RASPUTEEN interview by Elegy

When and how did you form this band ?

Rasputeen was founded in early 2004 when i had no job and was concerned about that. So i thought letting everything out in freestyle lyrics would be a good idea.

Did you need an alternative to your other project, Synapscape? Why?

I think this is no alternative to Synapscape. The aim and music are quite different.
The question is why i need a bunch of different projects for doing music. Synapscape and The Rorschach Garden are my two main projects but i am addicted in doing music, so i also need some space to play around with other ideas which don't fit into the other projects.
Another point is that due to my musical socialisation i grew up with late 70ies music but this 'Neue Deutsch Welle'- thing changed my way in thinking about music completely. From then on it was clear for me that spontaneous ideas right from the guts are more important and even more fun than playing classical music which i did before.
At that age i did not have equipment for that but nowadays i have and that's why i like to create music like this.

What is the main difference between these two concerning the creative process ?

Synapscape is always a collaboration between Tim and me. We talk a lot during composing about the music and if there's something which one of us doesn't feel comfortable with it will be erased immediately. In opposite to Rasputeen, the music of Synapscape is much more complex and it generates different moods and feelings.
Rasputeen is freestyle! Usually a song is finished within a few hours because it's a snapshot of the moment. The music gains some inspiration for lyrics and here we go. I don't write anything on paper or so.
It's only about the direct way from the idea towards manifestation without thinking that much about it.

Do you consider these two projects as two branches of the same tree (the tree would be yourself, then ha ha ha) or do you take care in clearly separating the two as much as possible, artistically speaking ? Do you think one fuels the other ?

Definitely no! It's just one of my things where i can play with if i am not inspired about others.

2006 is your year ! Two Synapscape CDs and a Rasputeen released this year. Are you a hypercreative person ? Is there any other artistic work you have time to perform ?

Well, "Act!" was released in 2005 and for our US- tour we made "Galtons Walk" as a split album with Asche because we were doing the tour together and thought it would be a good idea to present a really fresh release. Usually it takes between one and three years until a release is finished.
I'm not working on all my projects during the same periods. But i'm working constantly and usually my output is about 2- 3 songs in two weeks (if nothing else comes in between...). I wouldn't call myself hypercreative, but music is my passion!!!
Here's a list of all actual projects i am involved in: Synapscape, The Rorschach Garden, Rasputeen, Mandelbrot, Templegarden's and Monokrom.

Rasputeen reminds old oldschool minimal electro and industrial of such bands as DAF. Is a conscious effort or does it come out instinctively ?

For sure a lot of this music inspired me at all. But i'm not cloning these bands. I think it's sometimes a certain coincidence, because in the end i don't care.
I like to play a lot with my old analog stuff, and of course bands like DAF are using the MS- 20 too, so some stuff sounds in a similar way. But even with gear like that you can do different things, which can be heard on the new TRG album which will be released in early 2007.
If i should name some influences those will be: Der Plan, Charles de Goal, DAF, Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle and so on...

Was the name Rasputeen inspired by the famous Kool & the Gang song, hi hi?

Don't know about a song by Kool and the Gang, but there was a song by Boney M. which of course i know. By the way: Boney M. was my first favourite band when i was a kid.
But the story is different. P.A.L gave me a strange rhyme: Rasputin braucht a neue Waschmaschin. (Rasputin needs a new washing machine) Since then my washing machine's name is Rasputin. And then i named this project after my washing machine.
For the first album this version of the name was perfect. But since i started to do more minimal stuff i changed it into Rasputeen.

Could you present us Rasputinette?

She's a shy girl who transforms into Frau Schmidt when we perform on stage.
Then we are up to 7 persons: Frau Schmidt and Larry Light playing synths, Perc 1 and Perc 2 playing metal percussion, Kobes and Wendy for live drafting and catering and of course Rasputeen with vocals.
We played recently on a crazy minimal festival in our hometown and had lots of fun...

I don’t speak german at all. Has Gegen die Wand any concept ? What do you mean by this title ?

The entire album has no concept if you mean things that were done in prog rock bands.
A lot of these songs deal about weird things but 'Gegen die Wand' is a very critical and sad song containing the meaning that if we continue our life and consumption as we do now we surely will run our world against a wall. And that's it. Really sad...

Is the understanding of the lyrics important to apprehend and appreciate the work of Rasputeen ?

Sure you can enjoy without understanding the lyrics but you would miss a lot of funny things and other crap.
I just can express those in german, it's the only language i'm almost able to speak:-)

What can you tell me about the song Komm Kack die Wand an !, chosen for our CD sampler (anecdote, themes, instruments used, inspiration…) ?

It's about friends or people i know who are getting in a very cynical mood. So we just say 'Come on, shit at the wall' which means: stop your bullshit, you're fucked up!
Untypical towards most of the other songs, this was made by software instruments using Ableton Live and our old Yamaha CS-01.

If there was a single from the album, what would it be ? Why ?

We are not interested in the habits of classical rock music. Why should be there a distinct single?
It's up to you all deciding which songs you like - we're not manipulating you - we are looking for, that everybody can evolve and keep a free mind.

Could you help us imagining how Rasputeen is in live performances ?

It's a funny mess and people have a lot to see, and we have lots of fun too. Just read the answer of question 08.

Do you already work on a new Synapscape album ? Any other projects ?

Yes, of course - we never stop. But it's still too early to talk about a certain release date. You will know when it's finished...
The new Rorschach Garden album will be out in early 2007 and me and my wife are doing new tracks for another Mandelbrot release.

A dated discography ?

Check it HERE.

Interviewed by Yannick Blay for Elegy, December 2006