Deborah:
Hi Michael,
In these days I was reading some Italian Webzines, and someone has posted a new about your acoustic project, and believe me... I'm still angry after hours and hours!
Many persons (the major part) used to blame and critic you in every ways possibles, people who say: "Mr.Kiske You used to eat from Helloween's songs, then you criticized them and metal music, and now you want to record Helloween's songs and go to EAT again from them?"
What do you think about it? Wanna reply to them?
Deborah Schwichtenberg (Miss_Ingo)
Michael Kiske: Don't worry! I don't give a hack about this; and it's also absolutely nothing new to me either. The metal-world is full of people who bark and complain and bark and complain forever anyway, no matter what I do, unless they get to hear what they want to hear. They will always search for reasons to cry. I was part of that band, so I didn't just ''EAT'' from them - that's a very weird way of thinking - I was BUILDING the band for 7 years together with the original members – so they ''ate'' just as much from me - and after a while we just didn't get along anymore personally; that's it. And no one can forbid me to re-record acoustic-version of MY OWN songs from that time. That's a joke! I don't think I have to ask "metal-popes" for their permission to do that. If I feel like doing this, I do it anyway! Why shouldn't I? I'm NOT leading a war against my Helloween past, I'm leading a war for "freedom of musical speech" and true "human friendly music". The good first Helloween years were absolutely great; I don't reject them at all, and I think it was a cool idea from Serafino (Frontiers-Records) to give my songs of the past a new acoustic-sound that fits me today. Because on one hand this shows that I don't reject my past; and on the other hand it can maybe give some more open-minded people another perspective at those songs. And if anyone doesn't like that idea: no one forces him or her to listen to it. These new recordings will NOT AT ALL sound like Helloween or Metal; so it is VERY stupid to put it the way some do. I have already started to go through some arrangements, and it's big fun; I'm really excited about this. Those early songs of mine were not so bad at all, and they work great as acoustics. -
Unfortunately, Deborah, heavy-metal these days means a lot of negativity, dogmatism and art-enemy-mentalities. Many of those minds really believe THEY have to tell musicians what they are ''allowed'' to do or not (as you can see again). And they can only look at everything from a negative and destructive angle; they will always put everything in a way so they can slander around about it. They just can't help it! And a lot of them don't even understand what I am talking about, when I'm explaining my ways of thinking.
They also intentionally mix things up which are separate issues. I don't say anything bad about Helloween, just about the general metal-scene and its sick love for evil and anti-art-attitude. I had my problems with one particular person in the band who plays very stupid games, and sometimes I have to defend myself a bit because of the lies this particular person (successfully) likes to spread about me, but I enjoyed the first H-years a lot. The true reason for the hatred I always receive is that I name what is totally false about today's heavy-metal-scene; and THAT'S really what many are so pissed about. So they try to make me look like an ass wherever they can.
They call ''truth'' what pleases their egos and false what doesn't. In an almost fascistic way metal tries to dictate laws for thinking and music, and if you don't follow those laws, you ''betray'' them. But THAT spirit is a pure betrayal of freedom and true music in itself. So to be true to yourself, you've got to ''betray'' that dogmatism sooner or later.
They simply don't LIKE how I think, Deborah, so they will always find reasons to talk bullshit. And they won't stop either. They know no respect for the individual. But who cares! It's never fun, but I learned to live with it. -
But I also must admit that I'm always newly surprised again about the idiotic reactions of certain smart-asses there; about what they cherish and what they condemn. I can't see at all where my ''crime'' is supposed to be? All they can always just bring up against me are false-insinuations and lies that the 'particular person' planted in their weak heads. I'm just myself! And I think this acoustic-album of my past is a very nice idea, which should actually cause some excitement and maybe even some peace – in the end it will be just another good record and a 'Yes' to my songs of the past - but certain minds obviously function in different ways. But they won't have any effect on what I am doing anyway; that's for sure! I won't allow that to happen. And my friends are going to enjoy this CD. -
I am slowly building my own fan-base now; and I don't really need to know about all the nonsense certain jerks like to spread about me. They can really fuck-off big time! And you shouldn't let this get to you either, Deborah. Believe me: it ain't worth it!
I'm trying to lead a clean live, I'm not a perfect man, but I'm always straight forward and honest; so who are those a-holes to preach me morals?! - They certainly don't stand for MY morals! -
Michael Kiske
