This interview is taken from: Black Alchemy Webzine 

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT TODAY'S NARGAROTH?

Well today is November 19-th, 2004. Today's NARGAROTH is the same than it always was. My opportunity to express myself and to communicate to myself. I released my new studio album and made some live shows in Europe. Nothing special right now.

TELL BRIEFLY YOUR OPINION ABOUT YOUR ALBUMS. WHAT YOUR CREATIONS ARE THE BEST FOR YOU?

My favourite creations are the "Geliebte Des Regens" ("Beloved Of The Rain") and my new album "Prosatanica Shooting Angels".
About my albums I think every one is worthy to exist and show the momentary state of my personality. As I started with more professional with my first album release "Herbstleyd" in 1998, I had no idea what my art become for me in the future. Now I know that it helps me to communicate with myself, with the things I wish and have to deny in normal social life. Psycho Catharsis maybe. But I don't want to list all my releases and describe them, that would take too long, even I have a lot to say about and there a until today in summary many releases.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GERMAN BANDS (AEBA, GRABAK, MOONBLOOD, ABSURD, ETC.)? WHAT BLACK METAL BANDS DO YOU HOLD IN RESPECT? DO YOU KNOW RUSSIAN BLACK METAL BANDS?

MOONBLOOD and old ABSURD are a part of my later youth and my BM history. But in generally I don't think about German BM or bands belonging to it. I don't care because most of them are nothing and meaningless. This energy I use better for other things. Russian BM bands I don't know well. What kind of style is the band BLACKDEATH from Russia? I heard a demo once. I don't know. (BLACKDEATH is the best and earnest BM band from Russia. - Horned).

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT LIVE PERFORMANCES OF BLACK METAL (FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT UNDER THE BLACK SUN FESTS)?

At the Under The Black Sun Fest I played as session guitar man at JUDAS ISCARIOT. That experience is not comparable to own live performances. But I remember that the mood was very difficult because of the sad mood on the festival. With NARGAROTH I make only view live gigs, all the time far away from Germany, where I don't want to play because of the boring scene. The most recent was in Innsbruck/Austria on October 16-th, 2004. It was the best gig I ever made and it was the best planned one. The first time I've been on stage as Ash without my Kanwulf-Outfit, performing my art as man. I also was the first time in the crowd. It was a kind of experiment for me. At former shows I gave a shit about the persons. But after the Belgium gig on March 16-th, 2002 I recognised that some of these people took very long travels to see NARGAROTH. I was the same in Austria too. I think I had to respect the power and energy which some of the visitors had to bring up to come to this place to see Me! I talked with some of'em and sometimes I met smart people. Now I will see how I feel with my new behaviour. If I feel well, I'll maybe continue, if not I return back to old behaviour of retreat or I change to new experimental behaviour and the experiment of making new experiences goes on.

YOU HAVE COVER VERSION OF BURZUM'S SONG ON YOUR RELEASE "AMAROK". WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT NEW VARG'S CREATIONS AND WELTANSCHAUUNG?

About his Worldview I can and want say nothing. It doesn't interesting me much. It bores me. Count Grishnackh died for me in 1994 or 1995. The Vikernes from today doesn't interest me. Of course he is a man and I cannot rule his way of life. But as he stated, that BM is nigger music because of the fact it's a development from Rock'n'Roll and Jazz and Blues, he fell out of my world. He denied his own music and art. His boring new attitudes and theories can fuck off. They are full of weak points. If he goes back with the music style to proof that BM is nigger music, because it's from Blues. But follow his causal argument style; he can also go back in evolution of man. He spread the supremacy of the white race and niggers are sub-humans and similar to apes. Well, we were all monkeys some million years ago and the most came from Africa. So this is the "proof" that we all are niggers and apes. This is so fucking stupid. I get bored of this fucking politics and views. Politics are man-made and consequently ineffective, wrong and full of lies. I couldn't give a shit about politics! To prove something, there should be some better statements that could not be crashed by a child's counterargument. But as I said, he is a man, and should not apologize for things he like to do, he sure got reason. And these must not be mine!
The Cover song was originally recorded for a "Tribute To BURZUM" CD. But they wanted some special versions and not 1:1 cover. So he never became a part of it. It's also one of my worst songs I ever made so it's good he is not on that "Tribute..." CD, even the most planned bands among that "Tribute..." release were, besides JUDAS ISCARIOT, terrible and unworthy.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BLACK METAL FIGURES THOSE IS IN PRISONS NOW?

Maybe it sounds sad, but I don't care. I don't support any "Free them" actions or even more. Why should I take care for persons I don't care or even not know well? Once I made some packages for an imprisoned member of a German band who shot in an argument someone down, but that didn't satisfy me. I also lost my "Scene-Spark" and I rejected me from all this scene shit after my "Black Metal Ist Krieg" release. In 2000 I was quite involved into the BM scene. I had more contacts to people I ever had before in my life. Many times my attitude crashed into the attitude of others and I wasn't willing up to that time to accept thoughts different to mine. I had an ideal from BM and the way their member has to be. I found none who could stand my judgement. Besides that very egocentric view, the scene and the bands mostly were terrible. On concerts I had to see shaming things of band members, which I will not mention here because there will not be space enough for. But the treatment of the persons to each other and the envy which grasps around the bands let me look with disgust to the members of an art, which once had the opportunity to stay special and intentionally deep. So, in addition after all I don't care.

COULD YOU PLEASE TELL HOW WAS YOUR NOWADAYS WORD-OUTLOOK APPEARED IN YOUR MIND? WAS THERE ANY PARTICULAR SINGLE EVENT IN YOUR LIFE, THAT RADICALLY CHANGED EVERYTHING YOU BELIEVED IN, OR HAVE YOU COME TO ALL YOUR NOWADAYS VIEWS AND POSITIONS THROUGH THINKING AND YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE?

There was sure a happening. I don't want to talk about, because that is very private. It got something to do with scene experiences and my former being. One day I asked myself without the all-day-facade and what I saw was nothing I wanted to see. Together with my profession I started a development of my personality that meant to change things in me and not trying to change the world or the persons around me to make them similar to my attitudes and imaginations. Instead of hating all the time and caring of other idiots business, I took that once wasted energy for myself.

YOU ARE CALLED AS A "CULT PERSON" BY MANY PEOPLE WITHIN BLACK METAL UNDERGROUND... COULD YOU SAY, WHAT MEANS FOR YOU THE OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINION? HOW DO YOU REACT, WHEN PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WRITE YOU LETTERS WITH THEIR POSITIVE OPINIONS, OR TELL YOU THAT THEY LIKE YOUR WORK?

It caresses my ego and the narcistic part of my personality, why should it not? Although I don't make the music mainly for others, I want to reach some of them. So I also make these creations for those I want to reach. For those, who find themselves again in my songs. For those, who let their emotions run with my songs. For those, who feel a little bit better, not so isolated and departed from their own selves when they listen to my songs. For those who live through my songs. And sure positive feedbacks caresses a little bit. I think that's right. No one can tell me that he is or stays unaffected after getting positive and negative feedback! The only thing I dislike is when it becomes a devote behaviour to me, when fans act like slaves. That I totally dislike.

FROM WHAT SOURCES DO YOU GAIN YOUR EXPERIENCE? IS LONELINESS IMPORTANT FOR YOU, DO YOU ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM OTHER PEOPLE OR YOU ARE ABLE TO LIVE AND TO CREATE AMONG THEM, JUST ABSTRACTING YOUR MIND FROM HUMAN INFLUENCE?

It was and will be my emotions and my imaginations. Nothing else, just pure emotions and unchained imaginations! I do nothing special in my eyes. I just let my emotions, my attitude and my imaginations rule the way of my work. I do what I want! That's all! And the background is my emotions. This should be normal for every musician. That this is quite rare and the main force of bands creates only empty shells without meaning. This is the reason why BM is dead since years! My inspirations also come in every season. Nature is rich, no matter which season rules. Some makes me sad and depressive and some makes me optimistic and fresh reborn or loving. And everything is an inspiration to create songs. Loneliness can be a force even as contact with other and the experiences that come up through this. Positive or negative. That doesn't matter.

YOU HAVE IN YOUR LYRICS THE THEME ABOUT PROMETHEUS. WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THIS PERSONAGE?

He, who brought a life keeping and destroying element to humans, he, who fought a long time for his life tortured by an every day coming bird of prey; thinks about suicide. That imagination that rose in my head, I found more than interesting.

HOW DO YOU LIVE TOGETHER WITH YOUR HUMAN NATURE? IT IS KNOWN THAT THE TRUE ARTISTS USUALLY SUFFER MORE AND DEEPER THAN OTHER PEOPLE... WHAT DO YOU GET FROM YOUR ART? IS IT PAIN, DESOLATION..? OR, MAYBE EVEN HAPPINESS? DOES IT CHANGE ANYTHING INSIDE YOU?

The first sentence you wrote I think is close to the truth. But the artist has to be an artist. An creator from his heart. Not all the stupid followers and epigones. And those who are not able to express their emotions suffer and live through his views and words by participate from his feelings. Those are borrowed emotions.
And of course as I mentioned some lines above, the opportunity to bring my thoughts, pain, love and all feelings and emotions to manifestation through my music changed many things. It helped me to find a balance in myself that is very important in normal life. And it showed me, I am able to affect others truly and deeply. It is my secret affair. And in respect of affect others and maybe helping them finding their selves in my art and sharing my feelings, this is more intimate than sex I think! Not always better, but more personal and intimate.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT DREAMS? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IN DREAMS MAN IS ABLE TO REACH SOME... OTHER DIMENSIONS? DO YOU GAIN ANY USEFUL EXPERIENCE FROM YOUR DREAMS? DO YOU OFTEN SEE NIGHTMARES?

At the moment I have some Nightmares, if you would name them so. But I don't think into higher beings and spheres or dimensions. I believe more in the conflict processing effect of dreams, which can be used as opportunity to clear conflicts or to recover own fears and desires.

YOU ARE AGGRESSIVE AND UNCOMPROMISING IN YOUR ART... WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE COMPLETELY THE SAME IN YOUR ORDINARY DAILY LIFE?

Not anymore and that's good!! I was once, but that destroyed my life completely. I almost died...

COULD YOU SAY THAT YOU WERE OFTEN CRUEL IN YOUR LIFE?

Unfortunately very often... Even to people who loved me... I feel inside of myself shame for that non-honourable and a man's unworthy behaviour in my past... No more words!

DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN CONCEPTION OF JUSTICE, EVIL AND GOOD? WHAT IS THE MOAT UGLY AND HARD SIN HUMAN CAN MAKE FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW? AND FOR WHAT FEATURESDO YOU RESPECT PEOPLE?

Not to develop their personality. And doing wrong things with the knowledge it is wrong! I know that the main force in BM scene (and in society) is not poor minded, but psychic very deformed and that they distort the information they get, so that they fit to their imagination how the world runs and works. That's much easier than to change yourself or your thoughts and attitudes. But that keeps you away from the opportunity to develop and to become an honourable man, woman or even being.

AS I KNOW, YOU COOPERATE WITH SOME WOMEN IN YOUR WORK... WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON WOMEN IN BLACK METAL AND ON WOMEN IN GENERAL? MANY OF YOUR "COLLEAGUES" IN BLACK METAL THINK THAT "THERE'S NO PLACE FOR WOMEN IN BLACK METAL"...

I had that same attitude; and similar to many men in BM, a lot of them are worthless. But not more or less as some men are. Some are really smart ones with energy, pride, personality and so on. But the often seen On Night Stand Chicks that run drunk through the concert halls don't support the music well. The men who lie drunk down on the ground also give no honour to the art. And that makes the BM scene very similar to the so often disliked Death Metal scene. So the BM Boozer's should shut up. If they want to party, o.k., do it, but don't piss on another scene that perfected already those party behaviour years before.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM?

Effective but Crap!

NEVER STOP THE MADNESS?

As long as it doesn't lead to the arts decline, bring'em on!

YOUR LAST WORDS IN THIS INTERVIEW?

The first time you contacted me, it was unbelievable for me to see NARGAROTH is know in this regions. So what ever some stupid people say – keep on banging and feel the spirit that belongs to our art! And maybe we're going to see us on a NARGAROTH live show to break out the daemons in our heads. BM stands for so many emotions and feelings that we should be proud to own an art like this. We should take care, more than we "do" with our nature or ourselves. BM was the diamond between the grey dirt of the other Arts. Unfortunately too many hands grasped after him with their dirty hands, so that he lost his shining years ago. And for you and you country I wish a better future than you had in the past.

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