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Sometimes you have to be honest to yourself and accept that you been wrong. I have to do this now, coz I rated the latest Scanner album Scantropolis with just 4 points, coz after listening a few more times I have to confess that they have deserved a few more points. Unfortunately I can't change this anymore, but Scanner mastermind Axel Julius was very relaxed about it and seemed to enjoy talking about the album. After more then 5 years they are back and he's happy about the chance to let people know. But you can read it right now!
Hi Axel, long time no hear.
Yes, but still I remember.... Hahaha.....
Actually I don't know how to say... But I regret that I gave just 4 of 10 points for Scantropolis.
Okay, so I have to kill you next time we meet! Hahaha, just kidding!
Honestly I was shocked when I listened to the album the first time. Scanner with a girl singing? I expected everything, but not a female singer!
If a guy like you, react that way, I can understand. You are the type of guy who is true as true can be and that for years. I can understand that you, coz you listened to Scanner for years and now you have to deal with female vocals.
Well, good to hear that! So, what happened during the last 5 years?
It started on the last tour. There our former singer Leo was wearing a kind of rompers and we discussed that, but he didn't want to change. We played a few festivals and at the end of 1997 we had a band meeting and talked about the good and the bad things of 1997. Basically everything was very positive, but the thing with the rompers and that Leo never helped loading, if we had to hurry was what we saw negative. So, he was pissed about that and didn't showed up for the next rehearsal. He said he was no longer part of the band and he started his own band. That's it in a nutshell.
We had several shows booked for the next year (Greece, etc.) and he just left us! So, it seemed that everything was over and done...
But Leo was a good singer and it ain't easy to replace someone like him.
Right, that was the main problem why we have been absent for such a long time. And as longer it takes, the more people left. Mark and I wanted to go on and so we continued to search for a singer. Finally we found the girl we did the album with.
Wait a minute, that doesn't take 5 years! Or have you been mourning for 2 or 3 years?
In the meantime we build up a studio for our project which takes quite awhile. We got some money from the record label and the label had so a option to continue the contract, coz Ball Of The Damned sold well. So, we had to deliver an album at least, coz we owe them!
Okay, let's talk about the presence! Do you initially wanted to work with a female singer?
Not really, actually a friend said "Okay, I sing on the demo to help you out." But the label wanted to release it! The girl didn't want to sing in a metal band and so we had to look for a girl and finally we found Lisa!
But you won't tell me that her real name is Lisa Croft??
No, but it sounds good, right? And it's similar to Marko...
Let's talk about Scantropolis! Is there a story behind it? Tell us more about it!
Actually I always wanted to release an album with that title and now I finally did it!
It's based on a silent film of Fritz Lang and it's also an homage to him. For that time it was incredible what he did.... What he realized. The songs deal with different experiences, with disappointments and other stuff which he had to go through during the years.
The whole album was done in the rehearsing room and I produced it.
So, what do you expect from Scantropolis?
I'm not sure, what to expect. We have to wait and see...
What about the cover artwork? I got a promo copy without cover!
What a chaos! The guy who initially should realize it, didn't really made it. When we realized that he won't get us something in time, it was almost too late. The cover which is now on the album was done by an unknown cover artist who did it within 2 days! And we thank God that he did it!
How do you see Scanner these days? From your point of view!
It ain't easy to replace a frontman, a singer again and again. But that's a problem Scanner had to deal with several times. We always were able to start again, but it wasn't easy! But okay, we won't give up and keep fighting!
I would like to know your 5 all time faves!
Do I have to? Or can I decline it?
No problem, not everybody likes it! Okay, thanks a lot Axel and I wish you all the best for your future!
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