interview-helloweenHello Markus, it's good to hear you. How are you?

I'm good. We are in Karlsruhe at the moment and getting ready for the tour. We've got some last rehearsal sessions to be done. Till the end of the week we also have plans with rehearsals and production – lights, sound and technical stuff. And I guess we are ready for the ride.

In the middle of March you will play your 7-th gig in Bulgaria... your first gig for the Bulgarian fans was 10 years ago! Since then you are a favorite band to the Bulgarian fans.

Oh really. I like that! (Laughs)

With what feelings and expectations you are returning to Bulgaria?

Well I expect the people to be warm and in a good mood as before. It was great

You had two sold-out gigs in Sofia back in 2011. If I can recall correctly no other band has done such thing in Bulgaria.

WOW... Nice!. I like that also!

You are touring again with Gamma Ray. Is there any difference in the way the fans accept you, when you are together with Gamma Ray

Well we will do some stuff together but I cannot tell you what it is right now because it won't be surprise. And yes it just feels right when we play together. We do what we like! We did Keeper Tour Part 1 and part 2 so we decided to make and Hellish Rock Tour part 2.

Do you remember something from your previous visits in Bulgaria?

Well it was great!. It's always great to go back to a country and bring the people a good mood. The fans in Bulgaria are great and playing live it's always like getting close with the people and to see how they feel and think. I think this is the most important thing for a rock band.

So that is why you are always smiling?

Ha-ha-ha Yes!

Your new album "Straight Out of Hell" was released recently. How it is accepted by the fans so far?

They seem to like it pretty much because it has quite good stuff in it. We've went back to much more speedy and traditional stuff, that we did before and people seem to like it and reactions are really positive.

I heard a lot of fans criticizing the album cover art and saying that it's like children's 3D drawing. What do you think about that and what actually is the message behind the album title and artwork?

Well "Straight Out of Hell" is not such a big concept or something. You know, everybody was speaking for the "World ending", 2012 and stuff like that. Obviously we survived and we are coming back "Straight Out Of Hell" ..you know! (Ha-ha-ha)

What about the album artwork and the fans criticizing it?

Well, It wasn't done to be taking serious at all. It's all pumpkin style you know. Everything we do is with a blink of an eye to the fans!

About the songs in the album, which one is your favorite and why?

Oh, it is very hard to say. If you ask me in two years' time, probably I will have a favorite song.

You have been in the band for 30 years now. I guess you have been through good and bad moments. What are the worst things that happen to such happy band like Helloween! And how do you cope with them in order to be smiling every time when playing live?

Well things happen and you cannot go back and change them. You have to learn from your mistakes and learn from your bad times. Probably the worst thing that happen to Helloween was when Ingo committed suicide. We didn't expected that something like this was going to happen, and when you are young you don't know how to react, but we cannot go back and change it. In life every individual has bad time himself but life goes on and as time passes you are healing yourself and try to go on. I guess it is the same with you. Every year you face a lot of shit and you live through it and try not to lose you positive energy .You have to carry on and change your way of thinking in order not to lose you positive attitude. It is not always easy but it happened to all of us.

Helloween took part on the 70 000 tons of metal cruise . If I'm not mistaking this is New experience for you. How is it like to be on such sailing festival?

I was very, very nice I just went with the flow there. Drinking beer, watching bands all day and night. It is very interesting and it was the most intense heavy metal experience in my entire life. People there are very relaxed and cool because they see you everywhere. They don't think you will be back on the bus any second now and miss you. They don't rush to take autographs or picture, because they know you are always around. I liked it a lot because it was different.

You will be playing in new venue in Sofia- Arena Armeec and the smoking in the arena is not allowed according to the Bulgarian laws.

(Laughs) Poor Michael!

Yes that was my question! What is Michael going to do and what can make him to quit the cigarettes?

He will probably stay outside all day long, trying to pre-smoke cigarettes (Laughs). Or probably bring some nicotine plasters or chewing gum.

Is there anything that can make him quit the cigarettes?

(Laughs) I don't know really!. There are some electric cigarettes also, do you know them?

Yes they are big hit here!

I have seen him smoking one on the plane and he wasn't happy! (Laughs)

...So there is nothing that can make him quit?

No, I don't think so. He will find a way.

So, can we expect some surprises on the tour and the show or in near future?

Well ... yes, but if I tell you it won't be a surprise anymore.

Yes that is truth!

You will have to wait until the first show of the tour and you will see!

Ok. So what about plans for the future? Are you guys already planning something new?

Well we just got our album out so the next priority is to do a lot of shows supporting it. Usually during those shows we are making plans for the next album and stuff.. so it is quite early to say.

So you also shoot a video for the Song "Nabataea".

Yes!.

Are you planning some new videos for this album?

Well I think there is going to be one and that is it, because we don't want to waste all of our money for shooting a second or third video. There is not such support from TV or airplay anymore. In The 80's the situation was different when we had the Headbanger's Ball and stuff like that, and when they were playing heavy metal on the TV. Now they don't do so anymore, and we are lucky that we can do even one video. There were times when we make 2 or 3 videos and they never get shown on the TV, because there are no metal shows on TV anymore.

So how about live album or Live DVD?

Well, we haven't thought about that but we are not doing live album or DVD after every album. It will be just few more extra songs, you know. It is better to wait a little.

Can you leave a message to your fans in Bulgaria?

We are coming to Sofia! You cannot stop us it is already too late. You will have to come and be there because it is going to be great. It is too late to stop us now. (Laughs). The show is booked and once you fell in the Helloween trap, you will have to be there.

Thank you very much for this interview. See you here in Sofia

Thank you, see you there Cheers.

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