Hello, this is André Ohlbrich
Last Saturday I had a fabulous chat with André Ohlbrich of Blind Guardian, who was promoting the band’s new single, “Fly”.
Amazingly, “Fly” actually reached first place on the Japanese charts when it was released there a short while ago, a phenomenal placing for any artist but doubly so for heavy metal (and here André was telling me that Japan’s enthusiasm for heavy metal has tapered off in recent years!).
For those who may not yet know of Blind Guardian, they are a fantasy heavy metal group from Germany who have proven one of the most popular of all HM bands internationally. Their unique blend of intense speed and folk/medieval flavors have really cemented their reputation, and although there are those fans who have been dissatisfied with the group’s evolution in more recent years, they remain a top draw in their genre, routinely earning album chart positions in the top five in their native country. Well-known for their frequent use of Tolkien’s books as lyrical themes, broadening the net to include other writers like Michael Moorcock and Tad Williams, and sources like fantasy computer games and board games, pretty much covers the bases.
This was my first opportunity to talk to any of them, and I was hoping for a nice conversation given the band’s reputation as friendly, outgoing people. I wasn’t disappointed. André was warm, friendly, and a great interviewee.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised to have enjoyed the interview so much. Some of André’s favorite books are the Tintin books (which I aboslutely cherish) and he is, in his words, a complete “gaming fanatic”.
Current obsessions? Can you guess? World of Warcraft and Oblivion. I asked him if playing these fantasy-based games had an impact on his writing style, and he quickly replied that, even more than influencing his musical writing, he often becomes “completely absorbed” in the games’ fantasy settings, and imagines what type of music he would write that would reflect the setting around him.
I should never have wondered why listening to Blind Guardian reminded me so strongly of long hours in front of the computer screen, trawling through the towns and countrysides of Ultima, The Bard’s Tale, or Wizardry.
Blind Guardian rolls back through the US in 2007. I for one can’t wait.
For those of you who haven’t yet experienced their unique musical tapestry, I couldn’t recommend giving them a try highly enough, even for those of you who don’t necessarily consider yourselves fans of heavy metal. Their last full-length release, simply titled “Live”, makes an excellent start (the band are rightly considered at their best in a live environment) or, possibly even better, their DVD, which surprisingly enough is available for rent from Netflix.
Blind Guardian’s single, “Fly”, hits shops Tuesday, April 18th, in the US.