Interview with Jens Ludwig from Edguy

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Metal Revolution - The band released Rocket Ride earlier this year and received very good reviews by the press as well the fans. Do you think that your music already evolved all or there more space for the music to grow?
Jens Ludwig - Of course there’s much more space for the music to grow! I mean we could stop making music if we knew that this is all we can reach, musically. I think it’s a natural process: We always try not to repeat ourselves and try out different stuff. That keeps it interesting for us as musicians and for the fans as well. It would be boring to release the same album over and over again and just exchange the song titles, wouldn’t it!?

Metal Revolution - In Hellfire Club the band approached a more Hard Rock kind of sound; Rocket Ride has the same kind of sound, but with some new modern influences. Power metal is a part of Edguy's plans? Or can we expect this mix with rhythms and influences?
Jens - I don’t know. We didn’t start songwriting yet for the next album, so I’m not sure where the journey goes.
We never plan how the songs should sound like, the only aim that we have is that we are satisfied with the songs. We still consider us to be a power metal band, but it’s always interesting to include new elements in your music, as long as you don’t change your style completely and everyone can still hear that it’s Edguy.

Metal Revolution - What can you say is the aspect that Edguy most evolved?
Jens - It’s hard to tell such things about yourself ‘cause everybody got a different point of view. But I think it’s just the fact that everything still sounds like Edguy even if we included some new elements. Many bands tried this before and when the album comes out it finally sounds like a complete different band.

"I think it’s a very important part to work on the songs together in the rehersing room before
we enter the studio. If the songs sound good in th rehersing room we can be sure that
they’ll work live as well. In a studio you have a lot of technical help, effects, big choirs,
many tracks, but in the rehersing room it’s just five musicians playing the songs." - Jens Ludwig

Metal Revolution - Edguy recorded a DVD here in Brazil on the last time you where here, and we all know how that worked out 'cause of the various technical issues. What made the band recorded this tour?
Jens - Well, as you just mentioned: the last try didn’t work out so well. We have definitely no luck when it comes to record a DVD. Last time in Sao Paulo was the best try so far and I don’t need to talk about the fantastic fans in South America and the atmosphere. The parts we could use from the last try in Brazil looks really great, so we thought we just give it another try.

Metal Revolution - Can we expect some sort of surprise in the set list because you are going to be filming for a live DVD? Maybe some special guests?
Jens - If I would tell it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore. But seriously I don’t think that there will be too many surprises, except maybe some announcements from Tobias, but that’s again no surprise.

Metal Revolution - Everybody knows about your friendship with Andre Matos. Your love relationship with Brazil is due to that friendship? Here is going to participate in this year recording, like happened in 2004?
Jens - It’s not the only reason to love Brazil. The people are very nice, the food is great and the weather is most of the time much better that in Germany. I don’t know if he’ll be around when we play in Sao Paulo, but if he’s there, why not.

Metal Revolution - Which Brazilian bands, beside Angra, Shaaman e Sepultura do you guys know?
Jens - Well, that’s almost everything I know. Besides that I know Viper, but Brazil is just too far away keeping an eye on the national metal scene there.

Metal Revolution - Some rumors are floating around saying that you recorded a cover for the classic "Cum On Feel The Noise", is that true? If it is, will be released in a single or the next studio album?
Jens - Yes, it’s true, but I don’t know if or when it will be released. We just recorded the song for fun and then didn’t know what to do with it. I guess I can say that it won’t become a single, but maybe a bonus track on one of the next releases, who knows...

Metal Revolution - Lets talk about the creation... how is Edguy's process to create music? Do you work first on the lyrics or the music?
Jens - It depends. Sometimes Tobi got some lyrics first and sometimes the music’s there first. But in general you can divide it into two parts: The first one is collecting Ideas for songs which happen all the time. In the tourbus, hotel rooms, at home, while sitting on the toilet, etc. And the second part is to make songs out of the ideas. This happens with all the band in the rehersing room. I think it’s a very important part to work on the songs together in the rehersing room before we enter the studio. If the songs sound good in th rehersing room we can be sure that they’ll work live as well. In a studio you have a lot of technical help, effects, big choirs, many tracks, but in the rehersing room it’s just five musicians playing the songs.

Metal Revolution - Power Metal is known for the famous kind of writing, I mean, the lyrics often talk about medieval tales, hard rock is a different approach. You approach both sides. Which one do you like best and what is
your opinion about that?
Jens - My personal opinion on that is that if there are lyrics about medieval tales they should have a deeper meaning, or mean they should have a message you can also understand in the present. It’s not just about killing dragons. But what I really like on most "hard rock lyrics" is the positive attitude. They sing about having fun, party’s and enjoying their lives and that fits pretty well to my personal attitude. I think it’s great that Edguy can sing about everything and is not limited because none is always sad, always happy or killing dragons all the time. Music has to deal with emotions and they’re not the same all the time.

Metal Revolution - A rock band always has fame and status in the society, bands always seems to serve as a example to the fans. Some people start to play an instrument just by listening to your songs. What do you think about
that?
Jens - It’s a good feeling if people feel inspired by something I do, but it’s much more important for everybody to build up his own opinion. Besides entertaining people with our music the only message we have for the fans is to think for yourself.

Metal Revolution - Do you guy's rehearsal before going on tour?
Jens - Yes, of course! Well, to be honest for this year’s tour in South America we just rehearsed one time, but we already played about 50 shows this year, so everybody in the band should know the songs.

Metal Revolution - Some questions about the past now... it has been said that the first demo tape, was your only chance to bet on your careers. How was that? Did you save money and recorded? Or did you have some kind of
support by family members?
Jens - Actually we recorded two demo tapes and one complete demo CD (savage Poetry) before anybody took notice of us. We played a lot of small shows back than and saved the money for recording a proper demo tape. It was really kind of frustrating when we sent the first tapes to record companies and they all came back to us. Some people even said that we won’t come far with that kind of music, but we never quit believing in ourselves and so we tried it again and again until a small label called AFM Records gave us a chance and our first record deal.

Metal Revolution - Up to Theater of Salvation, what the favorite albums by the band? And what is the reason to like them?
Jens - I guess it depends on the band member you’re asking. My personal favorite is Vain Glory Opera because it was the first album where everything fits. We had good songs and with a little help of Timo Tolkki a good sound as well.

Metal Revolution - You guys started out really young's, probably had the dream of been in a band, but destiny was very generous to you and turned you in to a great band. In the case that this destiny wasn't possible, do
you have any idea of what you guys could have been?
Jens - Tough question because I never did anything else but music. I did a lot of sports before I started playing music so maybe I would have tried my luck in being a professional sportsman. Or just anything else, I don’t know. Luckily there was never the need for me to think about that.

Metal Revolution - Now, is a common thing for the band and its members to have a side project. Everybody knows about Avantasia, Sammet's solo project, anyone else in the band has a side project?
Jens - Yes, Our bass player Eggi has another band he’s making music with. The rest of us just join some projects here and there, but nothing serious.

"I really like on most "hard rock lyrics" is the positive attitude. They sing about having fun, party’s and enjoying their lives and that fits pretty well to my personal attitude. I think it’s great that Edguy can sing about everything and is not limited because none is always sad, always happy or killing dragons all the time. Music has to deal with emotions and they’re not the same all the time." - Jens Ludwig

Metal Revolution - While touring, what is the most difficult thing? Is there anything that you guys aren't used to by now?
Jens - Waiting! Actually we’re really used to that but it’s still the hardest part in touring. So many times you just hang around waiting for anything to happen. A plane, a shuttle, a gig... Sometimes it’s also hard to get along with time differences and jet legs, but it’s definitely worth it!

Metal Revolution - Please, if possible, comment on the following albums:
Jens:
Savage Poetry (1995) - Our first complete album. Some really good ideas, but you can hear that we were very young back then. I still like the album because it sounds so rough.

Kingdom of Madness (1997) - When we started to record the album we didn’t have a record deal yet. The songs are more complex compared to “Savage Poetry", but unfortunately the album has a really bad sound.

Vain Glory Opera (1998) - Everything turned out to be great with this album. Good catchy songs and a good sound. We were very proud that people like Hansi Kürsch and Timo Tolkki appeared as guests on this CD and - as well due to that - it was a big step for our career. We gained a lot of new fans with this album and even the critics were satisfied.

Theater of Salvation (1999) - Everything more is a good description for this album. More and bigger choirs, faster songs, a bigger production etc. Theater Of Salvation is still one of my all time favorite songs from us.

The Savage Poetry (2000) - During the Theater Tour many fans were asking for the original version of this album, cause it was really hard to get and there were offers on Ebay for 500$ and more. So we decided to release the album again, but not only in the original version. It was a lot of fun covering our own songs.

Mandrake (2001) - We moved a little bit away from the “bigger & faster" attitude from the theater album and concentrated more on the songs itself. The first album where you can hear some influences that were not very common for a power metal band.

Burning Down The Opera Live! (2003) - I’m very proud of this album, especially of the fans who made the atmosphere on the album so special. Some of the songs sound live a lot harder than the studio versions, but that’s cool.

Hellfire Club (2004) - My personal favourite. I really love the orchestra parts on the album and the “Rock ´n´ roll" attitude in songs like “Lavatory Lovemachine".

Rocket Ride (2006) - For this album it was the first time that we hired an external producer, the well known Sascha Paeth. He gave us a lot of input and some different point of views which was a good experience. We have a lot of different elements on this album and I’m already curious how things will go on for us...

Metal Revolution - When the band is not touring or recording, what do you guys like to do?
Jens - Well, if we’re not touring or recording albums we use the time to take care about all the things that we cannot do while being on tour, especially spend time with family and friends. It’s weired: When we’re on tour for a long time we sometimes long for coming home and when we’re home we cannot wait for going on tour again.

Metal Revolution - Is there any particular band that you would like to play on the same stage?
Jens - Yeah, AC/DC & KISS.

Metal Revolution - If it's possible, make a comment on the worst situation that the band had on stage or of stage.
Jens - There is no worst situation on stage, it’s just the biggest challenge! So we tried to make the best out of it, even if I don’t remember exactly what or when it was...

Metal Revolution - Besides the recording of the live DVD in Sao Paulo, what are the next plans for the band? Is there any possibility of a live album next year?
Jens - We’ll see. After the South American Tour we’ll start working for the next album and besides that we’ll have some more shows.

Metal Revolution - Thank you so much for this interview, this space is now yours to say whatever you want to readers of metal revolution and your fans.
Jens - Thanx & See you all soon!!!! Take care, Jens