M.I: La verdad es que estaba ansioso por conocer a Kai Hansen por primera vez.

Prepararando 80 preguntas mi mente se preguntaba como reaccionaría con mis

preguntas sobre Helloween e Ingo. Lo que no esperaba era encontrarlo lleno de

polvo y pintura colocando lámparas en su nueva casa. . Hansen fue un tío divertido y amigable que

estaba impresionado con

el hecho de que queríamos hacer una biografía y no otra entrevista del

montón. La entrevista tuvo lugar en los estudios de Gamma Ray acompañados

del amigo de Kai y guitarrista del grupo, Dirk Schlachter. Pasado, presente

y futuro con revelaciones, noticias y comentarios con el se¤or Kai Hansen en

el año 1997.

Metal Invader: Empecemos con el pasado. ¨Que te inspiró a empezar a escribir

este tipo de música y que existió antes de Helloween?
 
 
 
 

 
Kai: Escuchando la radio y observando que me gustaban más las canciones

fuertes, por eso empecé‚ con Slade, Sweet y este tipo de cosas. Más tarde fue

Uriah Heep, Deep Purple y blah blah bla... ya sabes (risa). Entonces en mi

habitación yo continuamente me llenaba la cabeza escuchando esta música.

Ahora, lo que me hizo empezar a tocar es mi deseo de tocar la batería.

Volvamos a cuando escuchaba "Born to be Wild" de Steppenwolf. Me hice mi

primera batería con latas hasta que pude comprarme una. Pero mis padres

estaban enfadados por todo ese ruido y por eso no les gustó mi idea. Yo

insistí en comprarla, pero mis padres me compraron una guitarra acústica.

Ahí acabó mi carrera como batería y empecé con clases de guitarra clásica.

Pronto me aburría. Yo quería tocar "Smoke On The Water" y ese tipo de cosas.

Enchufé el micrófono al amplificador y lo coloqué‚ dentro de mi guitarra. Así

podía tocar más fuerte. Entonces empecé a mirar los escaparates de las

tiendas. Pensaba que las guitarras eléctricas tenían también 4 cuerdas.

Tarde o temprano conseguí mi primera guitarra.
 
 
 
 
 

M.I.: Y tu descubriste que no tenían cuatro cuerdas, ¨verdad?
 
 

Kai: Si (risa)!!.

M.I: ¨Estuviste en algún grupo antes de Helloween?
 
 

 
Kai: S¡. ­Oh! Grave Digger (viendo el videoclip de "Rebellion" de la cinta

de video Metal Invader!). Si, ­hubo un par de grupos!. Cuando empecé a

tocar, convencí a un amigo para que tocara el bajo y a otros, y creamos

Kathrin-Wheel (si escuché bien). Más tarde conocí a Piet (Sielck, famoso

productor) quien también tenía una guitarra y nos estuvismos turnando una

vez yo, una vez él al bajo y a las vocales, hasta que conocimos a Ingo

(Schwichtenberg-batería) y Markus (Grosskopf-bajo) y continuamos juntos

durante mucho tiempo.

M.I.:El único que está  perdido es M. Weikath.
 

Si, el vino un poco después mientras nosotros como Second Hell o Iron Fist

ya habíamos empezado a tocar. Piet se fue a America un año por eso nos

separamos momentaneamente. Entonces conocí a Michael Weikath en una fiesta.

Hablamos sobre música. Él me dijo que estaba tocando la guitarra y que

necesitaban una segunda guitarra para su grupo, Powerfool, por eso me uní.

Tocamos un tiempo en el grupo, pero no encajábamos con los otros. Entonces

ambos lo dejamos y encontramos a Ingo y Markus medio año después desde que

dejamos de estar juntos y escribimos canciones como "Metal Invaders" y

conocimos a Limb (Scnoor, su primer manager, ahora manager de Angra, Heavens

Gate) que contactó con Running Wild que estaba en Noise y lo hicimos.
 
 

M.I.: Era el sonido de Helloween en el EP, en "Walls Of Jericho" y "Judas" el
que

tu querías ?
 
 

Kai: Era una mezcla del de Mike y el mío. Las canciones que escribí con Piet

eran más hard rock al estilo de UFO, pero el sonido llegó a ser mas fuerte

cuando apareció Judas Priest, especialmente cuando yo escuch‚ "Exciter"

empecé a escribir canciones más rápidas. Ej. "Metal Invaders" que escribí

con Piet con un estilo hard rock cambió igual que la homónima canción de

Iron Saviour (más sobre Iron Saviour al final). Generalmente nuestro sonido

era la mezcla de Mike, que lo quería m s melódico y el mío, con más

velocidad y energía. Bajo este standard las canciones fueron escritas. Yo

gan‚ en melodía y el ganó en velocidad. Hasta entonces no había nada
realmente comparable, excepto Iron Maiden que tenía esa combinación pero un

poco más lenta.
 
 

M.I.: ¨Cuál fue la respuesta de la gente, la respuesta a vuestro sonido?

Kai: La colección de Noise "Death Metal" fue un test para nosotros, para

Running Wild, Dark Avenger...

M.I.: ¨Hellhammer?

Kai: Si, y nosotros tuvimos las mejores críticas desde la prensa. En Noise

no se lo creían. Nosotros entramos en el recopilatorio porque otra banda que

se supon¡a iba a entrar, quedó apartada por algunos problemas. Así

decidieron en Noise sacar el EP (el homónimo) y después de la respuesta de

la gente, vino el contrato.
 

M.I: Cuando Michael Kiske se unió fue el comienzo de una nueva etapa para

Helloween y no sólo eso. Hubo un cambio de vuestro sonido con el lanzamiento

del "Keeper Of The Seven Keys (Part I)".
 
 

Kai: No puedo decir que cambiara demasiado. Hay dos razones: 1) Yo dejé de

cantar. Especialmente cuando empezamos, no tenía idea ni técnica. Nada vino

desde fuera, sólo más gritos. En "Helloween" y "Walls Of Jericho" yo estaba

mal, por eso pensamos en un cantante. Especialmente para tocar melodías m s

complicadas en la guitarra, porque era el periodo en el quer¡amos ser héroes

de la guitarra. Ahora eso no nos interesa, pero así era entonces. Buscando,

un día Mike vino con Mike (risa). Al principio no podía acostumbrarme a su

voz porque estaba influenciado por Geoff Tate. Recuerdo cuando escuchamos el

primer LP de Queensryche, el "Queen Of The Reich" y dijimos "
 
 

   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

                             George Koukoulakis

   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"