#till lindemann collaborations

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

till official ig sharing collab with Kovacs 'Child of sin' 🌺

[morgana-lefay]

"....jouer avec toi était une douce folie!" (Zaz).

[endlich-allein]

In an interview with @nordevents_die_topevents, Dieter "Maschine" Birr from the German rock band Puhdys, revealed the story of how Till Lindemann ended up singing on their single "Wut will nicht sterben" released in the year 2000, and why BMG had to withdraw the release featuring Till from the market.

"How did the collaboration with Till Lindemann on the song "Wut will nicht sterben" come about?

Maschine: I'm a self-confessed Rammstein fan and I originally had the idea of asking Flake. I got his number, called him and asked if he could imagine contributing to the song with his keyboards. He wanted to do that, but his equipment was still in America and was due to be shipped at some point. Then at some point Till called me about something else and I thought I'd ask him if he'd also sing. And he said: "Of course, if I like the song, we'll do it". Then he came to our house, I played him the song and he immediately said: "Yes, I'll do it, I like it". Flake didn't play anything in the end, but Till sang. It was very straightforward.

Not as complicated as the release afterwards ... (laughs)

Machine: Oh yes, exactly. Till didn't even want any money for it. But we weren't supposed to release it as a single. But our record company did exactly that and of course Rammstein's record company found out about it and wanted money for it. Our record company probably thought it was a bit too expensive and then the single was taken off the market after just one day. Supposedly 100 copies were sold. Then I sang his part again for the album."

Photo: Chris Gonz

Source: https://nordevents.net/bands/interviews/interview-mit-dieter-maschine-birr/

@ rammwiki

[herrlindemann]

Sonic Seducer - 2015, Interview with Till

"Rammstein is my life. My job, my family."

Sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. A truism that no one knows as well as Till Lindemann. For more than twenty years, the 52-year-old muscle man has been playing as Rammstein's frontman on records, stage and paper with the Neue Deutsche Härte-Feuer - after several postponements, the time has finally come: with his solo debut 'Skills In Pill’s announced at the beginning of the year will be released in mid-June, the most discussed album of the year!

Outside of the limelight, Till Lindemann tends to be the introverted, taciturn type who likes to avoid public appearances and feels much more comfortable in the rough wilderness night fishing than on red celebrity carpets. After one or the other time in the recent past at least raised eyebrows - on the one hand through the rather bizarre guest appearance of pop singer Heino during the last Rammstein show at Wacken Open Air 2013, on the other hand through Lindemann's songwriting work for Roland Kaiser's new album, also keep your fan base in suspense with the collaboration with Hypocrisy/Pain mastermind Peter Tägtgren: On the joint album 'Skills In Pills' Till Lindemann rolls his enigmatic lyrics in English throughout and thus causes divided reactions within the metal World.

«Writing in English is a kind of a new start,» says Till Lindemann, explaining his discovered affinity for foreign languages. « A whole new field in which I can let off steam. It has become very difficult to write German texts today because I have already said almost everything in some form. Everything has already been covered. With Lindemann I'm starting from scratch lyrically. Free choice! An unplayed place waiting to be deflowered. »

The themes dealt with by Lindemann on 'Skills In Pills' don't really differ that drastically from those in his Rammstein texts or his two previously published books: Dark passions, the curse and blessing of various pills, and of course sex in all conceivable ways or form. This time, however, not in German, but with a double dose of deep black humor. « At first I wasn't so sure if the lyrics were really good because they came together so easily. It was too easy compared to the German texts. At Rammstein, six people work in their designated areas. Everyone has their place and their fixed area that they work on. However, you still have to reconcile six different opinions. Of course, this is not always entirely without complications. Nevertheless, we of course also learned a lot from each other. »

Knowledge that Lindemann brings to his solo project today. Until recently, the Berliner focused almost exclusively on his work with the Berlin pyro-metallers, but his urge to express himself seems to become stronger and more unpredictable with each passing year.

« I think it's normal to express yourself in different ways over the years. When you're young and you start a band, you put all your energy into that band. Music, stage shows, artwork, everything. Today everything is better divided so that each of us can concentrate our energies elsewhere. I can already say that this project will be a big part of Peter's and my future together, but my priority will always remain Rammstein. Rammstein is my life. My job, my family. I spend my vacation from this family with Peter. »

Holiday fun with a difference: With loud widescreen guitars, electronic programming and dark, erotic doom prose - switching off in Lindemann style. « It was also nice to travel up to the countryside to see Peter again and again. It only takes about three hours from Berlin and you're there. I visited him 20 or 25 times; even if sometimes it was just for a day. Sometimes he called and said I needed to come in for a quick recording. Then I quickly got on the plane and was there straight away. »

The result of these spontaneous excursions can be heard in the form of the Lindemann debut 'Skills In Pills' from June 19th, 2015. The continuation of the interview with Till Lindemann and Peter Tägtgren can be found in the next issue.

[marimayscarlett]

Can someone please translate into English? 🙏

Hello dear anon, here's a translation of the interview. I used deepl as usual and made some changes to fit the messages Richard wanted to convey better. The interview was published on the 2nd of December, 2018.

Here's the german link again as the interview source and comparison for the german-speaking folks:

Richard Z. Kruspe presents his third album as part of the band project - Till Lindemann contributes vocal part

On November 30, Rammstein guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe released his third solo album "A Million Degrees" (Universal) as part of the band project Emigrate. Among others, Till Lindemann, Ben Kowalewicz (Billy Talent) and Cardinal Copia (Ghost) are represented with vocal contributions on it. Christiane Wohlhaupter spoke with the 51-year-old about the collaboration with the singers, his daughter and the interaction with Rammstein. They say all good things come in threes. Do you have this thought in mind for your third album as well?

I used to say that I would make three albums with Emigrate. But in the meantime I can also imagine a fourth one. Maybe in a different constellation, maybe in a completely different musical environment. I've been thinking about how it would be if I were to write a purely electronic album. Or an album with a completely different singer. As long as the world of Rammstein exists, there will probably also be the world of Emigrate. Emigrate puts me in a good balance to let off steam musically. From the age of 50, you also generally think about: Where does life still want to take me? Is there something else that could inspire me? Or just music? I think to myself, maybe there is also a completely different challenge. Creation can also be found elsewhere - perhaps in film. I'm a cineaste who watches two or three films a day. What was the last film that really excited you? So about a year ago, "Fences" with Denzel Washington. I went to the movies last week and saw "Bohemian Rhapsody" and was a little disappointed because I thought it was a Queen movie.

But then it was more like a Freddy Mercury movie ... Yes, the others came a bit too short. If I had known that from the beginning, I might have gone in with a different expectation. What's the story behind "A Million Degrees"? The basic idea comes from 2015, from the time when I was completely burned out for the first time in my life. Hence this text "A Million Degrees." This state then changed when I rewrote the album. I thought about how "A Million Degrees" could be represented visually and came up with the idea that you can also understand it geometrically with the degrees. This versatility, these "Million Degrees" - exaggerated - is what Emigrate is all about.

One of your guest vocalists on the album is Cardinal Copia from Ghost. How did this collaboration come about in the first place? The meeting came about for a completely different reason. We were looking for a producer at Rammstein. I actually wanted to ask Cardinal Copia about a producer. He then said, "I'll be in Berlin next week, let's meet." I asked him if he was interested in a collaboration, and he said he didn't do that on principle. I asked him anyway if he wanted to hear the song I was thinking for his voice. And then when he heard it, he was like, "I'm in, I'm in." He was completely influenced by the music. That's what makes it fun for me, to work with so many artists. I don't have that in my Rammstein world.

Someone who was also influenced by the music was Serj Tankian. He said about "War", the song you thought of for him, that your voice would fit much better. Will you write another song that fits his voice better?

No, I don't work that way. I write first, and then the song tells me where it wants to go. The song takes on a life of its own. It's like cooking. You have to taste it. And with the song, you have to listen very carefully. So you didn't think of Till Lindemann when you wrote "Let's Go"?

That's another story. This song was already created at the time when Till and I wanted to do something together - ages ago. The original idea of Emigrate was, Till and Richard want to do this together. The other bandmates didn't like that, so we put it on hold. But there was the idea of this song - with a different lyrical statement. I then rewrote it again, because this very, very intense time after the fall of the Wall came in mind, when we commuted between Berlin and Schwerin. That was such a wild time.

You dedicated the song "You Are So Beautiful" to your daughter Maxime. What does she think about it? She doesn't take it so seriously at seven years old - maybe that will come later. We shot a video for the song together in Los Angeles. That was a risk, of course, and there was some thought about shooting it with another child. But she did a great job. With Emigrate, I also live out the personal-emotional part. Something I don't do at all with Rammstein. How well can you reconcile rock star life and father duties?

I think the majority of artists generally struggle with themselves. And the majority of artists realize at some point that they can write better under the influence of pain. Of course, there are moments when you enter that zone as an artist. I don't think you can cut that out completely, and a child always feels that, too. My daughter is with me one week and then with her mother the next week. So I live that out in the week that she's not with me. I'm a very moody person, my mood changes sometimes by the hour. But she has such a fun character - it just melts you. I became a father for the first time at 23, and I'm a father now at 50. That's when I gained a certain maturity and experience. Taking the family on tour - we don't do that with Rammstein as a matter of principle. That would be another experience. To what extent does your musical work with Emigrate affect Rammstein? In the past, it was completely separate. Now things are merging - and I think "War" would have fit Rammstein as well. A lot of ideas that come out on Rammstein now were Emigrate ideas - although I actually make sure that Emigrate sounds different. But, of course, you can't split yourself completely. But because there are also five other strong individuals in Rammstein, it's not that noticeable.

[derwahnsinn]

31 Days Rammstein Challenge - Day 28: Favourite Solo Project

I thoroughly enjoy the various Rammstein solo projects. While I have to admit some of the Lindemann lyrics were a bit - interesting - I really enjoyed the music. I am also happy that I got to see three of the concerts before Till Lindemann and Peter Tägtgren split up.

Till Lindemann is, for now, mainly the same music, but Till's collaborations and new material is great. I love that he is not afraid of singing in various languages, and I can't wait to see his new band play live.

Till's poetry is good as well, but unfortunately, my understanding of German is not good enough for me to grasp all the nuances of his writing.

Flake Lorenz's writing, radio, and podcasts is fantastic. He is so straight forward and funny, and it's wonderful to get insight into his thought processes and to read the stories from his life as a musician.

That said, I have to go with Emigrate for this one.

It's definitely a close call and a difficult choice, but Richard is a strong songwriter, and I like how he has moved into the rock/pop genre and how he collaborates with other musicians. As a bonus, his work with Emigrate has generated a lot of photos and interviews. Finally, Richard having Emigrate helps him find balance in his life so that he can still do Rammstein. And Rammstein beats everything.

Illustration: Richard Z. Kruspe by Alexander Gnädinger for Emigrate, 2014. I'm a sucker for photos of Richard smiling.

--

Day 1: Favourite Song Day 2: Favourite Era Day 3: Favourite Single Day 4: Favourite Album Day 5: Favourite Music Video Day 6: Favourite Member Day 7: Favourite Lyrics Day 8: Favourite B-side or Unreleased Track Day 9: Favourite Remix Day 10: Favourite Live Photo Day 11: Favourite Live Video Day 12: Favourite Making of Day 13: Favourite Picture Official or Unofficial Day 14: Favourite Vocals Day 15: Favourite Bass, Guitar, Drums, or Keyboard Work Day 16: Favourite Outfit Day 17: Favourite Live Moment Day 18: Favourite Pyro Effect Day 19: Favourite Herzeleid Song Day 20: Favourite Sehnsucht Song Day 21: Favourite Mutter Song Day 22: Favourite Reise, Reise Song Day 23: Favourite Rosenrot Song Day 24: Favourite LIFAD Song Day 25: Favourite Untitled Song Day 26: Favourite Zeit Song Day 27: Favourite Pre-Rammstein Photo

[laguera25]

Quick updates on the Till Lindemann fiasco's effects on the band for anyone who might be following along:

-A lawsuit brought by a nature conservancy in Groningen in a bid to stop the pair of concerts has failed. The concerts will go on as scheduled.

-A lawsuit over improper pyro permits has also failed. The concerts will go on as scheduled.

-The Rammstein store in Berlin remains closed until further notice. No reason has been given, but given that it has already been vandalized once, they might fear further violence directed at customers and staff.

-Sharon Kovacs, who had previously released a statement canceling her collaboration with Till, has now announced that it will be released soon. She also says she never agreed to the cancellation.

So, there we are as of now. Till's initial accuser, has retreated, Gollum-like, to her Instagram, where she pores over translated song lyrics in search of further proofs of moral depravity. I absolutely do not fathom how you can love a band enough to fly to another country to see them, but not know any of the lyrics to their songs. Hence, I can only guess that she is doing this in a farcical bid to keep the attention coming.

[waldschimmel]

Till’s new songs are *chef kiss*! His voice is better than ever and the music are a ream banger. I’m hooked and hyped for the album. And agree that the videos are genius, but Till is a genius even if he would deny it

He is one of the few singers whose voice just gets better with age and probably experience. I think he sounds absolutely incredible in Zeit – especially in Schwarz and Meine Tränen. Those songs are just awesome, but the way Till sings them make them a real experience to listen to. He really interprets the songs with his voice and doesn't "just sing".

It's taken me a long time to get into Lindemann (I didn't listen to them while they were still together, only started after they broke up). The snippets I heard weren't really doing it for me. Then, on a long run, I just made myself to listen to Skills in Pills and found that I really liked it and listened to not only this album, but to F&M, too. Both are so diverse and creative (I can't believe they did a rap song; it was so funny), but especially F&M. Now, I put a song on and am immediately hooked, same as with Rammstein. (My 8-year old son was hooked right from the start on every Lindemann song, by the way.)

I often listen to the radio in the car and discover new pop songs that I immediately like, and then I listen to them again and again. And then I get tired of them, and even if I listen in again after months or even a year, I am often not that into them anymore.

With Rammstein, and now also with Lindemann and Till's solo work, I am often not that impressed at first, then listen a couple more times and really start to appreciate each song. There is something different about it – I don't know what it is. I don't grow tired of the songs; they are a staple for me. They take time to get into, and then it's real love 😌

With Zunge, I was not that impressed at first, then suddenly I couldn't get the song out of my head and just absolutely love it now. I didn't like NSL, now I do like N and S very much 🙃 (His voice when he sings "und die kleinen" in Nass sounds so incredibly beautiful. There is something similar in Wo bist du ("als du mich geliebt hast"), just a second, where his voice opens up on the vowel, and I always love that so much.)

So when the rest of the album comes out, I'm not going to say anything, but listen a couple of times first, ha. (By the way, I think both the Zunge and the NSL video are just beautiful works of art.)

It would be interesting to see what the creative process is like with Till and Daniel Karelly or Sky Van Hoff. To be a fly on the wall. Since Till already has had some of the texts there as poems and now turned them into songs, I would love to see how the collaboration works with regard to putting music to it. We got some insight into the process with Peter and Till in interviews – I wonder if it works the same here?

[musicarenagh]

Kovacs Demonstrates She Is A "Child of Sin" On New Album Currently, she is at the top when it comes to enlisting amazing and compelling artists that create the best songs. Why compile such a list without including Kovacs? Her voice and the enthusiasm it transmits are wonderful, and we strongly suggest it. To demonstrate this and more, she has released her latest track "Child of Sin," which is taken from her newest album of the same name. The album's title track, "Child of Sin," includes Till Lindemann. The song has a lot of variety, which is very powerful and efficient. Every piece provided hurdles in terms of vocals both highs and lows, but the outcomes are spectacular, unquestionably the album's centerpiece. Talking of the creative process while making the song, Kovacs says "During the writing of “Child of Sin,” I immediately thought of Till, I wanted it to be a duet. The message is loud and clear, because you seldom hear a male and a female voice team up to bring a story to a song. We shot the video in November 2022 and that was the icing on the cake! Working with Till was a learning process for me, I feasted my eyes on every detail. A huge-ass set, 30 people working on a big short film. People really seem to believe in the song, the collaboration, and the message. It seems to touch them, which delights me to no end." It is really impassioned to listen to, and she remains loyal to herself throughout the album in her goal to have fans ride along with her. You also get to comprehend her emotions and sentiments as she once again succeeds in making you want to listen to her. Listen to the song below and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

[metaladdicts]

RAMMSTEIN’s TILL LINDEMANN Sings In English On New KOVACS Track 'Child Of Sin'

RAMMSTEIN’s TILL LINDEMANN Sings In English On New KOVACS Track ‘Child Of Sin’

German industrial metal legend Till Lindemann of RAMMSTEIN guest stars on the title track “Child Of Sin” from Dutch singer Sharon Kovacs’ newly released third studio album. Singing in English, this collaboration has already spawned a lyric video and an official music video is said to be on its way soon! Check it out now below. RAMMSTEIN recently filed a restraining order against Viagogo, a…

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

Interview with Sharon Kovacs about her new album 'Child of sin' and the collaboration with Till Lindemann

this is the part where she talks about Till

---

De titeltrack Child of Sin, waar gaat die over?

‘Ik heb als kind heel veel dingen meegemaakt. Dit nummer gaat vooral over misbruik dat toen heeft plaatsgevonden. Dat is eigenlijk nooit goed gezien of opgepakt.’ Ze vertelt over haar jeugd en hoe ze in heel veel mallemolens raakte. ‘Er was jeugdzorg, medicatie, een diagnose met ADD, et cetera. . Nu besef ik, sinds ik begonnen ben met therapie, dat het eigenlijk iets heel anders was. Daar gaat het liedje over. Over het accepteren en het erkennen ervan, maar uiteindelijk ook gewoon zeggen: ‘Oké, dit is wie ik ben en ik begrijp wie ik ben.’’

Het is een samenwerking met Till Lindemann. Hoe is dat zo gekomen?

‘Nou, via via eigenlijk. Vorig jaar nam ik contact op met zijn vriend en toen heb ik gezegd: ‘Ik zou graag een duet met Till willen opnemen.’ Ik dacht: ‘ik kan het altijd proberen.’ Nou, dat is uiteindelijk gelukt. Ik luister heel graag naar zijn muziek. Als ik iets mooi vind dan herken ik een bepaald ‘iets’ in de muziek en dat had ik bij hem heel erg. En ik had ook heel erg zoiets van: ‘ik durf het niet alleen te doen.’ Ik schreef het drie jaar geleden al, maar om die reden komt het nu pas uit, met hem.’

Eerder zei je: ‘er was eigenlijk maar één iemand met wie je dit nummer wilde maken, en dat was met hem’. Waarom hij?

‘Omdat hij toch een bepaald gewicht geeft aan het nummer. Niet alleen om wie hij is, maar ook door waar hij voor staat. Hij zoekt heel erg de randjes op van dingen. Hij heeft ook bepaalde liedjes die echt iets raken bij mij. Ik kan niet precies zeggen wat, maar ergens voel je dan dat je elkaar begrijpt, zonder dat je daar te veel over hoeft te zeggen. Dat had ik bij hem heel erg.’

---

translation (by google translate and me)

The title track Child of Sin , what is it about?

“I experienced a lot of things as a child. This song is mainly about abuse that took place at that time. That has never really been seen or picked up properly.' She talks about her childhood and how she got into a lot of merry-go-rounds. 'There was youth care, medication, a diagnosis of ADD, et cetera. . Now, since I started therapy, I realize that it was actually something completely different. That's what the song is about. About accepting it and acknowledging it, but ultimately just saying, "Okay, this is who I am and I understand who I am."

It is a collaboration with Till Lindemann. How did that happen?

'Well, indirectly, actually. Last year I contacted his friend and I said: 'I would like to record a duet with Till.' I thought, 'I can always try.' Well, eventually it worked. I really enjoy listening to his music. If I like something I recognize a certain 'something' in the music and I really had that with him. And I was also very much like: 'I don't dare to do it alone.' I wrote it three years ago, but that's why it's only published now, with him.'

Earlier you said 'there was really only one person you wanted to do this song with, and that was him'. Why him?

'Because he gives a certain weight to the song. Not only because of who he is, but also because of what he stands for. He really pushes the boundaries of things. He also has certain songs that really touch something with me. I can't say exactly what, but somewhere you feel that you understand each other, without having to say too much about it. I had that very much with him.'

---

(Note: the friend mentioned I'm pretty sure is Anar Reiband, i think she tagged him already a few years ago on one or two ig posts iirc)

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

For those who (like me) didn't know this Till/Richard collab, here's a bit extra info

Wonder if it bothered them the original band Aria didn't like this version..

Schtiel (Till Lindemann & Richard Kruspe)

[endlich-allein]

Article from ad.nl // Translation by Till Lindemann Belgium

Sharon Kovacs records a duet with Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann: 'He just went shopping with me and to the hairdresser'

For her new album, Dutch singer Sharon Kovacs collaborated with none other than Till Lindemann. A striking combination, which ensures a close friendship. “Suddenly I had a kind of personal assistant.”

Sharon Kovacs (32) does not look back on a carefree childhood. As a child she experiences unrest and tension and is placed in various foster homes and boarding schools by youth care. "To pass the time, I used the few hours in which I had access to music to sing my feelings off," she says. She continues to make music and is discovered by chance in 2014.

She releases an EP and is named 3FM Serious Talent. She is in the line-up of festivals, including Lowlands and North Sea Jazz and achieved a number 1 hit in Greece with the album My Love. The large fur hat she wears during performances earns her the nickname 'Wolflady'.

Kovacs has now released her third album, Child of sin.

A duet with Till Lindemann (60), best known as the singer and lyricist of the German band Rammstein, and it's the "the highlight" of the album.

How did the collaboration come about?

Sharon: "While writing the song I immediately thought of Till, I didn't want to just sing the song," she says.

Via via she got contact information. She decided to take the plunge and send Lindemann a message.

,,After two weeks I received an app with 'Hey, Till here, I wanna work with you'. I couldn't believe my eyes."

In no time, the two were on the phone with each other and not much later they met in his apartment in Berlin.

"It should have been like this"

A sign

A nice surprise awaits her in the German capital. “I found out that I used to live about 500 meters away from him, in Berlin. So I could have met him on the street at the time.

It was kind of a sign to me. It should have been like this.”

At home with Lindemann, Kovacs is amazed. “Working with him was a learning process for me. He's a very big artist

I listened as best I could to everything he had to tell me. The most important thing I learned from him is how he deals with the whole music world. I got to look backstage at his shows. They are so huge, it's completely different from my performances. He is 60, but his career is still alive and kicking. He continues to work hard for his passion and knows exactly what he wants. I am very much looking forward to that.”

And no matter how dark and dominant Lindemann's music is, his character is so sweet and good-natured.

,,When we were in Amsterdam, I had to go to the hairdresser. He came along. Alone, without bodyguards or team," Kovacs continues.

,,The two of us just walked along the canals, as you would otherwise do with friends.'' The German metal singer did not turn his hand around for an afternoon of shopping. “I needed some new clothes and suddenly I had a kind of personal assistant. I had to try and put on all kinds of crazy outfits.”

Kovacs is grateful for the collaboration, especially since Child of Sin is so close to her. ,,It's about the annoying things I've experienced in the past, for which I had to go to therapy. Then such a number gets the extra charge.

It still evokes a lot of emotions and sometimes nasty thoughts. ′′ ′′ By agreeing to it, a bit of tension fell away. “I am not alone in this way, we are in this together. Without Till, I don't know if I would have ever released the song."

The video clip – which can be seen later – in which she and Lindemann play themselves and in which the two get into a serious car accident, is the icing on the cake for Kovacs. This was recorded in Amsterdam and in the private hospital of the coroner from detective series Baantjer.

“It will be an intense clip with him, but that's how I wanted it. It was a huge set. There were about thirty people at work, a very large production. But it was all worth it. People really believe in the song, the collaboration, the message, and they're somehow touched by my song.

I'm just too proud of that."

[herrlindemann]

Metal Hammer - July 2015, interview with Till and Peter

The name’s Lindemann. Till Lindemann. And together with his friend Peter Tägtgren, the Rammstein man has produced the most obscene side-project in metal. For songs about ladyboys and golden showers, step this way…

Hammer is sitting in the lobby of a five-star hotel in London, listening to Till Lindemann sing about golden showers. As the Rammstein singer booms ‘cunt’ down our headphones, we imagine what the businessmen around us would make of all this — ‘this’ being Skills in Pills, the debut album from Lindemann, Till’s new side-project with Swedish multi-instrumentalist and Hypocrisy mastermind, Peter Tägtgren. 

When we share this thought with Till later, he creases up. Seemingly seven feet tall, the 52-year-old German is one of the most physically imposing people in metal, yet it quickly becomes apparent that, for all the onstage insanity, in real life he’s soft-spoken, polite and, dare it be said, gentlemanly, proffering his arm on the way to his room where the interview will take place.

In contrast to Peter’s chatty and business-like demeanor, Till is more intense, sometimes shy, but his twisted humor reveals itself as we’re led around to the hotel’s side entrance and into the lift. « This feels a bit like a hooker situation, » he grins. Gentlemanly, indeed…

It follows that the duo’s album is just as multifaceted. Skills in Pills seems to reflect the different aspects of Till’s personality, boasting playful, smutty songs like Ladyboy and the aforementioned Golden Shower, with the bleakly beautiful Children Of The Sund and Home Sweet Home also in the mix. Peter’s years of experience producing for the likes of Dumm Borgir and Children Of Boom have given it a tight sound, with a metallic crunch and industrial heart beating beneath a hooky, Euro-synth Lustre.

In their fancy suite, Peter recounts how the Lindemann project began. It was September 2013, as Rammstein wrapped up their explosive Liebe Ist Für Alle Da tour.

« Till invited me to a festival in Sweden, just before Rammstein were going on a two-year break, » Peter recalls. « He said, ‘Let’s do something!’ I sent him the files for the first song and a couple of days later he sent it back with vocals! It went so smoothly that we had to try another. And another. And another… »

While Peter’s been busy with different musical projects over the years, Lindemann is Till’s first ever major musical departure from Rammstein. That makes this collaboration kind of a huge deal. So, the question must be asked: what has the dynamic been like between these two similarly eccentric, yet delightfully unique characters?

« There is no dynamic, » says a straight-faced Till. He glances at Peter and they start cackling. They share the same sense of humor, but there is obviously something special going on here…

The story goes that their friendship began years ago when Peter rescued Till from getting beaten up by a jealous boyfriend and his mates.

When we comment that we know who we’d rather have on our side in a bar fight, Till smiles shyly, as if he’s unaware of how terrifying he is.

« That fight was all about Flake, » Till admits. « He started shit, like he always did in those days because he’s a tiny guy and nobody ever harms him. He knew somebody would save his ass! »

So basically, this is a kinship born of fights, frolics and partying?

« Why does everybody think we party all the time?! » Till asks Peter, feigning exasperation.

« It’s not like we quit drinking… just not when we’re in the studio, » clarifies Peter, before gesturing to Till and adding, « Although he always has a few beers when he records. »

« It’s good for the voice, » says Till seriously.

« That’s what she said, » whips back Peter.

« The point was to have fun, » Peter adds. « We wanted to do a couple of songs, see what we could learn from each other. Then suddenly half the album was done and it wasn’t just a hobby any more. We had to try and keep it a secret! »

In 2015, that’s no small feat. So far the guys have managed to keep things mostly under wraps, revealing, prior to this interview at least, only the project name, a date and a single image of themselves dressed as a bride and groom — a truly odd couple. But Till tells us he initially wanted to use the internet to gauge fans’ opinions, rather than spread the word.

« I wanted to put the first song up online, to see how people would react, » he reveals. « It was really strange to sing in English because I’d never done it, except on a couple of stupid songs, like Pussy. Peter encouraged me, but I was unsure. I wanted feedback from fans, but he didn’t want to give anything away, which in hindsight was good because otherwise » —  he snaps his fingers  — « the box is open, y’ know? It was great; a year and a half of no pressure, nobody on our backs. »

Was this freedom from expectation the main appeal of doing a project outside of Rammstein?

« It was a total vacation, » stresses Till.

« And just to create something together, » adds Peter. « We’re from different worlds — he’s more into gothic style and I’m into metal. We learned a lot from each other, helped each other a lot. I think Till sings a lot more on this record. »

« We don’t have these melodies in Rammstein, » Till explains. « Sometimes it’s just the bass and drums and no hook, so it amounts to this talk-singing [known as Sprechgesang in German]. I wanted EBM, Depeche Mode-style sequences, so I pushed Peter to do it and he came up with some great stuff. And writing songs can be hard. You go to bed with it, you dream about it, you wake up with it… and at the heart of it is the chorus. If you find a good one, you never have to work again, » he adds, at which Peter starts crooning, « Laaaast Christmas… »

« …I gave you my heart, » sings Till back to him, before adding with a chuckle, « Asshole! »

The more time spent with this curious twosome, the more it becomes clear that they have an understanding of each other that runs a lot deeper than mere musical collaboration, and that their roles within Lindemann are ones that they have taken with relish. While Peter wrote and played all of the album’s music, the filthy lyrics are all Till’s.

So now that they’ve seen what they can do together, how far are they planning to take it?

A single and video are on the cards, promises Peter, and gigs look to be a possibility, too. But when asked if he still enjoys performing live, Till goes quiet and shake his head, almost imperceptibly — a little sadly, even.

« But I have to, » he sighs after a heavy silence.

He does, however, say that if Lindemann were to play live, he wants a stripped-down show: «I think it’s better when it’s just pure energy, rock’n’roll, no pyro, » he says. « Leaves all this bullshit behind and just play the songs. »

Colour us intrigued — the frontman of one of metal’s most shamelessly showy bands labelling pyro and ballyhoo as ‘bullshit’? Given the nature of Till’s day job, this statement is perhaps a little worrying, and with Rammstein guitarist Richard Kruspe telling Hammer late last year that he didn’t know what the future held for the German titans, it adds further uncertainty to when or even if we’ll see the six-headed pyromaniac monster rise again. Luckily, though the other Rammstein members are indeed off doing their own thing at the moment, it seems, according to their frontman at least, that that chapter hasn’t been closed just yet.

« We’re all still in touch, » he reassures us.

« We don’t see each other, but that’s the point — it’s a vacation. We’re all going to meet back in Berlin around September, October. » Perhaps the wheels on the Rammstein machine will start rolling again sooner that we’d thought…

In the meantime, metal’s newest odd couple are still in their honeymoon period. They’re enjoying the freedom to make music on their own terms, however and wherever the hell they feel like it. So what’s the endgame for Lindemann?

« That we’re gonna get sued and burned for the lyrics, » laughs Peter. « But I’m just going to pretend I don’t understand any English. »

We won’t tell if you don’t.

[slavghoul]

Never knew Tobias was so pretentious. The man is gifted for sure but he's not even close of Rammstein with Ghost, or even close Till Lindemann's writing skills. I love Ghost but I'm disappointed with that statement.

I mean, I love Rammstein, been a fan for well over 15 years.. but their songs aren't exactly easily digestible for the general public, so maybe that's what TF had in mind. The comment was probably tongue in cheek, don't read too much into it 😉 He's good friends with RZK privately and that's how their collaboration came about, Rammstein is mentioned in the credits/thank you notes for Prequelle, so there's like no animosity there whatsoever.

[iwannabeacat]

Radio BOB Deutschlands Rockradio

Radio BOB Deutschlands Rockradio Interview mit Richard Kruspe Oktober 2021

How did you come up with your joint cover of the classic piece "Always On My Mind" with Till Lindemann?

>> Um, that's a long story. Ten years ago the record company had the idea to make a cover album of Elvis Presley and back then I got the original tracks from 'Always on my mind'. And I couldn't choose which song, I think that was the only song that was left. And back then I was so enthusiastic about these recordings, because back then it was a completely different recording process than we know today. There were no computers, there was a band standing in a room. There was the so-called 'one take', so basically you only recorded one or two times as a whole band.

And I found this vocal performance by Elvis so charming and so enthusiastic that I built a cover version out of it. And I was so enthusiastic that he prevailed everywhere with this vocal performance in any form, without duplicating himself, without making any changes. And then at times I thought about working with other singers on the song, but I couldn't really think of someone who could convey this performance like this and I didn't really think of Till at the beginning.

That was really the last minute when I thought 'okay'.

I mean, of course, there is a difference between Elvis and Till. But Till also has this voice that prevails everywhere and this distinctiveness of the voice. And then I asked him and then it went pretty quickly. <<

In which situations do you get your ideas for songs and lyrics?

>> It is very different. I'm someone who watches a lot of movies because that's the only form where I can somehow relax mentally, that's meditation for me. Often some text lines comes while i watch movies, but it can also be in the shower in the morning or in conversations. So in general in life

But I am also a person who basically uses the side of suffering more in order to be creative, I have to say quite honestly. And of course that's always a problem because I sometimes believe that you unconsciously force yourself into a path of suffering in order to then be creative. This is of course a dangerous thing. <<

How does the "Emigrate-Richard" differ from the "Rammstein-Richard"?

>> That is of course much, much more personal. Everything I bring into Emigrate is of course a very personal way of making music or my way of dealing with certain things. Problems, or with statements or with experiences and so on. So I would say the big difference is personality. But also to have the opportunity to do things that are not dependent on, in general, on record companies, on the industry. They are not dependent on management or any booking agents or fans. I try to really free myself that I don't have the pressure, 'I have to do it this way now, because I want it to be nice'. Which can always be some kind of trap. You have been successful for years and then at some point you already think about when you write a song: "Oh man, that worked." I don't want to fall into this trap with Emigrate. In so far I am much more free in the way I make music.

And the third big part, which I have always seen as very enriching, was of course to collaborate with other people. Working with people who generally do something different, who sing differently or who, the fox knows what.

For me, from the time in the East, it was always kind of exciting to somehow make music with a lot of people.

Back then we had a kind of post-punk time in the East. And it was so common back then that you played in a lot of bands. And so I always found this exchange of these bands totally enriching.

We live in a time when rock is no longer a folks music. The rock rebellion era has run out of place a bit. And I also think it's super interesting to see how people make music these days. The rebellion that is in music nowadays is, of course, obviously in the language, in hip hop. The problem I have with hip hop is, of course, that the music doesn't appeal to me that much. But I also like to work with young people and see how they work, how they write songs, how they approach music in general. I am extremely open and inquisitive. <<

At the beginning of the Emigrate project, did you expect that you would release four albums?

>> Back then I made the promise to make three albums and the fourth was not planned that way.

This has a little story behind it. I fell into such a huge hole after our last Rammstein tour and forgot myself a bit. And I didn't really know where I wanted to go with myself and my life and so on and had also thought about stopping with making music. And it took me a bit of time to go back in time. And that's why the name is "The Persistence Of Memory", so I needed memories from the past in order to feel back in the present and to look into the future again. <<

When where the songs, which can be found on the new album "THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY", created?

>> These are songs I've written over the past 20 years. These are not new songs. Those were songs that I wrote from the beginning of Emigrate to 2019. And back then in this pandemic there was always the idea to somehow see what you need to tidy up. That was always a bit in the room. And then somehow I did that too. I then basically rearranged them, re-recorded them. I also changed them here and there, as far as texts are concerned and so on. So I did a complete all-round check. <<

What does Emigrate mean to you personally? / Why did you start Emigrate?

>> For me, emigrate initially meant that I had to direct my creative output somewhere. I always thought I could do that with Rammstein, but I caused more problems with it than benevolence, so to speak. But I always had this creative output and that's why I needed this balance. And I honestly believe that psychologically, of course, every guitarist secretly wants to be a singer, somehow. And I've always had a tendency to always go in the middle. And that's why I just did it and that was a very difficult path at the beginning.

I think that working with Emigrate also gives me a lot more understanding for Till, for example, for his work. <<

Have you planned an Emigrate tour?

>> Hmm, not at the moment. Simply for the reason that I don't have the need to play any more live now. I have a lot of fun playing live with Rammstein and I wouldn't have time to do that at the moment. If Rammstein wouldn't play live tomorrow, then I would say okay, of course, let's try it! But at the moment I have this live aspect with Rammstein, which is well filled. <<