Here is an english version of an interview Prince Hodenherz and Johanna did with Natalia from heavymusic.ru

 

Thanks to Natalia! The complete interview in russian can be found here: http://www.heavymusic.ru/interview/347/feuerschwanz/

 

 

 

1. Metal Hails! Is it your first interview for the Russia?

Prinz: No, I already had a phone interview with a Russian internet radio station after our concert in Moscow in December. It was funny, the interviewer was a bit confused about all the facts I told him of our 800 years on tour.

2. Feuerschwanz becomes popular band for the russian fans and you dont have even english version of biography on your site, plus, each band member described in the very special, but great way, which in the end leaves the taste of medieval story. I thought I will get crazy translating your biography from German language into Russian, and still doubt, that I decoded everything in a correct way...:-D You had several Princes and even lady, make-uped into man. So, please, short story and current line up of the band. For Russians specially;)

Prinz: In  the year 1223 Hauptmann Feuerschwanz ( Our lead singer and guitar player) just enjoyed his life of a robber-knight until the day came all his holdings where gambled and drunk away. So he decided to go to Jerusalem to find richness and to become a hero. On his way he met Sir Lanzeflott (Our Drummer)who was the best one to finsh lances, and Johanna von der Vögelweide ( Our lovely Fiddler) who had to dress like a man so she could be a real courtly fiddler. Also he met Hans der Aufrechte (E-Guitar Player) who plays incredible soli on his electric lute and me, Prinz Hodenherz (Bagpipes, Flutes and vocals). In this time I was on a world wide journey to build my character without all the ladies at my father's (the King of England!) castle. And don’t forget Knappe Latte. Our knave.  This horny bunch decided to lay down the weapons and live for music, girls and tournaments. But one day we went to far and were cursed by a witch not to die until we accomplished 6 challenges in one year: To be drunk every day, to couple a thousand women, to tame a horse, to eat a thousand kilo of radish, to deflower a girl only by the might of music and to fart all texts of the Band Schandmaul, backwards!!! only one challenge was never accomplished. and its not eating the radish....

3. I have to say, that in russian sites, in folk-rock and medieval music communities it's quite often possible to meet your band name translated and explained in a slang meaning, about which you perfectly know, I'm sure ;) So, please tell how do you feel about these two interpretations of Feuerschwanz: Fire dick and Fire Tail... Where it all connects and balances? Was this band-name chosen specially cause of these 2-versions of understanding it?

Johanna: Well, in fact it is not a coincidence that our band name can be interpreted in more than one way. We wanted a band name that on the one hand sounds similar to names other medieval bands use, but still stands out. Moreover, there is a popular festival in Germany with a very similar name, sometimes people even mix up the festival with the band, which is really funny for us…

Prinz: In fact, we only chose this name because there is Schwanz in it. The Hauptmann likes this word.

4. Texts of the band are in german language, and as I could see, you are mainly using this language everywhere – at official site, myspace, etc.. Will you continue work with your forfather's language or, seeing that you are becoming more popular, as it happens now, you will also include in your music more international language – as english? And what is your attitude to singing in patriotic language on the whole?

Johanna: Seeing that we’re getting more fans in other countries like Russia, we’re currently planning to get an English version of our website. Yet I’m very sure, that we will continue singing in German, as we can express ourselves much better there. But for our concert in Russia last December, we had some friends teach us words in Russian. ;-)

Prinz: If we play some more concerts in Russia, we are also planning to re-record a song in Russian!

5. Tell about new album – Metvernichter – as I understood, it's can be translated as “Someone who destroys all the mead by drinking it”.

Are there any fun events happened during record session? Was it a lot of Mead spent?;)

Prinz: No, during the recording sessions we mostly tried to be "dry". However, funny events happened. For example the recording session for "die einsame Träne", the spoken track. We sad in the Studio, turned out the light, put some candles on the table and imagined a campfire.  I would love having a photo of this situation. The album and especially the name developed during some evenings after practicing the new songs. We wanted to create a cover in style of Manowar, with glory, muscles, girls and of course mead. So Hauptmann became the "Metvernichter".

 

6.What are the favorite drinks of the band?

Johanna: That’s easy: Havanna club – and mead of course!

Prinz: Bavarian Beer! And mead.

7.Few words about each song, please.

Prinz: Metvernichter is the main track of the Album. Anytime we play this song on stage we want to say: Raise your drinking-horn and have a fucking great party with us all night!

Ich will Tanzen means "I want to dance". And we want to see you dance! By the way watch our video of this song on Youtube!

Hurra Hurra die Pest means something like, "Hooray, Hooray, the disease is coming" and is the story about a village which knows that there are only 3 more days to live, so they have the best and last party of their lives.

Vampir  is the story about a  horny vampire who likes the blood of drunkards.

Schnaps und Schnecken (snaps and snails) is our Pirate hymn. The song tells us what a good pirate party is about.

Der Troll is a story about a big fat mountain troll who loves to eat humans. We were inspired by some other German medieval bands....

Für eine Nacht (for one night) is one of Haupmanns sweetest dreams of true love.

Schwanzonate is the Instrumental on the Album.

Der Ekel (the disgusting) tells us about hygiene and sanitation of Medieval freaks:)

Ferdinand is a guy who has two fingers more on one hand. And he knows how to use them....

Loreley is an old german legend about a wonderful girl beside the river which makes ships sink.

Falsche Rose is a cover of the Band "Fiddlers Green". The story is about a guy who wants to visit a girl but goes through the wrong rooms where the fat maid or the gay king is waiting for him...

Zehn kleine Ritterlein (10 little knights) wants to tell us to hold together no matter what happens.

Die einsame Träne (the lonely tear) is a spoken track where we are talking about our deepest despairs. especially our Knappe.

Am Feuer is the song about the greatest wish of everyone: A fresh tongued Beer!

 

8. Does band has talisman, own traditions?

Prinz: We have no special rituals before going on stage. We say cheers, and rock on!

9. I've read that Sir Lanzeflott is busy with making new t-shirt design for the Feuerschwanz' fans. And who was creating the outlook of the band? The suits and the whole “on stage” image are simply great!

Johanna: Thank you!

The costumes were designed by the band, and we’ve got a very good tailor who did them for us.

10. Tell about the making of “Ich will Tanzen” video.

Johanna: Well, it was produced on a very cold day in winter in a tent. We had a small heating, but it was still freezing cold. We worked all day to get all the scenes we needed. But we still had a lot of fun, which is important for everything we do, and I think, you can feel that in the video, too.

Prinz: Especially you, Johanna while riding the barrels:)

11. Why indeed the “Ich Will Tanzen” was chosen for making the first official clip of the band?

Prinz: The song has a simple message and is easy to visualize. We only had to dance a bit and have fun.

12. If you would decide to make 2^nd video for introduction of Metvernichter, which song would be chosen this time?

Prinz: Hurra Hurra die Pest ist da!

 

13. What are your impressions after the show in Moscow in December – 2009? Would you like to visit us with gig once again?

Prinz: Yes!!! We loved the whole trip, the city, the concert, the people who had a great party with us during the concert and  Mikail, our organizer who made us a great weekend.

14. Was it also FREIZEIT to take tour through the our city and how did you like it?

Johanna: Yes, it was. We were very happy that we had enough time left on Sunday to visit the city. I have some old friends there who came with us, but a lot of other people joined us too, and we finally were a large group of 21 people… I always feared that we might loose somebody, but everything went fine. It was a great day, and we will not forget it too soon…

15. Tell any fun story which happened with the band on the road/on tour.

Johanna: Last week we played a concert in Dresden. We had a cool hotel there, and of course met for a party in one of our rooms. After a while we found out, that there must be a wellness area with pools and a sauna somewhere. Of course, it was officially closed at that time, but it was not locked, so we went inside, turned on the whirlpools and started relaxing. After a while, we were just sitting in the dark sauna, a guy from the hotel came in. Of course we all thought that he might throw us out! Our Prince here had touched an emergency button while leaning on the wall, he told us, and left. Wow! We stayed there till 5 o’clock in the morning. We have never been so relaxed having slept such a short time…

Prinz: And the next day we were forced  to play pipes and drums during the after-show party until falling down from the table. 3 times.

16. Metvernichter was released in September 2009, but since «Met & Miezen» you make new releases each year. What should we wait in 2010? Since band already has Live CD, may be DVD can be expected? ;)

 

Johanna: We are currently working on our next studio CD. At the moment we’re doing a lot of song writing and well start recording in September. So this year we won’t have time for any new releases, but the next CD is expected for March or April 2011.

17. How goes the work over new material and by the way, where do you find the inspiration?

Prinz: Our songs are written by Hauptmann and me with a piece of paper and a guitar. And A head full of funny stories of the last few evenings and secret fantasies deep inside our heads:) For the next album, we all use home recording technology and share our ideas via internet. During the days of the crusades it was more difficult....

18.Please some words for your russian fans and for the readers of our E-Zine!

Prinz: Hold on, medieval Metal Heads, one day we come back to you and we all can be what we are made for: Metvernichter!!!

Johanna: Cheers!