Without
stage assistants, but with tuft on the stage on ESC [Eurovision Song Contest][1]
The Berlin band is in the German pre-selection
of the Eurovision Song Contest. They want to show off their 50s style on the
stage of the pop competition.
Interview
by Alina Bähr for the German site SUPERillu.de
Translated
by: TBB BRASIL FANPAGE
They became
known in 2009 with their Rock 'n' Roll version of Rihanna's mega-hit
'Umbrella'. And known mainly abroad: their debut album "Strike"
(2010) reached the number one position in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Belgium.
Meanwhile, The Baseballs had two "Echos"[2] on
the shelf, including "Best National Artist Abroad"[3].
And on March 13, Basti from
Magdeburg, Sam from Reutlingen and Digger from Rheine want to be chosen to
represent Germany on May 10 at the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in
Copenhagen. We interviewed Basti, Digger, and Sam at the "Fabulous Route 66 Diner" restaurant.
How did you decide to participate in
the ESC pre-selection?
Basti: The truth is that it
was the idea of our fans. In recent years, on tour we have often been asked
why we did not even try. Because we only sang cover songs for a long time, it
was never an option. But as we had agreed to make a new album, especially with
songs of our own, we saw that it would be a great opportunity to try the new
songs and also present them on a big stage. So we kindly knocked on the NDR’s[4] door and asked if we could get in.
Sam: It was more like a
battering ram!
Basti: That's right! Of
course we are more inclined to make a presentation that contrasts with the ESC.
There will not be dozens of changes of clothes nor will we wear sequined suits.
Digger: And surely no hot
pants!
Basti: No one wants to see
this. There will be no stage assistants or elaborate dance steps. But the ESC,
in fact, also presents things that do not fit the expected. And there's nothing
wrong with a bit of Rock'n'Roll.
Sam: The funny thing was
that since we were very successful in Finland, our Finnish recorder wanted us
to represent Finland.
Digger: Did not Switzerland
want to either?
Basti: Yes. But, we were in
agreement: If we were going to do this...
All: then it would only be
for Germany!
Wasn’t Ralph Siegel who composed the
music?
Digger: No, we write our
songs.
Basti: But, in fact, we've
worked together with the songwriter of last year's winning song. Not in the
songs we competed for in the pre-selection[5],
but in some other tracks of the new album. When we did these songs, we were not
obsessed with incorporating elements that made them winners, what we wanted was
to follow the rules.
What does it mean?
Basti: The music should have
been three minutes long and while most of the musicians had to shorten theirs,
we had to extend ours. This is Rock 'n' Roll. But, the most important thing for
us was to be authentic and do what we do best. When you pretend to fit the ESC,
everyone realizes immediately.
Last year, the German participant
'Cascada' didn’t have good results. Are you afraid that the same thing will
happen to you?
Sam: Maybe they thought: It sounds like the winner of the
last year, so it should work now!
Digger: Because they were
successful internationally, they must have thought they were guaranteed out
there. Unfortunately, for me, it really resembled the winner of the previous
year.
Sam: In the end, the song
just has to be good.
Basti: We do not want to
question talent. But relying on victory in advance is a problem. No matter how
successful a person is on their own country, in the end you must convince
everyone with the song.
Sam: England is a good
example. They have often sent consecrated stars to the competitiont, the names
that come to my mind are Engelbert Humperdinck and Bonnie Tyler. I'm not going
to put the songs on trial, but they may have been more concerned about having
big names in the song and neglecting the songs a little.
How do you see your chances?
Digger: We do not want to talk
about it. We think it's not the time to talk about it, if we can beat the other
participants. Because the other participants of the ESC pre-selection are
really good. We will be very proud, if all goes well. And it would be really cool
if we could present the second song[6].
We are mainly focused on being on stage and showing, in those three minutes,
that deep down we just want to make music and have fun.
For your new album you composed your
own songs. Why did the fans have to wait so long?
Basti: To be more precise:
This is not the first time we have written our own songs. In the first album[7]
there is one song of ours and three in the Christmas album[8].
And live, also own songs. In that sense, it is not something totally new to us.
But on the new album the proportion between covers and original compositions
changed. We've been doing song versions for seven years and eventually you get
to develop a certain routine and repeat yourself a little. So we decided to do
only a few covers and increase the number of own compositions. For us it was a
logical step.
Sam: You have to develop a
little more and reinvent yourself like any other band. Elvis did it too,basically.
Basti: When you make a
version of a song, you limit yourself. You should keep the harmonies and can
only change small things. It's like wearing a very tight corset. With songs of
your own you are totally free and start from scratch. In the end, this led to a
larger variety of styles on the new album. From classic Rock 'n' Roll with more
modern elements to more Doo-Wop songs. That
is, a lot of variety!
Your new album is called "Game
Day". Are you players?
Basti: Last year, I went to
Las Vegas for the first time and realized: I'm not really a player. My friends
persuaded me to sit in front of a slot machine. When you won an extra round, a
song from "The Monkees" was played. So I played mostly to win the
extra rounds and listen to the song.
Sam: What Basti really
means is: he's just a footballer! I've been to the casino a couple of times and
played Black Jack. Although, in fact, I've just watched people playing and
betting on them. So far I do not know how it really works. For us it is like a
tradition, it is not simply to take the name of a song to put as the title of
the album, but to find a generic name for the whole album. And it's not so
easy, it's almost like picking a new name for the band. In the end, we chose
"Game Day" because on the one hand it is associated with "The
Baseballs" and the baseball game and on the other hand because in this
album we try to have, musically, a lot of variety.
In this tour you will play in your
hometowns. How does it feel to be playing at home?
Sam: For me, it's going to
be the first show in my hometown, Reutlingen. Of course we were in Stuttgart,
but it was never exactly at my house. I have seen happen to the other two, who
always go the whole family, friends, acquaintances. And it's different. It is
tense and brings a certain positive nervousness that affects the show a little.
Family members can be very honest. Really, very honest. But when the show is
over, it's great to see them all behind the scenes and get together with them.
Basti: Or you can take them
to an old pub. It's cool to see so many people known in the audience during the
concert. It is a very different experience and always very fun.
Digger: Honestly, I always try
to put few people on the guest list. There's always a little pressure. When you
invite people to your own show, and they accept it, you will never be 100% sure
that they like the musical style. I do not have friends Rock 'n' Rollers who
say: Let's listen to the Elvis album again.
Sam: Besides that we are
from Magdeburg and Reutlingen that are small towns. If we put all our friends
on the guest list, the club will be full. And we
want to sell tickets.
You are very successful in Germany,
but in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Belgium you are in the first place. How do
you explain success abroad?
Sam: The crazy thing is
that the sales numbers in Germany are also very good. But this is more related
to the fact that they are smaller countries.
Digger: Was not it in Finland
that, theoretically, everyone has an album of ours?
Sam: According to the
number of sales, yes. In fact, it's totally crazy! We had never achieved
anything like that in Finland before.
Digger: And in Münster every
inhabitant has two bicycles. That is, if we gave as a gift our CD in every
purchase of a small bicycle, all Münster would have our album.
Basti: As already said, in
Germany, we also have a relatively large number of sales. Somewhere, they must
be. I hope it's not in our record company's office. No, we've made some
appearances on Scandinavia's top TV shows, and of course, that greatly
increases our visibility. We did not have that in Germany. So far. Now we're
pre-selecting ESC!
How different are the German and Scandinavian musical scenes?
Digger: Germany is more a
country of radio, we are more passive in musical terms. On the outside is
Spotify and other similar platforms where you can listen to your favorite music
repeatedly. Here is more common what is fashionable, which is played repeatedly
in radios. But, I can also understand that we can be compared to Usher and
Rihanna ... on a higher level.
Sam: We're also called The
World's Most Humble Band!
Basti: It goes without saying
that radio programming is different in countries where we are very successful.
In Germany, it's more focused on American pop music, based on competing radios
and what's touched on them.
Digger: Maybe here is a
certain fear of losing ibope. Outside, I do not exist. They play once and wait
for the reaction of the listeners.
Where can you walk unacknowledged in
Berlin or Stockholm?
Sam: When someone stares at
us, I do not think we've been recognized as the band unless we've found our
hairstyles funny or have something on our faces.
Basti: In Germany, we are
rarely approached on the street, it happens more often abroad.
Digger: We are approached
because we are simply very beautiful!
Sam: As we've already said,
we're called The World's Most Humble Band!
Basti: Well, if you walk on
the street with a tuft, you will of course be observed frequently. It's hard to
know for sure.
Sam: But, of course, you
feel very honored if one or another fan recognizes you on the street. One of
the funniest experiences in this respect was in Berlin. When we had just formed
the band, many people were saying, Look, these three look like 'Johnny Bravo'!
And once, when we were traveling by night on the road, a group of guys came
past us and said, Look, these three look like 'The Baseballs'. And we just
think: Finally we got it now!
When you think of Rock'n'Roll,
groupies can not be left out, right?
Basti: There are. But it is not that there are constantly 200 fans looking through the windshield. There must be between eight and ten people already at 7 in the morning at the door of the venue of the show who rush to the stage as soon as the doors open. Often times our fans have passed by while we are still doing interviews in the hall of the place, nor even notice our presence because they are focused on occupying the front rows. It really is great to have such loyal fans. We would be very stupid if we complained that they were following us.
What do fans throw on the stage
during their shows?
Sam: A lot of things, not just underclothes.
Digger: When we play in
Stuttgart and surroundings, they also throw pasta. So we have something to eat
on the tour bus.
Sam: In Sweden, the girls
throw packs of chewing gum on the stage.
Why?
Digger: In the package has a
message asking the number of our hotel room.
Sam: In the beginning, we
thought we were just bad-breathed down the first ranks.
Digger: But, let's be honest.
Without our fans we would not be where we are now. Just like that. But, I still
do not know how to react when I receive gifts from our fans. Deep down we
somehow reciprocate with our music.
Basti: For example, in an
interview I was asked what my favorite animal was. It was so unexpected that
nothing came into my head so I simply said 'Cow.' And since then, I get a lot
of stuffed cows. It's really amazing how people are so attentive.
Katy Perry likes your versions of her
songs. If they could choose: Who should make a version of your own
compositions?
Basti: It would be great if
someone ever did a version of our songs. After years of making other versions,
it would be a very strange situation. We do not have any artist in mind. The
important thing is that the music should be cool and be a completely different
version.
Sam: If someone chose a
song of ours to make a version, we would be very happy. Whatever.
Basti: I just hope they do
not talk: we just wanted to improve the music!
Watch the performance
of the band in Eurovision
[3] They also won
the category "National Revelation"
[4] Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR, North German Broadcasting) is a public
radio and television station based in Hamburg.
[5] ‘Mo Hotta Mo Betta’ and ‘Goodbye Peggy Sue’
[6] Regrettably,
The Baseballs was eliminated in the first round.
[7] Really, the first song
of its own ('Hard Not To Cry') does not appear on the album "String 'n'
Stripes".
[8] “Good Ol’ Christmas”
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