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Band page - Spi-Ritual
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What is your name and your current position in the band?
My name is Stefan Hertrich, I handle the vocals, guitars, bass guitars and keyboards in SpiRitual. Only with the help of many guest musicians who are also friends of mine I was able to fulfil my vision of the SpiRitual album, and I am eternally thankful to all persons who supported me.
Tell us about the history of Spi-Ritual. More specifically, when was the band formed, how did you meet, and have there been any particular highlights or low points in your career, any crucial events that have taken you where you are today?
I am doing metal music since 1991, I made my first mini-CD in 1994 with my former gothic metal band Darkseed. All in all I wrote 11-12 metal albums with various bands, so there are countless highlights and low points in my career and itīs difficult to pick out any. A creative highlight was for sure the songwriting and recording of Betray My Secrets in 1999 with my friend Christian of the band Megaherz. We wrote the first ethno metal album EVER (it was released by a small German label named Serenades Records, and it went bankrupt shortly after release, so the promotion etc. wasnīt that good). And this creative highlight for sure inspired me for starting SpiRitual in 2005. I simply thought that Betray My Secrets deserved more attention in 1999, and the chapter "ethno metal" never left my head. So in 2005 it was time to dare an experiment like that again, and the idea "SpiRitual" was born.
Was there ever a time where you thought that Spi-Ritual wouldn't make it in the industry?
Well, itīs not easy to define "make it in the industry". In our days, most metal albums sell so bad, that 99% of all releases are underground releases (too many bands out there, too much downloading etc.). So success in our days isnīt based or defined on album sales anymore. If reviews say "SpiRitual created a new metal genre" or "the music of SpiRitual increases a humanīs self awareness" then the CD "made it in the industry", in my opinion. I expected nothing from the magazines, but in the end, they made me think "yes, SpiRitual was worth all the efforts!".
Why should people buy "Pulse"?
Hm. because the music is as aggressive and maybe convincing as black metal, but offers a constructive and positive lyrics message as well as general positive mood/energy. Especially the video clip. Apart from that, there are so many hints in the lyrics, sort of "how to master your life" stuff (not invented by me of course! I just learned this things from others, so itīs not my merit!) that it might be interesting especially for young people who usually only experience school pressure, bad relationship with their parents, defeats with their partners etc. and donīt know how to handle all that. Our brains are so much bombed with negative information (bands, movies, TV news etc.) that some positive but NOT cheesy things could be a nice change
How would you categorize the style of the band? And did you ever consider or try playing other styles of music than the one(s) you are playing now?
Iīd simply call it Ethno Metal or New Age Metal. A nice description of a magazine was simply "Roar of nature". Also sounds good, hehe. In the past, I also wrote CDs with a different style (for example Darkseed, typical gothic metal, or Sculpture, an ordinary metal project I did with Tom Angelripper and Crematory guys back in the 90s). But I couldnīt imagine myself writing CDs without ethnic elements in the future, because ethnic instruments and harmonies simply became part of my "personality as an artist".
Can you share with us one or two of your favourite moments with the band?
Oh, one fantastic moment was when I finished a first demo version of the song "Symphony of Life", decided to put it on my MP3 player and then went out for a walk in the nearby forest. I listened to the song, it sounded great, and suddenly a deer was standing in front of me, looking deep into my eyes, and not running away. In this moment I understood "Yes, thatīs symphony of life". Not eating this animal in a restaurant but experiencing this strong connection to the animal.
How is the writing process in the band?
I start with percussion stuff or electronical beats etc., then add keyboards and other melodic instruments, and in the end the metal elements are added (guitars, my vocals etc.). Before the metal elements are added, I sometimes send the playbacks to Russia, so that the female vocalist Yana Veva can sing her lines on the song. Apart from that, I do everything here in my apartment at the computer. I also often use rain forest or shamanic sounds which are sent to me by a good friend of mine who is book author and records such stuff all over the world.
What brought you on the path to becoming a musician? Did you ever consider or take any other paths through life besides music?
Music was a fulltime activity for 1-2 years in the 90s, but apart from that I was working in the computer gaming industry and still do (I run a small company and translate/test computer games, or we record voice over and make sound effects for games). I couldnīt imagine being musician fulltime again. I want it to be a free time activity only, so that music never loses the magic for me. I donīt want it to become "business". Happens to too many bands.
Do you have any idols? If yes, who?
I think itīs very important to NOT have idols, otherwise you prevent yourself from developing your own personality 100% and get 100% inner strength. Of course I admire the skills of some persons, but I wouldnīt call them "idol". I for example admire people who have a very hard life but never become unhappy/give up (for example people in warfare territories, old and ill people etc.). You can discover so many interesting features in EVER human, you just have to open your eyes. We too often think "I am so cool, most other people suck". I think itīs not true. EVERY human has adorable features, and I enjoy finding them - even in my "enemies".
Do you have any regrets looking back at your career? For example any songs or even full albums that you regret recording? If so, what made you regret it?
Oh yes, "Give Me Light" and "Astral Adventures" of Darkseed could have been done much better, but I didnīt have the power and discipline to work long on the songs. This changed with the latest Darkseed album "Ultimate Darkness" and SpiRitual "Pulse": I invested much time writing this albums, and I am still very pleased with both of them. Thereīs nothing I would have done different. And I too often work too much in an "underground" style. I just write my albums and then stop caring about them (I donīt care about marketing etc., I just care about the music -> I am really no business man haha). This is something I always did wrong and still do. My girlfriend for example today started doing a SpiRitual myspace site cause I am always too lazy and unskilled to "present myself to the community", haha.
Are there particular songs in your catalogue that the fans love but you're not particular fond of yourself?
Yes, this often happens, but especially the other way round: I love song XY but nobody mentions this track, haha.
How important do you rate the lyrical side of your albums?
I must be honest: when I listen to music I never care about the lyrics. However, I know that especially American fans like Darkseed and SpiRitual because of the lyrics. Of course I am very proud of that! I always try to write in a symbolic/poetic style but do it in a very direct way, so that everybody understands it easily. In my opinion itīs more difficult to write direct/easy lyrics than writing complicated stuff, because easy lyrics can sound so cheesy and cheap. So my challenge always is to write easy but serious lyrics with a clear message, and still being poetic and artistic to some extend.
What do you think about the state of the music industry today?
Too many bands, too many downloads, all music is just a big mass of data, stored on the hard drive of fans, in a folder with 1000 other bands. Thatīs a bit sad, but well, thatīs simply 21st century and we must get used to it. However, Iīd really like to make some vinyl releases in the future, because I really like music you can "feel with your hands as well".
What do you think is the best way to fight music piracy?
Thereīs no way, hehe.
 Do you have a life philosophy? If yes, what is it?
Trying to see positive aspects in simply everything. The world is just a mirror of yourself. If you feel bad all the time, you also see bad things around you. If you hate yourself, you only see people and think "what idiots" etc. If you steal, you see a criminal in every person you meet. So I try to "love myself", by accepting my mistakes/weak sides, and it really makes your surroundings so good. Because you suddenly notice how many nice things are waiting for you in the world: good and interesting people, new opportunities etc.
Itīs also important to lose fear. We are so much afraid of everything and very seldom try out new things. We consider risky things / adventures as bad, but consider as good if everything remains as it is. But I think itīs wrong. You always must perform changes, discover new things etc. in order to keep the child in you alive and get new energy. I do this so intensively that I even "enjoy" defeats. I can laugh about them, and think "wow, what a bummer, could really be part of a movie" (I had this so often in my life, and it never damaged me in any way, but always made me more mature).
Can you describe a typical day in your life?
I wake up, eat a banana, smoke a cigarette, make a coffee, switch on the computer, and either work in PC gaming business or do songwriting. If the sun is shining, I spend time in the local forest in read books. Boring, huh?
What do you like to spend your time with besides music?
Meeting my friends and discussing esoteric/spiritual issues, watching football, boxing and formula 1 (having absolutely NOTHING to do with esoterics, haha).
What's the craziest thing that has ever happened on a tour?
Hm, not crazy, but still a nice moment: I never was in France, but always wanted to travel there. We played close to the French border, in Germany, and it was boring. So me and Tommy (was with Darkseed) walked over the German/French border, drank a coffee in a typical French café, and after that went back by foot to Germany and played the show. It was funny to "walk" to another country. Apart from that of course 1000 drinking stories, but I think you hear such kinds of stories so often in interviews that itīs unnecessary to mention them. However, one thing I want to note: much better than playing concerts is getting to know people (by internet etc.). I talked to so many people during the last 10 years that itīs really worth writing a book. People in warfare territories (I even heard an air raid bombing over phone), people with crazy jobs (there was a day where I talked to an American fan, a Lebanese fan and an Iranian soldier - three "enemies", but all united because of the music).
You're heading off to live on a deserted island for a couple of years with your portable entertainment system... Which albums, movies or books would you bring? (Max. 3 of each)
Books: the Bible and the Koran and an empty book. Iīd compare the Bible and the Koran, and try to find the similarities, to prove that all religions are the same and shouldnīt fight against eachother. I then would write down this similarities in the empty book.
Movies / albums: I guess I wouldnīt take any movies or albums with me. They would become boring so quickly, and this island time would be a great opportunity to discover more about myself, by just living in silence, without entertainment products.
What is your favourite joke?
If I now try to write down a joke with my shitty English, it would be boring and absolutely not funny, haha.
Can you tell us about any future plans for you and Spi-Ritual?
I am currently working on the second album of my project Shiva In Exile. Itīs a mix of gothic and ethno/soundtrack stuff (can be well compared with Dead Can Dance). Maybe Iīll try to write a "metal version" of this album one day and release it as second SpiRitual album, but not sure yet.
Thanks for answering these questions. Now you are free to write a few lines to our readers.
Instead of "Last words", letīs end the interview with a quote.
We talked about my life philosophy, and I said I try to see things positive all the time.
A funny quote:
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.". Thatīs so damn true, haha.
Added by Steen - 3/3/2007
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RevelationZ Comments
| Comment by x (Anonymous) - Friday, April 20, 2007 | well finally a magazine, that takes the time to interview Spi-ritual!
Spi-ritual is a great 'band' ... I wish I knew where to get a cd of them...
I love the music, Spi-ritual should definetely get more attention !
-x- Keep going on with the music
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