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Kai
Hansen is a brilliant guitar player and is a legend, period.
From his early work with Helloween on their classic records through his
work with his own band Gamma Ray, he has recorded a mountain of work that must
be respected by everybody in the metal community. Metal Exiles had the opportunity to talk with the man himself
has he gave a tour through the new record.
Jeffrey
Easton interviewing Kai Hansen. Metal
Exiles: You went out with Helloween on a European tour.
What was it like being back on stage with Helloween? Kai
Hansen: It was fun.
The way we were on the road was a big family thing.
Metal
Exiles: How did that tour come
together? Kai:
We did quite a few festivals in recent years and we always had time for a
drink and to talk. We would do jam sessions and it always went well and we
thought it would be great if both bands went out on tour together considering we
share the same fans and in the same boat musically.
We also had the historical connection as well so when It was clear that
we had the same release schedules we got together and decided to do it then.
Metal
Exiles: Were you going onstage and jamming the old Helloween material? Kai:
At the end of the show we would all get together and play the classic
Helloween material. Metal
Exiles: Will this package come to
the U.S.? Kai:
You might have the chance but we are working on a package and trying to
find the right people to make it happen. Metal
Exiles: Lets get into the record.
Why the title Land Of The Free II? Kai:
It kind of just happened because after Majestic and the tour we agreed
that we wanted a strong red line to follow, a directive if you will, a
challenge. We decided that it must
be powerful, energetic and with an uplifting mood.
Majestic was the darker side of Gamma Ray, the more sinister side.
This time we wanted to do a more traditional power metal album and we
were bringing up Land Of The Free as an example so we decided to make the new
record part two of that record. It
is trendy to do part twos of
everything now so why don’t we do that as well.
It is also a big challenge to follow up something that successful so it
better be good otherwise people will tear us apart.
We also left it open that if we strayed to far from Land Of The Free we
would give it a different title. When
we heard the stuff in pre-production we knew it was worth the title we gave it. Metal
Exiles: You have a phrase that
caught my eye and that is “positive power’.
What does that mean to you? Kai:
You put on an album and the music keeps you going.
You get up and put on an album to put you in a good mood and get you
started. There are certain albums that that
task and we like to make those albums. That
is the positive part of it. Even if
you write lyrics that do not portray good situations or are not “happy
happy” that is not the point, it is in the music, it must kick your ass and
make you smile. Metal
Exiles: There are not to many
releases that make me kill myself, the 90’s are well over with and it is time
for metal to retake it’s throne. Kai:
There is a lot of bands around that are just simply aggressive or just to
negative and I do not know if that is good.
It is ok if you want to get out some aggressions but I would rather get
it out with positive aggressions. Metal
Exiles: Again you wrote a majority
of the lyrics for this album. What
were you wanting to get out of your system with this record? Kai:
That is a good question. When
we are recording the album we never know where we are going.
When I write my lyrics I just sing into the microphone and sing the
phrases I have in mind. Sometimes
80 percent makes sense and 20 percent sounds good but maybe in the context may
not make sense. When I am done and
think the lyrics are fine I look at it and get the self reflection and it comes
to me that “ahh, this was on your mind, maybe you should go see a
psychologist”. We never know what
comes out but it is always thoughts that you have on your mind and are with you
all the time. One thing that never
leaves me is freedom. There is so
much of the ideal of freedom and the reality of it.
Metal
Exiles: You still live in Germany
correct? Kai:
Yes I do. Metal
Exiles: Was there a time that you
did not know freedom or did you live in Western Germany? Kai:
I live in the West. I cannot
complain and we had a really good time and it is not restricted to much even in
this time of new world order. Not
to be provocative but I think we are freer to live here than in the United
States these days. I can go on the
street and drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes outside and cross the street where
ever I want without being afraid that some cop will stop me.
Metal
Exiles: When you tell me things I
believe you. When you sit down and
write your lyrics, where is this stuff coming from? Kai:
I think what is important to me is phonetics.
It is important that the words fit with the music.
That’s why I have problems with progressive metal because the poor
singer is forced to put words to a hundred strange chords in a row and he has to
find a melody that can never fit. With
me it is important that it goes together. It
forms in my mind how the words must sound and with that they just come out.
Metal
Exiles: You have been playing metal
for quite awhile. What keeps you
going? Kai:
I think it is an inner need, I cannot live without it.
I do not write songs when I am on the road so when I get back home or
have a break I have to go back to the studio and write a song.
It is my shrink I guess. Metal
Exiles: One thing I find
interesting is that you left Sanctuary for SPV.
Why did this transpire? Kai:
This album should have been delivered to Sanctuary as the last album to
full fill the contract. We already
saw that Sanctuary was a sinking ship. Budgets
were cut and we felt that the album we had made would be wasted because nobody
would take care of it. We prayed
for a miracle to save us and get us out of there because we could not really
knock at their door and tell them we were leaving.
Sanctuary was bought by Universal and the tour was booked so we had a
good standing to say that the tour was booked nad you will not be able to
release it before we are supposed to go out so it will harm the bands career.
It would be very fair to let us go to another label who will be willing
to release the album and properly support it.
They ended up releasing us and we ended up getting a few offers and we
were recommended to SPV. Metal
Exiles: Did the fact that Helloween
is on SPV now weigh in on that decision? Kai:
Yes of course. The recommendation came from Helloween’s management because
they have been working with SPV for quite awhile.
They helped us with contract negotiations and such. Metal
Exiles: You brought in Tommy Newton
in to mix the album. What did he
bring that was not already there? Kai:
We could have done everything by ourselves but he brought more relaxation
on our sides. When we mix the
records ourselves it is always stress because we fight for every millimeter of
sound and we thought lets take the pressure of off ourselves and let someone
else do the dirty work. If it goes long, we cannot be blamed. (laughter)
Metal
Exiles: Were you happy with the
results? Kai:
Yeah, if we had done it
ourselves it would have been different but it is good. Metal
Exiles: Where does this record fit
in your catalog? Where does it fit
in with your legacy? Kai:
I think time will tell. It
is hard to tell how an album will be down the road. We will have to see if this
is one of the classics or if it will be just another Gamma Ray album.
I have a feeling that this has the potential to be one of the classics
but I would rather leave that to others to determine. Gamma
Ray are almost 20 years in the making and Land Of The Free II stacks up with
some of their best work! Land Of
The Free II will be a classic because it already is. http://www.gamma-ray.com/
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