Artist: Jaded heart  

Date: 23 September 2002  

You've heard the name, you've seen them perform live at the Z Rocks Festival 2001, now it's time to hear what they have to say.

It is our great pleasure to be able to bring you this interview with Jaded Heart's very own Michael Mueller.

MM - OK, let's start with some basic stuff - who's in the band and what are your roles in the band?
Michael Bormann is the singer and "master of disaster" ..., Baris is the goofy and a great guitarist, Henning - well "the typical keyboard player, hahaha! The first keyboard player I met who is into Slayer and Testament!!, Axel - groove-machine and a really mellow person, and me ... I am just the bass player who is better not trying to sing ...

MM - Now for a bit of background information on all you chaps - how did you all meet and where do you call home?
Home of Jaded Heart is Duisburg / Germany. Even if Axel and Henning are living in other areas. Michael and me met Axel in a Heavy Rock Club back in the 90's. Baris got to us when he read our ad in a magazine. He moved all the way from South Germany to the North where we are from. Henning came when he read another ad in a magazine when we were searching for a new keyboarder. He came, did the audition and blew us away, cause he's a great singer, guitarist and keyboarder.

MM - How would you best describe your music and who do you think it would most appeal to?
Melodic hard rocking music with great vocals.

MM - Last year we saw the band perform live at the Z Rocks 2002 festival in Manchester. What were your initial reactions when you found out the band had been invited to appear on the bill and did you enjoy it?
Yes! We loved it! It was our first time to play the UK and we were all very excited.

MM - We all know that Michael Bormann your lead singer is signed to Z Records for his solo project, but who are Jaded Heart signed to at present? Are they singed to Z Records too?
No, we are not signed yet. Currently we are working on the new demos and will be searching for a deal later.

MM - How do you find the response from the fans over here in the UK as opposed to those in your homeland?
We were very surprised that we saw some people knowing the songs. We would like to play a little tour over there.

MM - Are you aware of the crowd when you perform? What goes through your mind when you're up there doing your thing? Do you ever get nervous before you go onstage? Do you still get a thrill from performing live in front of all your fans?
I don't know ... I'm always drunk when I am on stage, hahahaha! No, I'm kidding ... well, I am never nervous before, but excited. I just love to play in front of an audience.

MM - How can people keep in touch with what the band are up to? Would you like to tell the readers what your website address is?
www.jadedheart.de, every email will be answered ... for sure!

MM - What bands did you grow up with and how have they helped in creating the style of music you perform now?
When I grew up I first played guitar and listened to such bands as Kiss, Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. Later I was into the 80's kinda stuff like Hurricane, Dokken or Great White. Today I listen to all kinds of Rock or Pop Music. It starts with Aerosmith, The Coors, Kiss, good Melodic Rock, Pantera or some New Metal. Lot's of stuff. If it's good and if it rocks it's OK for me. As a musician I've been watching a lot of Gene Simmons bass lines, Dana Strum or Rudi Sarzo.

MM - At what age did you decide you wanted to be a musician/performer? Did you ever think that one day it would be you up on that stage in front of hoards of screaming fans?
I was 13 when I started to play guitar. It was my big dream to perform for screaming fans!

MM - Do tell us a little bit about your musical background. What other bands have the band members been involved with apart from Jaded Heart?
Axel played with Mad Max, a band that later turned into Casanova, Michael did a record wit the German progressive-metal band Letter X and did a project together with me in The Sygnet. Baris has been playing with Moondoc before.

MM - Being in an AOR band has never been easy. Are you afraid someone might accuse you of being stuck spiritually in the 80's and not facing the music of the new age?
No, because I don't like bands who are stuck in the 80's. I still like 80's music but like I said before I am listening to very much new bands as well. Baris and myself are doing a "modern-heavy-metal" side project at the moment and this has a good mixture between 80's, 90's and New Metal influence. It's called Fate Of Nations. (www.fate-of-nations.de).

MM - Which Jaded Heart song is your personal favourite and why?
Upsi, there are so many ... I like "The Journey Will Never End", "Perfect World", "Live and Let Die", "Dangerous" for example. I like when the songs are powerful, melodic and great to play live.

MM - The name Jaded Heart sounds a bit cynical, where did it come from and is it any reflection on the bands view of love and live in general?
When we chose this name we had about 10 names to choose from and this one was the only one that has this "2 side meaning". But is has nothing to do with our view of love or anything like that..

MM - If you stumbled across a time machine, what gig would you travel back in time to see?
The Kiss Alive Tour from '78!!.

MM - Is there a band out there that you would leave Jaded Heart for if they asked you to?
Rammstein!!

MM - When will we see a new Jaded Heart album out and can you tell us what the songs will be like on the next album?
Not yet, as I said, we are working on the new demos but they don't have lyrics yet. I think it will be released in Spring 2003..

MM - What is your long term aim, what do you personally hope to achieve?
Much more success with Jaded Heart and our project FATE OF NATIONS.

MM - Tell us one thing about yourself that not many people know.
That I have the cutest daughter in the world !!!

MM - In 3 words how would your best friend describe you?
Energetic ... Talented ... and Wild! hee, hee

MM - Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to all your fans out there?
Thank you to all you fans out there for supporting us !! I really hope that we get the chance to come over again and rock our asses off for ya!! Stay Heavy !!!

 

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