PROTECTOR (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for answering to our questions. What’s PROTECTOR currently up to? How is everything doing into the band’s camp?
Well everything is just fine, thank you! We have finished recording some songs for two split-singles with Erazor and Ungod. We are also working on new material for an upcoming LP. And in the beginning of September we’ll play two gigs in Germany.
– You joined the band back in 1987, after they released their first demo. How did everything start? If I’m not mistaken back then you were playing in a band called INZEST, what kind of activity did that band have?
Inzest was mainly a rehearsal-room band back then. When I had left the band they started recording demos and play live. Protectors drummer had heard some rehearsal-room recordings from Inzest, and he liked my voice, so he asked me if I would like to join Protector. I knew their demo, and liked it a lot, so I said yes right away.
– During that time the Thrash Metal scene was really strong in Germany so, were things easy back then for a new Thrash Metal band or the competence was too huge? Anyway during the 80’s you managed to play a lot with several well-known acts.
Yes, we played with Sodom, Messiah and Assassin among others. When Protector started in 1986, the scene was allready quite big, so it was more difficult, than just 2-3 years earlier, to become a well-known band.
– In fact one of your first gigs ever was with SODOM. How did you live hat experience?
Michael knew Sodom because he had done their fanclub around 1985/1986. So when he asked Tom, if they wanted to play with us in Braunschweig (a gig we organized ourselves), they said yes. It was a great gig.
– Later, Tom Angelripper was a guest star on your debut album, “Golem”. Did you keep in contact with him after that show?
A little bit yes. But i lost the contact with him back in the 90s. When they played in Stockholm together with Kreator and Destruction (I think it was in 2001), we started to have some contact again.
– After that, in 1989, you left the band for first time. What made you leave? After this you formed the cover band MARTIN MISSY AND THE PROTECTORS. What was your main motivation behind this?
I suffered from panic- and anxiety-attacks at that time, caused by the use of drugs, so I couldn’t focus on the music anymore. The best thing was to stop singing in Protector and taking care about myself. I formed the Protector-coverband Martin Missy and the Protectors in 2005, because I felt that there still was an interest among a lot of Metalheads to hear our songs live.
– Anyway you got back to the band for the “Urm the Mad” album. What caused this?
I started to feel a little better in the summer of 1989, so I returned to the band, wrote the lyrics for Urm the Mad, and recorded the vocals for it at the Phoenix studio in Bochum.
– But after that you left the band “definitely”. What made you think your mind again and why did you decide to come back so many years later?
I felt that I lacked the passion and energy to really and wholeheartedly continue to sing in a Thrash Metal band like Protector. The others realized that too, so I was replaced definetly by Olly Wiebel in the end of 1989. In 2005 I thought it would be a cool idea to start a Protector-coverband. In the years that followed a lot of fans told us that they liked listening to Protector-songs live, so in 2011 we decided to start writing new songs and to reactivate Protector again.
– Though back then you weren’t in PROTECTOR anymore, you wrote all the lyrics for the “Leviathan’s Desire” EP. Did the fact you weren’t credited bother you?
I was a little disappointed by that, yes.
– After Michael Hasse passed away Marco Pape decided to keep on going with the band with a new line-up, and he also released the “Lost in Eternity” compilation. How did you feel back then about all this?
I didn’t care so much about what Protector did or which records they recorded in the 90s. I’m not sure what the reason for that was. Maybe it was just that I had turned the page, and started a new chapter of my life, a chapter that did not involve Protector. But I appreciate a lot what Olly and Marco did for and with Protector back then.
– And talking about such, what are your thoughts on the PROTECTOR album without you? As they seemed to be more Death Metal oriented.
Well, I didn’t listen to them that much back then, but today I think they are good albums. I like Protectors earlier recordings better though, because I like Thrash Metal more than Death Metal.
– Now you are also working with a new line-up and the band is relocated in Sweden. Was it easy to find the proper members for the band?
I met a Metalhead named Jonas Svensson at a Nifelheim aftershow-party in Stockholm in 2005. He offered me to find some oldschool-guys in his hometown Uddevalla so I could form the coverband Martin Missy and the Protectors. He went back to Uddevalla, which is about 500 kilometers from Stockholm by the way, and recruited Carl-Gustav Karlsson (drums), Michael Carlsson (guitar) and Mathias Johansson (bass).
– And recently came out the boxset “Wolfsburg Edition”, which featured some of your early demos plus de “Death Attack” EP. How did you come up with the idea of releasing this material with To the Death?
It was To The Deaths idea, and I liked it a lot, so we went for it.
– In fact this limited edition it’s already sold out so, what are your feelings about it? Since the band “hiatus” (so to speak, as you haven’t had much studio activity) technology has changed a lot and tools as the Internet provide people, and younger generations, an easy access to underground bands and albums. Even maybe due to this some of your earlier pieces are now considered cult albums. Have you noticed all this and how promotion tools have changed throughout the years?
I think the internet is a good way to spread the word. Especially a lot of younger Metalheads learn about us that way, as you said. Back in the 80s it was more difficult to make an impact. You really had to appear in a lot of fanzines to spread your name, or be more active in tape-trading, which we weren’t
– You’ve said several times you have never been satisfied with any PROTECTOR’s cover artwork so, haven’t you thought about (or haven’t got any offer) to re-release any of your records with a new artwork? Or any re-release in vinyl? As it seems to be again a huge interest for this format.
It’s true that I always was a little bit disapointed about our covers, especially when I compared them to the cool covers Kreator, Sodom or Destruction used to have, but I would never like to re-release the old recordings with a new cover. The covers are a part of the recording as well as the music.
– With a new line-up and this box set; is PROTECTOR facing a new period? You haven’t released a new studio album since 1993 so, can we expect a full-length album anytime soon?
We have released a four track rehearsal on CD and vinyl, and are at the moment writing new material for an upcoming record. We haven’t found a recordcompany yet, but we hope to do so, as soon as we have at least 10 songs ready.
– If I’m not mistaken you will soon unleashed a split album with ERAZOR and another one with UNGOD. Could you tell us any further details about it?
The songs are recorded and will only have to be mixed now. There will be one new song on the Erazor-split and two new songs (plus an old one) on the Ungod-split.
– And finally, what are your near-future plans? After this “comeback” (so to speak), can we expect regular activity from you?
We will continue to keep a low profile. All bandmembers have jobs and play in other bands. I became a father of twins in december 2011. We will continue to play live maybe 5-6 times a year and try to release records.
– That has been everything from my side, thank you once more. If you want to add some final words; last lines are all yours.
Thank you for doing this interview with me! Stay Metal and feel free to visit our pages on Myspace and Facebook!
