INTERVIEW TO PLACE VENDOME with Michael Kiske (italian version)
by Massimo Salari

After all i’d like to say that i’ve appreciated a lot “Elluva Time”, can you tell me the genesis of this project?
Serafino, the owner of Frontiers records came up with this whole idea, and I liked it.

After so many years spent in the music world, don’t you fell the need of a real band?
You can't make bands, they just happen. I gave up on making bands.

Avantasia, Aina, Timo Tolkki and many others, you did a lot of collaborations, which artist was the one that give to you the best humanitary speaking?
Aina and Place Vendome I felt most close to.

And as an artist?
I was just doing vocals there, my own music will always be the most organic and closest.

You came from heavy metal, but in this new project you play very melodic, does it was a sort of evolution or do you want to play harder in future?
I don't like hard music anymore. I like friendly rock/pop these day and mainly classical music. I find hard negative now.

Art is synonim of freedom, but in your opinion nowaday this is still true?
It has all become a full lie. The Industry and the markets dictate the music now. If you don't serve, you die. It gets almost impossible to stay free and real these days.

The production of the new album was very good, but in the song “Cross the Line” it seems to me that the rhythm section is a bit low?
Unfortunately the guitars are too loud on some songs; that makes the hearing a bit nerve-racking sometimes.

Where do you find the inspiration to write the sweet “Too Late”?
I did write any of the songs. It was all Dennis Ward and friends.

“Place Vendome” is my fave song, what can you tell me about?
It's my favorite too, together with ''I Will Be Waiting''. Those songs are positive Pop/Rock songs, and that's what I like the best.

Very nice is also the cover art, what does it mean?
I think it's the Place Vendome in Paris. And the eagle stands for spiritual freedom. That's what I liked about it.

Can you tell us something about the musicians that played with you in PV?
Not really, I never met them. Just Email and telephone converasions with Dennis and Uwe.

If you look back to your carreer, what do you feel right and what’s wrong?
The first three years in Helloween were right and great, the last years a plain nightmare.

In your opinion what is that made great an artist?
Always personality and spirituality. Music isn't physical, it's plain spirit.

There are some new singers that you like?
I love Martina McBride, Bono, Elvis ... not really new people. The newer music doesn't have many very good singers anymore. Teenagers think it's more cool just to sing without many scills. That's also fine, but I still enjoy real singers. And I can't stand (C)Rap!

Listening to your voice i’ve found it always very emotionally, which is the secret to keep it safe in the years?
No secrets here. Well, I don't drink alcohol and dont smoke. And I also I didn't sing much in the last 13 years, so I never burned my voice I guess.

German sound is very distinctive for heavy metal, what developments will be in the future?
No idea, and I don't care much either. I personally think the Metal scene of the eighties was much more creative and true and much more original. Theses days everything seems to be just negative and unproductive. Nothing really new. I think the Metal-scenen dies out because of its own negativity and art-enemy ideals. I don't like the Metal-scenen at all anymore today.

I’ve heard about a new solo album from you, can you give us some anticipations?
It's going to be very melodic rockmusic, but not hardrock or Metal. My songwriting evolved lots I think. The CD could hit the market early summer 2006.

I’ve got a good remember of Instant Clarity, how it was to work with Adrian Smith?
Adrian is a very easy guy to be with. Most uncomplicated, I enjoyed it.

Europe is experiencing a difficult time with a lot of challengies (I’m speaking about politics and economy), what do you think about?
As long as we live in a full dictation of money, humanity will go more and more down. Humanity must always come first, not money! As you maybe know: we can't serve GOD and mammon (Mathew 6,24/Luke 16,13). Materialism means the death of all culture.

If you like, you can leave our readers with a suggestion and a salute…
Go back to buying CDs guys and girls! If you want good and real music to stay around any longer, you've simply got to support it! Anyone who copies or downloads music illegally kills those bands and musicians.
That message is much more important than anything else right now, because it's NOT working anymore with these new generations.

MS

Reviews (in italian): Place Vendome