Dark Arts: Hello!
Gared: Hello!
Nik: Hello!
DA: I'm here with the boys from Lord of the Lost, to be exact with:
G: Gared.
N: Nik.
DA: Why do I hold the mic? You have your own.
N: Oh yes, we have our own.
G: Let's do it again!
N: Should I give you mine?
DA: Yes!
N: Do we want to do it to each other?

(00:14)
DA: So it's been a while since we talked in this constellation at Summer Breeze. *both agree* We also had an open end if you can remember? Do you know what we did there?
G: I think I don't know it anymore.
N: No, to be honest, no. I just remember we pulled strips of paper out of little boxes.
G: That was a really cool thing!
N: That was pretty good.

(00:37)
DA: We don't have it today because we have enough to talk about.
N: Yes!
DA: You have done a lot, really a lot, during the last 2 years!
G: The last 2 years? Well, actually yes.
N: We made a bit of a new album.
G: A bit of a new album.
DA: A bit of stream...
G: Yes, a stream thing.
N: Yes that's right.

(00:54)
DA: What was your highlight so far? Let's start with the stream, was it a good thing or was it a stopgap?
N: It was very unusual, like it maybe is for everyone who has made a stream like this. Because you have to play in an empty room and you don't get any feedbacks. But the feedback we could read in the internet after that was awesome and of course it was nice. It was a positive feedback and a lot people were grateful for it and said it helped them.
G: Of course us too!
N: Yes it helped us too.
G: A virtue has been made out of necessity. And in some way we have learned something new. Like, OK we can play concerts for people who live in countries we will probably never be able to go to. So you reach people or better you give people somehow a concert experience who would probably never get that. Means we kept in mind this whole stream concept maybe to do it again once a year. Even if it just seems like everything is going back to normal right now.
DA: It's definitely a great concept and maybe not a lot have thought about it, to get a higher range because of it.
G: So I just revealed the concept.
DA: We need to beep this out!
N: Of course it's a nice replacement but in no case full-fledged!
G: Absolutely not.
N: Everyone knows it.
G: It has always to be on top.
DA: It misses a lot of energy from both sides.
G: Yes! It always has to be an extra which you do on top to concerts.

(2:32)
DA: You guys have been on a roll lately, especially the tour with Iron Maiden.
G: Yes...
DA: So there's a lot to talk about but...
G: How much time do we have?
DA: Can you make it short and talk about it?
G: It was awesome!
DA: OK
N: Word!
G: It was breathtaking, just to say some pithy words.
N: Unbelievable.
G: Right. It was big.
N: Great (Some playing around with the German word "großartig". Because Gared said it was "groß" and Nik said "artig" and now we have "großartig". The word" artig" also means kind(ly))
G: It was big and great. (Groß and artig)
DA: But you were not kind?
G: We were!
N: Most of the time.
G: Our singer likes to say it like that: We were Rockstars for half an hour a day. For the 30 of 40 minutes when we were on stage. And before and after that we were just kind and nice. Because we were guests. Iron Maiden asked us for this tour and of course you have to act friendly.
DA: Yeah, cool.
G: It was an unbelievable experience because of the size, the love we got from the crew and the band. Just how they acted towards us.
N: They welcomed us fully to their family from day one.
DA: That's a rare experience, isn't it?
N: I have never experienced something like this.
DA: Oh, OK.
N: I was a lot on tour with a lot of different bands, also as support for big bands, and I have never experienced something like THIS!
G: Nope!

(3:53)
DA: Wow. And what kind of audience was it? I mean, Iron Maiden isn't the same genre like you guys.
G: We thought that probably 95% of the people will really hate us! Because we are not the typical metal band. We have Keyboards on stage - I'm sorry - what is really untrue! Uhm, we use make up and we wear hot pants and leggings or whatever.
N: You already said it - we don't have the trueness! The heavy metal trueness.
DA: That's right it's a thing in this scene...
G: That was the fear which we had and it was absolutely not like that. The response was unexpectedly good. And during those 30 or 40 minutes you felt a curve upwards. That the people who didn't know you and never heard anything of you before were really skeptical, maybe, what I totally understand. But they were like "OK, maybe it's not that bad at all, I clap and bob my head along" and so on. You could see how they realized step by step what it is that they see there.
N: It was absolutely great to see how those really hard metal guys from the first row on the barrier where like *mad face*
G: "I'm not allowed to like it! I'm not allowed!"
DA: "I just listen to metal!"
G: You could see the fight inside of them.
N: Right! Like Gerrit said. And at some point they began to move. I already said it during the EMP interview yesterday - suddenly there's this close look to the side, to the people to the left and the right side and then they're like "oh, they like it too."
DA: "Now it doesn't matter". That's awesome!
N: It was absolutely great!

(5:21)
DA: Has the fanbase spilled over a bit? Did you notice anything of it?
G & N: Yes!
G: To say it directly, we also noticed it in the pre-sales for our upcoming tour in October and November. That in the cities where we will also play, such a small peak has shown directly.
N: Also the comments on social media.
G: Right.
N: Every time we have posted our crowd picture on the very next morning from the night before, many people said "I saw you for the first time and I suddenly ordered the last 4 CDs"
DA: Yeah awesome! That's a nice shout out to all the people who watch this too, thank you for this! It's absolutely not a matter of course nowadays!
G: Absolutely not!
N: No!

(6:09)
DA: Support is the most important thing, it can't be said often again. We also had this topic during the last 2 interviews, the (low) ticket sale. Unfortunately a big topic right now because many events are canceled because of that. But it's important (to buy in pre-sale) because numbers are numbers.
G & N: Yes!
G: And the main problem is, that after the last 2 years, the cost of a tour has not gone down.
N: Exactly.
G: I don't want to cry, it's bitching at the very highest level! So I don't want to complain at all.
N: The main problem which a lot (bands, venues etc) have right now is, we can say it directly, that the cost has doubled.
DA: Yes!
N: The problem that currently prevails in the whole (live music) industry is that with double costs - these are all postponed concerts! - that the concerts had never been canceled. That means that contracts were made 3 or 4 years ago!
DA: They are already paid but there comes something on top.
N: Exactly and they said back then "We postpone it and just change the date" and the contract is still the same. But that's the calculation from 3 years ago and now it's double the cost. And that, unfortunately, is exactly what is causing big problems for every musician and every band now. Many have to give up because of this.
DA: Unfortunately, yes. That's why I say it again - support wherever and in any way you can! That's the most important thing!
N: If you already did or still do - Thank you!
DA: Yes of course!
G: Many thanks!
DA: Because you are all the real heroes out there!
G: That's right. We just do what you want.
N: Uhm, well, ugh... Without you we wouldn’t be here!
G: Then I have never said anything.
N: It's now enough with all the praise!
G: I take everything back what I said, everything I say gets twisted...

(7:54)
DA: Is there anything else we can look forward to in the future? What is still to come?
N: Today we are playing here.
G: Well, today we will play here.
DA: Yes "Nacht der Helden", awesome location for sure!
N: That's right.
G: Like I said, we have our Homecoming Tour in October and November. With 22 dates?
N: I have no idea but I think it's something like that.
G: I think it's 22 dates which exactly should give the feeling what the name says, "homecoming". That we are finally coming home to the stages after 2 or better almost 2,5 years. Finally on stages again where we feel like home after that breathtaking experience with all the stadiums/arenas with Iron Maiden. It's really a homecoming. That's what's coming next in October and November. We have our own indoor festival, our year end brought to life.
N: Yes on December 17th.
G: It's named Lordfest, on December 17th in Hamburg.
DA: I think we have the next date then!? What do you think? I'm coming over.
G: Great!
N: Yeah, why not?
DA: Let's do an aftermovie there, what do you think?
G: Aftermovie is where you film yourself from behind like this? (After is a German word for butthole)
N: There we have the perfect thing for in the shop!
DA: Really?
N: The "paperweight".
G: Oh sorry I was completely wrong with the aftermovie and this and...
DA: I already, saw it, the "paperweight" or the new in ear system.
G: (to Nik) Could you please explain it to me now?
N: I don't know what to do with a "paperweight" but it doesn't matter now...
G: Anyway...
DA: Yeah, Uhm...
G: Was that enough advertising now?
DA: You can still advertise! Wait a moment, now advertising is displayed here.
G: Lord-shop.de. I can't do it on commando.
DA: Yeah everything is great... All the time?
G: What?
DA: All the time? With everything?
G: Yeah, especially when someone is watching.
DA: OK, I got it. When the camera is off...
N: Then he always blindfolds me. What?
DA: What?
G: You are a little into it! Wow! I wanted to say Lord of the lost blindfolds but we also have Lord of the lost sleep masks!
N: We have Lord of the lost sleep masks too.
G: We have stuff for everything!
DA: Also to use it at home, if you get what I mean?
G: Yes! And of course for personal use.
DA: No, for home use!
G: Home?
DA: Yes of course home... So... (word playing again: "Heim" is the word for home/at home but also for a children, animal or homeless shelter)
We don't get a normal ending here...
G: Nope! Especially if you don't know what you are talking about.

(10:00)
DA: We should finally end with - What do you want to give to the people out there?
G: A good mood.
N: Uhm, yes! A good mood. Be kind to each other. Please.
G: Take care of each other!
N: Also this! And I hope we will see each other somewhere out there. On the road.
DA: Soon.
N: On the stages, in front of the stages, around the stages.
G: Under the stages would be a thing too...
DA: That's another story by the way...
G: Any preposition you may like.

DA: We are going under stage now, so thank you for tuning in and don't forget the like, the bell, check out the boys and in this sense *gives a flying kiss*
G: I put on my glasses in a cool way because I'm a cool Rockstar! Bye!
DA & N: Bye! 

Translation: Jeany Fischer

Proofreading: Inessa On De Rox