Interview — One Day Left

Skratch Magazine

With a sound affectionately labelled as the “cranberries on speed” One Day Left has is a band that boast a balance of rock alternative and easy listening. Based in Germany, Schnecke, Basti Schulz, Fude, Basti R, Hostie and AnnaE have been making their eclectic music since 2007. One Day Left recently spoke with Skratch about what you can expect from them this Fall.

Skratch: What spurs your song writing?

Schnecke: Don’t know. It just happens, I guess…
Basti Schulz: Song writing as a trouble solver, so to speak – like a relief, like if you write a diary.
Fude: Usually, we write our songs together. One of us got an idea, a riff or a melody and together we make a song out of it. I always try to catch the basic emotion and figurate it onto the rest of the song. A song is a song for us, when everyone says: that’s how it’s supposed to be.
Basti R: Our songs develop in collective work. Mostly, there is an idea. In the beginning, we work with it all together till a general direction develops and later on we fill in the details…
Hostie: Yo, I’d say the fun of writing, because we write our songs together. Someone has got an idea for a melody and then the texts are written by our lovely Anna, most of the times.
AnnaE: Usually, songs – or fragments of it – come to my head when I am very occupied with something, such as certain emotions, situations and thoughts I feel very strongly about. However, most of the time the boys just play and a melody for the vocals and words kind of fly into my head. So when it comes to my part, the inspiration comes through our music.

Skratch: Many artists get emotional or passionate about certain topics? What gets you guys going?

Schnecke: What we want to experience, the suffering and pain of others, like in our song, “Gironimo”, which is about a homeless who suffers from social exclusion.
Basti Schulz: Animal welfare
Fude: I am busy with friendships, love, every-day-worries and sometimes global problems. I got an opinion about all sorts of things, but I rather keep them to myself.
Basti R: Everyday issues, friends, family, national and international concerns.
Hostie: I get emotional if I hear beautiful melodies. It is less about the lyrics and its context. I listen to tones.
AnnaE: Big issues for me are love, romantic relationships and all sorts of relations between people, as well as human behaviour in general. I get passionate when it comes to the bigger meaning of life, the interdependence between issues and the question of free will…

Skratch: What in your music differentiates yourselves from other bands?

Schnecke: We got a greater diversity than others.
Basti Schulz: The mixtures of preferences of six extremely different musicians with high demands to one another create something unique.
Fude: The range of different music we play. Of course, we have something like a leitmotif but we always try to make something different to what we’ve done already.
Basti R: You cannot peg us as somewhat. The variety and energy that we transfer to the crowd is special, also. All in all, every song is a piece of work created by the whole band… All of us are engaged in the process of its creation. It’s not only one group member who presents a finished song and the others just learn to play it.
Hostie: Yo, I think the musical variety coming from the 6 band members and everyone’s got own ideas of how a song should sound like is special …this is an interesting thing itself.
AnnaE: Well, we differentiate from other bands in that regard that we are different individuals, I’d say (giggle). I can’t tell if we are that different to others, but we definitely have our own touch. Especially, in the way in which we try to integrate different influences in our music…but that is an arrogant thing to say, because that’s the case with lots of other musicians and bands as well, I guess.

Skratch: What genre do you describe your band as? What is the funniest description you've heard to date?

Schnecke: Cranberries on speed.
Basti Schulz: An own description would be: our music is kind of a mixture of Cranberries and Guano Apes. Furthermore, no one ever had a funny enough description of us that it would have been worth to remember it.
Fude: I’d say our music comes closest to crossover-stoner-rock-somewhat. The funniest expression I’ve heard to describe our stuff is “Cranberries on speed“.
Basti R: No special genre.
We bring in so very different musical influences that it’s very hard do restrict into one direction, because we are equal. Everybody can and sometimes, has to add something.
Hostie: Well, yo, I’d call it rock music, no drawer to peg us into, yet. Once someone said we make gothic rock. I tend not to think that that’s the case.
AnnaE: I don’t know. I tried to get my head around this question ... It’s some kind of rock music. I’ve heard all sorts of stuff, like alternative rock, alternative punk rock, indie rock, metal rock, rock metal, gothic rock… maybe I could agree with most of that, but gothic rock is so wrong and kind of offending to me (giggle).

Skratch: Does anyone have kids in the band? Who is the mom or dad in the band and Why? Do tell!

Schnecke: Future children are all still junket in the shop window (as we say in Germany).
Basti Schulz: Sure! A little girl (Aurélie – lives in Lyon) (chuckle).
Schnecke is the father, Anna and Fude are our Moms.
Fude. Not yet. But hopefully I can and will be having children.
For me, Schnecke is the Dad… because he is always the reasonable one if Basti and I freak out. I am the mom coz I like to take care of the little problems and worries of all the others.
Basti R: NOPE…but my wedding is coming up soon HAHAHA.
The big Daddy is Schnecke and the Mum Anna and Fude...
Hostie: No, unfortunately not. Anna is our mom, Schnecke and Fude our daddies, because they did the setting up of the band.
AnnaE: No kids yet. And when it comes to the band, they are all my little boys. They are well behaved and listen carefully. Sometimes they get a bit insane, but most of the time they are very good kids (laugh). Obviously, I am the mom (giggle). I always thought that the dad would be Fude, the drummer. However, during the last rehearsal the youngest of us (Basti) became very supportive and strict. So, the structures within the band are constantly changing but in a very organic and harmonic way. I am very glad with our little family.

Skratch: Lyrically, what are your goals and where is your mind currently?

Schnecke: Lyrically, we aim to convince as many people as possible of our music.
Basti Schulz: My lyrical aim is that every word in a song should fit a hundred percent and should express something! Right now I’m 60% content with the texts I have written.
Fude: When it comes to lyrics I can only talk about my own work. The lyrics I have written concern topics I’m interested in: the meaning of life and woman. When it comes to the lyrics written by the others they should say something to that.
Basti R: I am not responsible for lyrics. Anna is much better with writing than I am…
Hostie: I don’t write.
AnnaE: First of all, my goal is to create an image, that suits the instrumental structure and character of a song and this is inspiring to the people who listen to it. Currently my mind is with the sea, mariners and ships as well as the act leaving something or someone, the generational conflicts and the family, the cosmos and the higher states of being.

Skratch: Do you have a need or desire to be signed in the future? Any candidates or wish list?

Schnecke: Nope.
Basti Schulz: Certainly, why not get signed up somewhere, makes things a lot easier, but I have no candidates neither a wish list.
Fude: I wouldn’t say anything against it. But I ain´t got a candidate; I didn’t bother to seriously think about it yet as well. That will come after the next album. So wee can show what we are about. Important for me would be that we are able to make the songs the way we is right.
Basti R: Would be cool… but a label where we and our music can stay as we are and the way we want to.
Hostie: Yo, that would be a cool thing, but without advice about how to make our music. That’s a band’s thing. Up to now I have no idea which lable would fit us as a band.
AnnaE: No, not really. Depends though. If we sign up than with a smaller, more unknown label, with which you get support and suggestions but no instructions. I tend to remain as free as possible.

Skratch: Where are your favourite cities or states to play music in and just to play in?

Schnecke: Berlin? Seattle?
Basti Schulz: Berlin, Liverpool/England, Rio de Janeiro, Australia.
Fude: I just wanna go to Berlin.
Basti R: USA…what you wouldn’t have expected, would you? ;-P
Hostie: I don’t care, the most important thing is to play music… but Erfurt, Berlin, Seattle, Amsterdam, Paris, New York, Moscow, Tokyo…
AnnaE: Some bigger cities in Germany would be nice for the start, like Erfurt, Berlin, Leipzig, Cologne, Frankfurt/Main, Munich. We didn’t get out of our region that much yet, unfortunately. My favourite cities are London and Athens though. I’d love to play almost everywhere – everywhere where you don’t need to be worried about surviving, actually.

Skratch: What would one expect when seeing your live show?

Schnecke: Show?
Basti Schulz: Either an unforgettable concert or a total disappointment – depends on the expectations you have…
Fude: Good, handmade music, that is even slightly better then on our record. After the gig you will have the feeling you just have seen an awesome concert.
Basti R: One can expect to listen to rock music that connects to different groups; to have fun on and in front of the stage and finally to go home with a good feeling.
Hostie: In general, you can expect to listen to good rock music everyone can have fun with.
AnnaE: I am a lousy speaker, so definitely no stand up comedy (grin). To be honest, I don’t know, cause I’ve never seen a video or something… but from critics and stuff, you could expect an energetic and – if we all are lucky – an ecstatic show.

Skratch: Any magical rituals or beverages before your live show you care to share with us?

Schnecke: German beer and good luck wishes.
Basti Schulz: Water and some beers – perhaps a whiskey but if I drink too much it would get complicated to play music (chuckle)
Fude: Politely said shortly before the performance, we go to the bathroom together, to the loo, Basti and me. Our mascot can’t be missing and I always take a beer with me on stage.
Basti R: Take a crap in the bathroom together with Fude.
I drink water on stage.
Hostie: Yo, ciggie during the gig (laugh) and a brewski.
AnnaE: I stay sober before a gig. And right before the show I spit three times over everyone’s left shoulder and finally, kick them gently in the butt.

Skratch: Would you ever sell the rights to your music for a commercial or TV show? What's your favourite TV show now?

Schnecke: Maybe. Simpsons
Basti Schulz: Simpsons, South Park, the news…Unwillingly I would make music for a TV show. Unless it is a song that I don’t wanna play anymore or hate, but there are only a few of those…
Fude: I find it a funny idea to hear a song of ours in a South Park episode. South Park my absolute favourite TV show.
Basti R: A song of ours in an advertise or TV show/movie would be nice…maybe in a porn movie or a computer game, as well :-P
Hostie: Yo, why not, music for a funny toilet cleaning product or I could imagine playing a song for an animated movie.
AnnaE: I don’t know… never thought about it seriously, yet. But I guess I would not do it unless there is a very cool idea and a fair deal behind the thing we play for, such as a good movie – maybe.

Skratch: Any special love interests?

Schnecke: Nope
Basti Schulz: Only standard stuff everyone does…
Fude: In this regard, I am very practical. I like to read a lot, take care of my studies also I like to do sports and if I’m drunk I like to jump into hedges or trees.
Basti R: I spend a lot of time with my future family and my friends, who are kind of family as well. I make music, listen to music, watch movies and, of course, sexsexsex as well.
Hostie: I am so happy in my relationship, we just bought a house and now we have to restore it. I’d like to go out from time to time and have a drink or hang out with friends.
AnnaE: I’m into drama and theatre. I love to act and direct, and to juggle, as well. Furthermore, I love to travel and I’m interested in all sorts of art.

Skratch: Last words/final thoughts/Anything you would like readers to know about
you?:

Schnecke: Listen to our music and be happy.
Basti Schulz: "Smile . . . tomorrow will be worse"
Fude: Listen to Van Wilder from Party animals: “Don’t take life too seriously, you’ll never get out alive”.
Basti R: Don’t always act like grown ups…
To quote the Crow: “Childhood’s over the moment you know you're gonna die.” So, be serious if it’s really necessary. Apart of that, stay as you are and have fun, even if others say you’re acting childish.
Hostie: Yo, live long and in peace.
AnnaE: Penis! (Why do I have to state this??? Guys? )

For more on your new favourite band, One Day Left go to www.myspace.com/onedayleftband.

» BACK TO TOP

Interview Archives