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Interview
Deutsche VersionInterview mit Faith Factor (03.03.2009)
HH: Hi Ski. How are you?
Ski: We're very blessed my brother. Things are going good and it's an honor to be here.
HH: Now, with your record out in store, how do you occupy yourself and what are your plans for the near future?
Ski: Well, we all still have our day jobs and families to take care of, so we're doing little shows around town. But we're also putting together a mini tour and we will be in the Czech Republic to play Night Of The Stars Festival with Saxon, Anthrax and Kryeson.
HH: Playing at the Keep It True in late 2008 you had the chance of presenting yourself and your songs to a quite big audience. What were your expectations in the run-up to the show?
Ski: This is my second time at KIT. I was there with Deadly Blessing in KIT 2004. Four years later I was asked back by Oli and Tarik and how can you not play KIT. It's the ultimate honor to play for 1500 screaming metal fans.
HH: Although Against A Darkened Sky was not yet available at that time, the response was quite good. Were you surprised by that?
Ski: We released the CD on November, 11th and we played KIT 11 on November, 15th plus we brought plenty of CDs and T-Shirts with us. I am overjoyed that fans still like my work, even though I am a born again Christian. I was told many times "We don't care what you sing about - as long as it's metal".
HH: Many people for sure thought and still think about Deadly Blessing when hearing your name. Why did you leave the band just like that on the spur of the moment?
Ski: There were two reasons I left. One, God pulled me away from Deadly Blessing to start a band in His name. Two, I didn't really think the music was old Deadly Blessing and I thought the fans would have been disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the new songs were fun to sing. I just think it's moving in a direction that has nothing to do with Deadly Blessing. Steven Childs is a good friend of mine and he will do a great job for them. I just think they should change the name, leave the past in the past and start fresh new. New singer - new band name.
HH: You can say Faith Factor is a Christian Metal band, right? Which significance does this genre have in the States?
Ski: What's really cool about singing in a Christian metal band is, we are accepted in both areas of metal. We can play secular metal shows and Christian ones.
HH: Not many labels sign "White Metal" bands. Did you have problems finding a new label for Faith Factor?
Ski: After we released the 7/7/7 EP to shop for a label we got a lot of offers. Pure Steel, Steel Gallery, Hellion, Storm Spell etc... Not many Christian ones accept Bombworks and the one we sign with: Retroactive Records.
HH: The sound of Against A Darkened Sky is quite undifferentiated, thin and powerless to my ears. Is there any reason for this kind of production? Was this intentional or was it the maximum of what the studio was up to?
Ski: Yeah, we're disappointed with the production too. What we had to do is pay for all the recording ourselves, then we had it mixed, sent it to the Retro. They mastered it and pressed it. So we hope the next one we will use a better studio with a name producer.
HH: Are there any studio stories worth telling?
Ski: To far back - I can't remember. I'm 46, you know and my memory is slipping...
HH: At any time did you have trouble because of your belief or did you ever have to explain yourself to anyone?
Ski: No, we don't have to explain to anybody what we're all about - we let the music do the preaching. Our beliefs may not be yours. We respect that and they respect ours.
HH: The USA, in many states, are a country of ideal and belief. What about the metal family and audience concerning that point?
Ski: If someone wants to talk about it or pray with us, we don't turn anyone away. It's all about what is your faith factor. Everybody believs in something, so what you believe in and at what level are you in that belief is what's important.
HH: Do you plan playing some festivals this summer in Europe?
Ski: We would love to, but there's this little pack with all the promoters. We were told you can't play a festival in Germany the same year. So we have to lay low for now. But we do have the show in Czech Republic and we're also working on a festival in Oslo, called Nordic Festival.
HH: Are there any bands you didn't want to share the stage with or does a thing like this concern you at all?
Ski: No. We will play with any band, antwhere, anytime - even Slayer!
HH: Some people characterize you as an icon of the metal underground. How do you deal with things like that?
Ski: I'm very humble they feel that way. The fans make you or break you and to still be honored cause of an album that came out in 1988 still blows me away.
HH: What do you expect from lets say the next four years? For yourself, your music and your country?
Ski: For myself, that's personal. For the music I hope 'n pray to get back to Germany to play Headbangers Open Air, Wacken or any big festival and have at least three new CDs out. For my country... for everyone to be back working and get things in better shape for our economy.
HH: Thanks for answering these questions. The last words are yours.
Ski: Thanks for your interst in me, still after all these years. I never took a singing lesson in my life, so I know it's a gift from God and now I'm just doing it for Him. Hail us or nail us - choice is yours. Metal Blessings, Ski.
JR