Tell some details about your latest album "Madness". How much time did you spend on the composition?

I've written most of the songs in the beginning of '99 and arranged them with the band 4 weeks before we entered the studio. Once again we produced our new album "Madness" with Achim Köhler at the House Of Music in Winterbach -a place not so far away from our homes- and in my opinion the result is absolutly superb. Achim Köhler is an excellent engineer and producer, I think without any doubt one of the best in Germany. Look at his production references of bands like Primal Fear, Sinner, Brainstorm, Silent Force and you know what I mean. All of these bands have done high demand productions with him.

What are the differences between "Horrorscope" and "Madness"? What elements do you think have been improved?

I think the excellent sound and better songmaterial is one of the biggest differences. It's more the old stuff of heavy metal, it's my way, aggressive, dominat guitars and good melodies, that's what we need. Chinchilla in the current line-up is much harder, than with Martin Obermeier, our former singer. Thommy has a voice between Ted Bullet and Paul Stanley and that marks the difference. It's more the heavy metal touch I prefer. All of the fans like Chinchilla's development to the harder side of Heavy Metal. Even if Martin haven't left the band, I think, that we would play the same new harder sound, 'cos I wrote the songs and this sound is finally the result of my development as composer.

About the response to "Madness"... has it gone beyond your expectations?

Yes, it's beyond our expectations. After the release I worked only for the press, because we have so much interviews. We've got excellent feedbacks for "Madness" from the press and medias. Lots of interviews showing me the interest for our band. Lots of congratulations, a good placement in the soundcheck from Heavy oder was?!, where we reached place 5, Metal Heart place 7, Rock Hard place 10 and Metal Hammer Germany place 10, that's wonderful.

Is there a main music writer in the band? How would you describe your process when composing a song?

I´m writing the basic guitariffs first, then we´re arranging the songs in our rehearsal room. Second step is the recording of the basic parts of the song and the workout of the melodies and vocal lines together with Thommy. Finally I´m writing the lyrics, that's all.

What are the main musical and lyrical influences of the band?

My favorite influence is the old kind of Heavy Metal, all the bands from the beginning, for example Motörhead, Kiss, Saxon, Accept, Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Dio, Rainbow and the new bands like Symphony X, Stratovarius, Lab˙rinth and Primal Fear. It must be a good mixture between the old stuff and the new influences to find your own sound and way to create your own part of Heavy Metal.

When did you decide to part ways with your previous singer Martin Obermeier? How you hooked up with Thomas Laasch?

Martin get a deal from Jack White for german hitmusic and after he left the band, because of date problems between Chinchilla and his projekt. After Martin and I talked about the new situation, I asked Thomas, he is an old friend of mine, if he could sing the following shows, since this day Thomas is our frontman.

And do you consider this new line-up established?

It's no new line-up, it exists since three years. It shows me, that the band stands together and all members are fighting for the same aims. We are playing with this line-up more than 300 gigs, we are friends that's very important.

Is there any particular concept related to the band's name?

It's not a typical name for a metal band, but I think, it's an interesting name. Chinchillas are sweet and funny animals, on the other side they get killed for some coats for rich women. It's like Dr. Jakyl and Mr. Hide, good and bad, live and death, both sides, this was an interesting point. It's the same in our music, both sides, dominant, fast and raw songs, the old stuff of Heavy Metal, on the other side the ballads, tender and sentimental.

Which bands/musicians have inspired you and which was your motivation to become a member of a band?

Motörhead, Lemmy was a big influence for me. Since I was 16 years I listen to them. I like his way he talks and the things he does. Lemmy is no stupid musican, he is the most important creater of the metal scene. And he is no diva, he is the same man like years before.

Chinchilla have been around the metal scene for a while now and would have been able to watch it grow... how do you think the scene has developed over the years?

If the fans and the bands stand together, there is no chance to blow Heavy Metal away. A lot of business people are tellin' shit, like metal is dead. I think Metal survived Grunge, Techno, Hiphop and other fucking trends. And this will happen also in the future. That's the truth about Heavy Metal and you will see, in 20 years the metal bands are still alive.

What do you think of the european metal scene at the moment and how do you see Chinchilla in the scene?

There are too many releases. It's a problem for the bands, magazines and for the fans. I think, it would be better if the record companies look for more quality. A band needs a good sound and good songmaterial, that's all. But the most new bands have only low budged produktions, so it's normal that they have a terrible sound and a lot of good bands get lost in the flood of releases. I think one of the biggest difference between other bands and Chinchilla is, that we are no clone of HammerFall, Gamma Ray or Helloween. We have our own style, it's difficult to say we sound like another band, because we have no typical german sound, it's more the British way of Metal.

Finally... any plans for live shows outside of Germany this year?

We are looking for an european tour and in June we play 6 shows with Paul Di Anno in Netherlands, Germany and maybe Belgium. We play some big festivals, for example Wacken, that's great.

OK Udo, thanx alot for the interview opportunity and good luck... Any final messages?

Watch out for the power of Chinchilla. For further information please take a look at our Webside, www.chinchilla.rocks.de Thanx to all metal heads for keeping Heavy Metal alive. Without you and our fans we are nothing. Thanx -UDO-

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