So what if the years have passed? My love for Brainstorm’s music has remained steadfast. After decades of waiting, when I finally got the chance to see them live again, I couldn’t resist chasing them down for an interview. After their soundcheck, I caught up with Torsten Ihlenfeld and Andy B. Franck!
Interview: Michael Ntalakos
Rockpages.gr: Even though this is a one-off show, I’d like you to tell me how your “Plague Of Rats” tour went?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: Yes, indeed, this is a one-off concert. You have no idea how happy I am that we’re back here after so many years. Overall, I can say that the shows for “Plague Of Rats” were a huge success.
Rockpages.gr: The album has been out for a year now; how do you feel about the material on it?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: We’re very satisfied with this album. It’s one of our most successful albums, so our fans really loved it too. For us, it’s very important that after all these years, our fans continue to support us more and more enthusiastically!
Andy B. Franck: It’s a strong Brainstorm album. I believe we gave our fans exactly what they wanted from us without radically changing our sound.
Rockpages.gr: You’ve always had a darker sound compared to most European power metal bands. Was that a conscious choice or a natural evolution in your music?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: Yes, well we never wanted to be very successful (laughs). No, we all love USPM, and that genre has always had a darker sound compared to Europe. We grew up with that sound; of course, we always listened to all the classic bands as well. I believe that shaped our sound from an early stage.
Rockpages.gr: What comes first when composing new songs? The music or the lyrics?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: It depends on the song. Usually, I’d say the music comes first, and then Andy builds his melodies on top of that. Sometimes, though, he has good ideas of his own.
Andy B. Franck: Sometimes, not always (laughs)
Rockpages.gr: Sometimes is better than never (laughs)
Andy B. Franck: I’ll take that (laughs)
Rockpages.gr: Andy, how have you managed to keep your voice in such great shape after all these years?
Andy B. Franck: I have no idea (laughs). Yeah, I can’t say that it doesn’t get harder as the years go by. Still, my voice remains very good. You know, as long as I continue to enjoy singing, I’ll keep doing it. It’s definitely important to be in good physical shape; of course, that has to do with many things, not just the voice.
Rockpages.gr: For a band like yours with such a distinctive sound, how difficult is it for you to avoid changing your sound too much, yet also avoid playing the same old songs over and over?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: What I believe is most important is not to lose your roots. Changes in sound come with the passing of the years and don’t bother anyone. But if you lose your roots, then you lose your identity.
Andy B. Franck: Many bands have tried, for example, to become more commercial, but most have failed. Why would I listen to a band that has no musical identity?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: We’re very proud that we’ve managed to establish a unique sound in our music. That’s a very important reason why our fans love us.
Rockpages.gr: Do you think there was a defining moment in your career? If so, what was it?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: Andy joining the band was definitely a defining moment.
Andy B. Franck: Because sometimes I have some good ideas (laughs)
Torsten Ihlenfeld: (laughs) Come on, I’m just kidding. Definitely “Soul Temptation” too—it was the album that opened a lot of doors for us and made us better known. It was our first album to make it onto the charts! Also “Midnight Ghosts.” Look, we’re still here, so we must have done something right (laughs).
Rockpages.gr: We live in strange times. On the one hand, we’re seeing the resurgence of vinyl, and on the other, we have digital platforms…
Andy B. Franck: Streaming definitely means more people know us today than ever before. That’s important. Through this medium, we get messages from fans living in countries we’ve never played in. On the other hand, you don’t make money from streaming platforms, and that’s something you have to accept.
The return of vinyl makes perfect sense to me and is to be expected. Vinyl evokes emotions in people; if you look at who buys vinyl, you’ll understand better what’s going on. It’s those kids who started listening to music through vinyl. Some say it’s nostalgia, but no matter how you look at it, with vinyl you have the beautiful large covers, the whole experience. And you know, it’s not just us older folks who buy them (laughs), but younger people too.
Rockpages.gr: The music industry has always been linked to technology. But now we’re living in the age of AI. What obstacles do musicians face now?
Tosrten: I’ve always said that technology is neutral. So, it all comes down to how it’s used. We see that here, too.
Andy B. Franck: These days, the number one hit in America is an AI creation generated by a program. That says it all for me. It says that many people don’t care whether what they’re listening to was written by a human or a machine. If it’s good for them, they don’t care. I hope this isn’t the beginning of the end, but the signs certainly aren’t the best.
Rockpages.gr: If you were starting Brainstorm today, what would you do differently?
Torsten Ihlenfeld: Everything (laughs). Before we even learned to play an instrument, we’d buy dinosaur costumes or World War I uniforms. It seems like all that stuff sells better than music these days (laughs)
Andy B. Franck: And condoms, lots of condoms (laughs). But joking aside, I’ll tell you that I’m really happy because we grew up in an honest musical environment. No fancy effects, just concerts and music. We didn’t want—and still don’t want—anything else. That’s how I grew up, how we all did. And for the fans of our generation, music has always been—and still is—the number one priority.
Rockpages.gr: Andy is there a song of yours that you find difficult to perform—not because of technical challenges, but because of the emotional aspect?
Andy B. Franck: Hmm… no. But I can tell you that there are certain songs I really love to perform. We can’t always include them in the set list, but whenever I get the chance, we do include them. For example, “End Of Sorrow,” which has a deep message for me.
Rockpages.gr: I don’t want to keep you any longer. I’d like you to wrap up this interview with a message to all your fans here in Greece.
Torsten Ihlenfeld: I can’t tell you how much we really wanted to come back. We love Greece, and Greece loves us. The feelings are mutual.
Andy B. Franck: It took us a little longer than we expected (laughs), but we’re back here. For me, that’s what counts!
