The band Blackout Problems is fighting the Corona crisis. "If you want, there is always a way," says drummer Michael Dreilich in an interview.
The alternative rock band Blackout Problems from Munich is back with their third album. On the long player "DARK", which will be released on January 15th, the four band members Mario Radetzky, Marcus Schwarzbach, Michael Dreilich and Moritz Hammrich deal with the events of recent years and criticize the increasing shift to the right and populism. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, drummer Michael Dreilich revealed what roles climate activist Greta Thunberg (18) and the murder of politician Walter Lübcke (1953-2019) play in their music and whether it is important for artists to take a political stance . He also talks about the past year 2020, the Corona crisis and his hopes for 2021.
"All good things come in threes": What is special about your third album?
Michael Dreilich: This album has seen a lot. We started working on it when the world was another. Never in our life would we have thought that we would finish and publish it under such circumstances and at such a special time. Like no other project before, this has almost broken us in many places and we are very happy that we as a band made it to this point.
How can you call a song "Murderer" that ends with "L.O.V.E. for everybody"?
Dreilich: Well, you have to be able to call things by their names and offer a solution. "Murderer" is perhaps a little difficult to interpret at first, as it often changes perspectives and comes with a directness that can shock at first. It is based on the murder of the politician Walter Lübcke, who shocked us and shows how unscrupulous nowadays the right is hounded and incited to murder.
You also have a lot of systemic criticism on your album. Which topics are particularly close to your heart?
Dreilich: I would describe it less as a criticism of the system and more as conveying values. We have always expressed values that are important to us as a band. As a band, we want to stand for something, for a way of dealing with problems, to get information, to discuss possible solutions. Basically, we want to encourage something to move in the brain, provide food for thought and convince the listeners to become active themselves and to immerse themselves in topics such as climate protection or "Black Lives Matter".
Her song "Lady Earth" was inspired by Greta Thunberg. What do you think of her?
Dreilich: I think little of personality cults in general, but I am convinced that it is especially important for younger activists to have a role model like Greta Thunberg. I think it's great how much she was able to make companies, politicians and all of us understand the urgency of the climate crisis.
A white rose can be seen on the album cover, a symbol of innocence and purity, but also the symbol of resistance against National Socialism. What message do you want to convey?
Dreilich: I think that in November 2018 flowers were thrown on stage for the first time at our live concerts. We found it kind of funny and a nice alternative to the other projectiles that concertgoers can choose from. We released a single in May 2019 with an artwork made of roses and it was very popular. Somehow we gradually linked our band with roses and found it just right. The white rose on "DARK" is primarily a visual continuation of that. Of course, we are also alluding symbolically to the resistance group led by Sophie Scholl.
Do you think it is important for musicians to take a political stance?
Dreilich: I personally like artists with a certain attitude. It doesn't necessarily have to be interpreted politically. That could just as well be business decisions or a deliberate waiver. I think FUGAZI is worth mentioning here. This band has consistently avoided merchandise throughout their entire career in order to set an example against materialism and capitalism. You Are Not What You Own. A clear attitude and values are important to me, but not every band has to write political songs.
You released your last two albums (almost) on your own. How did you come to sign with a major label?
Dreilich: There were several reasons. We already knew the people we are working with before and sometimes very well. Without that personal component, we wouldn't have considered signing with a big machine like Sony either. We have formulated a common goal and want to make the band better known beyond the borders of Germany, Austria and Switzerland so that we can tour there in the long term. This is of course a little easier with existing structures than completely DIY.
Before the corona pandemic, you were on tour almost all the time. How was the sudden lockdown for you?
Dreilich: At first it was a live break, which we all really needed, but which you only notice when you had enough time to get out of the rhythm. But now everyone and everywhere is tingling. You want to get out and on the streets again. Bringing an album out in lockdown, without being able to play it live and demanding a direct audience reaction, feels very uneven. But we are musicians and don't adapt our art to economic strategies and schedules, we are perhaps poorer for that, but can later tell ourselves that we always did what felt right for us.
How do you look back on 2020?
Dreilich: Although one thinks primarily of standstill, I think that a lot went forward mentally in 2020. With us as a band, with each individual and all over the world. Even if it is difficult and was difficult, I am very happy to still be able to work creatively and make music in this difficult time.
What do you remember particularly, negative and positive?
Dreilich: I think it is positive that a year-long problem like racism has finally found its way into all of our heads and is now apparently being really tackled. I find the way in which the good of freedom of expression was abused this year as negative and many do not feel how important solidarity actually is.
How are you as a band in the Corona crisis?
Dreilich: Like everyone else in the event industry, we feel shitty. It's not easy to imagine yourself without 50 percent of our everyday life as a band. We love to play live and of course it's the biggest and most important source of income for us. We're trying to see this crisis as a test of how much we really want to do all of this. If you want, there is always a way and we are doing everything we can to support each other and to stay motivated.
What are your hopes for 2021?
Dreilich: I hope the vaccination plan works and we can go back to normal in the third quarter. Most of all, I just hope for the certainty that things will be the same as before. I think once an approximate deadline comes within reach, a lot of the knots will untie. I hope we can all make it by then.
In April 2021 you will start a major headlining tour. Do you think the concerts can take place as planned?
Dreilich: To be honest, I don't assume that. But there are already replacement dates in December that seem far more likely.
You will be celebrating your tenth anniversary next year. How do you look back on the past few years of your career?
Dreilich: If you hadn't asked me about it, I probably wouldn't have noticed. You are so deep in your bladder and give so much that you are sometimes not even aware of anniversaries like this. I'm incredibly proud of everything we've created and experienced so far. Even if we have to fight at the moment, I have an incredible desire for the future – especially when I think of ideas that are already floating around. We can experience and create a lot more, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Despite the corona pandemic, Blackout Problems want to offer their fans a release concert for the new album, which starts on Saturday (January 16) at 8 p.m. via the digital stage. Some streaming events are also planned for the following week, such as the documentary "Dark Days" (from January 17th, 7pm via YouTube) or the "Dark Music Movie" (January 19th, 7pm via YouTube).