Hotel California
... is a project of mainly positive folk songs I started ten years ago with my little brother Thomas an my friend Jakob Groothoff (Hamburg). We released „The New Sound Of Folk“ which for some great reasons is still of interest to a bunch of Hotel California fans. So I decided to do a new HC record. Ten years later during Covid lockdown I recorded many new tunes, songs about a better life. I asked my old friend Carl Albrecht to whom I hadn’t talked in years (we fell apart over the split of our rock band Mr Brown) if we wanna produce some new songs together. And here we are with “Orange” a quite positive album for me as a folk musician.
Universal Civilian
"Universal Civilians I wrote about my wish that we as a community of global citizens would treat each other more fairly.", so der Künstler über das Lied selbst. Hotel California ist auf unserer Playlist ja kein Unbekannter mehr. Mit "Universal Civilians" liefert er wieder feinsten "Folk meets Americana" ab. Der Wunsch nach mehr Fairness, Brüderlichkeit, Gleichbehandlung einfach das Umgehen miteinander zu hinterfragen, ja zu verbessern als großes Thema des Singer und Songwriters, jeder könnte doch Teil dieses Projekts respektive Traums werden, den ersten Schritt in die Veränderung zu wagen wird jedoch der schwerste sein. Der Song wird die Welt wahrscheinlich nicht perfekt machen aber die Welt hat einen perfekten Song um darüber nachzudenken. Thanks to Daniel Green (Hotel California). Im nachfolgenden Q&A part könnt ihr noch mehr über den Künstler, wie auch zum Song selbst erfahren.
Q&A
Who inspired you to make music in general?
I love folk music with great harmonies especially vocal harmonies. You hear these great artists like “The Punch Brothers” in the USA mostly. Maybe some of you have checked out the world’s best podcast “NPR Tiny desk concerts” by Bob Boilen. I love this format and I am highly influenced by it. When I was young I wanted to become famous like other cool bands and so I started to write songs.
...and especially to the song "Universal Civilian"?
Universal Civilians I wrote about my wish that we as a community of global citizens would treat each other more fairly.
"We could be Universal Civilians - acting like partners, talking like brothers."
I was and I am very troubled by statements of certain politicians (for example a U.S. president) who exclude people based on origin or heritage. It’s really a mess a lot of people fall for these racists’ ideas.
No effects as reverbs are used on this track, just my rooms at home. And some persons in my song are taken from my personal life. For example the Irish is my friend Ian I was living with in a flat when we were students in Hamburg. He took me to a concert of the "Frames" (Glen Hansards old band) and somehow formed my musical way."Universal Civilian" is a political track, are you very interested in politics?
I’m a Geography teacher and it comes with the job to know about politics. But to be honest I don’t like politics too much. It’s so much lobbying which is not ok in my moral codex when it’s about money. But I have to say I was very impressed when Obama became President. I hoped for big changes then.
What is your creative process like?
I usually play on my guitar and hum a line to it. The words I find in this stage are fantasy words nothing specific. Doing this for a few times sometimes days let’s the song evolve itself. I record my fantasy lyrics on my phone and slowly the story get’s clearer. Since I’m a rather sensitive person the tunes usually tell little stories of my friends lives or my life. Most songs I wrote about my wife. Maybe half of all my +200 songs so far I think.
When do you decide that a song is ready for a release?
After finishing a tune on my part (vocal, harmonies, guitars, bass) I give it to Carl Albrecht or my other musical friend Jörn Brodersen who mix it. When I can still live with the song after this I release it. I try to form EPs or Albums. Carl sometimes adds drums or other nice things to the tunes as well.
Do you remember your first ever self written song?
The first songs were the hardest (like the “first cut” in Rod Stewards song) although I knew some chords but the lyrics were quite basic. Love songs mostly I remember. When I was 18 I wrote the first love song for my wife and I’m happy she still wanted to get to know me. I’m no Joni Mitchell super songwriter guy. I have to do the 80% work to make a song great. J
What was the first ever Pop/Rock song you listened to?
I can’t remember. My parents were quite hard with my choices of music. I think maybe “He’s got the whole world in his hand” by Billy Graham.
What do you prefer, a live gig or a studio session?
I prefer shows in great sounding rooms like churches or hallways. It touches people to feel the music in a room. And I love doing it with my friends when we sing harmonies. Sometimes I record these concerts and release them.
What’s next for you?
I have 15 more tunes from Covid lockdown sessions I will release with Hotel California in 2022. And with the Daniel Green Band we will record a full album as well hopefully until March.
And I want to play more bass and become a bassist one day.
