Shred Talk 2 - Code Of Perfection
(24 Jun 06)
Page 4
EV: How about the rhythm guitars? How many tracks did you use?
TK: 2 tracks in every tune, one left and one right.
EV: Last summer, when you had me listen to the album the first time, you mentioned that the solos came together rather spontaneously, all of them recorded with a simple yet effective setup. So what's the basic setup you used?
TK: That was my ESP Flying V and a Marshall amp. Guitar straight into the amp, that was it.
EV: Ok, regarding "Polka Beast Stampede"... when you wrote that one, was your intention to write something with that specific polka-style beat, or was it something that just happened, and you picked the name later?
TK: I simply love that beat. I am a fan of that punk-style beat. That was the whole intention: to make a song with that punk-beat. (Laughs) Which reminds me... the piece originally was called "Shred Punk". The title was based on the sound I imagined in my head when I wrote it... to combine shred and punk... a simple offbeat rhythm with three simple chords and shred guitar.
However, we didn't use the title, because... when we were talking about song titles for the album, Jochen said "There are two words you definitely should avoid... shred and punk!"
So he suggested to rename the piece to "Polka Beast Stampede".
EV: When writing tunes, do you have a solid idea that you recreate when you make the demo, or do you create songs by i.e. Jamming on drumbeats, or do you sometimes even start with just a title and let that inspire the music?
TK: It depends, really. Usually, I always have the music in my mind at first, and think of a title afterwards. Especially with instrumentals, the images you get in your mind when listening are based on the music, and the title can help to suggest a few of those images, give the listener a general direction.
However, sometimes I did have a title or a certain feeling at first, and then tried to figure out how to express that in music.
EV: Are there also songs that came together when jamming?
TK: Definitely. It's tough to recall how the older songs came together exactly, as it's been quite a while. However, regarding newer songs like "Last Exit For The Lost", that song came together in my home studio. What's funny is that that happened right after a wild shred-orgy I had. You know, I was noodling for 3 or 4 hours, scales up and down... eventually I felt like "empty", all played out. And then you start to sit there with your guitar and start to play all free, expressing your feelings. You get the technical stuff out of your system, and afterwards, you can let your feelings out. It's tough to explain it, really.
The clean intro came together right there. It was meant to be an acoustic piece, but later on I changed it and turned it into an electric piece.
EV: Regarding the vocal tunes... did you write the vocal lines and sang them to the singer, or did he make those up?
TK: Take "Walking On Thin Ice"... that one I collaborated on with Carsten. He wrote all vocal lines in that song, plus the lyrics. The original demo had completely different vocal lines and lyrics. So I changed a lot of it around, together with Carsten.
Regarding the other vocal-songs, the lyrics of those were written by me, and Carsten did change some of the vocal-lines slightly, according to the style he likes to sing in.
EV: Did you use a mic or a piezo pickup to record the acoustic guitar in "Underneath A Blue Kiss"?
TK: That was simply acoustic guitar recorded straight into the mixing desk with a microphone. I did try it with a piezo, but I liked the results we got with a mic a bit better. A good condenser-mic, I prefer that in the studio.
EV: The solo in that piece is amazing. Was that worked out, or did it come together spontaneously?
TK: Many of the solos on LEFTL were improvised, but some were worked out. The one in "Underneath..." was worked out.
EV: I also heard Paul Gilbert's "Terror Death Lick" (from Intense Rock II) pop up in between... was that an intentional tribute, or something that just happened? I know you have been influenced by PG a lot, so I know some of his licks kinda creeped into your lick vocabulary as well?
TK: That just happened, it wasn't any intentional tribute.
EV: How about playing live? I know Keisuke lives in Japan, so will he be able to come over to play live with COP?
TK: That would be quite difficult, we might have to ask someone else, but of course Keisuke is the bassist of COP, that's a fact.
EV: Are you preparing a tour yet?
TK: Yes, and before we get going we'll schedule a marathon-rehearsal in some studio as well. All the guys are complete pros, so I know it'll work out perfectly, as everyone will be well-prepared.
Keep in mind, we're with Limb Music now. That's a really good international label, and there might be a possibility for us to tour as a support act. We'll have to wait and see what kind of offers we get, though.
EV: Once you get back to the studio to work on the follow-up album... do you still have some older songs to put on there, or will you have to write all new songs?
TK: Oh, I still have bunches of songs from that weird "creative output" phase back then, there's plenty of material for more albums.
Regarding a follow-up... we will definitely stick to the concept we had on this album, mixing instrumentals and vocal-tracks, inviting guest-musicians, and a variety of styles. The album will be a bit harder and faster though, it's safe to say. The boss of the label likes the fastest songs on LEFTL the most, and so he's in favor of that as well.
EV: How about playing live in other countries? What if some people in the States would like to hear COP live?
TK: Everythings possible. I'd love to play there or in Japan again. I also would like to play more workshops again, like on the NAMM in LA or Chicago.
EV: OK, good luck with that. Any messages for the guys at the ibreathe forum?
TK: Sure. Ibreathe was an important portal for me, that's for sure. Ibreathe enabled me to get in touch with a lot of people, and many of them got introduced to my playing and music through my posts there. It's unbelievable to see all the feedback and discussions that has come in through the site. And I hope that the people there who liked my playing will check out the album, too.
We interrupt our regular program for a public message by Eric V:
Guys, it would be quite honorable and fair to BUY the record if you'd like to check it out. There are plenty of opportunities, with the album being sold by Amazon, and it would be a great way to support Thorsten and his band.
I was told that the album is already being swapped by way of p2p-sources, and that's a bummer. Yes, it does help to spread the word, yet it's not exactly "supporting the artist" IMO. So I ask you to do the cool thing and purchase the album instead of downloading it.
Actually, that wraps up our second Shred Talk, and once again, it was a load of fun. Thanks to Thorsten for doing this. It's very cool to see COP slowly but surely taking off big time. I have kept an eye on the development, and got a unique sneak preview of the album last summer (thanks for that!). It's an awesome album, and I wish you the best of luck with it!
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