An interview with RPWL Jurgen "Yogi" Lang
By Krista Phillips

KP: How does the writing and recording process work with the band?  Who does the main music and lyric writing?

JL: Before we started the recordings for the new album we discussed a lot about the lyrical content! The loss of spirituality was something that I had on my mind for quite some time. During our discussions we started working on song ideas. In the next step I came up with parts of the lyrics, ideas and stories and we brought it together with the music we had so far. In the following studio jams we worked out the first versions of the songs. It was like hoisting the sails! We were all very open and so no one really knew the destination of our journey! Now, with the finished album in our hands we know that every little thing that happened or that we did was part of this wonderful journey that took us to the "World through our Eyes".

KP: Was this new album recorded differently compared to your previous albums?

JL: The technical situation was nearly the same because since our second album we have our own recording studio! But this time we decided to open our minds by working in other studios as well. We recorded drums in the mountains of Austria, recorded eastern instruments and choirs in India, Ray Wilson was recorded in Scotland... It was like a fresh breeze working with other studios and of course with additional guest musicians... I think this time we succeeded in coming closer to the heart of the songs that we really hear in our heads. The connection between the lyrical content and the music has always been very important for us. Since the "Trying to Kiss the Sun" album we have grown as a band and I think we successfully caught this new found spirit on our new record. This  album will enable our fans and new listeners to dive deeper into a world seen through the eyes of RPWL - therefore the title of the album.

KP: RPWL seems to have a wide variety of influences, from Middle Eastern music to straight up rock and roll.  Do you find influence in  all music, or specific types?

JL: We only make the music we truly believe in. We try to be open minded and to open our emotions in order to let it out, whatever it will be... But in general I think that musicians are usually influenced by the music they grew up with. The special thing with this album was that the music changed with the lyrical content and so new styles came in... We tried to let it flow; but still I think I’m highly influenced by the music I grew up with!

KP: Several sites mention that RPWL is influenced by Genesis, how did you feel when collaborating with ex-Genesis singer Ray Wilson for the song "Roses"?

JL: Ray was able to add this feeling of loneliness to the track that I couldn’t. The song deals about reaching a new state of mind, everything seems to be new and you start to see this world through your eyes, after this experience you come back to your hometown feeling out of touch with the current reality of life. Ray was able to capture all of this. The collaboration with him was a great experience.

KP: The inclusion of 5.1 sound in your live shows has become a trademark of the band, what made you decide to incorporate it into your albums as well?

JL: We enjoyed working in 5.1 during the "STOCK" production. It’s one side of the band: playing with newest technique. It’s like being kids on a playground and in my view this is a great aspect of making an album. The difference to our live shows is always an interesting thing! We try to bring both worlds -studio and stage- together.

KP: How did you find time to write a new album with your busy touring schedule?

JL: We took our time in 2004. It was heavy workload because doing only RPWL wouldn’t be enough to earn our living... But besides all RPWL-activities there were a lot of other studio jobs to do! During the last 5 years RPWL developed to something we had never expected; a big part in our lives. It was our primary object to give the best we could and I think this might be the reason why there is so much of our heart and our soul in this album!

KP: Speaking of touring, I see that you're taking The Amber Light on tour with you for most of your "World Through My Eyes" tour.  How did this come about?  Do you feel that you are taking them under your wing?

JL: That’s amazing! How did you know that? I think they are gifted musicians and songwriters! I really think about taking them under my wings! That was one of the reasons why we decided to take them with us as a support act.

KP: What type of gear do you use?  Do you take particular gear on tour with you?

JL: We use a lot of vintage gear in the studio. But using this old stuff can be very complicated on stage and so we always try to find a good compromise. In the meantime, you can put all your keyboards into a Powerbook but you have to bring nearly all the guitars with you. It’s simply not possible to replace all the guitars used on the album by one six-string-wonder! As an amplification Kalle is using his Boogie triaxis with various stomps and FX and this is also his rehearsal setup. Chris uses his Tobias and RICKENBACKER bass through an Ampeg amplification on stage as well as in the studio. The MOOG Taurus bass pedal adds another dimension of deep tunes to the music.

KP: Are there any traditions that you follow when touring?  What keeps you busy between concerts?

JL: Hahaha, yes, watching Star Trek!

KP: Because of your hugely successful appearance at ROSfest last year in Philadelphia, do you have any plans to tour the US at some point?

JL: This would be great but at the moment we still have a heavy workload regarding the album. ROSES will be released as a single in May and we planned to release a live-DVD and a live-CD in autumn. The second part of the tour is also planned for autumn. Wow, this will be another hard year... But anyway, we’d love to come back to the states! Especially playing the ROSFEST was such a wonderful experience! It’ll be always on our mind...

KP: Do you have favorite places/venues to play?

JL: Not really, but of course there are places that have a certain spirit and clubs that have its magic. But mainly it’s the audience that makes the show to something very special and I think we have the best audience you can have.

KP: What is your favorite tour memory?

JL: Being on tour is wonderful and there are so many good memories...

KP: Do you find that it's harder to be successful because you are a younger band?

JL: We were young a few years ago...

KP: The reviews for "World Through My Eyes" have all been very positive. Do you think that the word is finally getting out about your music?

JL: It was our intention to come closer to the heart of the songs and finally closer to the hearts of our listeners! The lyrical content is not easy to get but the emotion behind it is something that is part of our live. It’s a great pleasure for me to see that people are thinking about the words and the message of the album! We hoisted the sails and if the wind is taking us to a point where more and more people understand what we’re doing that’s the greatest compliment for us! But still that’s not our reason why we’re making music!

KP: Do you have any final messages for your fans?

JL: We hope that all our fans enjoy the world through our eyes. It’s still the most interesting thing for me to be aware of the connection between our inner and the outer world; what do we see and what is real. The album represents our thoughts, our hopes, our questions, but no answers. If you dive into our world seen through our eyes, maybe you’ll find some interesting parallels or differences and while you’re doing this, you give a sense to what we did. Love and Peace!

KP: Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.
 

: : Visit the artist web site : :

www.rpwl.de