How would you describe your songwriting/recording process for your latest record, Electrified?
Different to the past, and therefore quite interesting. We purpously did not finish the songs 100% before we started recording the album. We left a lot of space for spontanious creativity during the recording sessions. We wanted to have the strongest possible melodies and riffs on the record, that's why we took breaks in the production to work inbetween, for example after doing the rhythm guitars we checked the vocals again and tried to come up with better melodies. Break the Silence and Higher Kind of Life for example got some major modification to the good during this period. It was a positive experience an d we definitely want to proceed like this again on the next record.
How would you compare this release your previous releases, particularly those with Andi Deris singing?
I think Electrifiedis sort of returning to our musical roots again. We are very happy with this development. Many journalists said about this record that it should have come out after Games People Play, the last record with Andi Deris. Therefore it differs more to the last records we did with David then the previous ones.When you recorded this album did you think consciously about going back to your old style of making music?
Not really, our only intention was to come back with strong vocal melodies and powerfull guitar-riffs. Everything else came automatically.
When Andi Deris left, how did you pick David Readman as your next vocalist?
After Deris left the band we got over 450 demos from singers sent in, wanting to audition for us. Most of them knew the band and heard about the split, bu t we also put ads in English and American mags. Dave read one in the English Melody Maker and sent us a tape.
Are there any plans for a tour of the U.S.?
A dream for all of us would come true if we could tour the States! Nevertheless it is a very expensive plan to bring the band over, that's why we have to wait and see how the recordsales go.
What do you think of the current music scene, particularly the rise of metal music in the underground?
We started with PC 69 in 1989, when hard rock and metal was very big all over the world. Then, beginning-mid nineties, nobody was interested in our music anymore and we had to learn to deal with this fact, like any other band of this style. At the moment, at least outside US, the sales of traditional HR/HM bands go up again, so we are all hoping for better times again!
What's your favourite music? That is, what music does the band listen to and currently like? Who would you cite as influences?
Rock in all different colours. I listen from Tom Petty to Judas Priest, as main influences of myself I would name Queensryche, The Cult and in the earlier days Kiss. For Koffl, our guitarists it is definitely Van Halen, Dave's faves are Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles, and Dennis, our bassplayer is a huge Rush and Journey fan.
What are your future plans and where do you see yourself in the year 2000?
We are very happy to have a good label in the US for the first time. We are released now in Europe, Japan, South America and North America. The sales of Electrifiedare very good, fans and press love it, so we look very optimistic into the future of PC 69!!!