For Me, There’s No Difference Between The Joy Of Life And The Joy Of Death
In what way did these extreme experiences particularly changed you?
My view on the world completely changed. For instance now I know how beautiful it can be to do nothing at all. Starring at a wall for a while until you discover all those hidden patterns and energy fields. Take your time for all the small things in life. Most people forget how exciting that can be. Recently I was looking at a painting of Basquiat for 20 hours - without a break. And without having put something away.
You really mean that you wouldn't change anything at all in your life if you could turn back the hands of time?
No! For me there's nothing more exciting than to be me at the moment - and I'm the product of my past. If I want that or not.
Then can you explain me why the only line you're singing in "Regret" - a song from your current solo album "Shadows Collide With People" - is: "I regret my past/stay alone." It couldn't be clearer.
That's a joke. (giggles) I liked the surreal aspect in it. As you can see in many of my lyrics I love to play with contradictions. The idea that someone could regret his past is a contradiction itself for me. You can't reject something that helped creating the current Staus Quo - otherwise you had to hate yourself automatically. And that would be a pure waste of time.
A similar surreal construction can be found in the title of your album. What you want us to say with it?
Often I try to use words in a way that leads reality to points you wouldn't relate with it. I liked the idea of a shadow colliding with a real person - something that's hard. In my reality something invisible has strength too. Strength can grow out of transparence as well, got me? Those contradictory pictures and ideas fascinate me.
Nevertheless: your lyrics seem to look back on and reappraise your past. Even though they trend to to be brighter and more hopeful this time.
I think it's rather that I'm interested in arrangig that period afterwards, transfer it to an useful pattern. I had many experiences that were just way too much for me. Just as I read a Aleister Crowley book many things made sense after all. I needed someone who had made the same experiences and explained them to me. Unlike me Crowley is much more an analytical mind.
What does death mean to you?
Oh... I like the idea to die. (giggles) I think this will be fun. In my opinion death is something you should look forward to. Something exciting in every way. To be honest that is one of the main massages I want to convey thru my music. People shouldn't be afraid of death. This is not the end - rather a further life with different statues and realities. And so you get a completely different perspective on the things you have experienced and done on earth. All that stuff will be relative. It will be just like taking a trip.
How can you be so sure about that?
Because I know what I'm talking about. I looked across. Several times. For me there is no difference between the joy of life and the joy of death since then. Both are reasons to be happy - not to cry. It would be different if someone would commit suicide because he's not doing well. That is not exciting, it's an act of running away which might lead him to a fucked up place in the world of death as well. But if you do your best in earthly existence then you can look forward to the next dimension. And maybe you can even examine the tracks you left on earth up there.
