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Hi Mathias, Thank you for the promo CD and two video’s Who and Seven Years very I was very impressed when I seen them both and listening the surround sound effects of both videos is like seeing Magicmad live in concert.
Q. The video clip of the song Who produced by Peter Sempel where on what little bar location was this video filmed at?
A. The video was filmed on the Reeperbahn in a bar.The Reeperbahn is the redlight district in Hamburg but more than just this it's a place were you can choose between hundreds of clubs, bars, restaurants and shows...just everything about night life on one mile....so we in Hamburg just say it..s the mile. I played at this bar many times with my band and also alone just with my guitar. It's one of these bars where the people drink till the limit so it's a funny place for livegigs. The Beatles started their career in the sixtees in Hamburg on the Reeperbahn in the legendary Starclub wich is now a museum. Many musicians came here and if you came to Hamburg you would certainly know the Reeperbahn (St.Pauli).
Q. How did you land the opportunity to work with Peter Sempel on this video?
A. I met Peter Sempel at this bar early in the morning after a gig. We were the last people there and I was playing my CD with the song Who and he said: "I see pictures....we could make a little film." Just you and the two barkeeper girls on a sunday afternoon. I was realy surprised and happy...when I got a call from Stella (one of the two barkeeper) a few days later and she said....we got to come on sunday. Peter wants to do the film with us. So we came on a sunday afternoon and filmed the video in one take...Peter wanted to keep the scene as natural as possible. When I later saw some of his movies I recognized that this is his style.there is no place for vanity...there is no ok we do the scene again cause my hairstyle didn't look well. He shows the naked artist no effect than just his personal view to catch the ( don't get it?) moment. And this naked reality can have an amazing effect.
Q. Does Peter Sempel have Magicmad’s video Who featured at www.sempel.Com?
A. At the page on www.sempel.com you find a lot of history about his works with Nick Cave and Blixa Bargeld, Nina Hagen or Motörhead. But also great fotographies of stars like Robert de Niro, Al Pacino,Patty Smith and many more... But besides his typical punkrock movies he has also done movies with other subjects like the movies with the japanese butoh dancer Kazou Ohno or his latest movie „flamenco mi vida“ a a spot on the Flamenco scene in Spain. I cannot describe this movie with words....just watch it. But you see amazing scenes from the big stars of Flamenco to people on the road or bars living Flamenco.
Q. I really dig the special effects of imagery and artistry in your second video Seven Years produced both Alster Films and Magicmad where on location was this video filmed at?
A. For this video we choose 4 locations. As I had no budget, I had the idea to work with simple effects. Candles always provide for a certain kind of romantic and ceremonious atmosphere. I saw that in a video of The Police (wraped around your finger) and I have always been fascinated by this video.The second location were the dunes...there are some old shifting sand dunes near Hamburg we created the jump scene there. The third location was the forest...and the last one the castle. We filmed all outdoor scenes on one day...as we did many takes each scene I was totally exhausted from running through the forrest all day. My friend Tunc was driving the car while Holger was taking the shoots. And I had to play the running man *lol
Q. I really like the surround sound effects in this video and the artistry and special effects from one scene fading from walking into the forest to the candles and walking around the castle at night, were there any challenges in producing both videos Seven Years and Who?
A. Yes indeed there were challenges. Holger from Alsterfilm was working 4 days 8hours to cut and get all effects he wanted in the video. By the way if you understand some german have a look at the Alsterfilm page and watch Fernsehkritik TV. In Germany there are a lot of bullshit television shows like in America and maybe Canada too. I mean those shows where they invite some poor dummy people and fool them and expose to them. Generally known as trash tv... tv shows who keep the people more stupid than they are anyway. So he makes a tv show every month criticizing this kind of bullshit tv we get to see sometimes. At the moment Fernsehkritik tv is becoming more and more popular.Cause there are a lot of people who think the same and don't want to see this rubbish tv anymore.
Q. Can you tell us about the highlights of your Album Visions and when will this album be available to purchase?
A. I was living at the studio... often it was night...then day again...there were many ups and downs. I recorded over 30 songs. I asked Florian Siegmund (Producer) which songs to choose. If he is not convinced of a song he says that staight away. And I'm glad about it cause I wanted to choose the best songs and I trust his judgement 100%. To be honest I was never a technical or equipment freak and didn't know much about recording for me personally it was a highlight that I was able to learn to manage the technical side of the recordings allthough I never new much about studio and recording technics at all before I started that project. I tried a lot of microphone positions and different guitars and amps and made my own experiences.
Q. Will both videos Seven Years and Who be appearing on Visions or be included on a DVD with the CD?
A. That would be a great idea! I will see whats possible...
Q. Mathias you did a really excellent job in recording these songs and your lyrics create imagery, filled with dark mystery, and romance, what inspires you to write such melodic songs?
A. The inspiration for my music is love. Love is the reason for all life...the center of the universe.
Q. We can hear some of your influences in Robert Johnson, The Doors, LA 24,U2, the mean guitar playing but has anyone ever commented that your deep sexy vocals gives your sound a little bit of a gothic twist?
A. Yes indeed. I have a lot of listeners who love Gothic...Robert Kalix of FFM rock titled my music as Goth n Roll ...I like that idea.there are a lot of influences in my music so I call my style fantasy rock. A type of music with influences from all decades of rockmusic from the beginning in the sixtees till now...including a touch of classic rock,80..s hair rockmetal,gothrock and grunge I tend not to define myself belonging to any certain scene...but I welcome all of them to have fun with my music. I have melancholic and dark moods in my music but i would get mad if i was only making a kind of stereotype music.
Q. Was your Album Visions mixed by Florian Siegmond and mastered by Hans in your recording studio at Magicmad?
A. No. I would wish to have this equipment in my studio what we used on the mixes and mastering. Florian made the mixes in his studio and Hans is a expert on mastering so he did his work in his mastering studio. I'm very thankful for the good job Florian did with the mixes.... I tell you I gave him an awful lot of tracks. He also made the recordings complete with some additional synthesis and his creative kind of mixing. Hans has a lot of experience in mastering and just got his first golden record for a hit he mastered last year.congrats!
Q. Have you played any live shows with a band or Solo recently?
A. I made my first show in june in Hamburg and I'm planning to go on tour after the record will be released. I'm very happy cause the band did a great job and we are ready to rock every stage now wherever it will be.
Q. Can you tell us about Magicmad appearing on Rock It TV?
A. It was great to be presented with the video of Who by Rock it TV... it's an honor to be played in this show cause they only play music that really rocks they won't play any of these commercial trash music where you can see on and on the same 40 songs the whole day.......all week long...like on these typical music chart shows... I personally loved a VH1 too cause they played a lot of different music with less advertisements and also interesting reports about musicians....I mean musicians not popstars.
Q. Can we request Magicmad music on radio?
A. Yes. I have been played by a lot of radios already and every radio who is interested could play my music.
Q. Are you seeking a record label or a distribution deal or do you wish to stay unsigned?
A. Yes. I'm looking for a label. If I don't find the right partner I will release my CD by myself without a label. I'm also still managing myself so at the moment I have not enough time to work on my music. It would be great to find the right partners for this part of the bizz.
Q. Will you be creating an online Zazzle store www.zazzle.com to sell Magicmad merchandise online?
A. Maybe. I will check this opportunity
Q. Before we wrap up our interview do you have any last words?
A. Yes. I want to thank you Tina for finding Magicmad out of millions of bands on myspace and for the thoughtful questions you have worked out. And to everyone who reads this interview and likes my music.you see I am a real rockdude who created this music for you. You see I still work alone on this project without a big company paying thousands of dollars for advertisements but no matter if my music will be successfull or not....I will go on my way of living for the music I love and I'm conviced of. So I could need your support. Just tell your friends that there is a magicmad dude living in Hamburg in his studio...living for rock ! And to close with the words of my friend Lawrence Mark ... Have more fun maybe later more!
Thank you Mathias, for allowing our HMTV Canada eZine to interview Magicmad. You Rock.
