Interview

BETHLEHEM

Samedi 13 octobre 2012

You've been on tour for a few days with Secrets of the Moon

Secrets of the Moon

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and Dordeduh

Dordeduh

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. How is everything going ?

Jürgen Bartsch : Oh it's excellent I must say. We all have great fun together. This already started in the beginning. Yesterday evening was the first great evening with actions like throwing boats over walls and stuff like that. We were thrown away from the festival area which obviously never happened before. (laughter) So yeah it's working perfectly. It's a very nice combination of people and it always becomes late if you know what I mean.

When you look for information about Bethlehem

Bethlehem

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, the first thing you read about is that you had problems with the police in Germany and in the U.S. in the past. It this the reason why you have never really toured before ?

J.B. : No, it has to do with people in general. Because not everybody wants to do that and unfortunately we had guys in the band who weren't interested in these things. Bethlehem

Bethlehem

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has never been what we know as a band. It was more of a bunch of individuals. Everybody was taking care about himself. It has never been possible to do shows or tours because we would have killed each other. (laughter)
That's basically the reason. It's the first time it feels like Bethlehem

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is a real band. It makes things possible. We played the first show in the U.S. directly, in front of several thousands of people. This is something not everybody can do.
Rogier Droog : For the first show, we flew to fucking Madrid.
J.B. : Yeah, the first show we played was Madrid.

© John Gallardo

Your music has changed a lot since the beginning. On the last records it became more modern. How do you explain that ? Is it a decision you made ?

J.B. : No, this is progression. It comes natural. We are not planning music. It just comes out as it comes. We have never been interested in giving people exactly what they want. We do what we want.

So what are you playing on this tour ?

J.B. : Basically we are playing the first three albums. Maybe you want to say something ?
R.D. : On this tour right now, because it's the first time we really play live, we dive a lot into the past because Bethlehem

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made a mark before, also before my time. And it's something we are really showing on this tour. So the setlist is basically a lot from the first three albums and afterwards we will work more on getting the new album done and that will be like a new era for Bethlehem

Bethlehem

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once again with some stuff that people have never heard before. The same yet still different.

© John Gallardo

You said something about the new album. Has something already been done ?

R.D. : It's in progress. We have most of the lyrics done, and basically it's up to us after the tour to start putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. We will see how it ends up. One thing you can be sure about, and this is what I love about the band, is that it never ends up as planned. Everything comes out very natural and the result may be something very different than what you first thought it would be yet still as great.

So now do you feel like you have the perfect line-up to go forward with the band ?

J.B. : Yes, exactly.

© John Gallardo

Are there any other future projects ?

J.B. : No. When the tour is over, we'll take a break. It's only two or three months left for this year. And then we'll concentrate on writing new material. I mean the material is written but it must be arranged and stuff. So that next year we can enter the studio. In January shows will be starting again. We'll play in Berlin, and then I think it's Dublin, Münich and then maybe the studio is coming in. It might take a month doing it. And then we'll see, the usual shit : touring, album, touring, album, touring, album until you're old.

So that's what your plans are now, touring.

J.B. : Yes.

You've been in Bethlehem

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for a long time. When you look back, is there anything you would have done differently ?

J.B. : Yeah, not do anything. (laughter)
No, different, I can't say that. It all happened, that's what it did. It has never been so constructed as I said. It all came out automatically and naturally. If I had the chance, seriously, I would do something different because of all the nerves and stress. It won't make you younger somehow. This takes a lot of energy. Making music is great of course but it can also suck a lot.

Is there anything else you'd like to say ?

J.B. : I promised the guys I'd say hi from Philipp and Jörg of Secrets of the Moon

Secrets of the Moon

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. And our sound guy Frank has a strange accent because he is from another part of Germany where people speak strange.
R.D. : We can talk a lot, but just shut up and watch the show. And next year you have a new album coming out of which you can all make an impression.