Interview with EBM-INDUSTRIAl.NL about the BLEIBURG side-project RHESUS FACTOR.
1 : For the first question will be - do you know the Netherlands?
Stef : Yes, naturally. A small but great country. I was some times in Amsterdam. There are personally a special interest in this town, because I own myself a german webpage about this city : please visit www.bauma-tours.de .
2 : Do you follow the electronic music scene, do you have any other favourite bands?
Stef : I had the luck to be in 1988 16 years old, so that I begun to listen to that what is born in theese days as Electronic Body Music. There was also a luck that one year later “Talla 2XLC” startet with his label-legends “Zoth Ommog” and “New Zone” (and naturally “Suck Me Plasma”, but what I donīt like). There wasnīt before something like that and I remember myself very well as I have heard the first time “Umo Detic – Fahrenheit” : I was totally fascinated by this Aggrepo (Aggressive Pop) music and I think that in theese days the musically basements were build for that sort of music I do now with Rhesus Factor.Since theese days I prefer Aggrepo sounds like Deep Thought, Tyrell Corporation, 3Times6, Time Modem, Enemies Of Charlotta, Konzept, Klangwerk, Scope, some great releases of “BOY Records” and “Zyx Records”... or EBM of Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Borghesia, And One, Leaether Strip, Frontline Assembly, Placebo Effect,Tommi Stumpff, Bigod 20, Orange Sector, Armageddon Dildos, ... .It was a shock for me in the beginning/middle of the 90īs as some of my favourite groups begun to add e-guitar (Die Krupps, Oomph, ...) in their music or begin to be too technoid (also Front 242 after “Tyranny for you”) and for a long time I have only listen the music of my old heros.Today most of the new “oldschool” bands are great : I think my favourite EBM bands are actually definitly “Frontal” and “AD:key” from Germany.
3 : Could you please shortly introduce our readers your music project RHESUS FACTOR. Please fill also a biographical resume about how, when and where ... give us a more background information?
Stef : Many years before I start with RHESUS FACTOR I begun with an other musically project with the name BLEIBURG. This project have no musically direction and so from record to record the music styles changed – all was possible : from martial, neoclassic, middle age/neofolk, experimental, apocalyptic sounds, dance-industrial, italo-pop, 80īs ... . Please visit : www.bleiburg.de . A for BLEIBURG recorded collaboration 2CD (not yet issued) called “The Grey Years” contains various electronic styles but also EBM and similar works featuring Leather Strip, Parade Ground, NTRSN, Obscure Descension, Arcana Obscura, Gerechtigkeits Liga, yelworC, Liquid G. and others.This was the beginning to start with the music of RHESUS FACTOR.I have described the influences from my youth and the listener of RHESUS FACTOR will find nothing more than music as I would have done it in the beginning of the 90īs for both styles : EBM and Aggrepo.As I hate e-guitars (or the most long-haired behind it ?) I focussed myself to use old synth-legends like Yamaha DX7 or the Korg X2 and was also fazinated by the Roland TR 909 or the Yamaha RM1X. The Roland TR 909 was used before some EBM groups from Electro-Funk / Freestyle bands like Africa Bambaata, Stevie B. or Johnny O. and so I find my love for massive snaer you hear as some anvil sounds in my songs.After uploading some songs in the player the first asks for playing live came and time by time I have done solo or in collaboration with other groups over 80 songs.On this record will be also some remixes of Rhesus Factor songs from Parade Ground, Bodylink, Liquid G., MDMA, ... and some more will follow.Now I have decided to play live and there will be till the beginning of the gigs a DVD with all songs on it and also with some videoclips read more:
www.rhesus-factor.com/html/2cd_return_to_the_classix.html - including all material for the forthcoming records “Commando 242” and “Return to the classix”. I think that we will be ready to play live till end of april.From this record I have choosen 11 tracks to play live + a cover version of “Fahrenheit” of Umo Detic.
4 : How did you start to make Electro / Industrial / Power Pop / EBM / Aggrepo and what is music for you?
Stef : The only reason why I make music with RHESUS FACTOR is that every song is exactly that what I like to hear at this moment and from that moment on.
I think music is for me to be in the right feeling to forgot all around and to be a part of a song.It is pure joy to beginn with nothing as for example with one-shots and begin to create a rhythm with drum, kicks, snares, fx – the ideas for text, voice-samples, synths and others came by creating a song.It is always fun to make a brainstorming with my RHESUS FACTOR partner T. Rohlfs of SCHALLGEWALT: some of my personal favourite RHESUS FACTOR songs was created during this sessions.
5 : What and who are some of your influences in Electro / Industrial / Power Pop / EBM / Aggrepo?
Stef : 1 : hammer, 2 : anvil, 3 : gear, 4: metal, 5: fat bass, 6 : hard kicks, 7 : good snares 8 : loudness – this are my main influences beside the musically influences I have decribed in question no. 2.In my texts or you will find tragedys, sex, war, death : madness of the world around us – sometimes critical, sometimes funny, sometimes only for the dancefloor.I hate to copy myslef from song to song and so in the forthcoming DVD “Return to the classix” you will find from song to song differences and variations.
6 : What are your top ten favorite Electro / Industrial / Power Pop / EBM / Aggrepo - Club Songs of all time? Who are you influenced by? What would you consider your favorite CD's?
Stef :
01. Umo Detic – Fahrenheit There are no description about the strenght and the power of this song. We will try to make a good cover-version during the Rhesus Factor live gigs.
02. S.P.K. – Metalfields I will dance with 80 years to this song – definitly.
03. Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence Iīll never forgot the moment as I have first time seen and heard the video of the song – wow : I was totally flashed.
04. Scope – Die Zukunft This song is one of the best and danceable Aggrepo songs ever. Only a one-hit wonder, but it rocks : ... niemand weiß was die Zukunft bringt!
05. Enemies Of Charlotta – Der Feind An other legendary Aggrepo song. DJīs : play this song in the clubs!
06. Frontal – Tanzen gehen EBM as they should be : fun, fun, fun.
07. Tyrell Corporation – Running Produced by T. Fenslau. A long intro with a monster-bassdrum and when it begins you must dance. This song inspired me very much.
08. Klangwerk – Die Kybernauten 1 + 2 Similar feelings as I heard first time Depeche Modeīs “Enjoy The Silence”. A total crazy text with a powerful voice of Alexander Abraham. Part 2 is good as part 1.
09. Front 242 – Rerun Time The best Front 242 song ever from a period of two records in that they only do the music they create the name for : Electronic Body Music.
10. Tragic Error - Tanzen New Beat/Aggrepo from Belgium : itīs time to move to the dancefloor !
7 : Do you have a favourite track and album?
Stef : There are only a few records I think they are in total perfect, but this are for my opinion :
01. Depeche Mode - Violator
02. Leæther Strip - Solitary Confinement
03. Placebo Effect - Galleries Of Pain
04. Sampler - This Is Electronic Body Music
05. AD:key - Thema Nummer Eins
06. Dive - Final Report
07. Lost Image – Electrocution
08. Front 242 - Official Version
09. Nitzer Ebb - That Total Age
10. Orange Sector – Faith
There are no bad songs on this records so they are all favouites.
8 : So tell me a bit more about yourself, such as musical?
Stef : Read the following questions. There will be enough facts to make a picture of my.
9 : By the way do you like my questions? Tell me what you think about it! ;-)
Stef : I like them. You see it in the lenght of my answers. Haha ?. No : really good.
10 : What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listens to you? What is your motto?
Stef : I donīt like to think for people or send messages. Everything I want is that listeners stay in rhythm, have fun with RHESUS FACTOR sounds, move to the bass and dance as if they will be their last dance : this is my message.Everyone is free to find a message in my songs or not.
11 : What’s the name of your band? What’s the origin of that name? Have you changed the band’s name before?
Stef : No, I havenīt. Only on a sampler released by the “Synthetics Magazine” where we participated with a remix of the song “Faster” they write instead the english “Rhesus Factor” the german “Rhesus Faktor”.
RHESUS FACTOR is the name of the proteine found in 1940 by Karl Landsteiner and Alexander Solomon Wiener in the blood of Rhesus monkeys.
12 : Where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you're working on? " Tell us a few words about the concept of this?
Stef : The concept is : oldschool (oldschool EBM and oldschool Aggrepo). Is there anything more I need ?
13 : Tell me about your project Schallgewalt and body-music have you more projects?
Stef : SCHALLGEWALT is not my project, it is the project of T. Rohlfs. He works on different RHESUS FACTOR songs, remix some and was also involved in BLEIBURG and my former label.He is the second man during the live performences and the man behind the beer-bottle (hehe).BODY MUSIC is no label or a project. Via : www.body-music.com you find hundreds of very rare poster, ringtones, mobile phone videos, CDīs, vinyl, merchandising and more from lots of bands like Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, Leaether Strip, Cabaret Voltaire, Laibach, DAF, Covenant, Die Krupps, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Frontline Assembly, ... : as a support for BODY MUSIC I have upload some RHESUS FACTOR songs on the myspace site of BODY MUSIC.
14 : How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
Stef : We have now choosen the scenes for the backscreening and the songs for the gig. They will be :
01. learn to love us
02. move to the bass
03. bewegt euch
04. fahrenheit (umo detic cover)
05. commando 242
06. discipline
07. harder, faster, stronger, louder
08. der stiefel
09. dekade zwei
10. musica electronica
11. zoth in (y)our mind
12. immer weiter
Exactely 60 minutes. You can hear most of the songs in my player on my site : www.myspace.com/rhesus-factor .We are up to now in preparation of the gig, and maybe we will involve one of the most beautyfull EBM girls ever – but we will see.I think that we will be ready with all around april and from then we are prepared for gigs and will have the DVD version “Return to the classix” finished.Because of healt problems I was not able to play live and must cancell till now some gig-requests and also the question to be for Jäger 90 the pre-band, but soon we will be ready.
15: What do you think of a modern electro gothic and about EBM scene?
Stef : Every scene has itīs years. Love it or not.
16 : Our usual question - what is EBM for you?
Stef : ELECTRONIC BODY MUSIC is for me music for body, mind and soul. This music needs no changes, no e-guitars. EBM is clear definited:synth-/bass-/lead-sequences, step-sequencer in 4/4 time, a bit kick, some drums, fx, ... : all between that is EBM – not important if is new- or oldschool EBM, Aggrepo, Dark-Electro, Future-Pop or in some cases also Dance-Industrial.
17 : What was your best live experience so far?
Stef : From other groups they are two I will never forget : 1. Leaether Strip live in Dessau, Germany, 2009 and 2. Nitzer Ebb live at Mīera Luna, Germany, 2005.
This was fun, this was great : be angry at yourself when you have miss that! From my other band BLEIBURG the gig in Kassel together with PAL.
18 : Please list the name, age and respective instrument of each band member
Stef : RHESUS FACTOR are me (37) and in some some songs T. Rohlfs (36).
We use lots of Korg, Roland, Yamaha, Alesis and Kawai sounds from different equipment : synths, keyboards, rhythm machines, ... .
19 : What are your views on the current state of this Electro / Industrial / Power Pop,EBM scene in Germany .in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
Stef : I think itīs a great time. Everyone find exactely the groups they like and could see them.The main point it that all should rock - what rocks grow! And if the scene grows in creativity, knowledge and audiences itīs good : why not? Music for the masses is the best. Look at EBM long time clinily death (not really – but for the most) after the end of “Zoth Ommog” and since beginning of using e-guitars of former EBM groups because of commercial reasons (but as I see they also “return to the classix”). With great labels like Electric Tremor the szene rise again and I hope that this time that new bands will not do the same error : donīt use fucking e-guitars – they have once again destroyed a wondeful music style! I think all over the world it is the same.
20 : You have very nice numbers : tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song?
Stef : As I have decribed it the ideas for lyrics and used voice sample came by doing the song. I mean that it is easier to find the right words for a instrumental song as for lyrics the perfect sounds.
21 : What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
22 : Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?
Stef : Easier? A question I donīt ask myself.Today it is the music industry not important. Believe it of not, but it is possible to make money with the music without selling one song or a record. You donīt belive it? What a band need today is a webpage and the knowledge what do do to earn money. There are possibilities to include in the webpage so called “affiliate programs” where you can make money by click from your viewer (they pay nothing – you get the money from the included program-partners), by selling something over the included links (in some cases till 50% of selling), ... . Or for example it is very easy to create a merchandising-shop with T-shirts, buttons, muscle- or girlie-shirts, ... without having something to do with order, payment or sending the order out. The only thing to do is to upload your motives and create in a few minutes some merchandising. This merchandising-shop can be included in the webpage and since this time the groups will get the money for every ordered item they like to have. What is easier than that ? Every group (and labels, fanclubs, in fact everyone ...) can do this and other possibilities to include this and other possibilies, but you will find this only on very few webpages from the szenes. You will find here :
http://www.geld-verdienen-mit-homepages.de/geld_verdienen_mit_homepages.html in german language in only 5 sites a description what is to do to make money with the homepage – if you donīt understand german : it is important to visit all text and banner links and then you find automaticly what partner-programs you need and there is also between them the link for the merchandising-shop (site 3/5).
23 : So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
Stef : Long time ago I was a owner of a label and so believe me that the only person(s) which have something from a music of the bands they publish are only the labels themselfs.As I have described the ways in the question before : combinate that ways with a good promotion via myspace and use google. The main point is to get viewer on the sites – nothing more is to do.Then you are free to publish whatever you like.Make different advertising campains for example “free download songs” and put the download links on a site of your website where you put the affiliate-partners around and you will see that it works.
24 : What is currently inspiring your material as an artist? tell me all about the Electro / Industrial / Power Pop EBM scene of Germany?
Stef : The scene is different from town to town, from club to club. There is no possibility to describe it, but whatever you like to hear, it is good that you have the possibility that you will find it.
25 : Do you think that people from the music press didn't expect you to grow up musically?
Stef : Why to wait till found the way to me ?
26 : What is the key to making music from RHESUS FACTOR and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
Stef : The music itself. You canīt buy it what you like hear ? Cretate it yourself! Maybe others like it and so it is inspiration enough for me.
27 : How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Electro / Industrial / Power Pop,EBM music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?
Stef : If you use others than the classic ways to make money with your music it is o.k. with free download-links from the own band-site for single songs or records (so they have possibilities to make money as I have it described in question no. 22. If they naturally only trust in labels without own work this is naturally a problem.Everyone can choose : to go with the modern times or to stand still. I have choosen the first.
28 : If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
Stef : Think the most is told.
29 : Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
Stef : Well for 2010/11 the records “Return To The Classix” and “Commando 242” will be published with the DVD pre-issue of “Return To The Classix” with over 80 songs and videoclips of 5 songs on it.
30 : It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?
Stef : Stomp around, my friends, stomp around !
31 : and what is next on Germany agenda?
Stef : Hope some days with nothing to do.
32 : Thanks for your time! great work on the albums and good luck with everything.any How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
33: Were you asked to play or did you have to ask for a slot?
Stef : First we will finish the preparations for the gig and then we will made the next steps. Interested could read here what we need for a gig : http://rhesus-factor.com/html/live.html
Hundreds of rare poster, ringtones, vinyl, merchandising, CDīs and more of Depeche Mode, Front 242, Frontline Assembly, Cabaret Voltaire, Alien Sex Fiend, Kraftwerk, Laibach, Nitzer Ebb and others :
01. BEWEGT EUCH 02. COMMANDO 242 03. DISCIPLINE 04. ENERGETIC PEOPLE 05. UNRASIERT 06. THE PLACE WHERE MARY LIES 07. IMMER WEITER 08. I AM YOUR NIGHTMARE 09. DIVIDE THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS 10. LEARN TO LOVE US 11. DER STIEFEL 12. FALLING ANGEL 13. ZOTH IN (Y)OUR MIND 14. DEINE NYLONS 15. YOUR MISSED CHANCE (to be my wife) 16. MOVE ON 17. WITHOUT A TEAR
CD 2 :
01. LEARN TO LOVE US remix by PARADE GROUND 02. HARDER, FASTER, STRONGER, LOUDER 03. BEWEGT EUCH remix by SCHATTENSCHLAG 04. I GIVE ALL THE ORDERS feat. SCHALLGEWALT 05. MUSICA ELECTRONICA 06. RETURN TO THE CLASSIX 07. MAKE SOME NOISE 08. BLACK TEAM remix by TENTO11 09. DISCIPLINE remix by MDMA 10. BEWEGT EUCH remix by SCHALLGEWALT 11. ITS MY BEAT featuring SCHALLGEWALT 12. MOVE TO THE BASS 13. BEWEGT EUCH remix by LIQUID G. 14. IZDAHNI I UDAHNI 15. TOUCH THE FACE OF GOD 16. NOTHING
01. DINAMO ZAGREB 02. SKULL AND BONES 03. COLLATERAL MURDER 04. DIE DUNKLE WOLKE 05. STRENGHT OF MY FIST 06. I AM HAPPY TONIGHT 07. LOS, GEMMA 08. TUNGUSKA 09. OD CELIKA 10. I WAS THERE 11. THE MAGICAL WORD 12. EXPERIENCES IN THE SKY 13. FIRE FREE 14. GEHORSAM 15. COLLATERAL MURDER - remix by BATCH ID
CD 2 : (bonus : archive and early works)
01. THE DEATH OF HOPE 02. TORTURE 03. MR. TONGUE 04. AMERICAN VAMPIRE 05. KLANG 06. WILLKOMMEN IM MASCHINENZEITALTER 07. NEW WORLD ORDER 08. TERRIBLE SUNBURN 09. AWAKING THE WOLF 10. HAND IN HAND 11. VERY GERMANIAC 12. SOLOKE SIVI 13. EXORCISM 14. ALLE ODER KEINER 15. TURN IT UP 16. FASTER (remix by BLEIBURG)
