TANKARD – Interview with Gerre, voc.

I promised myself, that I should make an interview with some band, which significantly influenced my metal-development and which you will not read about in other Polish magazines or websites. Do you still remember this band? On turn of 80's and 90's I lost my mind for them. What a thrash it was!!! Aggression and fun!!! That was what I liked in TANKARD and ANTHRAX most. Old metalheads with pleasure recall beer bibbers, and I encourage young metalheads to learn something about what they stand for, because in the whole wide world there is no band which drank more beers than TANKARD!!! Hahahahaha…

You are in TANKARD since the beginning (since 1982). When you founded the band you were 14-15 years old but then you were bass player, after that you became a vocalist, hehehe….

Yeah, the first idea was that Frank sings and I play bass, but after a while he played much better than me, so I had to sing?

Is that truth that as juvenile tasters of beer at school, you drank it from milk cartons? Quite a good idea – hahahaha…

Yes, this is really true. It was our first gig in the year 1983 and we played in a class room during a school party. We were really young and not allowed to drink some alcohol, so we did put the beer into milk cartons!!! Hell what a shame!!!!

You know, presently there are many young metalheads in Poland who have never heard about TANKARD (It is shame – hehehehe). They were brought up on RAMMSTEIN, CRADLE OF FILTH, DIMMU BORGIR, KORN, COVENANT, etc. I think that the good idea is you presenting line-up. In my questions I will try a little to reveal the history of TANKARD to let the young metalheads learn something about it.

Yeah it would be really great to come to Poland for the first time? to have a big party together!!!

First you were called VORTEX and AVENGER. What made you change the name to TANKARD? Are you sure you love beer??? Hahahahaha… Your favourite beer is Romer Pils, have you ever drunk Polish beer?

We found the name in a dictionary and thought that it really fits to us, hahahaha? sorry, we never tried polish beer, so it's really time to come over!

Yeaa, that is right! Are you in touch with anybody from Poland who manages gigs? At present many great gigs take place in Poland, even featuring world stars, it's not a problem now, it is necessary only to get in touch with suitable persons…

Sorry, there were never an offering till yet. We really would like to play in Poland to have a big party together, do you have still any big festivals like the Metalmania?? We would love to come, especially to taste your beer?..

Through these 20 of years of playing you released 13 materials under sign-board thrash metal. First was “Zombie Attack”( 1986), last was “B-Day”( 2002). Can you characterize these two materials?

The first album was really punk influenced, “The B-Day” album is 100% thrash!!!! But I think it is up to you to characterize our music? it's very hard for me, to say something objective. I love them both, cheers!!!

The covers of your albums are always full of humor. I daresay you have your own style. Are they all by the same person? Which of them do you like the best?

All our albums are painted by the artist Sebastian Krüger except “Zombie Attack”, “The tankard”, “Disco Destroyer” and “Kings Of Beer”. Also the album for our next album coming in February 2004 will be done by Mr. Krüger! I think his artwork really fits to the our fun image…

How do you like your first composition “Ray Death” now? Was it issued anywhere at all?

Yeah, we recorded it on tape that time, but I really can't find the tape anymore, sorry!!!!! But it would be really fun to hear it again?

You are already 35 years old. How does it feel to play so many years in such a famous band? Together with such stars like KREATOR, SODOM, DESTRUCTION you created powerful German thrash metal scene.

It is a cool feeling to make music for such a long time. We never gave up and survived the times thrash metal was not very popular!!! As long as we have fun to play that kind of music we never give up!!!!!

Why haven't you ever played in Poland? We are such close neighbors that it would be easy to play once in a while and to remind about yourselves. For quite a long time I was sure you don't exist anymore.

As I told you that would be cool? we never had a offering, so I hope to do that one day to party with you!!!!!

How do you remember your first concert? Hands perspired, legs bent and voice did not want to extricate? Surely it was necessary to have a shot of beer for a good beginning?

It was in that class room, we did were jeans and metal shirts, but I really can't remember? it is long time ago?

Ok. Have you played any gigs lately?

Last Saturday in Sweden at the Motala Festival, fuckin great, we had a lot of fun!!!!

Unfortunately I had opportunity to hear only “Hair Of The Dog”(1989) and “The Meaning Of Life”(1990). I was impressed by your music then, such compositions as “Beermuda”, “Space Beer”, “Don' t Panic”, or “(Empty) Tankard”(and especially video from concert) still sound in my head!!! The mix of fast thrash metal with punk's accents created music full of aggression and fun as well…

We still play “Space Beer”, “Don't Panic” and “Empty Tankard” live?

In 90's as TANKWARD you recorded several popular German hits (descending from folk music) and pieces in NDW( New German Wave) style. What made you do this and why did you change the name of the band a little? I don't know if this is truth but probably a chap from SODOM made something of that kind, too???

We had the idea to do that long time ago, so we released two albums under the name TANKWARD, (this is a guy who works at a gas station) in 1994 and 1996! But now this project is dead, because we are more into playing our own stuff!!! Tom of SODOM had the idea to cover some beer songs around the same time, so nobody really copied it?..and he still do that thing with uncle Tom!!!

What is the present line-up of TANKARD?

Andy Gutjahr-guitars, Olaf Zissel-drums, Frank Thorwarth-bass, Gerre-vocals

What was the fans reactions on “B-Day”???

Oh, the reactions were really great, we had a lot of good reviews in the magazines and they fans like the new album. The guest book of our homepage was full of cool statements!!!

What do you think: what does thrash metal stand for these days among other sorts of metal music? There happened the fashion-led innovatory solutions like RAMSTEIN, KOVENANT, or bands like HIM, NIGHTWISH, etc. Even hard core isn't what it used to be. From time to time people reinvent death metal or black metal or gothic, but thrash has hidden itself underground…

Thrash metal was very big in the end of the eighties, but never really died!!! So there are always waves one time it is more popular and one time less!!! I must say honestly I really didn't care what is in or not, we just play that kind of music we are into, that's all?

Other thrash metal titans has come back onstage lately, like SODOM, KREATOR, DESTRUCTION, LIVING DEATH is also probably bound to return (???). TESTAMENT became death metal band instead. What is your opinion on this?

I don't really care, but it would be great if there is a reunion of DEATHROW. We toured together with them a couple of times, they were brilliant?

I've heard that once you played an episode in some German TV series. What was it?

Yeah, that was fun, they played all the time “Space Beer”, had a lot of TANKARD posters and some people did wear TANKARD shirts. I was able to say one word, so I'm a big actor hahahaha? the story was about smuggling cocaine? we didn't get any money for it, but anyway it was fun!!!!!

You work as a social worker. At your work you cope with drug addicts. Did you have any interesting situations while working with these people?

It is totally different to the fun I have with tankard. We are an institution, where drug addicted people can shoot themselves with fresh and clean needles etc??it is called injection room. Sometimes the work is very hard, but I think we really can help some of them!!!

You are the citizen of the European Union. What is your opinion on the EU? I'm asking because everything tells that Poland will soon be part of the EU.

I think it is good to have a United Europe, one day there will be no more borders, you can travel where you want to and we all have the same money… there are problems, but in general I have a good opinion about this Europe idea!!!

How does it feel to be a genuine football fan and to know that Eintracht Frankfurt hasn't been in Bundesliga for several years now?

Oh, please don't hurt me like hell, hahaha? so, at the moment we have the third place in the second division, hopefully we go up to the Bundesliga again, another four games are to be played and the first three teams go up. This season is really very exciting, you have to have very good nerves. To be in the second division is very hard, only the true fans like me go to the games!

What do you consider to be your greatest success?

Oh, it was a great feeling to keep the very first album of TANKARD in my hands, I will never forget this? and all the funny years with TANKARD, I won't miss all these good times!!!!!!

And disappointment?

Never tried polish beer!!!

Oh, that's right. What do you plan in future?

We play some more shows and festivals like Sweden Rock this year and prepare for the next album. We go to the studio in November working together again with Andy Classen!!!

Can you tell me more about your next album? Have you got any new songs ready? And so on???”

We have two songs ready, but no titles till yet. The album cover will be done by Sebastian Krüger again, the music will be a mixture of jazz, techno and glam rock -as always… .

Yeaa, I think so. Great thanks for interview! I wish you further successe! Last words belong to TANKARD!!!

Thank you for your support. Hope to come one day to Poland to party with you all!!!

Cheers – Gerre

gerre@gmx.net

www.tankard.org

Photos & logo taken from the official Tankard website