On The 666 Journalist we interviewed Tobias Exxel from the band that created their one style in the the metal genre, EDGUY!! Let know about the new album Space Police: Defenders of the Crown
- Why Space Police: Defenders of the Crown? What does this album means for you? Musically what has Space Police Defenders of the Crown than other albums you did before?
I am very proud on this album, especially because it’s much heavier than the previous ones. Hellfire Club was the heaviest so far. Somehow these two albums are similar and somehow they are not. I don’t want to analyze that too deeply. Let the fans’ opinions judge. Simply have a look at our website, we’ve just released the first Lyric Video of the opening track “Sabre & Torch”, and of course the brand new video Love Tyger, the most “different” video that we actually never shot I simply love those tracks. On one hand it was my personal wish to take a heavier direction, which I mentioned during our very first meeting, when we started to bring our thoughts and ideas together. On the other hand you can never generally plan or wish such things. It happens in a natural way, when the ideas and guitar riffs fit to a heavier sound. It worked out pretty fine and we had much fun although it was really hard work to make this album!!!
- What was your main inspiration when making it? There is a lot of power, melodies and rock, what can you tell us about this album musically?
In most cases Tobi comes around the corner with some origin and basic ideas. When we are locked inside our rehearsing room we start working on those ideas, playing them again and again, trying, making mistakes, trying again, changing, discussing, arguing, fighting, calling emergency… until we think it sounds like a great finished song!!! Mainly without emails and without internet, because music hast to be played as a unit, as a band.
- What can you tell us about the lyrics and the music, how was the composition process?
The full lengh name of the album is “Space Police – Defenders Of The Crown”. Two titles, two meanings and to be honest, we simply loved both titles and we simply couldn’t make a final choice, so we thought we would be the first band to have ONE record with two titles, hahaha. Seriously, Space Police is about annoying rules everywhere and for everything you wanna do. Even nowadays in the Heavy Metal scene, we have the feeling that (at least) some people make up rules, how Heavy Metal has to be so that it may be considered as “Real” or “True” Metal and of course not to be “Happy” Metal like Edguy. We thought if we go and escape to space, there might be no rules, not even gravity, no boundaries, no nothing. But in our little story, suddenly the Space Police appears out of nowhere and says “Freeze”. Anyway we give a shit and we do what we like, may it be on earth or in space. The meaning of our second title was simply how to defend our crown of our kind of metal. It’s gonna be our anthem, I guess. I really love that fast forward doublebass track!!! In the end the message is simple: Be yourself and do it as YOU like, not as others expect you to do!
- What can you tell us about the artwork, what represents and who did it? It's really funny
As you can see, there’s a space cop and you never know if he will survive the next 20 seconds as he seems to be so concentrated and much too busy looking cool and beautiful into the camera for a great photoshoot, as he knows he will be on the next Edguy front cover, while he doesn’t even realize that there’s a space monster already crawling nearer from behind to eat our cool unlucky police fellow Bad luck but, that’s life!
- Who came up with the idea of doing "Rock Me Amadeus" from Falco? Sounds really cool
When we first had this idea, we really didn’t believe that this might work. It was an idea just for fun, and as you know some fun ideas might be the very best in the end! It is something very special, because noone else would dare to play this song as a Heavy Metal band. Falco is simply beyond any categorization and so it was a special challenge for us to play this song. Again, it’s surely a case for the space police, because it might be not common at all for a Metal band to work on such a track. Hope you’ll have fun with it!Tobi did a great job on singing this in german language. Ok not really German, but much more Austrian language, which is kind of foreign language for us as well, hahaha. No, just kidding. I am not in the position to make such a joke, because my Mom is actually from Bolzano, South Tirol. So, my family speaks so to say Tyrolean, not Austrian, not German, and of course I love this “foreign language” from my heart!
- What song you think will sound killer live? Which one will do the “magic”
Difficult to say by now. Surely I would so much love to play Love Tyger, Defenders Of The Crown or The Eternall Wayfarer. But somehow I think pretty much all of the songs of that album would be great to play. This is something which is also a good point for a strong album. There’s the only problem that it makes the decision even more difficult for us…
- How was the production of the album, where did you record it? As always Sascha Paeth means quality
After a longer break during 2013, we met again in August, having a coffee in a nice bar, outside on the balcony, great sunny weather!!! On that day we decided to start as soon as possible and we already had some rough ideas in what direction we wanna work. I really wanted to turn it a bit more heavy and louder, compared to Age Of The Joker. During the following months we worked hard and focused in our rehearsal room. Everything went fine and we were able to enter the studio in November until early 2014. Like the last three albums before, again Sascha Paeth was our producer. He’s a great guy, friend and great musician! And here we are, with a heavy, rough and loud album, which I really love!!!- After 10 albums, how do you feel today?
Great and still ambitious and hungry for more! That’s the most important attitude to keep you going on a high level! We are pretty proud on that fact that we stayed together for a very long time. Sixteen years is a whole long period. And we always kept going and going. Back then in 1998 when we did our very first tour with Iron Savior, we did EVERYTHING on our own. Driving our own little sleeper bus, during the nights. Three of us have been allowed to take a little sleep, one driver and one of us – the most important person – responsible to keep the driver awake, hahaha. If you go though these things together and stay, you will stay together for ever!!! We know that there are not so many bands out there with such a consistent line up for such a long time, but hopefully we can act like a good example, because it’s always worth and important to talk, to argue and to fight for this unity in a band or in a friendship and of course even in a family! Think about that!
- Could you tell us something about the tour, any plan about it?
I can’t wait finally to start the tour. Unfortunately we will have to wait until September. It’s gonna be Edguy at it’s best as always And of course we have plans for some nice gimmicks and stage buildings but it’s still time to keep it as a secret at the moment! Surely I’m looking forward to play many of the new songs as well as a great mix of our previous classics which we won’t leave out of a good Edguy show.
- Could you share with us three albums that you’ve been spinning lately?
I’ve been listening to the new Gamma Ray album, which I like pretty much! In 2011 Kai asked me to play a full concert with them in Hamburg, when Dirk Schlächter had to go to hospital just two days before the show. I worked my ass off to listen and learn a two hour program and a had the best time of my life, it was pure fun! Moreover I am listening to the new H.E.A.T album, cool band and nice guys who have been on tour with us a few years ago. In contrast to this I was just listening to Slayers World Painted Blood, I love this album and attitude very much!
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