Hello everyone, the current Tales of Mike release is the Landscape of Sorrow EP. It is atribute to my brother who died of bone cancer in 2010. The EP is about his bone cancer and our time together in orphanage, where we suffered from the violence of a Franciscan nun and that really shaped our lives. I actually didn't want to mention this dark topic at first, but it is also part of his life. Otherwise the EP would not have felt complete. In retrospect, I am glad because the EP was also a process for me to process something that had been slumbering deep inside me for years.
I received great support for the EP from the Argentinian singer Gonzalo Civita (HelėH. Tribal), to whom I sent my demo song from RIP (Landscape of Sorrow) and he immediately agreed to sing, and the exceptional guitarist Henrik Schaller. Henrik already played solos on two songs during the demo period at the end of 2022 and I have known him for a long time.
-How would you describe your sound?
I would describe our sound as a mix of different influences. For me personally, Epic Doom/Heavy Metal fits best. Although there are other influences too. That’s the beauty of the music for me. I was visiting friends in Northern Ireland in 2014. We played some guitar there. My friend said to me: "You play different styles." I said to him: "Really? I didn't even realize that because I just play the way I feel like." And I saw that in the demo songs at the end of 2022, which all sounded different. That's why I chose the name Tales of Mike. Every song is a different tale.
-What do you write about?
As I said, the EP was about my brother and the orphanage period. And about the possible processing of the experiences up to the suicide of the children who killed themselves as teenagers. The upcoming album focuses on the topic of "human". So I would say our lyrics, which my daughter Shannon writes, are about life itself.
What do you listen to when you're at home?
I really have to admit that I listen to the Tales of Mike demo songs the most. Nevermore is my favorite band and their music plays regularly here. Otherwise, it always depends on the mood. What I really like and listen to often is the dark piano album "Gebeine" by Alphatraz. Exceptional musician who recently played the piano version of "Requiescat in pace", a cover of RIP (Landscape of Sorrow), for my brother. I think the track is so great that I released it as a single.
Your favorite live performance so far?
I can only speak from my fan perspective. The best live performance I have ever seen was Blind Guardian in 1992 on the Somewhere far Beyond-Tour in Cologne and Oberhausen. I was on this tour with my brother and an old friend in Cologne and Oberhausen at two concerts within three weeks. The energy was insane. Hansi was still playing bass. Afterwards we talked to the musicians. In Oberhausen we met John Schaffer and the other musicians from Iced Earth on the street and just chatted with them. I bought the first Night of the Stormrider-Shirt at the concert. John told us that his mother ironed the artwork in her kitchen. The whole package with the concert and the musicians, who were really friendly, made these two concerts the best I have ever seen.
Tell us a funny story that happened in the studio or on stage.
Since Tales of Mike is a studio project, I can only tell you one studio story. But it was more of a situational comedy. I was just playing LSD Butterfly and said to my daughter Shannon, "Listen to the song." Shannon was so excited by the guitars that her eyes sparkled. So we talked about what the song should be called. I was in favor of a name from nature and said Butterfly because the guitars sounded to me like rapidly beating butterfly wings. And Shannon then said, like a shot, "Okay, then make it LSD Butterfly, because the song sounds really crazy." Shannon immediately said that she already had lyrics in her mind that were connected to experiences in my childhood. It was a magical, funny story for me because it all happened so quickly.
Your favorite albums?
Nevermore is my favorite band and probably nothing else can compare. All the albums are brilliant and timeless. But the following albums, in no particular order, are among my all-time favorites.
Ametropie - The Unknown (my brother plays the guitar and sings the deep growls)
Sanctuary - Into the Mirror Black
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys I
Grinder - Dawn for the Living
Dissection - Storm of the Lights Bane
Pyracanda - Two sides of a coin
Atrophy - Chemical Dependency
Death - Symbolic
Annihilator - Alice in Hell
Judas Priest – Painkiller
And many more…
A musician you would like to meet for a beer?
There are a few musicians in the world that I know and that I would like to meet for a beer. But the most important thing for me would be to meet for a beer with Gonzalo Civita, Henrik Schaller and Matias Takaya, the producer, to personally thank them for what we have created with this tribute EP for my brother.
What would you want backstage if you were the most important band in the world?
Good question. I'm happy with something to drink and something to eat. And a room where you can relax and prepare for the upcoming tension. I think it's important to have relaxed people around you who know what they're doing. As I said, I've never been on stage and can only say what I can imagine.
What are your plans for the near future?
We are currently working on the first Tales of Mike album, which is expected to be released in 2025. The first single will be released on October 4th. Get ready for the "Human Masquerade".
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