Interview with Andre & Calle of Sturm und Drang

Just a few hours before the Concert should start I´ve got the lucky news that Sturm und Drang's first Album "Learning to Rock" got Gold Status for 15 000 sold copies in Finland.

Finnbands: How does it feel ?
André: It feels really great actually. It´s a nice thing because you know that you achieve something and it´s also very cool to look at it. It is really weird that so many people bought our album, yeah it feels weird and great, it´s kind of hard to believe.
Calle:: Yeah and it is gold !
André: Yes it´s gold !



Finnbands: In the beginning of October you had the honour to play as Support for Apocalyptica on their German/European Tour. That must have been an unbelievable experience for you. Please tell us a little bit about the experiences you had on tour.
André: I think the whole tour has been a really great experience in so many ways.We learned very much about how everything on tour works and that you have to be in time because otherwise the Germans become angry! And the whole crew was German! Then we also got to know many new people and we also got new audiences in other countrys, so it was really great.
Calle:: Like working with guys like Apocalyptica's crew and we became really good friends with them after a few gigs.

Finnbands: What do you think about Germany and the German fans ?
André: I think Germany is a great country I liked it very much to being there. I think also it was the funnyest country and the best country to be during the tour. We have been in 7 different countrys. Also the fans and the audience in germany was really great, they were really listening to our music, in Finland they would just say "Booh get off the stage".

Finnbands: Really ? Thats hard to believe !
André: I saw Judas Priest 3 years ago and In Flames were their support and the people were just yelling at In Flames "Get off the Stage, Booooooh".
In Germany they really gave us a chance and listen to our music and they were really like thinking about it.
Calle:: And it was a really big crowd when we started to play.
André: Yeah, really nice audiences in Germany, nice places and nice citys.

Finnbands: When you were in Germany did you have any time to see the country ? If yes what was your favourite place ? By the way you played in my hometown Wiesbaden.
André: Oh yeah that was a really nice place, I bought new clothes there.
Finnbands: In which store ? Black Velvet or Roxy ?
André: I dont know how it was .
Calle:: I bought a knife there.
André: I also ate at Mc Donalds in Wiesbaden, yeah that was a really nice town. And I don't know everybody has got their on favourites. I only know which town I didn't like, but I don't want to say that one.

Finnbands: You can say it, we dont punch you :)
André: Errrm, Braunschweig was really bad, it was not good I mean it was a very big town and we walked for 45 minutes and we saw just houses, houses, houses ...
Finnbands: Braunschweig is not really a big city ...
André: Well, but it feeled big. The houses were small but there was really a lot of houses.
We walked for a really long time and we have not found a single store.
Calle:: With the others from the band we went to explore the city of Braunschweig after the gig and we found it was a really interesting district.
André: Can I say more towns I didn't like ?
Finnbands: Sure.
André: Dresden I didnt like.
Finnbands: Really ? Why ? Dresden is a very beautiful city I think !
André: Because I went to the wrong place, because I thought this was that way and I went to the other way and I didn't find anything and then I realized that the city was the other way.
Calle:: I think the city I liked the most was München because we had an "Off Day" there and could walk arround and saw many things. I liked the clubs there, like the "Hofbräuhaus", yeah we went there but they kicked us out ...
André: But I think every city was cool in an own way, I didn't liked Berlin either.
Calle:: I like Berlin.
André: I got lost in Berlin and every town where I get lost I hate because I have then only bad experiences from there.

Finnbands: Did you made any special preparations for the tour ?
André: Yes we had more bandpractice and figured out a special playlist for the tour and we also figured out what to say to the audience.
And we all bought cabels, strings and stuff - like G-Strings you know (oO)
Calle:: And I bought a lot of drumsticks ...
André: So the things wouldnt run out.



Finnbands: What was the best experience on tour ?
André: I think there were many good experiences, like all of the gigs themself have been very good experiences, and all the nice memories.
And also in Bielefeld we went to a little place where they played Modern Talking all the time and then we started listening to Modern Talking and that was one of the best moments actually.
Calle:: I think Modern Talking is a great band.
André: If you maybe heared, we played Modern Talking at the Soundcheck.
Calle:: And we love "Brother Louie" and "Geronimos Caddilac", "Cherry Cherry Lady" and "Your my heart your my soul".
Finnbands: Did you know that the most Germans hate Modern Talking ?
André: What ? But we met an old homeless guy who had very chabby clothes and he loved Modern Talking and he started dancing with us.

Finnbands: And was there any negative experiences ?
Calle:: Like in the beginning of the tour we had some minor fights with the crew but it was just over small things that we needed to improve because we haven't been on a tour before so we didnt know all the rules and stuff but in the end it started working really,really good and everyone was really happy.
André: In the beginning we were all not so used with the stuff and things didn't work so well, so I think that was a negative experiences.

Finnbands: Did something go on your nerves when you have been on tour ? Maybe that you had no time for yourself, not so much privacy,not enough sleep - like these things and how you came along with it ?
André: Sometimes we were very pissed at some places were no backstage, you could not take a shower, could not go to the toilet and you could not go to the iInternet cause there was no backstage at this smaller places for example in Poland and we didn't get along with it !

Finnbands: You had a concert on 29.10.2007 in Berlin and it was streamed live to the internet. Was this a special concert for you or just normal like any other concert ?
André: It was like every other concert on the tour...

Finnbands: Are you still nervous before you have a concert and what do you do against it? How do you prepare yourself ?
André: Well actually we do yoga, everyone ...
Finnbands: Oh really ?
Calle:: Yes.
André: No, but Apocalyptica does. I have seen them many times when they have made yoga, but I don't know maybe we just chill out before the gig and we drink some Red Bull.

Finnbands: How is it with the school, do you still go to school or do you have private teachers now ?
André: I normaly go to school. On tour we had a private teacher, so it´s when we are away from home for along time we will have private teachers but otherwise we go to normal school.

Finnbands: What does your schoolmates say because your now fame?
Calle:: I think they don't actually care that much, because we know them all from before. I don't think that they changed their meaning about us.
André: Yeah, with them we are just like normal guys. The same old guys that we were before.

Finnbands: If you could change the roles with another bandmate for one day, with which bandmate you would change ?
Calle:: I would change with Micke Löfgren errrm no ...
André: Micke is not in the band !
Calle:: Ah right ...
André: I would change with Henkka our Bassist because he have a hot Mum !!!
Calle:: I would probably change with myself or ....
Calle and Andre´ start to laughing
André: Say Henkka.
Calle:: Henkka I would change into him also.
André: Why ?
Calle:: Because of the same reason as you.
André: Yeah, Henkka's hot Mum. Everybody loves her. She makes exotic dancing. I´ve seen it once ...

Finnbands: And what would you do if you could be invisible for one day ?
André: I would go to rob some banks to become rich!
Calle:: Yes, I think I would maybe ... erm there are so many things I would do ...
André: Yeah, I would kill all my girlfriend's ex-boyfriends and male friends because I hate them all!
Calle:: Yeah, good idea actually, but I would go and get an axe or something and do so killing maybe.

Finnbands: Is there any band you want to go on tour with someday ?
André: The ultimate of course is Judas Priest but not in Finland because then the same thing will happend as to In Flames.

Finnbands: Can we await a new Single from "Learning to Rock" ?
André: Yes, yes ...
Finnbands: Which one ?
André: We dont know yet, there is a choice between a couple of songs, but I don't know which yet.
Calle:: On our next album we want to do a cover from "Geronimos Caddilac" by Modern Talking and that will be the next single.
André: No we won't ... I think there´s maybe even two songs from "Learning to Rock" at least one is coming still.
Finnbands: What would be your favourite for the next single ?
André: I think "Broken" would be a good single.

Finnbands: Are you writing on new material already?
André: Yes, me and the songwriters write actually some song. Last week we went to our bandpractice place and wrote some stuff so I think it is going very well and it´s important that you start in time so you don't have to write 10 Songs in one week when we have to do the next album.



Finnbands: And this is our last question for today. What is your biggest dream with Sturm und Drang ?
André: I think the biggest dream is simply to become a recognized band and that people like our music and that we can play at the back concerthalls everywhere.
Calle:: Yes, I agree with him.
André: I guess every band wants to become a famous band and that's the same for us, that is what we want!
Calle:: Are we done ?
Finnbands: Yes we are, thank you for the Interview!

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