MS: Hi! How are you? I suppose very occupied with the release of "Mystica",
your new album. How it’s going all the process? Are you satisfied? 
ARP: I`m fine, thanks. I think it is one of my best albums. I really like
all of the songs, so I´m more than satisfied.
MS: First of all I want to ask you about one post recently published in
your official website. In that post you deny that Axel Rudi Pell will play in
the Spanish Metalway Festivals in august, when the official website of the festival
announced your presence many weeks ago. Rock N Rock (Promoter) say in the Metalway
Festival’s Official Website that Axel Rudi Pell won’t play by causes By causes
that nothing have to do with the organization. Can you clarify us all this issue?.
I think that the main ones harmed of all this will be your fans, that will have
to wait to see Axel Rudi Pell in Spain again…
ARP: I´m very sad that we can`t play that 2 festivals. My german concert
agency "Continental Concerts" has been in contact with the Metalway promoter
a long time ago. The problem was that the promoter and my agency never came
to any agreement concerning our salary, which spot we would be on and the playing
time. The last mails of my agency got not replied by the Spanish promoter. In
the meantime I saw my name and logo on the official Metalway website and I was
really pissed about it ! You know…it is definitely not a good way to announce
a band to play when there was absolutely no confirmed agreement between the
promoter and ourselves or my booking agency. That was the reason I called my
agency and said that they have to cancel it immediately. We would have loved
to play in Spain again, believe me, but not that way !
MS: I suppose you are so sad and at the same time maybe so angry about this.
Axel Rudi Pell is very loved here in Spain…
ARP: That`s nice to hear ! We´d been 2 times in Spain so far, 2001 at the
Rockmachina Festival and 2004 at Lorca Rock Festival and we try our best to
play some time soon again !
MS: Said that, we will continue talking about "Mystica", your new album.
What differences will find the fans between your new creation and your last
albums?
ARP: It is a logical continuation. Every time I´m doing a new album I try
to top the last one and hopefully this time it worked ! I think the songs on
Mystica are more mature although it is a typical Axel Rudi Pell album. I will
never change my style, because that is true music written with my heart and
soul.
MS: Which are those songs of "Mystica" you have special affection? Can you
tell us why?
ARP: I can`t name just one song because I think they are all really cool
!
MS: From my point of view, Axel Rudi Pell is one of the best bands of the
world composing ballads. What inspires Axel Rudi Pell to composing ballads?.
How is the composition process?
ARP: It is not different from any other song composing. I`m collecting several
ideas over a period of a few months and then I´m making the real songs out of
it. If I have an idea of a ballad then I write a ballad, if not then not. I
can`t sit down and say "Now I have to write a song!" This definitely doesn`t
work with me. I can`t be creative when you push a button. Like wine it needs
to ripen.
MS: Why "Mystica" as the name of the album? I think is a great and a typical
name that you could have chosen, it describes perfectly many aspects of the
sound you practice…
ARP: Yes, you are right ! It also has something to do with the lyrics. Apart
from "Living A Lie" which is about a bad love relationship and "Rock The Nation"
which is about a Rock Bands life on tour and "No chance to live" which is about
sad animals in test laboratories, all other songs are about the 5 "knights"
trying to return home and some dark forces are trying to stop them…
MS: Axel Rudi Pell is one of those bands that practically every year have
a new disc in the stores. You are not scared of the possible indifference of
the people some day?
ARP: No, why ? Every new album sells better than the one before and my fans
are growing with me and my music. I guess I´ll do another 17 albums… hahahaaaaa…
MS: After many changes in your lineup it seems you have found a group of
musicians who understand exactly what you want but, it has been so hard, t isn’t?
Do you consider yourself so exigent?
ARP: Now I do have musicians around me who are absolutely awesome. I don`t
see any reason why I should change that line-up.
MS: One difficult question. If you had to chose one ideal lineup for Axel
Rudi Pell, what would be?. Chose past and present members of the band!
ARP: Of course the current line-up !!!
MS: What are your present plans for the rest of the year? Maybe a new DVD?
ARP: We will play the first part of the Mystica tour in September / October.
The second part will take place around January / February next year. I guess
we will not do another DVD in the near future, but I can promise that you don`t
have to wait another 2 years for a new Pell album.
MS: You will tour to show us "Mystica" I suppose…In spite of you probably
don’t play at Metalway Festivals finally, have you intentions to play another
dates here in Spain?. It would be a great new for all of your fans because we’re
not customary to see you in our land…
ARP: I hope that we can play a few dates during our second part of the Mystica
tour and hopefully we can play at any festival next year.
MS: Everybody knows Axel Rudi Pell is a very occupied man. Always composing,
recording, touring and sometimes collaborating with other musicians but, How
is a day in the ARP’s life?
ARP: Maybe I can give you an example of a recent day: I´m waking up not
too early and after breakfast I read all the news in the newspaper and the Internet.
Then I have to do interviews for the new album from 2PM till 10PM nearly non-stop
with a small break for dinner in between. Then I talk to my wife a bit… and
check the News again. Sometimes I take out the guitar and play till 3 or 4 at
night…
MS: Here in Spain (and in all the world) there are many young guitarists
that all the nights dream about being somebody like you. What advice you would
give them?
ARP: Don`t give up ! Practice every day for a few hours and find your own
style ! Sometimes success can take much longer than you might think. Never listen
to others concerning your "own" music and try to be yourself. Maybe you have
luck…
MS: We have come to the end of the interview, do you want to add something
for the Metal Symphony audience?
ARP: Yes ! I hope that you like our new album and we
