So Stephan approached you?
Stephan Eicher: The guys didn't even know me before!
Balthasar: Well, of course I knew some of Stephan's songs: "Déjeuner en paix", "Hemmige", "Alpeflug" and so on. But it was our mothers in particular who were thrilled when we told them about Stephan Eicher!
Stephan: At Festi'neuch we realized that it actually still works quite well! Things are very democratic at Traktorkestar. It wasn't the idea that Traktorkestar would be my backing band, I'm the singer of Traktorkestar.
Was it always clear that your songs would be played first and foremost - or that
that new songs would also be created?
Stephan: I actually wanted to make a dance album, but then I suddenly had this new world of sound around me. That's how new songs came about.
"With Traktorkestar, it's electrified, dangerous, inspiring."
Are you fascinated by brass bands?
Stephan: Yes, absolutely! I once experienced that on All Saints' Day at the cemetery in Engelberg. I was standing behind the village orchestra, next to the bass drum. The blowing, the brass! The string orchestra can't do that. With wind instruments you can also walk around, you don't have to sit like the strings. The musicians are always on the move - we've taken that to the extreme with us.
Balthasar: We should actually measure how many kilometers we cover each time.
Stephan: It's completely different with Traktorkestar than when I perform with Martin
Suter. With Martin it's "culture", with the guys it's electrified, dangerous, inspiring.
Balthasar: Yes, there are a few spots where we freak out a bit. We always come up with such strange things, surprising for the audience - and for ourselves too.
Stephan: Sometimes you don't know where it's going to go. It's like a St. Vitus dance story. Sometimes it has art performance elements. But sometimes we're also good and just play our repertoire.
Is it a coincidence that you will soon be playing at festivals and not in halls?
halls?
Stephan: To be honest, I don't actually like festivals that much.
Balthasar: But we love them!
Stephan: Making love, anthills in the forest - I'm not that age anymore! That reminds me, we once had a concert on a ski slope...
on a ski slope...
