Interview with Michael Kiske about "Past in Different Ways" promo, Helloween past, Avantasia songs... False metal, Jesus Christ and much more.CHeck it out at this location.

M.S: First of all, Michael, thank you very much for your time and for answering us. Your name has always been associated to 2 terms: “polemic” and “Helloween”, but in these days your new album “Past in Different Ways” is released in our country. What can you tell us about it? How long have you been working on this album?

M.K: One year. And it was a very good thing for me to do. I had BIG doubts at first, but now I know it was necessary.

M.S: Michael, you offer a quite personal album and far away from the Helloween’s classics, because you have chosen less known songs from Helloween. How have you chosen these songs? Why haven’t you included any hit such as “Eagle Fly Free” or “I Want Out”?

M.K: Because I didn't want record ''Helloween-Songs'', I wanted to re-record MY OWN Songs to make them mine again.

M.S: I see you have included in your disc some songs from the album “Chamaleon”. What’s your opinion about this album? Why do you think that many Helloween fans don’t like this album? I must say, that I love “Chameleon” because its sound was different from the sound that we were used to listening in those years. And I think you have chosen the best tracks of it, such as “I Relieve” and “Longing”.

M.K: The best records we did (during my time) were the keeper-records in my eyes, because that was the time when we were functioning as a band. After Kay Hansen's departure it didn't work anymore on the personal level. Mr. Weikath was starting his false games especially behind my back. But I think Chameleon was an honest record; and that's all that matters to me in the end. But it wasn't a band-record anymore. I also just re-recorded MY OWN songs from Chameleon. -

M.S: Your  voice hasn’t changed at all through all these years. What do you do to keep transmitting feelings and melodies with your voice? Do you have any special care for your voice or do you have any training to modulate it?

M.K: Not really. I practise far too little these days! But I never smoked and never drank alcohol, maybe that helped. (Alcohol makes us stupid anyway. It buries us inside of our physical body and kills all spirituality. With alcohol and drugs we invite the demos into our souls ...)

M.S: Coming back to your new album, it reminds a bit to the classic Helloween. A track that surprised me is “A Little Time”, a power metal song that sounds fantastic. What do you think about this song? Do you like how it has been fixed  in the album?

M.K: They all turned out very nice (luckily), but I could have worked on the original pre-Helloween version of >A Little Time< instead; but I had this idea far too late. -

M.S: The production of  your new work has surprised me as well, it has a very clean sound. Michael, what musicians have helped you to make this album? I have news that say that you are preparing a more personal solo album at the end of the year; could you tell me something about it? What kind of sound can Michael Kiske’s fans find in this next album?

M.K: It's the same musicians which helped me out on the last KISKE-record as well; very good friends of mine and very good musicians too. I never try to repeat myself, so the next CD will be different again. I guess it will be a bit more epic. I will also use electric-guitars again; not metal-guitars! But rocking guitars. I will make a colourful album hopefully. -

M.S: Coming back to “Past in Different Ways”, Do you think that old Helloween fans may consider this album as a kind heresy due to re-recording these tracks from the German band?

M.K: I don't really care anymore about these types of music-popes and philistines I must say. I can record my own music even as Spanish-folk-songs if I feel like it, and I don't need to ask for anyone's permission about that. I personally think, after how the band has treated me and talked bullsh... about me over the years, it would be rather a heresy NOT to take my beautiful songs back again. This makes morally a lot of sense to me; but the metal-scene has totally false morals anyway. That's because this scene is kissing the ass of a false god far too much = the antichrist. I don't believe in metal-morals. I believe in free (= true) music and in Jesus Christ. -

M.S: As you know, some Helloween founders, 2 or 3 years ago, left the band to form new projects such as Masterplan… Do you follow the new path that they have chosen? What do you think about these projects apart from Helloween?

M.K: I don't follow it; not even the Helloween path, I must admit. Of course I know the songs I did vocals for a few years ago, but that's it. I use my daytime very different these days.

M.S: I’d like you to tell Metal Symphony’s readers what’s your opinion about your participation in the new Avantasia’s album, I think you already participated in the first Tobias Sammet’s album. How was Tobias’ invitation for you to participate again in Avantasia?
Sincerely, “Lost in the Space” is really powerful, do you like this song?
Do you think that with this third album, Avantasia is changing the musical point to a new one near to rock and far from heavy metal?

M.K: I like the new material of Tobi and I support him for having the guts to move on and be a more FREE musician. Musicians shall NEVER make records to please markets or critics; THAT'S false music. But as I said, the metal-world tends to have its own ''morals'' here ... As a FREE musician you will always be a ''betrayer'' for metal-fascists. But you have to be true to yourself, because that makes true music. If you're not true to yourself, you're a betrayer of yourself and GOD. We both know, that's when certain mentalities call you ''true'' again, but it's just a lie. Metal generally loves to turn everything around: morality, the cross, the pentagram, the truth ... I learned trough metal a lot about what it right and what is wrong, so I thank that scene for that! I can still enjoy a good-hearted rocking song, but I don't need false music-scenes or dogmas to follow in my life. >Lost in Space< is my favorite songs on Tobi's album. Unfortunately my vocals didn't make it on the album, just on a download-version. -

M.S: Another thing. Here in Spain, you have many fans, will we be able to see you here on the stage with your solo albums or with Avantasia?

M.K: Maybe after the next KISKE-Album; we'll see.

M.S: We see you are a very active musician due to your participation in various projects, but apart from Rock and Heavy Metal, do you listen to other kind of music? Do you participate in any other project apart from Rock?

M.K: I listen mainly to classical music these days. And when it comes to modern music it's more like: U2, Keane, Alanis Morissette, Travis, Elvis, the Beatles ...

M.S:This is all. Thanks for your time to answer to Metal Symphony and we hope to see you over here as soon as possible. Thank you very much again.

M.K: My pleasure!
Michael

Luis Ignacio Orós.