Say Hi to Stephen Steinbrink

~ killamon ~ Leave a comment

I met Stephen Steinbrink, to do some shoot shoot in the red light district of Frankfurt. After getting spookyfied by some dark creatures, we bumped into Phil from Young Hare who had some questions, read the interview below…

_MG_1708

_MG_1704 _MG_1729

_MG_1739

(P=Phil / S = Stephen)

P: How did you experience Bar Plank in Frankfurt?

S: Bar Plank was super cool. Good coffee and the people working there are the friendliest in Germany as far as I know.

P: What would You consider as a nice audience, is there a noteable experience in Your time as a musician?

S: A good audience is one that is willing to meet the performer halfway; to be willing to make themselves vulnerable too. To be aware of the room, and to be willing to play within those restraints. I perform very quiet and intense music by myself at my concerts, so an opportunity to engage with an attentive audience is always welcome. It takes the pressure off. Being an audience member at a music show is performance too, though most don’t realize that.
I recently played a show inside of a Richard Serra sculpture in California. There was an insane natural echo that occurred inside that made it impossible not to play with. To resist the temptation to hear your voice echo through the sculpture would be torture, so everyone joined in. The show turned into an aural free-for-all that I will never forget.

P: What is the difference in playing shows in Europe/Germany compared to the U.S.?

S: I love touring in Europe. It is immensely more comfortable than touring the States. My impression is that artists are more universally valued and respected in European culture, so it has been nice to experience by proxy. Still, I think I will always be bonded to the spirit of the great wild american punk rock tour, where everything beautiful and weird can happen.

P: You have been compared to elliot smith, whom i admire. If You choose from Your favourite musicians to play in a band with yourself, who would be in this line up?

S: My dream band would be: Arthur Russell on drums, Kate Bush on a Casio SK-1, Judee Sill on bass, the members of LAKE on a Gamelan, S. E. Rogie on guitar, my friend Teague on a one stringed banjo played with a chicken feather amplified through a high school football stadium P.A.
Also I love Elliott Smith, I have the cover of one of his 7″ tattooed on my arm, Wearing his influence literally on my sleeve.

Thank You, Stephen and Phil, it was a pleasure.