BERSTEN - Pave Your Own Way ! (Germany - Post-HardCore - Interview with Marco).
- Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you - your encounter with this musical universe, what appealed to you, what fascinated you and what made you want to get into music?
Hi, we're Bersten, a (post)hardcore/punk band from Cologne, Germany. Jannis (drums), Martin (bass, vocals), Jochen (guitar), and Marco (vocals). We've all been active in various bands for several years. Personally, I've always been fascinated by the energy at shows and the freedom to express one's own creativity. Ever since I discovered this world as a teenager, I wanted to be a part of it.
- Tell me about the band... How you met - the current line-up - past experiences - and above all - WHY the need to form THIS band?
Jannis, Jochen, and I used to be active together in the HC band "Lavatch." Martin and Jochen are colleagues and always wanted to make music together. During the coronavirus pandemic, we decided to use the time to write new music and see what would happen. We needed a new outlet to vent our thoughts and energy. We sent individual files back and forth and tried to form songs out of it. Eventually it worked quite well and we decided to do this as a band. As the coronavirus pandemic came to an end, we became Bersten.
- Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
We play a wild mix of HC/Punk and atmospheric parts, a pinch of metal, personal and socially critical german lyrics and the Bersten mix is ready. You should listen to us if you find the current hard music scene too polished and interchangeable. You won't find any clinical sounds here.
- Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ?
We incorporate all our personal tastes, some of which are quite diverse. We've covered everything from crust to mathcore, screamo/emocore, and skate punk. Lyrically, I want to express myself simply, to put my thoughts down on paper. That's why we decided to use german lyrics. Martin and I write the lyrics together, so we can both express our thoughts 100% in the right words, without a language barrier.
- About your latest release ?
We just released our three-song online EP "Schattenlos." The songs have been released on all major streaming platforms.
We produced and recorded all of the songs in a DIY style and sent them to the Tonmeisterei in Oldenburg for the final mix and mastering. Artwork also comes directly from Jochen and Martin as well as all the videos. We're a DIY band.
- Future plans ?
We've just started writing our first album. We want to distill our ideas into a slightly longer output than an EP because we think it will better showcase our energy.
- Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
We're simply happy to have the privilege of making music in a band. Unfortunately, this is something that far too few people in the world are able to do. As a band, we'd like to increase our popularity without having to compromise ourselves in any way.
- Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ?
I'd say our very first concert in Düsseldorf was a great experience for me, and somehow a very special one. Seeing that our vision also works on stage and that we're a real band was a big personal gift for me.
It's easy to have negative experiences as a band, but a show completely without advertising from a shop owner and one of his friends was kind of cheeky and also very disrespectful.
- Next live-appearance(s) ?
As said, we're currently writing the album and are still in the writing process. But we're not averse to requests for shows. So, nothing planned, but we'll be back on stage by the end of the year.
- Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ?
The scene is slowly gaining momentum again. Some new, young, and vibrant bands are emerging, giving the scene a much-needed fresh look. For a while, it felt like it was always the same faces in different bands. So, it's great that something's happening here. Bands we'd like to mention from our area are: Gift, To The Wire, Eyes of Tomorrow, Fjort, Roggen, Canine, Die Negation.
- Last word is yours...
Thanks for the platform, thanks for the questions, thanks to everyone for reading. Please don't stop going to concerts and discovering new bands. Thank you for keeping this alive and being a part of it. The headliner of tomorrow is the up-and-coming band of today.
Credits :
Band photos : QuintenQuistCom
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