GROBSCHNITT - Sometimes the universe releases something again

23. April 2015

Grobschnitt Krautrock

GROBSCHNITT - Sometimes the universe releases something again

A small inconspicuous town near Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area. On the way to the studio of remaster expert Eroc, editor Marcus Wicker and author Walter Sehrer as well as photographer Lutz Diehl meet Gerd Kühn-Scholz alias Lupo, original guitarist of Grobschnitt. The Schalke fan carries a laptop in his blue and white sports bag. He is an event manager today and still slender as a crop. He has prepared well for his first interview in a quarter of a century. In the studio a good-humoured Eroc awaits us and serves us coffee and cake. The afternoon rushes by in the intensive conversation with the four of us. But there is enough time to talk in detail about the box "79:10" and especially about the eventful band history and a possible future of the group.

eclipsed: People outside the band circle had to assume that after all the historical "rough-cut stories" and the closure of the last live formation, the rough-cut chapter is over once and for all. Now your complete band catalogue is new in the shops. How did that happen?

Lupo: I have to go a little further. In 1989, after the end of our "Last Party" tour, I said in various interviews: "We'll stop now and disappear into the universe" And added: "But sometimes the universe releases something." In summer 2012 the time had finally come. Previously I had received requests from record companies for the rough cut records, which were not yet remastered on the market. In 2006 I started talking to Universal Music, because they own the rights to Metronome. My goal was always: if we release the stuff again, but then also completely all fourteen albums and with a big record company.

eclipsed: What's the matter with you?

Lupo: Small labels weren't the right way for me, because this time we wanted to publish it worldwide with a corresponding marketing apparatus that only a large globally operating company has. With today's marketing opportunities, we could have achieved a completely different level of awareness at that time. It was only then that a label manager sat who had a genuine interest in the complete catalogue and also wanted to publish the products of which the rights had not yet been held by Universal.

eclipsed: How'd that go with the exchange between you two, Eroc, and you?

Lupo: In parallel, Eroc and I also talked about everything again from 2012. Eroc had already talked to Universal about future remastering. That's how it all started.

Eroc: Don't forget, my "rough cut stories" were all only available in very small sizes since 2001. In 2007/2008 Universal had released original rough cut albums remastered by me via SPV: "Rockpommel's Land", "Solar Music Live", "Illegal". However, SPV was later unfortunately somewhat under the wheels, whereby these publications disappeared abruptly from the market. Universal withdrew all rights with the option to eventually take over. In 2012, they sent a signal that they were ready to go. Lupo and I immediately said: If so, then please all the albums and not just the icing on the cake.

eclipsed: The later albums since 1984 are no longer available, or they have never been on CD - like "Sonnentanz Live".

Lupo: Right. We then quickly agreed with the label that the entire catalogue could be republished.

Lesen Sie mehr im eclipsed Nr. 170 (Mai 2015).