Taipei Metal

Gamma Ray: On To the Metal

Very few musicians ever have the chance to be in a band with someone who is regarded as the so-called father of an entire sub genre of music. But Gamma Ray's Dirk Schlachter has had the opportunity to play alongside power metal progenitor Kai Hansen for the past two decades, first as a guest bassist on the band's debut album, Heading for Tomorrow, then as rhythm guitarist, and now once again as a bassist. Over the course of ten studio albums, the animated and affable bass player has served as a vital part of Gamma Ray's lineup, contributing more than just galloping bass lines and rock solid rhythms, and has become a seemingly irreplaceable songwriter in the band. In April, Gamma Ray added their name to the ever growing list of metal bands that can now add Taipei to their list of cities played, and Schlachter spoke to Fight about all things Gamma Ray.

Fight: Gamma Ray has toured all around the world. How do you feel the different scenes compare to each other in terms of their reaction to your band?

Dirk Schlachter: The reaction is always good, but how the people show it is different. In Germany they are enjoying the show, but they are not moving that much. They don't show off like, for example, in Spain. The last show in Korea the fans were completely wild. It was amazing how crazy they were. This is somehow different all over the world, but everybody enjoys it, otherwise they wouldn't come to the show. Actually, I don't know what's it about, whether they go wild or not. When you're playing this kind of music you need some movement back. I am not standing on one spot as well.

F: If you do have a crowd that's kind of disappointing for you while you're on stage, how do you deal with that?

DS: That's pretty difficult because during the first three songs I need to switch to them, to the same mood. That also means that I don't move too much as well, that doesn't fit for me. If I move a lot, and they do as well, then you have the same vibe. Esoteric guys would say some energy is flowing. However you call it, there is something going on. If I move like a monkey on speed and they just stare at me that's doesn't work, so I calm down also. I prefer to go wild.

F: For the latest album, To the Metal, you are coming out with four different versions of it. A lot of bands are doing things like that these days. Do you think that's necessary in today's musical climate to get people to buy CDs?

DS: Yeah, these ideas are coming from the record company because the CD sales are damn down compared to, let's say, 10 years ago, that's half of it. It's hard to keep the machinery working like we're used to. So they need to put out several products actually with the same music, some variations of course, that they make some profit. With this money we make with the CD sales, actually we couldn't survive with that. It's impossible. You need to tour, you need the merchandise, all together. And then whenever I have spare time I do other work. I work in the studio. I work for other bands as a sound engineer. I do sometimes work as a musician for other things. For me it's impossible, three months no money. Also I have two kids.

F: So if you were just doing Gamma Ray that would not be enough to sustain you.

DS: It would be OK, but it would be no fun. It would be more surviving than living. It's possible, but there will always be some month where you really need to look at the bank account. Is there still enough for the next month or not? And that was not like this in the past.

F: Your music has dealt with such a wide variety of themes, everything from aliens and vampires to the environment and suicide. What has led you to explore such a range of subjects?

DS: Well, it's everything that comes to your mind. It's stories from life, what you see, news from all over the world, dreams, fantasies, fears, private experiences, sad things. In the past sometimes we had a little concept for an album, like a red line for the music and also for the lyrics. For example, with Land of the Free, that gives you all the space to put everything in. At least you can explain everything. So this time on the To the Metal album it's really a mix of everything. Kai's mom died in early 2008, my father passed way four years ago, so “No Need to Cry” is dedicated to my father directly like I would talk to him now. Actually “Mother Angel” is to Kai's mom. And then the songs from Henjo is just fantastic experiences he had. He had the lyrics after he met a fantastic girl and had a fantastic night. The next time we wrote he said, “I've changed the lyrics from this song, it's called now 'Queen of the Night.'” This time on the album it's ten different songs, musically and lyrically.

F: What is it like for you to play “No Need to Cry” live?

DS: It depends; if the guys play it good it really gets me. If the guys don't groove this song I'll concentrate to make it better grooving. Actually this mid part with the acoustic guitar and singing is not easy to sing that part, and I'm not used to playing guitar and singing at the same time. I'm always a little stressed in my head for this part. After that I'm relaxed again. Sometimes it's moving and sometimes it's very concentrated playing. It's heavy because to make a ballad groove you really need to catch this wave.

F: What does the title, To the Metal, refer to?

DS: We talked a lot about this because we knew when we put this title we're stuck. That's our definition  of our way, like we see heavy metal today. It's actually three things. The energy you feel in Gamma Ray's music is this pedal to the metal thing. Then to the metal, like “cheers.” And then like a direction to go to. These three things combine in the title.

F: To the Metal received mixed reviews when it came out. What was your reaction?

DS: Well actually there was no bad review. The song we were really curious about how people would like it was “Empathy,” with this disco beat chorus; this typically modern style. And funnier was everybody liked that one. And with the other songs everybody has its favorite because there's this different styles. The thing is, if we don't do something like “Rise,” this typical melodic speed metal stuff, that's what the old fans expect from us. And of course some people love this and some, it's that boring old shit again. But nobody's really complaining. Some like it that this style is there, some say the new stuff, this “Empathy” thing is good as well. We serve everybody, actually, the ones who like a little bit more progressive and this old school power metal style and these modern elements we put in. I have not read anything where they say “That's not it.”

F: Is this something that's on your minds when you are writing, the fact that you need to please the old school fans while still moving forward musically?

DS: We talk about it and of course we think about it. Sometimes we think about it when we do a part of a song we think is very melodious. Anybody will say, for example, “The Japanese will like that.” And another part we'll say, “The Americans will like that.” Actually we're really free first, but we've been playing together in this lineup for 13 years now and we know what we're doing and we know each other. I can't serve something completely modern jazz fusion style and let Kai sing about it. And I can't write any song that needs a voice that he can't sing. That's what I think of when I'm composing. I'm thinking, how could Daniel play this? So I program the drum already like I think he would play it. Also I'm thinking how will Kai sing this? I sing my demos so I know it's singable.

F: You guys  are now on your second recording studio that you have built yourselves. How does this affect the process of writing and recording?

DS: It gives you freedom to try many things; to try things until you are happy with it. Although sometimes I really wish the guys would  be quicker with their things. Sometimes I wish we had the old times and we were stuck as a band for for three months in the studio and you need to do it from the drum setup to the final mix.

F: What are you goals from this point on?

DS: We have some plans what we want to do next. We don't want to do just the next album. We are thinking about combining something like we did with Skeletons in the Closet, somehow to combine a Skeletons in the Closet Part II, we won't call it like this, but from the way like the set list is made, songs that we have never played live. We'll make this offer to any promoter to do two shows in every city, a Skeletons Part II show with really new songs, and the next day or the day before maybe even in a different venue do what we have never done before, an unplugged show with acoustics and piano and there play these old time Gamma Ray classics. That would be a nice package for a DVD or CD as well, and then do the next album.

By Joe Henley