The making of the first solo album

I confess I’m a bit excited:

After more than 60 albums with bands and projects (including „ssttgd“, „Toxic Smile“, „CYRIL“, „Manuel Schmid & Marek Arnold“ , as a former member of the art rock legend „Stern Combo Meissen“ and international bands such as UPF, Flaming Row or DAMANEK and as a guest of established projects such as The Samurai of Prog, Subsignal, Argos or Southern Empire ) I can now actually announce my first solo album. 🙂

The idea for this album was born when Uwe Treitinger, organizer of the established Artrock Festival Reichenbach/V. had the idea for an “hymn” for the festival, asked me to do it and we asked well-known guest musicians.

The song STAY was released in 2018 and was enthusiastically received in the scene, played by prog and rock stations and sold well at the festival for charity purposes. The requests for a complete album kept coming. This is how the work on the 2020 album started, new songs between art rock and progressive metal were created – with the participation of many international guest stars, especially from the progressive rock scene – with sometimes jazzy elements, but always with a typical signature, which I simply can’t deny can.

From the beginning it was clear that the musical implementation should be realized with the best musicians for the respective song. In addition to long-term musical partners, I was able to win many international stars of the scene for the album, which makes me particularly proud!

On top of that, at around 80 minutes, the album is packed to the brim and I can’t wait to finally present it to you!

From the idea to the project…implementation and the go-ahead

Even before the release of the first ARP single „STAY“ I was repeatedly asked about making a solo album.

I usually dismissed it as pointless – who’s waiting for that? It is not without reason that every band gets its fans from its „corner“ – whether with English-language prog metal or German art rock – so many special features of the projects arise from the creative cooperation with the musician colleagues.

Then came „Corona“ – a sudden standstill, virtue followed from necessity, and the time was used to build a new studio – and I sat in the studio of my choice with significantly more time for composing and arranging – and without the opportunity to rehearse with my colleagues. And then it came after all, the ambition to realize an album completely on my own…

The ideas came immediately, and in addition to all the new songs, I decided to re-implement 2 early Toxic Smile songs that were always particularly important to me.

In addition, of course, the certainty that I can definitely rely on my loyal friends and colleagues when I ask them to work with me – and the new vision of using the musician contacts that have grown over the years thanks to my many international collaborations to also ask other top-class musicians.

It was always the same for me: which musicians did I have in mind as the „ideal cast“ for a song, an instrument, a part, a solo? No matter how megalomaniac it seemed to me, I inquired – or knew someone who could inquire personally. 😉

And full of gratitude I can say that almost all musicians and singers really liked me after listening to the demos. That makes me proud and happy, and the album something very special, hopefully not just for me.

core team & lyricists

Even though I’m in the fortunate position of being able to work in my own studio and, thanks to the keyboard, DAW and plugins that are available today, I can achieve audible results very quickly on my own – I needed support for songs in this genre. The input was important right from the start, especially on the stringed instruments, which I can’t even come close to mastering, after all it was supposed to be a rock album 😉

In Martin Fankhänel, I found an immediately motivated friend and colleague who not only recorded songs, but also always gave input and feedback. The amount of work involved with this type of music is enormous, especially when, as a “creative”, you are simply given material “in front of you”. Thank you for your energy, motivation, time and these awesome guitars, Martin!

My friend Ulf, drummer with seven steps to the green door, was of course involved right from the start, not only personally as the drummer for several songs, but he also accompanied the metamorphoses of the songs from the bottom up and put a lot of time into the drum arrangements of the three songs. Many thanks to you too, Ulf!

For other newly created songs I was also able to win over 2 long-time friends as lyricists:

ssttgd – author George Andrade developed an exciting SciFi concept, which will end up on the album as a 5-part „Berlin:2049“ suite. Working together on this was very time-consuming and absolutely worth it.

And of course DAMANEK – boss and bandmate Mr. Guy Manning. He wrote a wonderful lyrics to the long track „Papillion“.

2 wonderful arrangers helped me to realize my dream of “real” choral voices and strings: the legendary sound engineer Helmar Federowski, as director of the Wilandes Choir, worked out an exciting choral part and recorded it with his choir, and Markus Dreßler unfortunately heard it with painstaking detail work lost string parts and wind parts from Toxic Smile’s unplugged DVD, which was realized with a small orchestra, for a song that finds its way onto the album in a new arrangement and with the string parts by Markus and his family. A heartfelt thank you!!!

In the next few sections I would like to introduce all the actors, musicians, singers and guests in more detail. But of course you can’t handle such an extensive album without many, many small and large supporters. I can’t list everyone here, but I’m grateful for every call, every email, every contact, every help I’ve had over the past 2 years! All this was necessary to realize this album!

I would like to mention 3 names individually:

Many thanks to Uwe Treitinger, for the initial impetus for this album, which grew out of the idea of the festival anthem, for the help in contacting the musicians and sometimes also for the nudge not to take such a project too seriously.

Martin Schnella, who is again a loyal friend and helper in the mixing phase, on whose judgment, input and mixing results I can rely blindly!

And of course my friend Manuel Schmid, who almost automatically became the first reviewer of all my early demos and later mixes due to our intensive collaboration on our albums in recent years – thank you very much for your patience, honest feedback and friendship!

VOCALS

I’m lucky to have some of the greatest singers on the album! My heartfelt thanks to:

Peter Jones (Tiger Moth Tales, Camel, Colin Tench Project, Reed Bazar)

The great multi-instrumentalist and singer Peter Jones certainly doesn’t need to be introduced to anyone in the scene, and as „Father“ he already shaped ssttgd’s last album. I am delighted that he has now used his incredibly versatile voice for a song in the Berlin:2049 suite.

Arno Menses ( Subsignal, Sieges Even )

I have had the privilege of working with Arno on several releases, including as a saxophonist for a Subsignal album and his participation on ssttgd’s album „FETISH“ in 2015 caused a lot of enthusiasm. The naturalness with which he made the song „Papillion“ „his“ song and interpreted it vocally is breathtaking and unbelievable!

Larry B. ( Toxic Smile, CYRIL, Stern Combo Meissen )

Of course, my friend Larry can’t be missing – he was the acoustic trademark of Toxic Smile and accompanied me on many an adventure – we are now a well-rehearsed team anyway. His distinctive voice will bring you joy on several occasions on the album.

Manuel Schmid ( Stern Combo Meissen )

Surely the most unusual song on the album is reserved for him – and that my most intensive musical partner of the last few years is of course part of the album will not surprise anyone. 😉 Manuel’s crystal-clear voice gives an already extravagant number a very special touch.

Anne Trautmann (seven steps to the green door)

We’ve been making music together since she was 15, and her warm, soft voice still gives me goosebumps to this day. Her performance on the album will inspire you too.

Martin Schnella ( Gray Matters, Flaming Row )

His vocal arrangements already blew me away on FETISH when Martin was a permanent member of ssttgd. His backings and adds are also very important on this album!

Melanie Mau ( Gray Matters, Flaming Row )

The adventure began with Melli in 2018 – she is the formative voice of the successful first art rock project single STAY and thus somehow partly responsible for the fact that this album is now released at all! 🙂

Kiri Marie ( Flaming Row )

The former front voice of Flaming Row is pure energy, and yet full of dynamics! Her distinctive tube hits the 12 on one song of the album! 😉

Zeynah

As the second pre-single of the art rock project, „Come away with me“ was released in 2020 with ZEYNAH’s lyrics and the young singer’s rousing vocals.

Wilandes Choir

What began in 2003 with an obsession by Helmar Federowski (music producer of well-known bands such as Renft, City, Karat, Puhdys, Stern Combo Meißen or R. Lakomy) and a few friends has developed into a well-known and established ensemble over the years . Highlights in the choir’s chronicle are appearances on radio (e.g. RSA 2006, 2007 and 2015) and TV (MDR 2007), the Dixieland Festivals Dresden 2017/2018 and above all the presentation of „Pictures at an Exhibition“ at the Art Rock Festival Reichenbach 2017 with STERN COMBO MEISSEN and the Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, a studio CD produced in 2013 is also available.

Many thanks also to Andre Weller and Eric Castiglio for additional vocals / backing parts as well as to George Andrade ( ssttgd ) who wrote some explanatory parts of the Berlin story himself!!!

DRUMS & PERCUSSIONS

Especially when it came to filling the drums, I immediately had a dream line-up in mind – or rather in my ears – for each song. My demos went out megalomaniac and I actually got all the promises I had hoped for:

MARCO MINNEMANN (Steven Wilson, The Aristocrats, The Sea Within, The Mute Gods, … )

One of the currently world’s best drummers, whose virtuoso, powerful and yet light-footed playing inspires me again and again. An incredibly nice, sociable and highly professional musician, who had already recorded what was perhaps the most complex long track on the album after only 2 days. It was my biggest wish that HE drums the song. Oof!

CRAIG BLUNDELL ( Frost*, Pendragon, Steven Wilson, Steve Hacket…)

Craig Blundell. Yes, The one and only Craig Blundell! He had already drummed the second pre-single. And how he did it! What an honour!!!

SEBASTIAN LANSER ( Panzerballet, Obscura, … )

Several years ago I was allowed to play 2, 3 concerts with Toxic Smile together with the incredible Panzerballett. You don’t even play their multi-complex polyrhythms on the side, and I’ve had my eyes on Sebastian ever since. I approached him for a „heavy“ song on the album – and his drumming is just breathtaking!

JOHN MACALUSO ( Y. Malmsteen, Symphony X, ARK, Michael Romeo, James LaBrie, …)

As a Symphony-X fan, I was of course there live when he made a guest appearance in Reichenbach as part of the „Drum Gods“ series. So I was able to ask him personally after the concert and I’m happy that he recorded a song for the album.

Niklas Kahl (Lord of the Lost, Flaming Row)

During our joint live gigs with Flaming Row, I was already able to convince myself of Nik’s unbelievable qualities, meanwhile he fills the stadiums of the world with LOTL and is still one of the super cool guys I know!

ULF REINHARDT(seven steps to the green door)

Of course my friend and ssttgd – drummer Ulf is also at the start, his driving drumming and his creative drum ideas refine 3 of the songs on the album!

DOMINIQUE EHLERT( Dark Suns, M.E.A.N., Welcome inside the brain, HOT’N’NASTY )

Dominique „Gaga“ Ehlert is probably one of the most versatile drummers ever, always with full (also physical) commitment in music from jazz to metal, and incidentally certainly the winner of the award for the most entertaining musician communication. It was a lot of fun, and now his filigree and exciting drumming characterizes the final number of the album 🙂

SIMON SCHROEDER (Persona, Melanie Mau & Martin Schnella, ISSUN)

Simon, one of the most gifted drummers of the younger generation, spontaneously added percussions that I missed while he was in Martin’s studio while we were on the phone – and they’re just great. I’m so happy to have him with me!

Thank you again to everyone at this point – I am simply overwhelmed!

BASS

I was also able to happily fill the low-frequency range. Many thanks to:

LAURENCE COTTLE (Black Sabbath, The Alan Parsons Project, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, Clapton, …)

What greats in rock music has this man not played with? His wonderful fretless bass shapes the album’s ballad into something very special. What an incredible honor to have him there!!!

LARS LEHMANN (freelancer, solo artist)

Thousands of bass teachers teach enthusiastically according to his bass books and it seems that there is simply nothing that he cannot playfully implement on the bass. Lars Lehmann refines a long track from the album with his musicality and incredible ability.

ROBERT BRENNER ( Toxic Smile, ssttgd, Stern Combo Meissen )

It is certainly a great fortune when you meet such great, highly talented and experienced musicians with your first own band. Robert has been with me since we started with Toxic Smile and is of course on the album several times…

YENZ STRUTZ (Crystal Palace)

You meet some colleagues regularly in the prog circus and yet it takes a nudge ( in my case an interview with Yenz on a radio show ) to set the focus. Written to without further ado, numbers exchanged, everything clarified. Great bass, great guy!

MARCO BERNARD ( The Samurai of Prog )

I was already allowed to participate on some albums of the always busy „The Samurai of Prog“, so I asked Marco for an open melodic bass solo. It makes me proud that he didn’t hesitate and is now part of the album!

PIOTR WITKOWSKI ( collage )

Piotr Witkowski, bassist of the Polish band Collage, founded in 1984, already plucked the bass for „STAY“. I am happy about his participation and his sound!

DENIS STRASSBURG ( CYRIL )

I have had a very intensive collaboration and friendship with Denis for many years, with CYRIL, but also with many other projects. Denis is a reliable partner, and he was there again with enthusiasm.

The two guitarists Martin Schnella and Martin Fankhänel contributed further great basses.

GUITARS

Of course, I didn’t want to leave anything to chance when it came to choosing the guitars. My heartfelt thanks go to these great musical friends:

MARTIN FANKHÄNEL ( ssttgd, The Lateriser )

The largest chunk of musical work on the strings undoubtedly ended up on Martin Fankhänel’s desk. This album has benefited immensely from his enthusiasm for the project, his virtuosity and his talent for getting involved with a wide variety of styles, elements and sounds.

MARTIN SCHNELLA ( Flaming Row, Melanie Mau & Martin Schnella )

The journey began with his guitars for STAY, and I’m happy that my friend and bandmate Martin is still adding his brilliant ideas to this album during production.

MARCELLA ARGANESE (Ubi Major, Mr Punch)

The wonderful Italian guitarist and dear friend Marcella was also part of the line-up for the first single STAY and can now be heard on some of my releases. Not without reason! ❤

JANE GETTER (Jane Getter Premonition)

Jane Getter is another female guitarist on the album who has long since made a name for herself in the international rock scene. Only a few weeks ago I finally had the pleasure of meeting Jane in person with her great band on the European tour. 🙂

LUKE MACHIN ( The Tangent, Machine, Francis Dunnery Band )

My friend Luke Machin is a magician of sound and an absolutely exceptional guitarist, with whom I was allowed to be on stage together at DAMANEK, and who arranged and recorded the – still current – ssttgd album THE?LIE with us. He contributed a soulful solo, as probably only he can play and place it exactly like that.

It makes me proud that (already on „STAY“) 2 more wonderful guitar solos were played by guitarists that probably don’t need to be introduced in the scene:

the great KALLE WALLNER (RPWL, Blind Ego), whom I met regularly with my bands at festivals and of course

GARY CHANDLER from the cult band JADIS. I am happy!

With STEPHAN PANKOW ( ssttgd, Toxic Smile ) and JÖRG SWEIKOWSKI ( Chorin Night ) I can welcome 2 great guitarists on the album, who were and are my companions. The last toxic smile – guitarist Stephan – most recently with me live with ssttgd on the stages of Europe, with a powerful solo on the single „STAY“, Jörg – whom I met during another joint production in my studio, especially with tracks and sensitive Adds for songs from the Berlin:2049 suite.

KEYBOARDS & SYNTHS

Even though I could record most of the piano / keyboard parts on the album myself, it was important to me to let the handwriting of some of the „big names“ of this scene flow into the album. Here we go…

DEREK SHERINIAN ( Dream Theater, Planet X, Sons of Apollo, Black Country Communion )

One of the absolute exceptional keyboard players. With Dream Theater (although already with I&W) I started to fall in love with Prog, with Planet X I was swept away by his “energy”. One of the new songs really called for this sound, this bite, this feeling. So I’m proud and happy that he’s here!

ADAM HOLZMAN ( Miles Davis, Steven Wilson, Michel Petrucciani, … )

A true legend who has played with the greatest of jazz and rock! What an honor that he actually joined on the black and white keys for „Come away with me“!

SEAN TIMMS ( Unitopia, Southern Empire, DAMANEK )

I have also been able to share several albums and the stage with Sean, his virtuoso hands shape the sound and production at DAMANEK, he is the driving force behind Southern Empire, for which I have already been able to contribute on the sax, and of course he´s the core next to „Truey“ of australian prog institution UNITOPIA, returning in 2023. His insane piano solo will stand out on the album!

ALEXANDER GRÜNWALD ( Münchener Freiheit )

„Münchener Freiheit“ shaped me in a completely different way, above all the harmonic surprises and sophisticated vocals, but also the excellent live band. Not surprisingly, most of the musicians in the band have a background in Fusion & Prog and I’m happy that Alex – btw an incredibly uncomplicated and nice person – actually recorded two exciting solos for the album despite his tight tour schedule.

MARIUS LEICHT( POLIS, Martin Miller Session Band,… )

Sound wizard and analog synth guru Marius is certainly an exceptional phenomenon as a keyboard player in a very unique musical world, in the magic between 70s analog technology and the most modern possibilities. Not only at POLIS, but also in Martin Miller’s projects, he impressively demonstrates how amazing he masters instruments and technology. And of course he has a wonderfully roaring Hammond, which he used on a song on my album.

LUCA DI GENNARO ( Soul Secret )

It’s also not the first time I’ve worked with Luca u, he was already featured on FETISH with a guest solo, as was I with Sax on a Soul Secret album. He’s there with an impressive synth solo!

My deepest respect and thanks to all these keyboard magicians!

STRINGS, WIND & BRASS

I’m happy to be able to use a variety of string and other wind instruments on the album. The following wonderful musicians will be there:

STEVE UNRUH – violin ( Resistor, The Samurai of Prog, Unitopia, UPF )

I have been working together reliably for years with the multi-instrumentalist Steve Unruh, for example with ssttgd, The Samurai of Prog or UPF. And on The Artrock Project his virtuoso rock violin can be heard several times…

MARKUS DRESSLER – violin, viola, string arr.

CARMEN DRESSLER – cello

The already mentioned Markus Dreßler not only transcribed and worked out the string arrangement for a song, but also recorded the high strings, his daughter Carmen contributed a wonderful cello part.

STEVEN TAILOR- flute ( Toxic Smile’s classic extension orchestra )

My friend Steven, a brass and woodwind instrument guru, podcast and book author and already part of the TS extension orchestra, was there again to record a crazy flute part.

Other bass parts on the album were professionally recorded by the following 3 super musicians:

LUIS MARQUEZ – oboe

CLAUDE LUMLEY-Horn

YAKIV TSVIETINSKYI – trumpet

PRODUCTION / MIX / MASTERING / ARTWORK

Apart from the two pre-releases, the first recordings in my studio began at the end of 2020, most of the recordings were made in my B’side-music studio. But I especially want to thank the artists who recorded or had themselves recorded – in a professional – or home studio, the drum or vocal booth and who sent me really great tracks – today’s possibilities thanks to cheaper software and audio hardware, the Internet and File sharing is breathtaking.

As an author and producer, in such an extensive and lengthy production, you know every track, every bar, and you always have the feeling of being able to find additional elements, to be able to further develop the songs, to further perfect the sound. However, the greatest danger lies in the chance of being able to do this in one’s own studio – because bringing one’s „baby“ to an end at some point is by far the most difficult task!

How lucky if you know Martin Schnella, one of the most outstanding sound engineers and musicians, as a friend and bandmate! Some of the last releases have already been refined by his golden hands, and I’m happy that he took on this album as well. In addition to his mix / mastering, other recordings also took place in his Overlodge Recording Studio.

Thank you, dear Martin, for the always wonderful cooperation, your skills and your commitment!

No album can appear without photos, the appropriate artwork and booklet. Here, too, wonderful people helped me to realize my dream: Thanks to the well-known artwork / graphic designer Ed Unitsky for designing the front and back cover, to Ralf Roje‘ and Thomas Klarmann for photos and collages and my wife Janine Roje‘ for the design of the booklet.

With that I conclude my thoughts and comments on the creation of this album and thank you for your attention 🙂