LaBrassBanda: The band wants to set a world record

LaBrassBanda have long wanted to be more than just a Bavarian band. In 2013 they took part in the German preliminary decision of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Nackert" and were on a world tour in 2017. Her new album "Danzn" will be released on Friday (July 24th).

With their one-week beer garden tour, which starts in Reit im Winkl on Friday, they want to set a world record. How exactly, frontman Stefan Dettl, drummer Manuel Da Coll and bassist Fabian Jungreithmayr reveal in an interview with the news agency spot on news. The musicians also talk about the Corona crisis, the Eurovision Song Contest, the failure of the Oktoberfest and why the "Black Lives Matter" movement is so important to them.

Her new album is called "Danzn". Where do you prefer to dance?

Manuel Da Coll: If there is a pole dance post somewhere after the concerts, then it may well be that one of us is dancing there. Otherwise we play a lot of beer tent tours and according to our program there is still a disco party at the bar. Then you can see some of us dancing.

With the new album you want to break up clichés a bit and not just count as a Bavarian band. Why?

Stefan Dettl: Of course we enjoy the beer tent, beer garden, drinking beer, maypoles and all the fun. But discovering the world is just as important to us, we want to get to know other people and cultures. This combination is very important to us. We don't want to be understood as the Bavarian band that is only in the beer tent. We play concerts all over the world.

You still want to stay true to your roots. What is particularly important to you there?

Dettl: That we can be who we are and don't have to pretend. That is the most important thing. Of course, there are always TV appearances where we ask ourselves whether this suits us. For example, we discussed a lot before the 2013 ESC preliminary decision. We had many prejudices and thought that the ESC audience needed a show and a glittery dress, but that wasn't the case. The people we met were just total music lovers. Then we felt just like ourselves.

Would you take part in the ESC again?

Da Coll: Actually, there is nothing wrong with that. As a viewer, however, we have not been blown away in recent years. Germany is working so hard that the ESC participant really has to be successful and doesn't just transport something funny or crazy out of the country. The craziest entry at the ESC has often won. In recent years, however, Germany has created a system in which attempts have been made to achieve the success of Lena Meyer-Landrut again. In my opinion, it pretty much backfired. If Germany would open up more in this respect, it would be great for all musicians.

You are successful worldwide. Where do you have your craziest fans?

Dettl: In Denmark. We once played in a club and someone came on stage and bit my nose. I then asked what that was supposed to do. He said it was a Viking ritual. Whoever you particularly like, you bite your nose. So Danish fans are very special. The Upper Palatinate are also crazy, they love the gruesome as much as we do.

How much does the Corona crisis hit you as a band that usually plays a lot of live concerts and is always on the go?

Fabian Jungreithmayr: Of course it's a shame. We would have played a lot of great concerts this year. Fortunately, we were able to postpone almost everything to next year and the anticipation is of course all the greater.

Dettl: Of course, the crisis mainly affects young bands, that's a disaster. Even before the crisis, there was no real lobby for them. Hopefully Corona is a deciding factor that something happens. The political question is whether Bavaria has any desire to promote a contemporary culture and not just the old costumes and lederhosen. We would like to see more sensitivity created for the young bands and the young culture.

How did you use your free time during the lockdown?

Da Coll: I can now make seven variations of yeast dough. I cooked, baked and cooked a lot. Everything I have never done in the past few years. If someone says afterwards that it tasted good, it is at least a little consolation that you don't get any applause at the moment.

The Oktoberfest is canceled this year. Most of the times you also have performances there. How much will you miss the Oktoberfest this year?

Dettl: I hardly waste any thought on that. There are certainly enough smaller alternative events.

Da Coll: The Oktoberfest is something nice for Munich, but also a fairly anonymous event. It is of course great that so many people come from outside and want to visit the Oktoberfest. But the situation is much more tragic for the smaller folk festivals. I feel more with that.

To announce your beer garden tour, you set the hashtag #weltrekordversuch on Instagram. What's it all about?

Dettl: We haven't found a band that has played in 27 beer gardens in seven days. In this respect, we thought that we wanted to set a world record. Josef Menzl, a well-known brass musician from Regensburg, will probably pulverize our record a week later. But we definitely want to try it. We are traveling with classic cars and always have the ADAC with us, which accompanies us on the whole tour. In a car, there are also spare parts for the classic cars so that we can get the vehicles back on the road quickly if necessary.

You drew attention to racism on social media as part of the "Black Lives Matter" movement. Why is the topic so important to you?

Jungreithmayr: Racism is an issue everywhere, whether in Bavaria, Austria or the USA. We wanted to show solidarity and not be silent. At our concerts everyone should be able to celebrate with everyone. It doesn't matter where he or she comes from.

Da Coll: We want to stand as a band that you always shake hands with others. Everyone wants that from their fellow human beings. If you can convey that at a concert, you've already won.