eclipsed: In 2013, you put the asteroid on ice. Why?
Robin Hirse: It was just time for a break. We had played together for a long time and were overtired. When we decided to take a break, we didn't know how long it would last. We didn't even know if we'd even start again. All we knew was that we needed time to breathe.
eclipsed: And how did you find your way back into the trail? What new motivation did you have?
Millet: It has taken some time for the motivation to return. At some point I invited the others for coffee, and we started a little jam session. That became two or three sessions and we noticed that there is still music that we can make as an asteroid. Unfortunately our drummer Elvis Campbell left us after the recordings for the new album. But with Jimmi Kohlscheen we have found a replacement.
eclipsed: The new album is not only heavy psychedelic, but quite different in its orientation. There are blues numbers and gentle passages.
Millet: This is simply due to our hearing habits. Old soul music, hard rock, folk, prog and all that stuff. This is reflected in our work. It is also much more fun to play the songs when they are different.
eclipsed: The songs are clearly structured. The sound is just as clear. Looks like the break did you good. The songwriting and the production seem to be better.
Millet: I agree with you. We already have a lot of experience with each other. We know what works and what doesn't, what we can and what we can't do. Of course, our skills on the instruments have also improved. The songwriting process was new for us this time: we wanted to release the music as soon as possible, so we set a schedule and a deadline.
eclipsed: You still have the blues in you. The new songs "Til' Dawn" and "Mr. Strange" are flawless heavy blues. What makes this style so attractive to you?
Millet: Oh yes, you can't get rid of the blues once you're infected. It's an old love affair. It's just honest music with heart and soul. That's what I always look for in music. Something like that really appeals to you.
eclipsed: The guitar line in "Pale Moon" reminds a little of the intro of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 2".
Millet: I never thought of it that way. But yes, there are indeed similarities. I'm a big Pink Floyd fan. Therefore some of our songs might be influenced by Pink Floyd.
eclipsed: The new album should be the last of a trilogy. What's it all about?
Millet: Someone told me that recently. But the only thing that connects the three albums is the fact that they are the same people who wrote the songs. Of course the tracks on an album are somehow connected.
eclipsed: You have a new drummer again. On the position of the drummer there were often changes with you. What's the problem? Is it so hard to deal with both of you, you and Johannes?
Millet: We're both special guys, that's for sure. But finding people you totally agree with is hard anyway. You have different ideas about life and music, different opinions about something. And sometimes people just didn't want to anymore. But with Jimmi, we're getting along great. We can't wait to go on tour with him and return to the mode of making music.
eclipsed: In September and October you played some concerts in Germany. How'd it go?
Millet: We've had a good time in Germany before. But I've never liked it this much before. Our team was great. We really grooved in...
eclipsed: What's going on in an asteroid live show?
Millet: We love to play our instruments. We love performing in front of an audience. And we love to dance. There is a big difference between live performances and albums. We jam and improvise a lot, and no two asteroid shows are alike. A song can get pretty long in one evening. In the studio, it's something else. You're trying to get the best recording, catch the sweetest harmony singing. You keep adjusting little cogs until you're happy. That's cool too. But live, you only have one chance. And then you have to make it work. It's the best feeling in the world when you can share your music with people.
*Interview: Bernd Sievers
