"Every first show in a country is the most remarkable one."

Just a couple of days before Blind Guardian's first ever concert in Bulgaria, set to take place at Sofia's Festivalna Hall on May 17, we called the German power metal bards' 41-year-old vocalist Hans Juergen Kuersch, better known simply as Hansi Kuersch, for a friendly pre-show conversation...

Vassil Varbanov: Hey, Hansi, how do you say in German "Guten Abend" ("Good evening")?

Hansi Kuersch: Guten Abend is quite good, although I would say just "hi".

V. V.: Where are you at the moment?

H. K.: I'm in the Blind Guardian Studio doing a bunch of interviews. Apart from that, I'm getting prepared for the Sofia experience.

V. V.: You know, this week we, at Tangra Mega Rock, celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nuclear Blast. You, being one of the best-known German exports around the world and... Basically, to make the long story short...

H. K.: Ha-ha, usually that's my privilege!

V. V.: Well, there are two of us now. The thing is that you started back in 1984, but you got in the Nuclear Blast roster just recently. What's so special about that label? Everybody's saying only good words about it.

H. K.: What's most important is thatВ they're a team, not a one-player thing. This team contains so many people who have faith in metal and music in general. They have a vision, and they are willing to share that vision with you. Besides, they have a certain understanding for each type of metal. This lead us to the conclusion that there's no other option for us but Nuclear Blast, although we were negotiating with each and every company.

V. V.: You've just released a new single, "Another Stranger Me". The CD has got the song plus the video for it, a couple of demos and some more tracks on it, right?

H. K.: Sure. We tried to make it a valuable kind of EP. As you said, it contains the song "Another Stranger Me" and the video for it. There are also two of the demo tracks we did for the "A Twist in the Myth" (2006) pre-production - "Lionheart" and "The Edge" - as well as a cover version of The Mamas & The Papas song "Dream a Little Dream of Me". And there's one more arrangement, called "All the King's Horses", which is a very traditional type of Blind Guardian ballad done during the "A Twist in the Myth" sessions. We felt it didn't fit the album, so we saved it for a single.

V. V.: This week you'll have your first ever concert in Bulgaria. Why did it take you so long?

H. K.: Don't ask exactly me. I think it probably has something to do with our previous record company, EMI... With Nuclear Blast it's far easier, you know - you have a certain understanding and you get in contact with more people in each and every country, so for us it turned out to be more obvious that there's a need for a Blind Guardian show in Sofia. We just took the opportunity then.

V. V.: What expectations do you have from that show? Is there anything we should know before you come to Bulgaria?

H. K.: I think the kids are prepared already - they know they are supposed to do the backing vocals, and that's very important when it comes to a Blind Guardian show. You just have to enjoy yourselves and become part of the band. Apart from that, we've prepared a best of set, of course, because that's going to be our first appearance in Bulgaria. Usually, every first show in a country is the most remarkable one, because the people are really waiting desperately to see you, and we are desperately anxious to see what the reaction will be. There is some magic in these concerts, and I'm convinced the one in Sofia will be like that, too.

V. V.: By the way, Hansi, do you know that the abbreviation for your band, Blind Guardian, and the one for Bulgaria are the same - BG?

H. K.: Ha-ha-ha-ha-haaa...

Copyright: Tangra Mega Rock