Featuring RALPH Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl Date:26 maart 2009 From:Stahlnebel
RALPH could you please shortly introduce our readers your music project Stahlnebel ?
Hello Ruud, gladly...i create STAHLNEBEL in august 2006 with my friends Volker and Branko.Our only target was,to have some fun and our dream was to create only ONE cool song for our favorite dark dance floor,what we often meet on the weekends.We never expect what now happens around the last 2 years with STAHLNEBEL and our many work togethers.I walked before i create STAHLNEBEL more than 15 years in our dark scene,starting as fan, and still be a fan until today,over writing for some magazines and a fanzine of our scene.I also wrote the lyrics for a song from Gothic-Rock band IKON [Australia] in 1998 and do some songwriting for myself in the following years.In 2004 i offer Daniel [AESTHETIC PERFECTION] lyrics for a song and he say "Why you dont make your own music project ?". This was the point where the dream,to have a own music project,grows in my mind...but it takes much more time to realize this dream !
What and who are some of your influences in music
The energy of dark-electro/industrial music,this power let the people dance and forget the "all day shit"! I really like to be part of this dark scene,this scene let me be crazy how i am.My influence in music... around the 80ties starting with THE SISTERS OF MERCY or BOLLOCK BROTHERS,in the last two decades myself went more into electro,so my strong influence are SUICIDE COMMANDO,HOCICO...and much other projects.
What are your top ten favorite EBM / Industrial Club Songs of all time?
"See you in hell" - SUICIDE COMMANDO
"Hellraiser" - SUICIDE COMMANDO
"Instincts of perversion" - HOCICO
"Breathe" - DECODED FEEDBACK
"Solitary" - VNV NATION
"Sacrifice" - AESTHETIC PERFECTION
"Stalker" - COVENANT
"End of ages" - GRENDEL
"Anxiety neuroses" - VISION ANOMALY feat. STAHLNEBEL :-)
"Unexpected [DIE WITH YOU remix]" - STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET :-)
Tell one secret about yourself or the band that you have never told to anyone?
No secrets to tell, we are all very simple men and try to survive in this stuppid & hard life ... and dont forget "spy satellits watching over you - each step you made is planned - each way you a try to went" [my lyrics from UNDER CONTROL]
so tell me a bit more about yourself, such as musical?
Inside myself it was always a big dream in the past to create songs, listen to own music on the dark dance floor and be on stage with a band, so ... this dream becomes reality for me, late but it seems not to late.
how and why did you come about starting Stahlnebel ?
This plan grows a so long time in my head and one day i kick myself in the ass and start STAHLNEBEL!
Also the modern times make it possible to create music and songs at home, without to much money and a professional studio.But its always very important to have good fellows in the right moment at your side like Sander, Gustavo, Volker or Branko and specially a kindly and hard working family around to let it all happen. And then you need also the support & interest from much people before someone notice your music.
what else inspires you to create?
It starts with things what going on in our world these days like wars, injustice, homicide went to the reflection of our society and our "all day jobs" like greed after power and this damn human feature called envy ! But it can also be that a fictional theme from a film found my interesting to work out new lyrics for a new song.
Tell me about Vision Anomaly from Argentina Anxiety Neuroses EP 2008 Artwork By-Fernando Aparicio Artwork By [Idea]-Ralph Neuhaus Featuring-Stahlnebel Lyrics By,Voice-Ralph Neuhaus Music By-Gustavo Dunn from the Label:NullRepublik tel me more about this ep?
Gustavo from VISION ANOMALY is a good friend and he was a very great help for me to went forward with STAHLNEBEL.I think we both profited much from each other,because he was searching to get more attention from the dark scene in europe and myself need help to create a cool club song :-)... and its always great to work together with the world,no matter what country each other is from ! "Anxiety neuroses" was not the first song from our projects, but the first song what went straight on the dark dance floor, this song open STAHLNEBEL and VISION ANOMALY many doors and the interesting from our scene...i never will forget this moment when i see the people dancing on our "Anxiety neuroses" for the first time - a unforgetable moment !The EP from VISION ANOMALY feat. STAHLNEBEL over Null Republic Records from Argentina was the consecutive step to get the listeners more, with the brilliant artwork from my spanish friend Fernando [better known as DJ LED MANVILLE] we could make it possible, by the way...this free download was used over 1000 times in the first 4 weeks!
and why this on the ep "See You In Hell" Suicide Commando
This had very simple reasons...Gustavo and myself was in the past and be still big fans of Johans SUICIDE COMMANDO, its a direct way to show him our respect and thanks for his great work in music. "See you in hell" mabye was one of my favorite song to dance in the past ... and i not often dance, ha ha !
Let's talk about this Double CDR "Unexpected" Stahlnebel VS Black Selket ?
where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you're working on?
It comes the point where we must think about to release an STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET album, perhaps we are now a bit over this point, because we have so many songs create together in the last month and also many of them found the way on the dark dance floors. Also we got so great reactions from all over the world and many questions where people can get our stuff.The concept is to present the listeners on the first CD our own work & dance floor attacks and show the people on the second CD our work together with the world, with collaborations and remixes ... "No borders, we are united" and the artwork is again from our friend LED MANVILLE. We try to fix the work and production of our release "Unexpected" with our own hands, very hard to handle ... but we only got very immoral offers from labels, it seems they all mean we are f...ing rich men ha ha and they like to suck us ... but the only thing we can offer is our deep passion in our music. So we try it now all alone, with the thankful help of Sanders boss & company by printing a good cover and hope that the listeners acknowledge this situation in the right way. When the release is ready we hope to present it also on stage with our new live performance ... and believe me, Sander and myself are working everytime in new songs ... stay awake!
How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
Little music projects like us have only time around the weekend to went on stage, but not many organizer like to offer bands a concert then ... so. any promotor, festival, or event like to get us with our new live performance ... get in touch - WE ARE READY ! By the way, on the 5th of june STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET support FGFC820 [USA] in Bochum [Matrix] ... you are all welcome and we hope to see you from other stages in the future too ... a concert on SUMMER DARKNESS in your country would be nice!
Are you working on any current or future projects Stahlnebel?
I am working every day with STAHLNEBEL, answer emails, create our myspace page and in my mind is always place for a new song.In these days our friend Yordi from COLD SEQUENCE [Mexico] send me 3 SUICIDE COMMANDO tribut instrumentals and ask if i can sing on them, its a way to show Johan [SUICIDE COMMANDO] his and our respect. For me its a pleasure that other musicians like Yordi ask me to sing for them and so Sander and myself are all day in work with STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET :-)
What is the future for your project Stahlnebel I am looking forward for your full length album give me more info?
Believe me, we are also looking forward to the release of "Unexpected" !! I hope that when the people read this lines the double CD-R is in stock and this painful wait has an end. Expect 27 songs ... own songs, collaborations and remixes ... 27 songs that come as an earthquake out of your speakers, send a warning to your neighborhood !
And feel never safe for new songs from STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET and our work togethers ... we expect to create more new dance floor attacks.
can you give an introduction Stahlnebel?
STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET is : SANDER KAPPER [Music] , BRANKO KOHL , VOLKER KULLIK and myself RALPH NEUHAUS [Lyrics, ideas]
What are your views on the current state of this electro scene in Germany .in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
Mhhh ... not easy this question, in every decade some people mean that our electro scene has no progression, but my personal meaning is that when the audience like your music ... it went all ok, i never expect to form a new style, and we are all have influence by bands and projects from the past. You never can re-create the dark-electro/industrial music, but you can give it a bit new taste. The final decision is by the audience and what we get as reactions from all over the world is for us the reason to keep STAHLNEBEL and STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET alive ! For me its a pleasure and honour to get this feedback from all parts of this world ... sometimes i cant believe who and where the people come from that knows about our music.
Tell me about lyrical compositions and what is currently inspiring your material as an artist?
Well, my lyrics went between the reality, this sometimes bad world truth and fictional storys. You only have to watch TV or listen to the news of the radiostations to get this input ... we life in strange times, i guess i never loose themes that concern myself! But its also possible that my lyrics only get the influence for a new song by a film that i see. I always have a piece of paper in my pocket to write my ideas directly on it, ha ha ... because at work i got enough angry stuff to scream it on songs.
Tell me about Vision Anomaly Argentina / Black Selket Netherlands / Anamadim mexico / Chrom Germany
All of them are good fellows of us and it is or was a pleasure and honour to work with them. I really like it to create with the world, no matter where the projects came from ... no borders, we are united! I think its a special feature of STAHLNEBEL to search after interesting ways to create songs, each work with so great musicians from all over the world let us went a step forward with STAHLNEBEL! This extended our horizon in a great way!
How does your music & song creation process work?
Since i create with Sander from BLACK SELKET this all runs very fast. When myself got an idea for a new song & lyrics, i try to send Sander an example how the song can be sound ... Sander is a real sound genius, he only need a short example to create new soundtunes and sometimes after mabye 2 or 3 demos we both found the right way for an new instrumental. When he is creating the final touch on the new instrumental, myself is writing the lyrics and perhaps searching for a cool & interesting sample. Its sometimes really unbelievable, but we both complement each other in a fantastic way.
Out of all of your numbers,which number would you say is your favorite number? Why?
Please let me say more then one , ha ha ... oh man, i like the most of our songs its so difficult to choose only one.
OK, one song is "Anxiety neuroses", because i like the lyrics and it was the first dance floor attack. "Storm", because the first offical work together with my friend Sander and last but not least "Unexpected" ... because i never will forget how great this song works on our first live performance in BELGIUM and we got also so great remixes from this song!
Tell me all about the dark scene of Germany?
Perhaps we can be very lucky to live in germany, specially in my base region the "Ruhrpott" ... the dark-electro scene is here very strong and intensive, you have the chance to visit a scene party each weekend. But otherwise you can this also see with mixed feelings! The people in germany are a bit fastidious, because out there are enough good projects who offer them new music. At the end of it all my thinking is ... its great to be a part of this scene here in germany, but i miss a bit concert offers like perhaps in Mexico or the USA and the kindly enthusiasm of the dark-electro scene there.
How did you come up with the name of Stahlnebel?
In 2006 i search for a name that could be a reflection for "hard & fast beats" in music and "mysterious words" in lyrics for my project, so i try to create a new word from two single words called STAHLNEBEL [ "Stahl" means steel / "nebel" means fog ] and hope that the people out there remember this name.
and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
This kindly reactions about our songs from all over the world and specially to see the people dance on our songs, believe me to see the people move to our songs is a indescribable sense of pleasure for an musician! A great reward!
What ideas, movements and personalities would you say were crucial for the definition and development of Stahlnebel as a creative entity?
At first, to let an old dream become reality ... this dream or idea grows a so long time in my head, and the possibilities of our times make it now possible. All in all, you have to meet the right persons at the right time to have the chance to do this step ... alone you are nothing!
Tell us a little bit more about Black Selket Sander?
The first contact with Sander was the moment as he ask me to remix our song "Anxiety neuroses". After he has done a brilliant work on this remix we get in touch again, and after some messages it grows the idea to create a song together. Its very easy to contact people over the internet, but the decisive moment for a longer partnership in music is the moment when you meet each other in real ... no other way as in a relationship, the chemistry must be good ... an for now i can say: Sander is a close and great friend of mine and not only a partner in music!
What do you do in your spare time?
What spare time, haha ... beside "all day job" and STAHLNEBEL, myself like to spend the time with my family, with my son i really like to watch & enjoy the English Premier League [football] around the weekends. But otherwise we try to visit some cool events in the "Ruhrpott" too. And we try to never forget your friends outside the dark scene ... to meet them of some drinks and a small talk!
Tell me about this number "unsichtbar" remix from anamadim?
First, myself dont like the original version of "Unsichtbar", it was the first song that i wrote in my own language ... for my ears it sounds very strange, but other people what listen to this song like it. In the end it become very successful, found a place on ENDZEIT BUNKERTRACKS ACT 4 and so we give some musicians an remix-kit of these song. Yugao from ANAMADIM is a very talented musician from Mexico and a good fellow too, he has a very fine hand for so named "future-pop" melodies and the remix he create from UNSICHTBAR makes us very happy ... he gives the song some additional power!
What do you think of its intermingling with the electro,Darkwave and EBM scenes?
Mhhh ... very difficult question, for me i sometimes like some songs whats intermingling electro with goth guitars and voices ... but i never liked this goth meets metal thing with female voices or dub tunes on good old ebm classics, sorry this is f...ing pain for my old ears! Like by every thing you do ... it can went great or went to totally shit, the listeners must make theyre own decision.
while electro is your main musical pallet,what other music do you listen to?
This dark electro/industrial/future-pop thing is my absolute favorite, and i dont tell this as myself try to create it with my own project and friends ... its the pure energy that you found in this music that let me believe in this music style. From time to time myself listen also to JOY DIVISION influence projects like THE EDITORS are ... but the truth is - thats not often - i am a totally electro/industrial freak ;-)
How long have you been in the music industry and how has it changed over time?
I wrote many years for a fanzine and two magazines, starting with a typewriter - later with a computer. But in the last years of my work it frustrated me very much that there was no chance to push the little unknown projects ... the publisher was only looking who can buy promotion in there magazine, that was not possible for newcomer projects. I remember that myself was the first who wrote an article about ANGELS AND AGONY from the nederlands, in the past this was possible without sell a advertisement ... later this doesnt work, so one day i have to say "goodbye" ... not in this way with my person! Now i stand before the music industry with STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET ... and again it works not good without much money, its a shame, but we try our best to went our own way ... we try to exchange this money thing with our pure passion in music and hope that the fans out there can appreciate that in a right way. A label manager say to me you have to put money into this project, otherwise you will never reach higher positions ... for now i think in a romantic way and try it without much money!
Lets see if this is possible ... and, by the way, i never expect this success with STAHLNEBEL ... so i am really satisfied!
Now I have to ask,what's the inspiration for the Stahlnebel story?.
To be so crazy as i am and live out an so very old dream of myself.
tell me about Bunkertracks act 4 Alfa Matrix label Stahlnebel VS Black Selket Unsichtbar and Menschdefekt & Stahlnebel VS Black Selket "Stalingrad" [idea/samples by Menschdefekt lyrics,voice and music from Stahlnebel VS Black Selket ] and [re]Adjust Stahlnebel VS Black Selket Supernatural ability" [lyrics/music/samples by ReAdjust voice/additional music/additional sample from Stahlnebel VS Black Selket ] 3 number on Bunkertracks act 4 its very cool and you?
This is damn cool ... YES !!! As "Anxiety neuroses" found the way on ENDZEIT BUNKERTRACKS ACT 3 myself cant believe it and means this could never happen again ... my fault, now there are 3 songs from/with my project on the new ENDZEIT BUNKERTRACKS ACT 4! You cant really know how proud this makes me ... whooo ... 3 times my dirty voice on it! As i get the request from ALFA MATRIX for this 3 songs i cant belive it - this is one of the famous compilations of our time and scene ... and Seba from ALFA MATRIX send us a mail and say: I AM YOUR REAL FAN :-)
Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
As i tell you before, we are everytime in work about new songs and collaborations ... today i am finished my lyrics and voice parts for a colaboration with DIE WITH YOU from Bolivia, i hope it can be a new great song for the dark dance floors, it called "Lifeless". Also Sander and myself try to realize the wish of Yordi from COLD SEQUENCE [Mexico] to put my voice of some SUICIDE COMMANDO tribut songs ... i love these songs, so its easy to sing them and a honour too that Yordi ask us about it ! I hope when these lines are released our debut double CD-R "Unexpected" is also in stock and the people out there like it ... for us its very great to listen our songs on an complete album in such great quality ! Hope there comes also some offers for STAHLNEBEL vs BLACK SELKET live performances in the near future, first i can tell you is on the 5th of june at brilliant MATRIX club in Bochum ... a "homegame" for us !
Why various electronic styles?
Because we like this different styles of electro, each of us has a favorite style of music and to create more than one music style is also more interesting. Thats why i really like to work with other projects ... that offer us more space and each work together let us learn a bit more!
Tell us about your unique style of music and who are your major influences?
Myself think we have no typical style ... but other people tell me they now everytime when there is something from STAHLNEBEL & BLACK SELKET in a new song ;-) so it seems there is a typical touch from us what people can everytime found in our music. We dont want to hide our influence from SUICIDE COMMANDO or HOCICO ... we only want to let the people dance! No one can to reinvent oneself, no one can reinvent electro/industrial music new !!!
And on the album Stahlnebel VS Black Selket lot of remixen from Menschdefekt / Vision Anomaly / Cold Sequence / Anamadim / Cryogen Second / Juno Mission / Led Manville / Impact Pulse / Cold Drive tell me more about this?
There are many "work together" and remixes on the second CD of our "Unexpected" double CD-R limited edition. Its a pleasure for us to have so many friends out there in the scene, so many that like to work with us or remix our songs. Each time i listen to a new remix or cover version of one of our songs it makes me happy ... it shows us the respect from other bands and its also very interesting to hear what these projects can made out of our songs. We are united, no borders !
An question about influences and inspirations about Germany?
Influences for my lyrics are everywhere ... not only here in germany. Sometimes its very great to live here in germany with all that infrastructure and these much possibilities, but there are as everywhere also some bad points, like this many tax here,the injustice from corrupt politician and the greed from managers & companies. But as a "little light" you have to handle this - each coin has two sides ! But we can be satisfied to spread the words about this all, without the fear to went straight into prison as in other parts of our world.
Are you currently working on or planning any new releases?
We are almost every day working in our musical dream, almost each day there comes ideas for new songs and if we all got more time we could released much more songs, ha ha ... but there is also this normal life beside our musical part, and a all day job to do to save our survive! For now we finished the work around a song with german lyrics called "Ätzend", so be sure you all can expect more from STAHLNEBEL & BLACK SELKET in the future ... EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED !!
It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?
I really like to thank you, Ruud and ebm-industrial.nl for this interview, it was a pleasure for me. Let me also say "sorry" for my bad english ... its my old school-english, and you better not know how damn far away my school-days are :-) Every reader i like to say THANK YOU for your interest in STAHLNEBEL & BLACK SELKET and our dark scene, be so kindly an have an eye on us ... only we together can keep this permissive and brilliant music scene alive ... only we all together, we are united, no borders!
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