TOBIAS SAMMET (EDGUY/AVANTASIA)
On a very warm
Monday night I had a telephone conversation with Tobias Sammet,
the man behind the project AVANTASIA and the leader of EDGUY, the
German Melodic Metalband. Tobias is quite busy these days with
the new AVANTASIA record, but he took some time to talk with me
about his music, let's see what he has to say…
Tobias, the new AVANTASIA album is going to be released soon, do
you expect it to be as successful as the first one?
Well, the
first one did ok, although EDGUY sold much better, but we were
happy with the first AVANTASIA sales, and we'll wait until next
week when the album is officially released here in Europe. It's
always exciting to hear that the album you made is in the charts,
but if not, we're also pleased, because it was a great album to
do. I really liked making these two AVANTASIA albums.
So, this album is the end for AVANTASIA?
Yes, for
the moment it is, because the AVANTASIA project was based around
a concept, which is now told on these 2 CDs, and so we are
finished. I am not saying we'll never do an AVANTASIA record
again, because in 10 years a lot of things can change, but at
this point the AVANTASIA project is finished.
That also means no tour for AVANTASIA…
No tour
with AVANTASIA, but during the EDGUY shows we always play
AVANTASIA songs, so people can hear at least one song of the
AVANTASIA recordings…
Yeah, I remember earlier this year, EDGUY played a show here in
Rotterdam, Holland, and you indeed played the
"Avantasia" song, do you remember that gig?
Yeah, I
remember, it was in a small venue called 'Baroeg'.
That's right, 'De Baroeg', only about 200 people showed up, but
it was a great show.
Yes, definitely, and it doesn't matter to me that there are only
200 people present at a show, it gives me a pleasure to play in
front of less people and do my best entertaining them and gave
them a good performance, so everyone goes home happy. For
example, we just returned from a couple of shows in Brazil where
thousands of people screamed and were already having a good time
even before we played a note. So that was quite different for a
start, and it wasn't hard to play in front of them, as they
totally loved us. But I had a great time and it was quite an
experience to do these shows in Brazil. On the other hand I also
really liked the shows in Holland and play in front of not that
many people, but still give them a good time.
I guess in Germany you have more people showing up at the
concerts…
Yes,
definitely, but still it doesn't matter to me to play in front of
2,000 people or for just 200, in fact, it's a challenge for me to
give everybody something good for their money. The shows in
Germany attracted many people, except 1 show, in Osnabruck, where
only a few hundred showed up, nobody knows why, but the rest of
the recent 'Mandrake' was visited very well here in Germany.
What can we expect from EDGUY the coming years?
Well,
first we'll finish a couple more tourdates of the 'Mandrake' tour
and then we'll be working on a double live-album to be released
early next year. We recorded all the shows the past year. From
those shows we'll put the best ones on these 2 CDs, probably a
lot of the shows recorded in France, especially the show in Paris
will be included on the live record. Also a show we recorded in
Budapest and maybe even the Brazil shows will be present on this
live album.
I guess it was time to do this live record, considering you
released 5 albums with EDGUY now.
Yeah, IT
WAS A MUST TO DO THIS LIVE ALBUM! And besides, the album will
also have a large booklet with a lot of pictures. We had cameras
everywhere this tour, backstage, on stage, in the car, in the
bus, in the bedroom, in the hotels, in the bathroom
(laughter)… We have 10,000 pictures to choose from, so I'll
guess that will be worth to see when you listen to the CD. For us
it's a great memory to one of our most successful tours.
And can we expect a DVD as well?
No, it's
just the old fashioned way, audio only, but with 2 CDs and a big
booklet to read through, this is enough pleasure for the EDGUY
fan.
Yeah, definitely, by the way, are you writing any new songs for a
new EDGUY album…
Well,
everywhere I go and everytime I get an idea, I keep it in my head
as a memory to write a song of it someday. It's not that we go
into the studio and then write 10 songs in a row and we're
finished. No, the ideas of the songs are all in our memories and
when we're writing the songs it all comes out and so the writing
process develops.
So after the live-album you go back in the studio…
Yes, and
then record the new album, and probably late next year it will be
released, but it might also be later, it all depends on how
things proceed. I rather make a good album that takes a few
months longer than to release a less good album a.s.a.p.
That's the right attitude, I always wondered what your favourite
albums of all times are…
Well,
that's a hard question, but I'll have to add stuff like DIO's
'Holy diver' and 'Dream evil', AC/DC's 'Highway to hell' and
'Back in black', but also MAGNUM with 'On a storyteller's night'.
Speaking of Magnum, how did you get in touch with Bob Catley?
Well, I
always liked the man's voice, he is an old school vocalist, and
therefore I thought it was nice to have him on the AVANTASIA
album, so I decided to contact him, but that wasn't easy. I first
had to find out under which label he was, and saw he has a solo
deal with a British label called NOW AND THEN, so I contacted
them and from there I got in touch with Bob and the rest is
history…
I also wanted to know how you got in touch with some of the other
musicians of the AVANTASIA record, such as Eric Singer…
I met him
once in Austria during a performance and he was a really nice
guy, so we exchanged phone numbers, and then during the AVANTASIA
recordings, I suddenly thought he was the man to do this one
particular song. I called him and he agreed to do drums on this
song, so it was not because he played in big bands, but it was
more like I loved his way of drumming and he would fit the
drumkit on this particular song.
And Bob Rock…
He was a
friend of mine, so I just called him and he agreed. Most of the
people involved in the AVANTASIA project I have known for some
years, so it was just contacting them and see what happens.
As a singer, who do you admire?
Well, I
like a lot of singers, like Michael Kiske, Ronnie James Dio, Paul
Stanley and many more. I just sing the way I do and I am not
really thinking of my influences when I sing.
Singing comes from the heart I guess…
Yes,
definitely, also when I hear particular songs. I like a lot of
songs, from BON JOVI to KINGDOM COME, if the song has a good
melody, I like it. For instance, I am not afraid to admire I also
like Popmusic, stuff like ABBA and AHA's "Take on me",
this is really an awesome song.
I agree, but do you also think 80s had much more quality music in
the charts then nowadays?
Not
really, because if you look at the charts, there's still good
stuff on there. MANOWAR made it to the top 10!
Yeah, in Germany, but in Holland there's a lot of crap in the
charts and hardrock/metal has a hard time…
WITHIN
TEMPTATION went to number one in Holland I believe…
Yeah, but apart from WITHIN TEMPTATION it's really sad what it's
in the charts here in Holland…
But WITHIN
TEMPTATION made it big, so there's a good start I guess, because
ten years ago it wasn't that much better, and now you have WITHIN
TEMPTATION high in the charts…
Well, OK, but the Popmusic in the 80s was much better than the
crap you now hear on the radio…
15 years
ago you had MILLI VANILLI, so crap has always been in the charts,
but happily, there's also still good stuff on the charts…
What do you consider your best work so far?
EDGUY's
'Mandrake' and the AVANTASIA albums.
Which one of the AVANTASIA albums is the best you think…
A lot of
people ask me that question and it's always hard to choose,
because I think both albums are great and you must not compare
both albums. They shouldn't compete with each other, as each
album stands on its own.
Finally, do you have plans to do other projects besides EDGUY and
AVANTASIA in the future?
No, in the
future I will totally focus on EDGUY, because that's my band and
I want to do much more in the coming years with EDGUY, starting
with this live double CD early next year and then late next year
a new CD followed by a tour.
So, we can except a lot in the future from EDGUY! Well, thanks
for the interview, anything to add…
Well, I
want to thank all the people in Holland for showing up at the
EDGUY concerts and I hope to comeback in the future.
Good luck with your career.
Thanks,
Bye
Bye.