Alex Band interview “Forever yours tour 2012″

In January 2012 Alex Band, former lead singer of the band The Calling, is coming on tour through 10 German cities. Because I always liked his music and I think he deserves a good promotion for this tour, I asked him if he would give me an interview for my blog. I also  write a story about him and send it to several media in the cities where he is performing to help promoting the tour. His tour kicks off on January, 17th in Mannheim (Capitol) and ends on January, 28th in Berlin  (C-Club). Find out now, what Alex told me about the tour, his further plans for 2012 and what he thinks about the cover version of his hit song “Whereever you will go” from Charlene Soraia and where he sees himself in five years from now.

On January, 17th you start your “Forever yours” – tour through 10 cities in Germany. Like other international artists I spoke to, you seem to have a very strong bond to Germany and your fans here. What´s makes this country so special? Are the fans in other countries are so different in compare to the German fans?

To be honest, outside of America where I’m an independent artist, Germany was the birth place of my solo album. EMI in Germany really believed in me and the music and we were able to make big things happen together. I owe so much to my fans in Germany for loving and supporting my music and pushing radio to play my songs. Without their devotion, I don’t know that I would be able to be going back for my 3rd headlining tour on the same album. And as far as my fans in other countries, I think the passion and devotion is pretty similar… they just need the chance to see me live and actually be able to buy my music in their countries. Which of course, I’m working like crazy to make happen!

In your press release you say, that’s this tour is the final tour of your first album and that you have new music to come. Can we expect some of this new material already on this tour?  What are the further plans for 2012? A new album? Festival appearances and another tour later in the year?

Yes! I will be playing a couple new songs that I have written and recorded the in the past couple months. I’m really looking forward to seeing the crowd’s reaction to the songs and getting their feedback. This will pretty much be the first true new music they have heard from me that was actually written within the year, unlike my solo album that had songs I had written and recorded 5 years prior. For the rest of 2012, I will be releasing a 5 song EP with the top production music company Killer Tracks, finishing up my 2nd album, and hopefully get touring in other parts of the world:).

You released your first solo album “We’ve all been there” on your own label AMB which is distributed through EMI. In compare to what you all went through with your old label, it must be a huge relief to be your own boss now?

It is a big relief to be my own boss and truly have a say in what is going on with my music. It’s definitely a lot more work and a big learning process. I’m still figuring out how things work and trying so hard to get to where I want to be. With being my own boss, comes being self funded so it’s definitely hard to make things happen at points with the money I have. I’ve put everything into this album and want it to get a chance to be heard and seen live by my fans worldwide. Sadly, we are now seeing a time in the industry where labels are bankrupt and not capable of giving music like mine and tons of other artists the chance it deserves.

Are you writing songs for other artists? Do you have plans for producing and publishing other bands but your own on your label or do you prefer just using it for your own music?
Right now, I’m just writing for myself and my upcoming album. I do write for other artists from time to time and really enjoy playing around with different styles. In the future, I would love to expand AMB Records and sign some artists. At the moment, I just have so much on my plate with my own music that it won’t happen in the next year or two.

Because of some very personal experiences you decided to support the Donate life America organization and even founded your own fund. In Germany we have a big political discussion about organ donation at the moment. To increase the number of organ donors the government is working on a draft for a law, where people have to be asked once in their lifetime, if they want to become organ donors or not. That could happen for example when they apply for their drivers licence, a passport or the health insurance card. They then get registered as donors or no donors. What do you think of that idea? How does the donation system work in the US and are you registered as an organ donor?  And which organs would you donate and which not?

I think that any form of signing up to be a donor is a GREAT thing and should be done. I am happy to hear that Germany is moving towards making that happen. In the US, when you sign up to get your driver´s license you are asked to become a donor. At any point in time you can go online and register as well. I am absolutely a donor and even have a tattoo on my arm that says, “Donate Life!” I truly believe in donating your organs and saving lives of those who need it. I think it’s something like 79 organ transplants take place each day in the US and people are still waiting and losing their lives from the shortage of donors. It’s so easy to make a difference in others lives, even when we are no longer here.

Even as you are very popular in Germany already, many people might just recognize you and your voice from the hit “Whereever you will go”. That song is now released in a very interesting version by Charlene Soraia. What do you think of cover versions of your own songs, especially if they are so special like this?  And which songs you would like to cover yourself? As a big U2 fan your versions of “With or without you” or “Sunday bloody sunday” would be something.

I really enjoy listening to covers of my songs. I think it is an honor that there are people out there who like my music enough to want to recreate it themselves. Charlene’s version is a beautiful cover done very differently than anything I’ve ever heard. It really suited the message behind that advertisement it was created for! I’ve done a couple cover songs in the past few years and put them on my YouTube page, but what I would really like to cover someday would be “With or Without You” by U2. Pretty funny that you mentioned that one for me!

Your family has a huge movie business background. Your songs have been used in TV shows and movies and you even acted yourself a bit sometimes. Which movies or TV series you like to watch and for which kind of TV series, show or movie you would like to write the title song?

Man, I can’t even remember the last time I actually sat down and watched TV. One show my wife and I really got into was The Walking Dead and I know the second season just started, I’d love to watch that again when things calm down a bit! I don’t have a specific choice of a show or movie that I would like to have the theme song for. If a show wanted to use one of my songs or asked me to write a song for them I would love that! Having my song “Only One” used twice on The Vampire Diaries was really cool. Things like that are more than I could ask for!

In job interviews they sometimes ask “Where do you see yourself in five years from now?” Could you and how would you answer a question like that for you at the moment?

That’s a tough one, 5 years from now I hope to still be making music that is released worldwide. I’d also really love to be a dad and have a family that I come home to when I’m not on tour:)

More information about Alex you find on alexband.net, alex-max-band.de, alexmaxband.com

Update: At the beginning 12 concerts were planned, but the concerts in Dresden and Leipzig have been canceled. Alex invites all fans who bought tickets for the shows in Leipzig or Dresden to come to the show in Berlin. For more details go on his website. The first one mentioned above.

Update 2: Because of health problems Alex canceled the rest of the tour after saturday 20th. Everybody who has tickets will be able to see him when he is back with new tour dates.