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Ask any young up and coming guitarist to name their
top 10 rock guitarists of all time and the name Axel Rudi Pell will
generally feature somewhere in that line-up. Both as a solo artist
and as a band the name Axel Rudi Pell is legendary across the world of
rock. 2008 brings forth a new live DVD release from the great man
himself and his band simply entitled 'Live Over Europe'. Today we
catch up with this man of immense talent but few words to find out more
...
MM - Your new DVD ‘Live Over Europe’ is a double celebration firstly of
your Rock Hard Festival Show last year but also because this will be your
20th year as a solo artist. What do you think has kept you
going, not just your solo career but also during your years with Steeler?
Axel - My intention to write and perform good melodic
rock songs…
MM - The line-up of ARP has been the same for sometime
now, do you find this gives you a solid foundation when it comes to
writing new material because you know what each band member is capable of?
Axel - All band members are excellent musicians, so I don´t have to take care of anything when it comes to writing. Everybody
could play any style or music … they really kick ass !
MM - When you left Steeler back in 1988 did you realise
then what a great solo career you would have?
Axel - Of course not ! How should I?
MM - Even though the band has your name to it you don’t
seem to take up more of the limelight unlike some guitarists I could name,
your style is more band orientated than simply guitar orientated, was this
the way you wanted things from the beginning?
Axel -
Absolutely! For me the melody and the riffing of a song is much more
important than the guitar solo ! I´m not writing a song around a solo,
that´s bullshit!
MM - How do you feel you have grown as an artist since
those early days with Steeler?
Axel - I guess I can play
the guitar much better now than back in those days and my writing ability
has developed much.
MM - I’ve noticed on your website that there aren’t any
tour dates lined up for 2008, does this mean we won’t see ARP on the road
this year?
Axel - That´s wrong! We will play the “Wacken
Open Air” and the “Rock Of Ages” Festivals in Germany this summer. Then
we will definitely play a tour in the fall around November, but it is too
early to confirm any dates now.
MM - Can we expect a new studio album shortly and if so
what can you tell us about it?
Axel - We will enter the
studio in June and July to record the next studio album. It will be
released in the fall around October. I can´t tell anything more about it
now…
MM - The whole Heavy Metal and Rock market took a step
down since the whole Grunge scene, do you see Heavy Metal ever returning
to the status it once had before the 90’s?
Axel -
The
Grunge scene fortunately is long gone now… and I see a 50 % comeback of Hardrock/Metal since 1-2 years now.
MM - The whole music business has seen many changes over
the past 20 or so, what do you think has been the biggest change and how
has it affected the way you go about being a musician?
Axel - Nothing effected or effects me, because I don´t
want anything to affect me!
MM - If you could change one thing in your long career
what would it be?
Axel
- Signing better contracts and
writing a lot of Nr. 1 albums…
MM - If your solo career hadn’t taken off in such a big
way what do you think you would be doing now?
Axel
- Of
course not answering this questions now…
MM - With all the advances in recording studio technology
are there any of your first solo albums that you would like to re-record
because you weren’t happy with one or more aspects when the album first
came out?
Axel - I wouldn´t re-record a complete album. I
would mix a few again, as the sound isn´t perfect on a few, like “Wild
Obsession” for example. There are a few songs which I don´t like anymore,
but they are part of my history.
MM - Finally what does the future hold for Axel Rudi Pell
and the Axel Rudi Pell band?
Axel - Writing, recording,
touring … business as usual! |
