Gibt es noch großartig was zu KILLSWITCH ENGAGE zu sagen? Die Band zählt nun seit mehreren Jahren zu den absoluten Highlights der Metalcore-Szene und das auch vollkommen zurecht. Kaum eine Band ist sich so treu geblieben wie die fünf druchgeknallten und sympathischen Jungs von KSE. Allschools Network bot sich die Gelegenheit ein kleines Interview mit Gitarrist Joel vor dem Konzert in der Kölner Live Music Hall zu führen und das Ergebnis könnt ihr hier nachlesen. Viel Spaß!

Dario: Okay, we have to be honest, we did not prepare us for this interview because we thought it would be actually some sort of fun to have a spontaneous talk. So first of all you can tell us how is the tour so far.

Sure... it has been really crazy so far, I’m sure you guys know about Adam and his situation. It’s really crazy, people have been dropping from this tour like flies. Our merch guy had to fly back home because his mum has an heart surgery. Adam was in a hospital in London and had a back-surgery and it has been totally crazy and I’m surprised that we are actually here. (laughs) So, we nearly had to cancel the whole tour and it took us a while to find someone who plays Adams part and fortunately Peter from Soilwork, or former Soilwork, plays now the guitar and actually we are having a good time. We just make it happen, you know? Adam is now safe and at home and he's doing quite well. So... yeah everythings okay now. (laughs) It was really a crazy week.

Charlotte: So, when do you think will Adam be back?

Probably not at least until the summer, I mean it takes several months until he is able to play again. He cannot pretty much even stand up or get up or just walk. He cannot lift anything and he is not able to sit. It will be like that for about, the doctors said, eight weeks. It’s gonna be a while. He even went through the same thing before with this surgery like not in even two years ago. So...

Charlotte. It is the spine?

Yeah, there was something that was pushing against his nerves and that is the reason why he lost his feeling in the legs, everything. He couldn't even walk.

Charlotte: And how is the situation for Peter? Isn’t it really difficult for him to learn all this songs to play?

Not really, Peter is a really good guitar-player and our stuff is really easy to play next to the Soilwork stuff. (Spielt ein wenig Luftgitarren um uns beiden einen Eindruck zu geben, was der gute Peter sonst noch auf dem Kasten hat) You know, we just drink beer and play music and that’s it. He hadn’t any trouble to step in the band and he learned really quickly fourteen songs in like two days. It is really amazing, I think we only had to miss about three shows. Tomorrow we were supposed to play a show in Stuttgart...

Both: Yes...

Have you heard of it? It is really bad that we are not able to play in Stuttgart because we have already sold about 1500 tickets but our booking told us to reschedule the London show which is by the way the biggest Show on the tour. But we will try to come back to reschedule all the shows we had to cancel on our next tour.

Charlotte: London is going to be really big, isn’t it?

Yeah, we have already sold almost 5000 tickets and it is going to be amazing.

Dario: That is a bit more that you could expect in Stuttgart...

Yeah, actually the shitty thing is that we have already sold about 1500 tickets for the show in Stuttgart. I’m hoping that we have the chance to get back in the next couple of months to reschedule these shows. We will also play some festivals in the summer and I think we can find some time to play some shows in different towns when we are not playing a festival. It is really crazy and I’m still surprised that we are here.(laughs) But I’m also glad that we are still here.

Dario: How is actually the mood in your band? There happened so much on this tour.

We just try to have fun. It is not always easy because Adam is not here and he's a really funny dude and I think he is the mask-guy, you know?(laughs) But we are still having fun even if he is not with us. We actually talked about that if he can’t do the next tour he will probably be transformed into this thing from Iron Maiden, you know, Eddie. (macht Eddie von der Eisernen Jungfrau nach) And then Adam D. will walk on stage and talk to all the girls and say things like: “Oh I’ve fucked all your mums last night!”.(laughs) Here are some rough-Designs for Robo-Wicz....(laughs)

Both: Can we take a picture of this genius artwork?

Yes, sure... that is what we are doing when we are drunk... and we also have some pictures of our Tour manager, he is now the “Goblin-Hunter”....

Dario: How do you get along with the other bands on this tour? Like The Haunted who are also known as hard party-dudes?

These guys are really nice and we are having a good time. The shows have been great. At first it seemed like they are quiet guys but then they turned in to really sweet people. We have been wondered that they open for us because we have been all great fans of them and of course of At The Gates and it is definitely a great honour to play with such a great band every night...

Charlotte: And party together...

Yeah, sure! (smiles)

Charlotte: I think it is a really big hangover every day...

Hey Guys I think I have got one more thing to show to you. Wait... I have to find it... (Hält die Zeichnung hoch). This one was the product of drinking the whole night and then in morning I have painted this one...

Charlotte. You are actually really good! (laughs)

That is the cover for our first single “Bombed out Goblin” from Goblin Hunter...

Dario: Definitely a nice Artwork., maybe you should distribute it is as some sort of special edition....

Charlotte: It would be also a perfect design for the back of your t-shirts.

Yeah, it is our new design...

Charlotte: I should be drunk more often if I would be able to draw pictures like these.

Such things happen... (laughs) I mean that is the funny part about touring, you get ideas when you are drunk like drawing these pictures and so on. It is like making the best of the circumstances.

Charlotte: How is it for you to leave home and your wife, families?

You know, it is not easy to leave home. Usually the first two or three weeks aren’t that bad and you are not thinking of going home immediately. So we now have only one and a half week to go and then we can fly back home and so it isn’t that big deal. At the same time, you know, we are getting around in the world and we love to play music. I guess that’s the trade of touring. To some sort it is the best job in the world. Even if it is hard to leave home for such a long time.

Charlotte: Have you ever considered to take your wife and families with you?

We have tried, but actually my wife only came with us for a few days and actually we are living in Canada and so she comes around when we play there. But usually she does not come around in Europe.

Charlotte: You are seeing a lot of the world! Do you consider to leave America one day to live somewhere else?

Possibly, I mean I have moved now to Ontario in Canada and it is pretty cool there. I mean it is a really quiet nice place.

Dario: And everybody says that the people are more friendly in Canada!

Yeah, that is true. The people are very nice there. By the way I guess there is even a deal between Canada and Germany that you can easily become a Canadian citizen when you live and work there for a year. And it is the same with Canadian, they can live and work in Germany without any paper work.

Charlotte: Might be possible... I think it is also not that hard to get to America as a German.

This could be, I don’t know...

Charlotte: ...but that does not matter because the Canadian people are much warmer...

That’s true (laughs)

Dario: Like in Cologne...

Charlotte: He is saying that because they say like in Cologne is everybody gay. Because you can find these big gay parades and so on...

Okay... it seems to be an eccentric town...

Charlotte: Like most of the big cities in Germany.

Actually I have to tell you a funny story about the town which I live in. I live in North Hampton and there are a lot of gay people... (laughs) and actually there is a sign when you enter the city where you can read: “Welcome to North Hampton! Where the coffee is strong and so are the woman!” (laughs)

Charlotte: I want to have that sign! (laughs)

There are lot of women with beards and you know...

Charlotte: Okay guys what are your plans in the future? Lots of touring I guess?

Absolutely

Working on new songs?

No, I don’t think that we will work on new material yet. Maybe next year. We just want to tour with this record and it is really new for us and so we will just concentrate on touring. So, we are doing a headline tour in the states and it is one of our first ones which is that big. We will headline many cities we have never been so far. And actually we will do some kind of festivals in states and in Europe during the summer. Hopefully we will get back here before we play the festivals. We will surely play the UK and German-Festivals like Download and Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, you know?

Dario: All the big festivals...

Yeah, hopefully we will make it and it is really awesome! We have played now two times at these festivals.

Dario: You think so? Isn’t it too big?

That’s true. I mean I wouldn’t go there as visitor because there are too many bands and I couldn’t decide which band I would like to see and there are too many people. I don't think that I could deal with that. But being in a band and getting the chance to play for so many people is really awesome and it is really fun. You know, we just drive in, play our show and leave.(laughs) You know?

Dario:And you have a Backstage-Pass! So you can do whatever you want...

That’s true... If you have to lay back in a tree for three days it ain’t that funny (laughs). You are right...

Charlotte: You like to play these big festivals?

You know, we just like more to play these club shows because you can feel the vibe and the lights and you can see the kids standing there and singing your songs. I mean at festivals people are there to see Green Day and not Killswitch Engage. You know, at clubs people are really excited about seeing you as a band and it is a different feeling at these small shows.

Dario: What do you think about barriers? I just remember one of your gigs at Pressure Festival 2004 without any barriers and there have been more people on stage instead before the stage...

Actually, I don’t like barriers... but, you know, it sucks a lot if people get hurt. At the same time it is great fun to see people jumping off the stage...

Charlotte: Actually you can keep a lot better in touch with fans at these small shows. How do you keep in general the contact with your fans?

Me personally... I’m not going into computers too much. I just check my e-mails once a week or month and then I receive about 200 mails and nearly all of them are junk I’m not into it... I mean the other guys like more to interact through the Internet. Usually when I go home i just want to sleep and play guitar. Just relax.

Charlotte: Okay, I’m done with my questions!

Dario: I also have nothing more to ask.

Charlotte: Then lets have lots of beer...

This sounds like a plan...(laughs) You guys have really good beer here, but actually we are into whiskey right now....

Charlotte: Only the hard stuff.... okay thanks for the interview!

No problem!

Dario: See you at the show!

Sure!

Charlotte und Dario