CASPER: When Tom Smith (EDITORS) came to Berlin to work on a song with me I was sweating so much, because I’m such a fan of his music.
There are two features on “Hinterland”. One with KRAFTKLUB, who have the same management as you have, and one with EDITORS. How did the EDITORS feature came up?
Well…Tom Smith finished the new EDITORS album and told his publishers that he would like to collaborate with other artists, since he never did that before. As far as I know he also wrote pop songs in the UK, but wasn’t really convinced by the pop world. Then his publisher told him about that rap guy from Germany who released a record called “XOXO” that became extremely huge. And that this guy is talking about EDITORS all the time. At the same time someone from a German label told Tom Smith that he should check out my record. So he listened to “XOXO”, wanted to come to Berlin and write a song with me. I was super-excited, because suddenly I wrote emails with him and sent him song ideas. Then he came to Berlin and I was sweating so much, because I’m such a fan of his music. That was really great. Now we are something like pen friends, write email to each other… But also the three/four days he was here were totally relaxed, we were talking about music and how the song we write together should sound like. What I really like about this collaboration is that it is a true and real thing that wasn’t bought but really grew over time. Of course the start came via business stuff, but still this is a true thing.
But is this international collaboration the first step outside the German market for you?
Well, HURTS hyped me a lot in the UK. And after the NME feature I still have some things on my list: pitchfork, NME Mag, a song with JUDITH HOLOFERNES and an US tour.
Your a-level grade?
3,4. I’m not as smart as people might think haha.
What is your favorite flower?
I don’t have an opinion to flowers. Well, it might be a goth-cliché, but shortly I saw a black rose and it looked really nice.
Do you already have a support act for your next tour?
There was one, but that one sadly jumped off. I really can’t tell about the new one, since we just sent out the request.
Will there be a club tour without band just with DJ?
Yes, definitely. Before that a lot of other things will happen, but I can’t tell them right now. That’s still a secret. But yes.
With which artist would you like to work together someday?
MAX RAABE.
Since you often wear shirts of hardcore bands: would you rather listen to rap or to hardcore at home?
I listen to everything. Today I listened to MASK INTRUDER, COLLISEUM, GRAVEYARD, ASAP FERG, BIG SHAWN, DARKTHRONE. I really listen to all of them.
What comes after “Hinterland”? Do you already have plans?
Maybe this goes together with the DJ tour. Who knows. (laughs)