Information
Date: July 27, 2001
Source: Sticks
Interviewed: Christoph
Translator: English translation from German by
Mikki
Interview
Hardly any other band in the last year has been more controversially
discussed as Rammstein, but also hardly any other German band has achieved
such international renown in so short a time. Since the band's founding
in 1994, regular tours have followed corresponding record and video productions,
which the band globally leads. The success isn't confined to high world-wide
record sales or their immense audience appeal, many honors such as the
1998 European MTV Award were given to them and a Grammy nomination for "Best
Metal Performance" in 1999 shows that the music world is also impressed
by this band.
Rammstein is also looked at as a multi-media act, as is shown in the
perfect production of music in both their live performances as well
as in their videos.
Drummer, Christoph Schneider, characterizes through his personality
and special, decisive drum playing the exceptional style of Rammstein.
In Dortmond's Westfalenhalle we met Christoph who was eager and obliging
in explaining his personal views on drumming and the drummer's roll
in the Rammstein experience.
Sticks:What made you decide to become
a drummer?Schneider:My parent's both
held music related jobs and thought I was non-musical because I couldn't
sing well at the time. I should've become a trumpet player, they would
have liked to see that but I thought the drum section in the orchestra
was much cooler. Then I began listening to rock music and I decided that
I had to become a drummer.
With friends we'd start bands at school and simply play and finally
I sat down at a complete drumset that I'd bought with money I'd saved
from graduation. The set was naturally not exactly top-modern, just
as in comparison to instruments one gets today in fairly poor condition
but that didn't matter. There was nothing else and I could still play
it. It didn't quite have the quality of a Takton-Set, the thing frequently
fell apart and it was always good to know a welder because the parts
posed a problem.
Sticks:Which drummers have influenced you?Schneider:Phil Rudd from AC/DC, that for me is really cool drumming. When I first started he was one of my models. Later, naturally, was the whole "Neue Deutsche Welle" and the "New Wave" thing, as well as bands such as Ministry. Somehow the heavy-dark thing strongly influenced me and then Techno had a definite influence. Ten years ago I was completely into Pantera, the album"Vulgar Display of Power" was welded into my car radio! (laughs) Vinnie Paul played really well on that disc. Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers is also a very good and versatile drummer. I also think John Otto from Limp Bizkit is good, we had a few gigs with them in the US in 1998.
Sticks:Do you always want to make
your hobby your career? Schneider:As
my career as a trumpet player would have looked, I can't even imagine.
There were the government organized bands and I thought it'd be financially
good and they also travel in the West. (laughs) That then would have
been my thing. But they're only allowed to play if they can prove they've
had proper training. After the time in the army I applied to a music
school, because I wanted to learn how to play drums properly. In preparation,
I had taken private classes with students who had already studied at
the University because I was really serious about the whole thing. Also
I thought one had to know the rudimentaries and jazz teachings. With
the first entrance exam, I also had to play something rather difficult.
Maybe I would have been admitted but my knowledge in the areas of aural
training weren't sufficient. I tried again a year later and was again
refused. My father didn't want me to rush into this thing and for that
I'm today thankful to him, because I had to go another way.
I absolutely wanted to become a drummer and thought, because I can't
learn properly, I'll have to acquire the relevant things for myself.
It's become clear to me that there are two different ways, either learn
an instrument with qualified training or teach yourself....
Equipment
Drums: Tama Starclassic Maple Sonderlackierung in Weiß
- 8-inch x 8-inch Tom, 10-inch x 9-inch Tom
- 14-inch x 14-inch Floor-Tom, 16-inch x 16-inch Floor-Tom
- 24-inch x 18-inch Bassdrum
Snaredrums:
- 14-inch x 6-inch Tama Signature Palette Series, Bill
- Bruford Model (2 Stück, eine davon als Reserve)
- 8-inch x 5-inch Rocket Shells
- 10-inch x 2-inch Sonor Jungle Snaredrum
- 10-inch x 5,5-inch Tama Powermetal Steel Shell Soprano
Cymbals: Meinl
- "One of a kind"-Serie (Prototypen)
- 14-inch Hi-Hat, 14-inch Hi-Hat (X-Hat), 17-inch Crash, 18-inch Crash, 20-inch Ride, 20-inch China (2 Stück)
Felle: Evans und Remo
Haupt-Snaredrum:
- Top: Remo Falams II K (white)
- Bottom: Remo Ambassador, snare
Add-on-Snaredrums:
- Top: Evans Genera G1
- Bottom: Remo Ambassador, snare oder Evans 300
Bassdrum:
- Schlagfell: Evans EQ 4
- Front-Fell: Evans Genera Ebony
Toms:
- Top: Evans Genera G1 coated
- Bottom: Evans Genera G1 clear
Hardware: Tama
- inklusive Lever Glide Hi-Hat-Maschine und Iron Cobra Double-Bassdrum-Pedal mit Felt-Beater
Sticks: Pro Mark 2S
Electronics:
- ddrum3
- Alesis D4
- zwei dreieckige Roland Pads, 1 PD-9
Monitor:
- Shure P4M Personal Monitor Mixer
- Shure PSM 400 und PSM 600 UHF Wireless-Systeme
- Shure E5 Ohrhörer
- 2 Turbosound Wedges (2 x 15-inch Speaker und 2-inch Horn) plus zusätzlicher Sub-Woofer
In Ear Spare-System:
- Rane 19-inch 1HE Mixer
- Lake People Headphone-Amp
Mikrofone:
- Bassdrum: Shure Beta 52
- Haupt-Snaredrum:
- Top: Shure SM 57
- Bottom: Shure Beta 98
- Add-on-Snaredrums: Shure SM 57
- Toms: Shure Beta 98
- Floor-Toms: Sennheiser MD521
- Hi-Hats: AKG C535 EB
- Overheads: AKG C414