Last year the German electro duo made two releases, ‘Another Manic Episode’ LP and ‘Live & Akoustic 2015 – TheARTer Gallery’ a 16 track DVD. One electro/future pop and one acoustic, so 2016 kept them quite busy, performing live and scheduling the next year’s electronic and acoustic tours. Solar Fake will appear on Death Disco stage in Athens, 17th December on an electronic set, and we hopefully made an interesting interview with Sven Friedrich about the present and the future of the band, and here it is, enjoy!
Hello Solar Fake and welcome to Last Day Deaf. You are on a big tour that will drive you to a stop in Athens at Death Disco on 17th December. What are we expecting to see on that night’s performance?
We will play a full show, like on our tour in Germany. Of course we can’t bring our light show, but I’m sure it will be a great night anyway!
Earlier in July you released the ‘Under Control’ official video, from the latest ‘Another Manic Episode’ LP. Can you share with us the story of it, and where it was shot?
It was shot in Spain and it’s basically the story of a couple who is together, but not in love… actually they started to hate each other and dream about killing the partner… In the end it’s just a dream of the man, played by our keyboardist André. So he never met the girl.
You are fond of covering classic songs like ‘Such A Shame’ by Talk Talk and ‘How Soon is Now’ by The Smiths, rearranging the musings into future pop/electro, so…What will be the next cover?!
I’m still undecided. I have some ideas, but I haven’t tried yet. At the moment I’m preparing our acoustic tour that takes place in March in Germany and we’ll be playing some interesting cover versions there too.
Since 2008’s ‘Broken Grid’, the band is constantly “playing” amid electro, future pop, and EBM. But where does the core of the soul in your music hide?
I think in the songs themselves. It is exactly the music that I want to make, it’s the way I love to write music and lyrics.
…And what does really inspire you in writing music, in all variations you end up with?
I’m inspired by people and all facets of life and being… Mankind is really the worst that has ever happened to this planet, so there’s a lot of inspiration in it.
Is there a specific manifest in your lyrics? If yes, why this?
No, not really… I just don’t take myself very seriously and I think that also reflects in my lyrics. Of course I have things to say, but I try to do it in a rather funny or abstract way… I think my style of writing lyrics has developed quite a lot since let’s say Dreadful Shadows times… Actually it’s totally different from that now 😉
Reading the lyrics in ‘Why did I Raise The Fire’ (‘Frontiers’, 2011), or in ‘Reset To Default’ (‘Reasons To Kill’, 2013), I would like to ask you on your perspectives on the world, and especially in Europe. Please share with our readers a few thoughts on that.
Yes, as I said, I’m not a big fan of people and mankind itself. Humans treat animals badly, because they can, not because they have to. I just don’t like this. People destroy the environment because they don’t think it through or because they don’t care… What should I say… I’m not a fan…
You have collaborated with Peter Spilles (Project Pitchfork), also remixed ‘Torn Realities’ by Rotersand etc. Which are the next team-ups ahead?
We’ve also cooperated with Aesthetic Perfection (‘Never Enough’) and with [:SITD:]. We have some new collaborations ahead, but since none of those have started yet, I’d better not talk too much about it 😉
What I the definition of success for Solar Fake?
It’s when many people like our music, come to our shows, identify with our songs.
Are there any thoughts in releasing acoustic revisits of your own electro music?
Not sure at the moment. We’ll be on an Acoustic tour in March and possibly we shall record one of the shows, but we’re still making plans about it.
Future plans?
Well, as I said, the Acoustic tour, before that we will go on tour with Aesthetic Perfection in North America for 5 weeks, summer festivals and of course I plan to start working on the new album very soon.
Thank you very much for the interview guys, last words on you..!
I’m very much looking forward to our show in Athens and I hope a lot of people will come to see us! Let’s celebrate a great night! Thank you very much for the interview, see you soon!
Mike Dimitriou