HELLOWEEN's MICHAEL KISKE On A.I.-Generated Music: 'Do You Want Fake Perfection Or Human Originality That Has Spirit And Soul?'

In a new interview with the And Now The Band podcast, HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske weighed in on a debate about people using an A.I. (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithms and machine learning (M.L.) models. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "[A.I.-created music] will never be original, because it only uses the material that is there and generates something out of it. It's probably gonna become very perfect, but it's never gonna have the spirit. And I think that's the big test we're going through — the big divine test. Do you want fake perfection or human originality that has spirit and soul? And you know when you talk to people on what side they're on. Some people are just completely ignorant; they don't give a fuck, as long as it is easy to get a song. Even if they like the song and you tell them the band doesn't exist, it doesn't bother them, and others just don't wanna have anything to do with it."

He continued: "To me, music in general, or art in general, is a human expression. You express something that matters to you emotionally, and that gives the spirit, and the computer doesn't have that. It can just fake it — it can suck it in and fake it…

"We have the bands that we like, especially when you come from rock music or whatever, you know the bands that you like and you know that they're real and they do their stuff. And I think this attitude towards music is never gonna go away for a specific type of person."

Michael added: "To me, A.I. music is a bit like the artificial pop productions of the '80s, where it was never about an idea or expressing something through a song; it was just trying to design a hit single to make cash. So, to me, that's the same kind of thing, just [with] more perfection, and you will have the same sort of separation in people. I mean, A.I. is useful for some things. A.I. is great when you make science-fiction movies, for instance, where you fake a world anyway… But everywhere where A.I. replaces your creativity, that's where it's the devil. And think about it: it has an effect."

Kiske went on to warn of A.I.'s unpredictable consequences that could reshape society in a negative way.

"I know how exciting technology is. I'm excited about technology. When I had my first A.I. app, for about, like, three weeks, I was fooling around with it and it was fun. And then I completely lost interest. And then I never looked at it anymore," he explained. "I understand it, but if people, in general, anyone giving up on being productive and creative, the more you pass that over to machines and computer, you're gonna lose it. You will degenerate, mentally and in your soul. Because when we are productive, that means unleashing energy… It's addictive. It's very tempting. Technology is exciting, but you gotta be in control. It's important that you don't let it control you and your life. It's not easy for many to notice that."

"I'm so glad that I grew up in times where there was no Internet, there was no mobile phones," he added. "Because I know I would've been sucked in. It's the same with computer games. When I was young, we had these very early Atari games. It was very simple. They were already addictive, but nothing compared to what it is now. So I don't envy [the kids today], because it needs so much control and will strength to not get sucked into it and actually get damaged by it."

HELLOWEEN's latest album, "Giants & Monsters", came out last August via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The follow-up to HELLOWEEN's self-titled 2021 record was mixed at the legendary Wisseloord Studios (IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, DEF LEPPARD) in Hilversum, Netherlands.

"Giants & Monsters" pushed the boundaries of HELLOWEEN's sound, thanks to the instincts of producers Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, as well as the band's relentless pursuit of excellence. Per example, drummer Dani Löble recorded all tracks using three different drum kits to capture the perfect vibe for each song, a testament to their attention to detail and love of experimentation.

HELLOWEEN will embark on the North American leg of its "40 Years Anniversary Tour" in early April. Support on the trek will come from Finnish melodic metallers BEAST IN BLACK.

HELLOWEEN's 2017 reunion with Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen, and the "Pumpkins United" world tour, followed by the 2021 self-titled album and more recently with "Giants & Monsters", is unquestionably one of the best metal stories in recent memory. The reintegration of Kiske and Hansen into the existing lineup of Andi Deris (vocals),Michael Weikath (guitar),Sascha Gerstner (guitar),Markus Grosskopf (bass) and Dani Löble (drums) has been a masterstroke of genius, marking one of the few times a long-standing, highly influential band has been able to blend all of its eras into a single, cohesive lineup with nary a trace of in-fighting.