to discuss with Weikath?
Kai : Absolutely. It hadn't happen before because no one did the first move. There are so many things we have inside us which are difficult to reveal. With Kiske when I left we didn't speak to each other but it wasn't our fault it was the presses. Differences that were overcomed. I'm glad that we sat and talked about the past and we ended with the same conclusions. I'm glad we cleared and I home that Weikath does the same thing. Inside me I have accepted it what uses to hold these thoughts, it's useless.
M.I. : Seeing things then, extreme like that and with Kiske…
Kai : Sometimes I'm different you know, I swear and yell (…laugh)!
M.I. : With things like that would you like, would you consider to make an album with Helloween with the same old style?
Kai : Sure, it would be nice (and other news)! But if I say the characters maybe not… Of course the most serious problem is the loss of Ingo, so it wouldn't be the original formation. With Mike, Mike, Markus, Ingo and me but apart from all that, Mike (Kiske) and Mike (Weikath) are fighting each other. Just how it was when I left. Of course musically it would be interesting, because the chemistry exists, otherwise it wouldn't be something that big! But I don't know were it would guide us, but I would say "Yes, I would do it". Oh my god, please whoever reads that don't think: "I heard a rumor that Helloween are reunited", no that doesn't happens! (laugh). Maybe if Helloween and Gamma Ray fall that much so they need money, maybe the only solution is unity (laugh!).
M.I. : You said before that Weikath was responsible for the death of Ingo. Do you still continue to believe this?
Kai : There was a period when I had these thoughts, when I was really angry, because Ingo had informed me for the whole situation at the band. From the other side Ingo was a bit crazy, schizophrenic…
M.I. : You mean with Helloween?
Kai : No mentally had a problem. Of course Helloween blame drugs but this are bullshit, because Ingo may took sometimes drugs but not at the end. The whole point is that he was very sensitive and the whole stress with the band worsened things. He had problems when I left the band and I didn't wan't to convince him to come with me because he would have done it. He had problems the period that they had frozen because of the problems with the company. He was running around to play but he couldn't because at that time Helloween didn't existed. He tried some projects but he wasn't satisfied and that really fucked him. I could see it… It's very easy to blame Michael but no, there are some points that it was a fault of all of us, maybe I'm responsible too, that I left Helloween or that I didn't do anything or for other reasons. If a person decides to commit suicide, it's his decision, maybe it was the time to depart.
M.I. : It must be painful, even the song you dedicated to him, "Afterlife".
Kai : Absolutely. It happened on February when we were already in the studio. I remember when his girlfriend came and (ready to cry, Kai Hansen continues with his eyes filled with tears) she told us that he was missing the whole weekend and that she had a bad feeling about that. On Monday she came and told us that he was dead. It was very heavy. What an irony. You know I had the title "Afterlife" and then I wrote the lines. It was a good chance to release some feelings.
M.I. : Let's leave it then, because it is not pleasant.
Kai : Not at all.
M.I. : What do you think about the last two albums of Helloween?
Kai : Why does everybody care for what I think?
M.I. : Because you were once a member of the band. If you want leave the name Helloween and comment to me their last albums.
Kai : All right then. The thing that matters is that the last 2 albums have better songs than the other 2 before them. I have to admit that I like the music not all the songs but some are good, you know you could say "I'd like to play that too". With the vocals I have some problem, Andy (Deris-ex Pink Cream '69) is good but sometimes I don't like his performance, it's a matter of preference. That what counts is the other: "You know, we tried to write pop, but it didn't succeed so let's write metal again".
M.I. : The "Master…" was more like Pink Cream '69 while "Time Of The Oath" more power.
Kai : Right… they understood that that's how their going to survive! Even more insignificant details have been brought back, like the pumpkin at the logo and the inside pages. Ha, ha, (ironically) I remember when I left, everybody was saying "Let's change. Let's leave this funny image" and I know how proud they were with "Pink Bubbles…" but the people reacted because they want the pumpkins, Helloween and everything that goes together. It was a part of success not as important as the music but wants it.
M.I. : Just like boybands (…laugh)! Did you like that image?
Kai : Not at all.
M.I. : I was sure because at Gamma Ray you had a more serious image.
Kai : Maybe I should, but I didn't like it, I didn't want to do it to sell. For Helloween now that they like these again… I don't know, it's funny. I listen Michael saying that we have to go further, to escape the typical heavy metal… shit, like it was now. Of course, these are thoughts that cross the mind of any musician but you have to be careful about what you do, because you have the fans of the band.
M.I. : How do you imagine Gamma Ray after 5 years?
Kai : Mmm… it's something that continuously changes. Especially at "Sigh No More" where then I said I had to abandon the Helloween elements, because I was annoyed by what many people said, that it sounds but it isn't Helloween.
M.I. : There are there exceptions, I don't know if you agree but "Rich & Famous" reminds me something…
Kai : Absolutely, that's the only song that bring to the mind the old songs, like "Future World". And if someone says that it reminds him of Helloween, yes, it is because they are both parts of my self!
M.I. : In time, you weren't restricted to your own work and you had helped many bands like Angra, Blind Guardian and more. Why these particular bands?
Kai : I have to say one thing… I wasn't paid for this! Maybe I'm stupid but I wasn't paid (…laugh). Except than "Battalions…" of Blind Guardian they asked me to I didn't know them. It's because I like to work with others. For me it's an honor because it means to be respected as a musician, when they ask you to take part.
M.I. : Are you satisfied from their last works e.g. "Imaginations…"?
Kai : I think it's very good, but it's too melodic for Blind Guardian. I prefer "Somewhere…" because it's so prepared but more spontaneous. Because I know Blind Guardian like in… (singing) Valhala… that's what's missing!
M.I. : About Heavens Gate?
Kai : Just yesterday I was partly listening to their new work and I believe they did a big step. It's like what you said before, that no one expected it from Heavens Gate and that is more mature on what concerns the songs, I absolutely agree.
M.I. : Angra?
Kai : "Holy Land" is very good. They abandoned the thing they began with, the copy of Helloween and that's why I appreciate them more, they have their own sound, but the production is too perfect.
M.I. : When Heavens Gate released "In Control" they were characterized as descendants of Helloween. You had left them then, and you hadn't released anything yet, how did you feel when you heard something like this?
Kai : Mmm… I don't know what to answer, because I never saw them as a copy of Helloween, no…
M.I. : Fine! How was the German scene at the '80 and how it is now? How do you see the situation?
Kai : We have the giants and many young. There are many good bands and many of them would sign a contract back at '84, but today the requirements are greater. The bad thing is that there aren't many bands that have to offer anything new. There are characters missing like Hansi (Kursch-Blind Guardian) for example, with visions and ideas.
M.I. : Some call heavy metal the classical music of our century, because it has heavy moments but some more soft or because it has survived almost 3 decades. Do you agree with it?
Kai : Yes, of course. A comparison can't happen because of the different eras but for those reasons I agree. Like Haydn or Wagner, weren't acceptable everywhere, there was a specific audience, to the others were heavy… they wanted something light.
M.I. : Like what Mozart did, which I don't like it…
Kai : Yes, neither do I, he was a schlagersonger (slager singers where folk-pop German singers at the '70) or like Bon Jovi of Metal.
M.I. No because I like them…
Kai : So do I but they are more commercial.
M.I. : Yes with good ideas.
Kai : They have good ideas, they are very good.
M.I. : If you had do put Gamma Ray albums in order of preference, how would it be?
Kai : "Land Of The Free", then "Insanity…" with "Heading…" together and probably I have to put "Sigh…" last. "Insanity…" has many sides while "Land…" was more tied. In "Insanity…" there's a huge difference from "Madhouse" to "18 Years" or "Heal Me" while "Land…" is more similar. Do you know… Shadow… something who play like Dream Theater…
M.I. : Shadow Gallery?
Kai : Yes, their guitarist found my telephone and he was telling me how much he loved "Insanity…" and I was surprised by how intensely he was saying it (…laugh).
M.I. : Three of the most important bands in the history of metal have changed face the last 2 years, Sabbath with "Forbidden", Maiden with "X-Factor" and Bayley and Metallica with "Load" and their new sound. What do you think about that?
Kai : I can't say anything about Sabbath because I haven't heard it. About Maiden, I tried a lot to like this album and when I hear it I quite like it. About Metallica, comparing it with the old ones, I don't like it at all, but I find it often in my CD-player because I like Hetfields voice.
M.I. : It seems that you're the only content with Noise because many other famous names like Celtic Frost, Rage and Running Wild have complained and changed company (the last).
Kai : Ha! We aren't completely satisfied but we try not to have major problems. We have a status that allows us to impose a bit. I have heard many things that happen to others and could not happen to us.
M.I. : Maybe because your "Keepers…" and your "Land…" are the most successful albums of the company and I say yours because 1st the rest of Helloween are not in the company and because you're the only one in Gamma Ray.
Kai : Yes sure, it's a reason too.
M.I. : You are one of the lucky that live by their music so you have time to dedicate to your music and not only…
Kai : When I'm not building my house (…laugh)
M.I. : Yes, and I didn't expect to put lamps into your living room (laugh)…! How does your day passes? By reading magazines…, drinking ouzo and telling the story of your life to a magazine (describing the situation)?
Kai : Yes, something like that… (laugh)!
M.I. : What about your personal life? Are you married aren't you?
Kai : Eeeh, mmm…(trying to avoid it) yes!
M.I. : What do you prefer, touring or recording?
Kai : I usually prefer to be in the studio, but now I want a tour… to be in the bus… to have fun!
Dirk : At the beginning you want to come back and write new songs and when you record you want to go out on tour.
M.I. : Until with Gamma Ray you hadn't come to Greece, but first at "Heading For Tomorrow" tour and now for "Land Of The Free" you came and played in our country, how did like it?
Kai : I've come three times except them for vacations at Mykonos and at my honeymoon. But at the tour it was fantastic, because everyone was singing, our favorite places are Spain, Italy and Greece… maybe it's the Mediterranean temperament.
M.I. : All those years as a musician, you have fulfilled many things, but what's your uncompleted goal, the dream you haven't fulfilled yet?
Kai : To be a boyband… (…laugh)!
M.I. : Maybe something different, like Rages "Lingua Mortis"?
Kai : I was thinking that for many years, to play my songs from a band and an orchestra, but I haven't done this ever! Rage were faster.
M.I. : Do you ever hear your albums?
Kai : Yes often…, especially when I complete something, all the time…
M.I. : What about older, like "Heading For Tomorrow"?
Kai : Yes of course!
M.I. : The Helloweens first EP?
Kai : I was listening to it 1 month ago.
M.I. : You grew up with '70 bands, but do you still like them?
Kai : (laugh…) Music is like a joke, because what was heavy then now is much more softer. But of course I listen the old Priest albums or Holocaust…
M.I. : Really, Holocaust, do you know that they also have a song called "Heavy Metal Mania" like yours?
Kai : Really? They must have stolen it from us (laugh)!
M.I. : Are you going to adapt any song for the new album?
Kai : Yes, because we need songs, but we don't know what yet. Before the album a single will be released with 2 songs from the album, "Victim Of Changes" from the Priest tribute and an unknown adaptation.
At this point Kai Hansen had to leave the studio and interrupt the interview. I had many more questions but they were canceled… After I thanked him for the magazine for the exclusive, he also thanked me too for the unpredictable course of our interview.
While Kai Hansen prepares the new Gamma Ray studio album, works on a project with the name Iron Savior with Piet Sielk, known producer (Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray) and Kai's old friend from the before Helloween days. Songs of original Heavy Metal writen even since 1983-84. There are 12 songs ready for the first CD (a adaptation of "This Flight Tonight") and one of them, "Break It Up", is written by Hansen/Sielk for their good friend Ingo. Other songs are: "The Arrival Riding On Fire" (fantastic), "Assailant", "Brave New World", Iron Savior" (new edition of a song written in '84), "I Protect The Law", "Children Of The Wasteland", "Flames Of Fury", "Watcher In The Sky" (this with Kai's vocals will be in the new Gamma Ray album-M.I./fantastic song, I heard on the radio A.S.) and "For The World". At vocals is Piet Sielk the same (see vocals at "Barbara Ann") and also at guitar, bass and keyboards. Also Kai Hansen at guitars/vocals while in some tracks Dirk Schlachter plays the bass. The other surprise is that at Hansen Studios, where the interview took place, we met Thomas Stauch (Blind Guardian) who will play drums for Iron Savior, while there will be Hansi Kurschs participation at vocals. They haven't a contract yet but they'll find something for sure. That's what Kai Hansen intended for us on Friday 31/01/1997 at Hamburg. We wish him good luck and we thank him for everything
PS Maybe this particular act, to be six pages without pictures, is uncommercial or doesn't stand optically. We believe that it would be a great sin to remove even one question from this fantastic interview of George Koukoulakis interview because however Kai Hansen has SOMETHING to say. In the next issue we will publish pictures from his house at the time were Hansen was watching "Fire & Ice"