Interview
Name:
Christian Eichlinger
Date of birth:
02.10.1981
How would you describe your career as a musician? How did it all beginn?
Well, the first step was made very early. My first wooden spoon was cracked when I was three years old. Actually the victim was my mother's wooden spoon, that I used to hammer frenetically on a bongo of one of my parent's friends. Unfortunately this milestone in my career was filmed as well and there exists a well hidden video of this event! :-) At the age of seven I started my first experiments on a real drumset and since then drumming has become a habit I would never again want to miss in my live.
At the age of 14, baised on some instructions in harmony given me by my father, I trained myself in playing the piano and in doing so I also composed my first songs.
In 2002 my first Soloalbum Different Worlds 1 was published. The trilogy was completed with "Different Worlds 2" (2004) and "Different Worlds 3" (2008). Actually I am working on my forth soloalbum, containing only pianopieces and orchestrations, which is going to be released in 2010.
Since 2006 I have also been the drummer of the progressive metal band "Dante". We released our debutalbum "The Inner Circle" in 2008 and at the end of 2009 we are going to release the following work "Saturnine".
Which kind of music do you personally like most?
Personally I am very fond of all songs of the great musician Craig Armstrong. But I also love the music of composers, such as Harry Greggson Williams and Lee Johnson. But my interests in music are settled in a much broader field and extend to many musical styles from classic, pop and rock over the more difficult rhythms of Planet X and Derek Sherinen to Jazz Fusion, such as the songs of Simon Phillips. Concerning female singers my absolute farvourite is the voice of Paula Cole.
Is there any concert or musical experience that especially impressed you?
I am always deeply impressed by the standing and variability, that Ray Wilson shows on stage. No matter if he's standing there alone with his guitar or if he's underlined by "Siltskin" he simply each time cause a real Wow-effect in my mind. Technically I am very astonished by the liveperformances of "Devil Slingshot", whose members are Tony Mac Alpine, Billy Sheehan und Virgil Donati. In adition I will never forget one performance of the Simon Phillips band, that I attended in Koblenz.
Where does the inspiration for your songs come from?
It usually comes from the impressions other persons or experiences but also the beaty of nature can make on me. Sometimes I also get my inspiration from the stars twinkling in the sky. Late at night I sit down in front of my piano, which fortunately stands besides my rooftopwindow, and look out to the dark. Then my fingers start to play and there you go...
What is your personal favourite of all your songs?
This is a difficult question, that actually is impossible for me to answer. I would rather speak of favourites in plural. I like many of my pianopieces and also many of my orchestrations. Unfotunately I have the very bad habit to allways love that song most, which I am currently working on - but of corse without neglecting the quality of all other songs done before. It is just the matter, that, while working on a special piece, it naturally needs all of my concentration and in consequence also all of my current love.
What do you do in your freetime, when you are not doing music or working for your band?
I am a very great mooviefan! I love going to the cinema and so it has only been consequent to install a homecinema in my house as well. :-) In adition I very much enjoy doing webdesign and in every minute I get apart from work and music I am working on my website. I also like bowling and I love playing billard, but unfortunately this habits resently suffer a bit under my constantly busy timetable.
Your favourite meal? How can one make you happy in that?
I love Pizza! And of corse also well-prepared Tortellini are not to neglect either, but I only eat this plate at a real Italian restaurant. :-) And last but not least of course Pancakes, which - I have to admitt this - is the only meal I sometimes cook by myself at home. :-) Furthermore I like drinking hot chocolate with cream and during the summertime I am a great fan of icecream, too.
Are there any artists apart from the music-field that you like?
I realy apreciate the work of the mooviedirector Christopher Nolan, who did moovies like "The Prestige" , "Insomia", and "Memento", as well as the work done by the director Darren Aronofsky, who did "The Fountain" and "Requiem for a dream".
In the field of the visual arts I like most the work of Salvatore Dalí, who, according to my opinion, is a real master of drawing and also has succeeded to bring across something new and some originality in his paintings.
But also for the field of music I'd like to take the oportunity to post a little statement here: I found it sad, that many musicians just like the style of music that they acutally do themselves and in general many people do not want to widen their experiences a bit. I personaly think, that each artist - no matter, what field or style he belongs to, does merit attention if he is doing whatever is his subject with all his energy and with all his heart. Love for music in my opinion does not have any boundaries in manner and style. For me there exist only two kinds of music:bad and good.
Which kind of books or moovies do you like most?
My favourite books are "Das Parfüm" by Patrik Süßkind, "Der Schützling" and "Das Wunschspiel" by Patrick Redmond and "Die Tränen des Teufels" by Jeffrey Deaver.
My favourite movies are "Gattacca", "The Prestige", "Memento", "The Fountain", "American History X" and many more. One moovie that still is able to make a deep impression in my mind is also "If Only". The message which mooves me here is, that we should not let us be disturbed by allday-live to realize and apreciate the worships that live holds for us everyday, knowing that these prescioses won't stay forever.
Do you have any personal dream you are living?
People should open themselves more to the beauty of nature and apreciate the gift that is given to us by natural phenomenons. What is the special beauty of sunset, of the moon shining down on us through a dark and cloudy sky? Any human being who wants to enjoy these things can do it - no matter if he's poor or rich. To feel and apreciate these moments ever again is a gift and also a duty that I have taken for my own live, no matter how busy I am or how good or bad I'm feeling at the moment.
Are there any places you'd like to visit in your live?
Most of all I'd like to travel through Newsealand once. And I also would like to visit Finnland or Norway - I am rather a nordic type! :-)