INTERVIEW WITH HANS ZILLER OF BONFIRE

Bonfire is one of the most successful German hard rock bands that made a huge impact to the hard rock world with albums such as their debut, "Don't Touch The Light", "Fireworks" and "Point Blank". After the 'grunge revolution', the band continued to release very good albums and last year they came back with the solid "Branded", an album which is a more back to their roots. Bonfire's founding member and guitarist/composer Hans Ziller talked to Heavy Paradise about the band's past, present and, also, their future plans in a very interesting interview. Enjoy!

heavy paradise : Hello Hans, it's a great honor to welcome you here in Heavy Paradise for this interview.

Ziller : It`s also an honour for me!

heavy paradise : Let me start this interview by telling you that three times that I saw you performing live in Thessaloniki, Greece were all absolutely amazing. You guys achieved to make a strong bond between you and your Greek fans! What is your opinion about the Greek audience? Have you learned some Greek words ?

Ziller : I think the Greek audience is very enthusiastic, much more than we know from for example the German audience. On the other side they give us always a very warm and friedly welcome. So we are always excited to play in Greece. I only know a few words like "Ya Mas" "kalimera", "ja su" and " se ayapao"...

heavy paradise : So, last year you have released the "Branded" album. That was a very good effort and a comeback to your roots. Are you satisfied with the result of your new album?

Ziller : Yes I`m very satisfied. I think the new album, Branded, goes back to the roots of fireworks with a modern influence. The comeback of Dominik is also a step forewords. He is a very good drummer.And we worked for the first time with Sebastian Roeder as engineer who is a very good man. He is doing the kind of sound we like very much. He also is our front of house engineer in our live concerts.

heavy paradise : Do you think that "Branded" fullfiled the expectations of Bonfire's long time fans for a harder edged album?

Ziller : Yes, we get a lot a fanresponse who tells us the same thing. Even the album was in the German Top 100 Album charts. So it is very successful over here.

heavy paradise : Allow me to take you many years back to your classic debut album "Don't Touch The Light" in 1986. Tell me, did you expect such a great career when you formed Bonfire?

Ziller : I started my first Band at the age of 12 named Cacumen. And my dream was alway to get a professional musician. But I knew that you have to work very hard on such a career. So finally my dreams came true.

heavy paradise : If you had to choose your favourite Bonfire album, the one that has the most sentimental value for you, which would that be and why?

Ziller : Of course Fireworks! It was our first gold album and brought us from the 2nd into the first Leaque

heavy paradise : You are into this scene for a long time. You lived through the glory 80's hard rock music and you have a great career as a musician. What are in your opinion the differences between back then and nowadays in the hard rock scene?

Ziller : Well in the 80 's Rock Music was the main stream music that runs in all the big radios and tv stations. So it was a hip to have long hair and here that kind of music. I, nowadays, the main-stream turns into hip hop dance teccno and alternative music. Most of the people have very short hair and live a very fast life. Also the media changes from Vinyl-Albums to CDs and mp3`s. The people have Handy`s and Playstations-so they have no more money for Rock-Music. But it is getting better again.

heavy paradise : In 2003 you have released the "Free" album. An album that mixed-up the feelings of your fans. If you ask me I say that is a good one, different but a good one. Do you believe that the fans of hard rock are the most difficult? I want to say that we don't want big changes in regarding of the sound of our favorite bands. What is your opinion Hans?

Ziller : Well I think the problem of "Free" was the sound. It was mixed very dry and rough, so the songs didn't have the power they needed. I think if you would remix the Album with the sound of for example Branded, there would be no big difference between those Albums.

heavy paradise : What is the secret of Bonfire's success Hans? Or there isn't any secret at all and it's all about the chemistry that you have with Claus Lessmann and the rest of the band's members?

Ziller : 1. It´s the cemistry of Claus and me. 2. To stay true in the kind of music you make. 3. We are a very good live band. That`s what a lot of Bands don`t have especially in the Casting-szene.

heavy paradise : What are your influences?

Ziller : Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd..

heavy paradise : So, are there any plans for a new Bonfire album or it's a bit early to ask that?

Ziller : Well we did that Live Album-Fireworks...still alive at the end of the year. So we have 2 albums to promote this year. And we will play the whole year live with this to Albums in the package.

heavy paradise : From the 'new' hard rock bands is there any, or more, that you are interested to listen?

Ziller : I like Nickelback. They have really good songs.

heavy paradise : If you had the chance to go back and change some things in your career what would that be? Are you regret of something that you haven't done?

Ziller : No, I would do the same again.

heavy paradise : Any plans for live performances in 2012? Is there any chance to see you again in our country?

Ziller: We will start playing Festivals from April on through Europe, and then play Halls and Clubs in Autumn. I hope we will play Greece again this year. We will know more in March I think.

heavy paradise : What are your future plans Hans? Are you involved with something else except Bonfire?

Ziller : Well I wrote 3 Songs for the new Vengeance Album. Perhaps I`m doing my side Project EZ Livin`again and make a second Album. But first we have the start the fireworks again....Bonfire alway have priority!

heavy paradise : At this point I have to thank you once again for accepting my invitation for this interview and to wish you all the best for 2012!

Ziller : Thank you, I wish you and all the greek fans a happy 2012 and stay heavy- Hans Ziller