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Interview
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #


Umbra et Imago



A New Inspiration Every Day



Prologue
Love them or hate them, German gothic metal legends Umbra Et Imago keep going on with their music and their fabulous S&M show that has stirred lots of discussions on and off the gothic metal scene. Russia joined in this year, when the band led by charismatic frontman Mozart visited Moscow and St. Petersburg for the first time to finally present their show to the local fans. And even if you missed these events, you can still join in by taking a look at the latest “Imago Picta” DVD, which shows the band on stage at its best. This makes more than enough reasons for us to contact Mozart by e-mail again and make another interview…
Umbra et Imago
First of all, what are your impressions from the show in Moscow in March 2006? How did you like the city and the fans?

We were very happy to play in Russia. We were also very surprised to see so many gothic people, which came from all over Russia to the concerts. There were a lot of people that travelled a long way to our show. We didn’t see much of the cities because our flight was eight hours late. Some fans travelled with us by train from Moscow to St. Petersburg and we had a great party!

When you were invited to Russia, did the promoters suggest any limitations on your stage show? Or were you free to do whatever you want on stage? By the way, whose idea was it to ban photographers from taking pictures after the third song of the set?

We want to do the same show everywhere, because it’s part of our concept, and we had no problem with that in Russia. Of course, we couldn’t bring our show furniture to Russia, but that’s normal. As to the rules for photographers, the promoter in Russia makes them.

Do you rehearse in advance everything that happens onstage, or is there a place for improvisation in your live performance?

Of course there’s a basic concept, but of course there’s also room for spontaneous improvisations.

How do you choose the performers for the Umbra Et Imago show? What requirements do you set for the girls who want to appear onstage with Umbra Et Imago?

We have worked for a few years with our team. We choose the models from our private life because we want to work with women whom we know and who share our philosophy.

Those of your fans who failed to see the gig in Moscow can now buy the “Imago Picta” D
Umbra et Imago
VD. But you already had a DVD called “Die Welt brennt” just four years ago. Why did you decide to release a new one? Were you dissatisfied with the way “Die Welt Brennt” turned out?


We have no chance to get played on MTV or other visual medias, and the fans of course expect visual material from us – because it’s the only possibility to see the band. We’re still very satisfied with the DVD “Die Welt brennt” and also proud of this one.

Why did you pick up the show in Dresden for the recording? Was it a special show somehow or just a regular show in the tour? And how did you team up with Trash-TV?

The location was very good for this, the equipment was also very good. We played the same set like at the other concerts of this tour. As to the work with Trash TV, it was very good because we have known each other for a long time.

Umbra Et Imago onstage are six people, but who supports the band backstage? In your previous interview you said your touring team consists of more than 10 people…

We have roadies and people for sound, light, merchandise and so on.

We know that in 1995 your show was banned in Germany. What were the reasons? And what did you do to make the ban cancelled?

It’s because the show was stronger. But we found a way to deal with it and to make the show useable.

In our previous interview you said that only Die Form and Sleep Chamber were putting up such a stage show before Umbra Et Imago. What inspired you then to make this kind of erotic/S&M show? And when and how did you personally get interested in S&M matters?

We were inspired by Freud, who said that sexuality is the main thing in life and everything
Umbra et Imago
turns around it. For us S&M is one of the most intellectual forms of sexuality.

Another question about inspiration – where did you get the ideas for your lyrics? What inspired you to write such songs as, for instance, “Sweet Gwendoline” and “Schlag Mich”?

I work like a writer – one part autobiographic, one part viewing, and one part literature. For “Sweet Gwendoline” the inspiration was a comic of the fifties, “Schlag mich” was a song for the world’s best boxing woman Regina Halmich, which also sings females vocals in the song.

Also this year, you released the fourth album of your side project Dracul called “Like An Animal”. What are your reasons for making music outside Umbra Et Imago, especially when Dracul is basically again you and Lutz Demmler? Why is this impossible to realize these ideas within Umbra Et Imago?

Dracul is electronic music. In Germany there’s a big club scene, and we wanted to write songs especially for the dancefloor. Umbra et Imago is totally different from it – in the texts and the way of working! Dracul is not only Lutz and me, Nanne (Umbra et Imago singer and showgirl) and Tobias Birkenbeil are also part of.

Do you ever perform live with Dracul? If yes, do you have the same kind of show as with Umbra Et Imago? If no, what kind of stage performance would you like to have?

We did perform with Dracul this year at the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig, but we play only several shows. The show is also totally different to the show of Umbra et Imago – it’s a combination of acrobatics, fire and lasershow.

Apart from the two bands, you run your own record label Spirit Productions. Is it easy for you to combine music and business?

It’s not easy to do the band and the label because it’s a lot of work, sometimes really too much but it’s the only way to be independent and to do the music we want to do. In the beginning of the band all labels found the concept of Umbra et Imago too extreme.

It’s easy to realize that your attitude towards Christianity is far from positive. What do you personally believe in? Do you follow any religion? Or do you follow only your own mind and heart?

I believe in god. I think that I don’t need any institution to believe in god! I follow my mind and my heart and so also god because god is in everyone of us.

When are you planning to start working on the next Umbra Et Imago record? And do you already know how it will sound like and what direction it will take?

We will follow our way. The next record will have more influences of classic music, but we won’t make a new record before 2007.

Umbra Et Imago has been onstage for 15 years. What are your future goals for the band? And are there any goals that you would like to achieve in your life outside the band?

One of our goals is to play a few more times in Russia, to make a lot of records and there is no life outside of the band because every new day is a new inspiration for the music.

Our final question may seem very trivial, but still we would like to ask it. What does the name Umbra Et Imago mean? And why did you choose it for the band?

In German it means “wesenloser Schatten” – we chose it because it’s a Latin name and it stands for “gone ages”.

Thank you very much for the interview. To round it up, please say a few words for the Russian f
Umbra et Imago
ans that were delighted to see you in Moscow and are waiting for you to come back.


We love you – especially the Russian women – stay black!

Special thanks to Alexei “KIDd” Kuzovlev (Irond Records) for arranging this interview

Questions by Ksenia “Wolfin” Khorina, Roman “Maniac” Patrashov
Photos by Ksenia “Wolfin” Khorina
July 22, 2006
28 èþë 2006
the End


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