Solar Fake – 12/01/2008

Sven Friedrich
By: Nina Mende

Sven Friedrich, the brain of Solar Fake, took time to answer our questions!

What are your new years resolutions?

  “I don’t have any. Whatever happens is supposed to happen.”

How did you spend New Year’s Eve and Christmas?

  “Relatively quiet with the family at the country side. I can’t really take
  all this Christmas craziness and I have to escape all the special offers and
  the awfully terrible decorated windows.”

– What means Solar Fake for you?

  “For me it is the coming true of dream, to start a pure electro project. It is
  also very interesting to be responsible for everything myself and a new experience
  to express myself musically. Although I already did some electro-remixes and
  songs, this is still something different.”

– How do you manage to do all that? Zeraphine, Dreadful Shadows, Solar Fake and DJ?

  “Well, it is a lot of work and you have to organize and think through everything
  quite well. Until now it works out quite well though. I only worry sometimes
  that I mix up too many lyrics on stage… ”

Do you even have (enough) time for family and friends? You seem so busy.

  “Enough certainly not. I always try to have time, but it doesn’t work always….
  but I have great support and back up from my friends and family, and most of
  all appreciation and understanding. That is very precious.”

– Are there other collaborations or projects in the planning? I remember there  was something in the talk with Ville Valo back in the day, but due to lack of time both of you couldn’t do it.

  “Right. And I think that won’t change too soon. Maybe it will happen someday
  when we are both old and gray *lol* ”

– What does the name Solar Fake mean? To you? Why did you choose that name?

  ““Solar Fake” symbolizes “digging deeper” to me, to take
  something not for self granted, maybe even the doubt itself. Many things are
  different than we think. Often enough aspects, that are deep-rooted in human,
  simply turn out to be wrong. Exactly this is what the name means and why I chose
  it, even though it might seem weird for a moment.”

– What is the difference between Solar Fake and your other bands/projects?

  “First of all the instrumentation. SF is completely electronic. Then of course
  that I wrote this album all by myself, as well as producing and mixing it.”

– Can you tell us something about each song of the new Solar Fake album?

  “I would rather not do that, because with the music and the lyrics I try to release
  feelings in the listener’s mind, so that he can associate his own experiences
  with it. If I now tell my story to the songs, this would not be possible because
  this very important level would get lost. ”

– What kind of music are you listening to personally?

  “Oh, a lot. From Alternative-Rock and Goth to industrial and EBM. And a lot more.”

– Do you go to gigs every once in a while? What do you feel while watching others peoples shows? What do you think?

  “I think I don’t really differ from the other concert visitors. When I like
  the band, I enjoy every song they play, when I don’t know the band I let
  the music affect me, and when I don’t like it I leave before I spoil my
  or other peoples mood.”

– Are you looking out for something special?

  “No, only for the general impression. I don’t like the people that for example
  stare at the guitar player’s fingers and laugh when he’s hitting a
  wrong note. Playing a wrong note is part of it. We are not machines. I like
  it when you can see that the band enjoys what they are doing.”

– Where do you get your inspiration from when writing songs?

  “That depends. Actually it is the person and his mind, his characteristics. That’s
  mostly parts of the lyrics. But to get these impressions written down I have
  to get out in the nature. I could never write songs in the underground or at
  my computer. In that I guess nature inspires me just as much.”

– If you could turn back time, is there anything you would have done different?  If yes, do you want to tell what and why?

  “So far I would not change anything. I am also glad about the mistakes I did,
  because they let you get more sensitive.”

– How about the tour plans? Who will you take along to join you on stage?

  “I have a keyboarder along, Frank. He is also in the promo picture. We are still
  working with video projections live. When we will do a tour though, is still
  unknown. We only have 12 songs so far. For now we will keep it down to the festivals…”

– What does “success” mean to you and how would you define it?

  “Success is for me when there are people to whom your music means a lot.”

– What effect had myspace and the internet on your life in general?

  “The internet is important for me, because communication is so much faster now.
  But I am not the type of person that spends a lot of time at forums or chats,
  but basically use the internet as an information source.”

– On music and bands included? How do you feel about that?

  “A mixed blessing. On the one hand it is great, of course, to inform yourself
  about bands and music, to be up to date about your favourite band. Also you
  can discover many new bands and music, unknown bands can represent themselves,
  especially at myspace. On the other hand the internet is getting abused, unfortunately.
  Songs can be downloaded illegally. Many bands suffer by that.”

– What song would you wish to have written?

  “Honestly, exactly the ones I wrote.”

Links:
Solar Fake Official