Funker Vogt Interview with Gerrit Thomas - by S&SR, March 2000.
This interview is courtesy of Sampler & Sansreproches Radioshow. If you want to use this interview, email S&SR

1. Can you introduce FUNKER VOGT to our readers and give the respective role of each member of the band?
- Funker Vogt is Jens Kästel (vocals) and Gerrit Thomas (programming etc.). On stage there are two guys more: Thomas Kroll (guitar) and Björn Böttcher (Keyboard).Furthermore, there is Kai Schmidt who writes most of our textures.

2. What does FUNKER VOGT mean? How would you define your music?
- "Funker" is a job at the army and means radio-operator and "Vogt" is a german surname. An old friend of us did his military service as a radio-operator and his name is Stefan Vogt. He didn`t like his work there and we always teased him by calling him "Funker Vogt", it was very funny so we decided to call the band like this. I think it is always hard to describe your own music, but we try it by calling it "electro-techno".

3. After two agressive albums and a masterpiece: "Execution Tracks" published last year, will you continue the burst of this gunfire or have you changed the way of composing for "Maschine Zeit", your next album?
- We are always working on new material. The first songs on "Maschine Zeit" were programmed before the last album "Execution Tracks" has been released. So it is a development without breaks from album to album. When the last songs for the next album are recorded we are constantly working on the next release. So summarized you can say that "M.Z." is a consistent carry on the last album.

4. How was the recording proceed of your last album? Can we expect for some surprises?
- Yes, I think so. The new album includes even a dark-wave ballad called "Nuclear Winter" which is also on the "Gunman"-MCD in a different version. We did on a few tracks less effects on the voice of Jens, so you can hear that he is also able to "sing"...

5. All of your albums were published on Zoth Ommog. How did you come on Bloodline? Do you know what the hell is going on with Zoth?
- At Zoth we worked together with Torben Schmidt and Dennis Ostermann and noone else. They left Zoth Ommog and formed a new label in the end of last year. After that, we tried to work with the new persons at Zoth but it didn`t work as well, so we decided to change to Bloodline where Torben and Dennis are the main heads.

6. A sampler cd is scheduled on a sub label of XIII Bis records (Sanctuary 13), do you have any news on it? Is FUNKER VOGT licensed in France?
- No, not yet, but Bloodline is working on a licence-partnership in France, Belgium etc.

7. FUNKER VOGT is really productive (one album and a maxi per year). How do you manage to work so hard for FUNKER VOGT on top of your side project: FUSSPILLS 11 and RAVENOUS?
- We have a studio and I (Gerrit) am doing this job as a professional, so I have enough time to do all the projects without pressure.

8. We have seen you on stage several time since 1998. Is the scene so important for you? What does it bring you? Will your shows be more visual in the future, with some smashing videos for example?
- Yes, our new stage-show looks more professional than before. There is a video-beamer with special-effects and movie scenes, a few scanners, black lights and our stage-outfit changed also...but the "celebration-show" goes on as it did before.

9. . Actually you're on tour, did you have some suggestions to play in france? Is the tour fill you with joy, hopes or sadness?
- Surely we hope for more success, but this year it`s the first time we are going on tour without another bigger band, so we can see which status we are. But apart from this we all enjoy touring from town to town and it`s always a little party for us...
There is nothing concretely planned for France, but we think about a little tour there about 3 or 4 gigs in the next year.

10. Last year, a thing disappointed us, Rudi Ratzinger was saying in an interview that "Execution Tracks" was a threat to the good music. On the other hand, we think that FUNKER VOGT is much more original and powerful than :W:. What do you think of it?
- It`s always a point of view. Wumpscut is not the kind of music we like, but we wouldn`t say about another band that it is bad music because you would offend also the fans of that band and that`s not the way in making yourself bigger.

11. Torben said that the first edition of the "Gunman" single was sold out, you have reached the third position of the DAC. How do you feel? Are you surprised of the success?
- It has now reached position two (smile) and I think it was expected. But it will be difficult to reach such a success with the next releases.

12. A last word for your french speaking fans...
- La boum va et va et va... Allez les bleues.

I would like to thank Walter of S&SR and Kai Schimdt.

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