I would like to start at the very beginning. How would you describe the early Sielwolf sound?
We have industrial roots (early eighties, influenced by Chrome, Swans, Mark Stewart. We have a sample concept, using parts of movies and new classical music, our favorite is Pendereckie. We like to mix up different genres together. We are also using life instruments, like bass, guitar and voc.
How has the music progressed from those days to now? If you consider there to be large difference, what do you think caused it?
The sound is very different at the moment. We brought out the Sielwolf 4 and remixes of this album, produced by Mick Harris of Scorn and we were using the guitars in a very abstract way (effects) and no vocals of Peter, only a few important samples of Charles Bukowsky . The sound is more hypnotic and dark on these albums, much more introvert. We always change our concept and we like to experiment with new styles. At the moment we are into dark drum and bass quite a bit and the next album might be influenced of it. We will see.
Do you have any strong political or social views? How do you try to express them in Sielwolf?
No, its more a personal thing that try to compensate in our music, the lyrics are all about fears and conflicts of ourselves. We used to be interested in the manipulation of television and movies, especially when the Magnum Force came out in Germany (Videodrome). That time we were watching Splatter and psychic movies all the time.
How do you pick your spoken word samples?
Most of the times we were using voices of movies, like white trash/Cape fear/Robert de Niro, Magnum Force/Marlon Brando etc.
You're a member of MACOS, so your obviously all for free sampling. Have you had any trouble in the past with copyright laws or something similar?
No I think we are not popular enough to get into trouble. I think its stupid to make this big thing out of stealing samples. If you listen to some typical rock songs they are stealing all the time very obviously and nobody cares.
Would you consider Sielwolf a studio band? Any comments on the transfer to a live environment?
No we are both, in one hand we make most of the concept for our music at home, in the other hand we love to play live because its always good when the audience is getting into it and we can make the atmosphere more visual in using a strange light or having some art performance on stage.
What does your live show consist of?
We use sample sounds and also life instruments, like bass, guitar, drums and as I said before we try to make the themes on the albums visual.
Do you have any comments on the comparisons to Numb, Ministry, or other similar bands?
It seems that people need to compare bands all the time, we don't like it too much , it makes you feel like you would copy somebody else, especially if they are more known like Ministry.
Early on, what were your influences (musical and otherwise)?
Chrome, Swans, Mark Stewart, New classical composer, like Pendereckie, Varese, Crump. For lyrics Reinald Goetz.
What influences you now (musical and otherwise)?
Source direct, Ed Rush (Drum and Bass, dark sound) in general all musicians who experiment with new dark or interesting styles, it doesn't matter which genre. I think there isn't much interesting new on the industrial or alternative scene at the moment only repetitions.
What is your song writing process?
Peter used his dreams for the lyrics. He wrote them down right after he woke up. In the past we had the samples first and build everything around them. Now we use rythms first and ad samples. It changes. Now that we have the AKAI we have more possibilities than with the casio FZ1.
"Experimentalism" is obviously a large part of your music. Is this intentional, or does it just come about?
Both, we like to experiment with sound a lot and sometimes it just comes while we are making a new track. The effects do matter a lot. We also do side projects sometimes because some styles we experiment with dont fit with Sielwolf at all and we have to find another identification for it but all side projects are part of ourselves.
What does your lyrical content revolve around (unfortunately, I do not speak German and can't understand them)? Would you consider the lyrical message a large part of your music?
It's a very personal thing and all about unconsious fears and inner conflicts. Aggressions come up and are compensate by making music. Its very difficult to translate them because Peter didnt use full sentences, only associations and symbols, so it wouldn't make much sence, only if the translator would speak very good English and would be into our music a lot.
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview! Do you have anything else you would like to say to everyone?
Thanks for your interest, take care. Yours Petra.
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