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Interview Alter Der Ruine – PromoFabrik   Hello guys, you have just released „This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things“, your fourth album and the first one for Europe. How in hell did you come up with such a long title?   ADR: We actually had a contest online where fans submitted titles. There were a lot of contenders but in the end the fans voted for this one. Thomas Rainer submitted “Cowboys in the Navy” which took a close second.    What is the long title referring to?   ADR: There are many ways it could be interpreted. We’re sure people will read into it way more than it needs to be.   Let’s go back a few years, precisely to 2005. Can you tell us about how the whole story has begun and how the two Mikes and Jakub actually met?   ADR: It was so long ago that details have been lost. It started somewhere in 2004 when Mike J. was played the first ever live ADR set. Mike T. was in attendance and was drinking heavily. Here’s where things get a little blurry. Right after the ADR set was over a guy dressed like a cowboy entered the club. He started yelling about a duel or something, no one really understood what he was saying. He pulled a straight razor from his back pocket and had a look on his face that showed he meant business. The club had a weird silence fall upon it. Everyone was asking where the bouncers were because none were present. The air had a nervous energy to it, almost like it was waiting for some spark to ignite the panic and chaos. Everyone felt it. Mike J., sensing things could go very wrong approached the man and told him calm down. “You got some big brass ones” the cowboy said as he cleaned the razor on his jeans. Mike T. got up to find security. He made his way outside to find four other cowboys with chains and switchblades. He also discovered why the bouncers never showed. They had been beaten up and sprawled about like bloody bags of laundry. Mike T. ran back in and remarked “Security is down, there’s more goons outside. They don’t want us getting out of here.”. The cowboy approached Mike J. with the razor and a cold stare and whispered “I’m gonna carve you up son” The rest of the cowboys entered the club, itching to tap dance on some more bodies. Mike T. stood next to Mike J. and muttered “You played a good show tonight kid. Too bad it’ll probably be your last… I’d always wanted to be in a band like yours… After tonight, I’m probably never gonna get that chance though.” “If we make it through this night alive, I guarantee you’ll be in my band.” Replied Mike J. They both chuckled. The rest of the cowboys surrounded the Mikes and began circling, knives flashing and chains hissing like steel snakes as they twirled in the air. “I don’t like these odds” Mike T. uttered. “I do” said Mike J. The cowboy approached the two men and shouted something unintelligible that boiled the blood of the rest of his gang. Then he spoke in a calm voice “There’s only two of you. Can’t say this is a fair fight. Also can’t say I won’t enjoy beating the tar out of two boys.” “BETTER MAKE THAT THREE BOYS” boomed a voice from the corner. All the cowboys turned to see a man emerge from the shadows. The man was confident. The man was calculated. The man was dangerous. The man was Jacob! Jacob stood next to the two Mike’s. He spit on the floor and chuckled at something only he understood. The cowboy grit his teeth at the addition to the gang. “Fine” he shouted! “Let’s dance!” The cowboys swarmed on the heroes. Through the sounds of bones breaking and blood spilling Jacob could be hear yelling “I play keyboards and if you ever need someone to tickle the ivories in your band I’d like to volunteer my services.” The fight went on for what seemed like hours but in reality was only a few seconds. When the dust settled it looked like someone had splatter painted the club. Gone all Jackson Pollock on a flock of would be thugs. Mike, Mike and Jacob emerged relatively untouched, a feat that surprised one of them. Mike J. turned to the two men and said, “I know not your names, but from this moment on we shall all be known as ALTER! DER! RUINE!” It went something like that.   Mike 1, can you introduce us Mike 2?   Mike 1: He’s my knight in sweaty armor, I’ve seen him grow from a timid boy into a burly furry mountain man.    Jakub, what can you tell uns about Mike 1?   Jakub: I don’t really know a whole lot about Mike 1.  I think I’ve only talked to him two or three times in the few years I’ve been in the band.  I hear he’s a really nice person.    And Mike 2, what is important to know about Jakub?   Mike 2: Two things about him. Don’t look him in the eyes when he is eating. 2nd if there is a sunset and a deer walks in front of you, make three wishes and he will grant one of them provided it is within reason.    Why do you use pseudonymes?   ADR: To keep things confusing. Speaking of which we should probably change those names to something else soon.   What did you do before Alter der Ruine?   ADR: Stop barfights. Soap sculptures, pretty boring things really.     What is the meaning of the bandname?   ADR: To put it simply it means we don’t speak German. We learned rather quickly that there were a few translation issues with our name. What the name was supposed to be and what it actually says are two different things. Luckily we like it more this way than what was originally intended.   From the very beginning you intended to continuously progress and develop the project. Do you reckon yourself to be successful? If yes, how did you make progress – more in regards of tools and instruments or of knowledge and skills?   ADR: Things are definitely progressing. The sound we started with is a far cry from what we are like today. We never set out to be just one thing. As far as finding success goes it is easy to say we’re doing something right. The shows are getting bigger and our fans hasn’t left us so something is working. On the technical side of things we are leaps and bounds ahead of where we began. The production  is a lot slicker and our ideas are expanding. We’re incorporating a lot of elements we would  never have considered a few years back. Let’s talk about your sound. Alter der Ruine incorporates a broad range of styles (IDM, Industrial, Techno, Hardcore and House). Do you all have different tastes in music and try to add your input into the sound or how can you explain that extreme mixture of elements?   ADR: Everyone listens to different things. We share a lot of similar tastes but we also go our own ways too. When it comes to writing though nothing is ever predetermined. A lot of times we write too many parts for a single song. Where most bands would be happy to make them into separate songs we’d rather mash them together and make it work inside itself. There’s something about controlled chaos that is very appealing to us.   Ok, let’s go back to the new album with the insane title…What is the difference and progress in comparison to „The Ruine Process“,  „State Of Ruine“ and „Giants From Far Away“?   ADR: This is easy! We stopped taking ourselves so seriously. When ADR started it was just Mike J.. He wrote the entire first album himself which right there is the main difference between it and the later releases. It was made as a powernoise album and had a lot of dark grit to it. State of Ruin was written by Mike J. and Mike T. over the course of a year. With the added perspective on things it allowed the sound to morph and challenge itself. This album saw us breaking away from the straight noise aspect of the first. There were some electro leads dropped in for flavor and variety. We also injected a bit of humor into it. It was kind of a transition album that really opened the door for Giants From Far Away. Giants From Far Away beat us up. It was a fun record to write but it also took a lot out of us. Jacob was in on the writing process this time around and our ideas and creative filters were pushed to the extreme. From start to finish it unloads on the listener without giving them much time to process what they just heard. It hits in multiple waves of techno and industrial but doesn’t really linger long enough for you to figure out what will happen next. We’re very proud of it for multiple reasons. Especially for what it will allow us to get away with in the future.   Why did you discontinue the „ruine“-concept in the album-titles with the previous albums?   ADR: Because we actually weren’t too fond of those titles. We wanted to shift away from being so bleak. There are enough groups complaining about war and politics and such and we didn’t feel the need to be another one. “Giants From Far Away” is almost like a rebirth album for us. It shows a change in attitude and perspective. It also won’t be the last time we approach things differently.   We can hear on „This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things“ 12 tracks plus 4 extra songs of a Limited Edition. The second disc is an astonishing get-together of great remixers of Aesthetic Perfection, Noisuf-X, Haujobb and Assemblage 23. How do you get in touch with them?   ADR: We’ve come to know them over the years through online contact and playing shows with them. They were all bands we loved and listened to regularly and to have them remix us was awesome.    If there any connection between the ingenious album title (i have to repeat it here again… „This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things“) and the individual tracks?   ADR: A little bit we suppose. We tend to do things outside the normal process. Sometimes it works wonders and sometimes it doesn’t work so hot. The title could suggest that we’re our own biggest distraction. We find success but we take the path less travelled to get there. Let us talk about a few songs in detail and what they are about? „When Machines Cry“   ADR: When machines cry, they never do it because they’re sad or happy. It’s usually just a big misunderstanding. This song highlights the time one machine got its balls slammed in a car door. It cried because it didn’t feel anything.   „Achtung! Bitches“   ADR: Ahhhhh yes. This is a gut-wrenching song. Words escape us when trying to describe the everyday joys of yelling at bitches.     “KIA”   ADR: This one was political. Or so we thought. No one should ever read too much into our song titles.    Who is living in your „Loserstreet“?   ADR: Thankfully none of us anymore.     What do you do in your spare-time?   ADR: Obstacle courses.   Do you like archeology?   ADR: Yes, but if it could be combined with cryptozoology then we’d need a change of pants.     What feeling or image do you bear in mind if you think about ruins?   ADR: The one scene that comes to mind is from Jaws: The Revenge where the group of people riding the banana boat gets attacked by the shark. That shark just ruined a perfectly awesome banana boat experience.     If Alter der Ruine is a restaurant, what Plat du Jour will be served?   ADR: Spam and eggs.   What music to you like to listen in private?   ADR: Everything. Some bands at the moment include BT, Jean Elan and Dillinger Escape Plan. We’re all over the place with what we listen to.    Your music is very good to party. Are you party people as well?   ADR: We’ve been known to party. A lot of the time when we’re on the road we have to drive so we can’t get too crazy. Usually our parties happen while we’re on stage. We aim to have the most fun during that point and so far we’ve had no problem delivering.     Can you spontanuously tell us your thoughts/feelings about the following key words:   Guitar or Synthesizer?   ADR: Supermagic.     Techno or House?   ADR: One shakes hands and one plants flowers. Together they make ugly babies.    God or Devil?   ADR: Irrelevant. Santa.    Bitch or Barbie?   ADR: Both? Bottom bitch?   Stuntman or Coach Potatoe?   ADR: One leads to the other.     Winner or Looser?   ADR: They aren’t mutually exclusive. Also winners are usually the biggest losers.     Morning grouch or Early Bird?   ADR: Whatever gets the night grease moving.    Splatter movie or  love flick?   ADR: That’s a time and place question. At this time and place we’re more into movies with wild horses with spirits that can’t be broken.   Life before death?   ADR: Not too sure, never tried it the other way around.     What is your philosophy in life?   ADR: Food, booze and music. In whatever music you want them.    Why do you think your music and project is unique and incomparable to any other artist?   ADR: To say we are incomparable would be a bold statement.     What can we expect in your future? Tours, videos – anything else you can reveal?   ADR: Yes, all three of those things. Also we’ll be putting out a new line of ladies jeans for men.     And what do you want to tell our readers to share some wisdom of Alter der Ruine with the world?   ADR: It doesn’t take talent to be well known!  

  ADR @ www: www.ruine-process.com <http://www.ruine-process.com> ADR @ MySpace: www.myspace.com/alterderruine <http://www.myspace.com/alterderruine> by PromoFabrik (www.promofabrik.com)