inteview by Anderson Carlos

1. Could you give us a brief of the PNE history. How and when you both met and decided to start PNE ?

Stephan : One day in 1989 we got to know each other in a small discothek in Minden, which is our hometown. We talked about music and whatever and realised we were on the same wavelength. Claus told me, that he made some electronic tracks under his project: "Plastic Error". I listened to that stuff and we planed to get together to start experimenting on a musical project.
In late 1989 we bought a sampler and a synth and started PNE just for fun.
After several weeks some friends of us wanted to have some tracks on tape, so
we recorded our first tape. After further three tapes we were asked for some tracks on samplers and a few month later, we recorded our own first CD: "Transmission" for GA-Rec., a compilation of some tape-tracks. After the "Gold"-maxi-CD and the "Smalltown Boy"-MCD we were licensed to KK-Rec. in Belgium as the first german band. There we published the "String of ice"-CD and the "Visage de plastique"-MCD. These Cds were the basis for the CD: "-196 C" in the states ( Van Richter-Rec. ). Then we released our backcatalog in form of the "Transmitted Memory"-DCD and the "Neural Transmission"-CD in the states. In 1997 we recorded our new CD : "Rauschen" and the two maxi-CDs : "digital noise" and "in your mind"-Remixes , also there is another CD in process.
Since 1990 we made a lot of concerts in Europe.

2. What is your relationship with the German scene ?

Claus : In the past I had some contacts to the scene, but now I really don't
know what's going on. Is there any scene? I've got some friends here in
Hamburg like Malte from NOTSTANDSKOMITEE, Kazim from SERPENS or Rene from Cyber, but that's it.

Stephan : Difficult question. There is no big united scene here in Germany and I'm neither travelling around Europe nor Germany and I needn't be everywhere. I've got some friends in my local home area and some in my study-city Aachen. We go out and talk, that's all.

3. What was the most interesting band that played together with PNE on stage?

Claus : Paracont and the Prodigy.

Stephan : Yes, The Prodigy. But I think it was the whole festival-atmosphere at the E-Werk in Koeln. It was the most professional concert ever made. The whole organisation, realisation, everything was 100%. And playing with bands like "Utah Saints", "Moby" and "The Prodigy" and so on ... really great.

4. What we can expect from the future of PNE ? Are there some changes or will the PNE style continue the same ?

Stephan : There will be changes for sure, because every person develops in a certain way when time goes by. But we always did what we liked and there is a certain PNE-style that You can always recognize again. There is no permanent thing but change, so everything stays as it is.

Claus : Today we've got more equipment and everything sounds a little bit
better. But all in all it is the same music style. My sister hates it and
that's good indicator.

5. How do you two share the songwriting process and what are the main influences of each one ?

Claus : We both are doing everything. Everyone has his own equipment and programs his own tracks, then we come together and record the new material.

Stephan : Often the lyrics are my work but this depends on a case by case basis.

6. What do you really like to listen to ? Tell us some favorite bands.

Stephan : Cabaret Voltaire, FLA, Klinik, Kraftwerk, Prodigy, etc.

Claus: yes, these are great bands, but I also listen to bands like MASSIVE ATTACK. My latest CD is CHEMICAL BROTHERS.

7. What do you both know about Brazil and the scene here ?

Claus: I just know Simbolo and Cyberthreat because I have E-Mail contact to Anderson. He told me some things about Brazil.

Stephan : Nothing.

8. Are there any collaboration with other band ?
Claus: I am going to create a new project together with Rene Raasch from Cyber, but in the moment I can't say anything about it.

Stephan : There has been some collaborations with other bands in the past,
for example sung Dirk Evens, on a few concerts we made together, to our version of Klinik's "Moving hands". I also made several tracks with other musicians, but I think this will never end in a real project.

9. In your opinon, what is the worst and the best thing of this world ?

Claus : The human being in it!

Stephan : Humankind.

10. What about your soloworks Claus ?

Claus: My latest project is called SONIC UNIT. I recorded it in may 97. All tracks are instrumentals because I hate it to be a singer and writing lyrics. I started singing at PNE because we had no one else to do it. SONIC UNIT sounds like a mix between EBM and industrial. Not really hard but different. I used a lot of pure looped Wavesamples ( industrial style ) together with the electronic drum machine sounds ( EBM ). Some tracks are typical electro style ... My second solo project is called GAYTRON. It is my contribution to the gay scene. All gay's I know just perform these classical music or soft pop songs. I wanted to change this image.

11. Is there any thing else you'd like to say ?

Stephan : Open Your mind.

Claus: We are going to build our own home page. (http://members.aol.com/pne1

Thanks a lot for your time and hope PNE will play in Brazil some day.

Of course we will.

Incision Electro Bible - <Index>