MICHAEL KISKE: Track Listing Revealed For Acoustic Album Of HELLOWEEN Classics

Former HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske will rearrange and re-record all of the songs that he wrote with his former band for an upcoming CD, to be released next year through Frontiers Records. The projected track listing for the album is as follows:

01. We Got the Right
02. A Little Time
03. Kids Of the Century
04. Goin' Home
05. You Always Walk Alone
06. When the Sinner
07. I Believe
08. Longing
09. In the Night
10. Your Turn
+ as-yet-undisclosed new song

When asked by a fan named Deborah Schwichtenberg what he thinks of people who are criticizing his decision to re-record the HELLOWEEN classics, claiming that Kiske "used to eat from HELLOWEEN's songs" before slamming them in the press and now once again wanting to "eat" from HELLOWEEN by selling new recordings of their material, Kiske responded, "I don't give a hack about this! Unfortunately, the metal world is full of people who bark and complain and bark and complain forever anyway, no matter what I do. They will always search for reasons to cry.

"I was part of that band, so I didn't just 'eat' from them. That's a very weird way of thinking. I was BUILDING the band together with the original members, and no one can forbid me to re-record acoustic versions of MY OWN music. I don't think I have to ask 'metal popes' for their permission to do that at all. Those are MY songs — if I feel like doing this, I do it anyway!

"The good first HELLOWEEN years (with Kai Hansen) were also absolutely great; I don't reject them at all! And I think it was a good idea from Serafino (Frontiers Records) to give my songs of the past a new acoustic sound that fits me today. Because on one hand this shows that I don't reject my past; and on the other hand, it can also give some (more open and intelligent) people another perspective at those songs. And if anyone doesn't like that idea. no one forces him or her to listen to it! These new recordings will NOT AT ALL sound like HELLOWEEN or metal, so it is VERY stupid to put it the way some do. I have already started to go through some arrangements, and it's big fun; I'm really excited about it. Those early songs of mine were not so bad at all, and they work great as acoustics.

"Unfortunately, Deborah, metal these days means a lot of negativity, dogmatism and art-enemy mentalities. They really believe THEY have to tell musicians what they are 'allowed' to do or not (as you can see again). And they can also only look at everything from a negative and destructive angle; they will always put everything in a way so they can slander around about it. They just can't help it! And a lot of them don't even understand what I am talking about, when I'm explaining my ways of thinking. They also intentionally mix things up which are separate issues.

"I don't really say anything bad about Helloween. I had my problems with one particular person in there, and sometimes I have to defend myself a bit because of things this particular person (successfully) likes to spread about me, but I enjoyed the first years a lot! The reason for this hatred is that I name what is wrong and sick about today's heavy metal scene; and THAT'S really what many are so pissed about! The metal spirit tries to dictate laws for thinking and music, and if you don't follow those laws, you 'betray' them. But that spirit IS a pure betrayal of freedom in itself. So to be true to yourself, you've got to 'betray' that dogmatism sooner or later.

"This is actually a big part of WHY I can't stand this scene anymore. They can't handle someone like me anyway. I disagree with the typical metal ideologies in so many ways, and I'm not afraid to speak my mind about it; and that's enough for many to go against someone like me. They simply don't LIKE how I think, Deborah, so they will always find reasons to talk dirty against me. Who cares! But I'm always newly surprised again about the reactions of certain smart-asses there; about what they cherish and what they condemn. I can't see at all where my 'crime' is supposed to be here? I thought (think) this acoustic album of my past is a nice idea, which should cause some excitement and maybe even some peace, but many minds obviously function in different ways. But they won't have any effect on what I am doing anyway; that's for sure; I won't allow that. And my friends are going to enjoy this.

"I am slowly building my own fan base now, and I don't really need to know about all the nonsense certain jerks like to spread about me. They can fuck off! And you shouldn't let this get to you either, Deborah. Believe me: it ain't worth it! I'm trying to lead a pretty clean life. I'm not a perfect man, but I'm always straightforward and honest; so who are those a-holes to teach me morals?! ... They certainly don't stand for MY morals!"

Michael Kiske's latest solo album, simply entitled "Kiske", was released in May via Frontiers Records.

(Thanks: MichaelKiske.net)