No doubt about it: The world would be a much poorer place without Axel Rudi Pell. On his 22nd (!) studio album 'Risen Symbol', the Bochum-based guitarist and songwriter continues to fly the melodic hard rock flag without watering down his style with pseudo-modern stylistic variations or expendable studio gimmicks.
'Risen Symbol' is available on Steamhammer/SPV since 14 June 2024 and RockOverdose, took the chance to speak with Axel Rudi Pell himself, on probably the strongest album release in his career to date as well as his future plans.
Enjoy our friendly chat below!
Pictures: (c) Kai Hoffmann
Rockoverdose.gr: Hello Axel and welcome to Rockoverdose.gr!
ARP: It feels good being here.
Rockoverdose.gr: First of all congratulations for the new album “Risen Symbol”. It’s an amazing album. It feels so refreshing and it goes all the way with the great Axel Rudi Pell albums.
ARP: Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. Thank you.
Rockoverdose.gr: Do you feel the same way for the album?
ARP: Definitely. It sounds a little fresher than the previous one and the one before. For me it is more interesting. You can listen to it in a row, without any filling tracks on it. I think it’s a great record. Johnny (Gioeli – vocals) told me after he heard the final mixing “Axel I think this is the best album we’ve done together” and I said “probably you’re right”.
Rockoverdose.gr: That’s amazing. The cover of the album reminds us of the “Black Moon Pyramid”. Is there any connection with it?
ARP: No, there is no connection. I love the pyramids. In the “Black Moon Pyramid” you see only the top of it and some birds flying around. Now we have the pyramid in full, it’s a different color, it looks different. I chose the pyramid as a cover again because of the overall kind of oriental feeling on the whole record. And I thought a pyramid would be great. It’s a “Risen Symbol”.
Rockoverdose.gr: Now you give me a great pass for my next question because I wanted to ask about this oriental vibe in the album. Was it in purpose or it just came naturally while compοsing?
ARP: It just happened. It just came to my mind. I don’t know if there is any reason behind it. Maybe I was listening too much to Led Zeppelin when I was writing the songs (laughs).
Rockoverdose.gr: And that brings us to the cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” which is a really interesting cover. The additional parts of the song, the ones you wrote is fantastic and it connects so greatly with the original song.
ARP: Thank you so much. This song is following me since it came out in 1972 but on the original version the guitar solo is so short and now I’ve built something around it, making it bigger, more ARP style but of course without forgetting the main part of it. But I love it!
Rockoverdose.gr: This is your 20th studio album leaving out compilations, ballads, covers etc. Do you feel getting tired at some point? Because, you are such an active artist recording-wise.
ARP: I could record even more (laughs). I am always busy. I write so many songs because the fire burns inside me. The fire for this kind of music and it won’t come out. I love writing songs. Every two days I can write a new track.
Rockoverdose.gr: I wouldn’t say no to that (laughs). This year marks 40 years since your first album with Steeler and 35 from your solo debut “Wild Obsession”. Is “Risen Symbol” a way to celebrate these anniversaries of your life?
ARP: No, not really. And there is no special party planned or anything. We did this in 2014 for the 25th anniversary of my first album at “Bang Your Head” festival with some friends. But there is nothing planned this year. It’s just a regular release.
Rockoverdose.gr: It seems that this lineup of the band is very stable. Of course Volker (Krawczak – bass) is since the beginning, Johnny and Ferdy (Doernberg – keyboards) are with you for more than 20 years and Bobby (Rodinelli – drums) the last 10 years. Do you think that having a stable lineup helps in the writing process of an album?
ARP: Definitely yes because I know what the others like and helps when I write a song. For example I know Johnny’s voice perfectly and I know exactly what kind of songs I have to write to fit perfectly to his voice. And all the other are great musicians. The chemistry on this band is right. For example Bobby has the same musical taste I have. We are on the same page.
Rockoverdose.gr: You said many times that you are a big fan of Richie Blackmore. What is the thing in your opinion that makes him so great and such a huge influence to so many musicians?
ARP: You know, when I started playing the guitar, I saw Deep Purple performing on TV. I saw Richie throwing the guitar on the air and doing all these crazy things. There was this magical aura behind him. I think his playing at that time, was new to the whole rock audience. Nobody played like him those days, in the late 60’s – early 70’s. And I heard him playing and I said “WOW”. He was the first to play neo-classical style with lead guitar. Malmsteen is a big admirer of Blackmore. He said he isn’t but he is, I know it. You can hear it in his music. Blackmore was the first. He went wild. He did so many crazy things with the guitar.
Rockoverdose.gr: Now that you mentioned Deep Purple, there is a question that many people would like to know the answer. Your older albums have a certain shade of purple? Was it something like a tribute to them and Blackmore?
ARP: No, no. It just happened. Nothing to do with Deep Purple (laughs).
Rockoverdose.gr: Let’s go back to “Risen Symbol”. Where does the story lead the Knight this time? Which is the new adventure he goes through and how much of endurance he has for the years to come?
ARP: As I said it’s very oriental orientated album. It’s not a concept album though. Every song is about different things. But the main thing is, when you look at the cover and you listen for example the song “Ankhaia”, which is the longest track of the record, it says about some who is crawling through a desert, it’s very hot, he’s running out of water, he’s thirsty like hell and suddenly he sees a place with a huge pyramid and all this big life and all the people full with joy and says “I wanna go there”. He’s crawling with the last powers that he has until he realizes that it’s a Fata Morgana phenomenon. It’s not real. And then he has to leave and keep going. And what’s what the album is about. I don’t know. What was the question again? (laughs).
Rockoverdose.gr: “Guardian Angel” and “Darkest Hour” were chosen as videos of the album. How difficult is it to choose each time the videos for every album?
ARP: That’s a really good question because I am not the only one that decides. It’s also part of the record company. And they asked me first which I would like to be the first single. It has to be a short one of course because if it’s too long nobody would listen to it. I thought “Guardian Angel” was a good track because it’s a typical Axel Rudi Pell track, no changes. You got a huge guitar riff, a chorus that sticks to your head. You can sing to it, you can listen to it and have fun. And the record company totally agreed after they heard the full album. And then of course they chose “Darkest Hour”. It’s pretty much the same with “Guardian Angel”. It sticks in your head you can sing to it but it’s a little darker. I would have chosen “Ankhaia” but it’s a little bit too long.
Rockoverdose.gr: Well if it makes any difference, I think so far it’s my favorite song of the album. It’s a big, epic song. With the whole orchestration behind and the story of it.”
ARP: I love it too!
Rockoverdose.gr: Deciding the singles though must be way easier than deciding the setlist for concerts. I mean choosing some of the 200+ songs that you wrote must be giving you a headache.
ARP: Ooooh Jesus, Mary and Holy Ghost! I don’t have a clue. It’s getting harder and harder with every new album. Of course we have to play all the classic Axel Rudi Pell songs like “Oceans Of Time”, “The Masquerade Ball”, “Casbah”, “Fool Fool” and so on. When we don’t play them people get angry and they are right. They want to listen to them and so we play them. We must have played “The Masquerade Ball” more than a 1000 times. But it never gets boring. It’s a good song. It’s exciting. Of course you want to play a few tracks from each new record and we will do that. At least 3 maybe 4 and that’s enough. We could play the whole new album but there wouldn’t be enough time for the classics. So we have to make decisions and sort it out.
Rockoverdose.gr: And the thing is that probably, each time you go on tour, there are people watching you for the first time and they want to listen to these songs.
ARP: Of course. We sort of have to play them for maybe the younger people that are watching us for the first time but also for the older ones that they want to listen to them every time.
Rockoverdose.gr: You are widely considered a master of covers and ballads. As I said before “Immigrant Song” is a great cover and I love it. How do you decide which song you want to cover? I guess they are songs that you really love.
ARP: Definitely. I have to love the songs to cover them. Otherwise I wouldn’t do it. But the decision to cover “Immigrant Song” which as I said I really loved since it came it out in 1972, it’s because I felt that it would fit in between of all those oriental themed songs in “Risen Symbol”. I think it was the right to do it.
Rockoverdose.gr: Your case is quite unique. You have loyal to fanatic supporters that they really love you but there are also people that claim that you write same songs, a lot of ballads. How can you please both parties? It’s not easy to have everybody happy.
ARP: That’s right. You know people that say that every Axel Rudi Pell album is the same are wrong. This time for example. Normally I start writing the guitar riff, then comes the verse and the vocals, the pre-chorus, the refrain, the chorus and then we go again on the beginning then comes the guitar solo, the chorus again and it’s over. But this time, I have several songs with different kind of rhythm guitar part. Not only 1 riff but up to 5 sometimes. For example on the last track “Taken By Storm”, there are so many different guitar rhythms. I never had so many in any of my previous albums. So once in a while I’m experimenting a little but what else can I say? I love them all (laughs).
Rockoverdose.gr: The thing with the new songs is that they are really catchy. From the first listening of the album I could see most of the songs getting airplay, being played at a gig and so on. I am sure your fans will really love the album.
ARP: Yes the album comes two days from now and I agree 100% with you my friend.
Rockoverdose.gr: Promoting-wise, I have no words for your innovations of limited editions box sets. We had the clock on “Sign Of The Times” with “batteries are not included, you will have to buy them” comment being one of the best ever, and this time we have the fragrance! How did this idea came to mind? I strongly suggest a miniature Axel figure in future album box sets!
ARP: You know I’m doing my own fragrance thing for a couple of years now. I am experimenting with different ingredients, oils and stuff. And I’ve created some fragrances which we sold in the last tour and you can find them on the website. What I didn’t know, was that most heavy metal, hard rock fans don’t like perfume at all! They say “I don’t put any kind of fragrance, I don’t care”! But anyway I do it!
As for the figurine I don’t know. Let’s see (laughs).
Rockoverdose.gr: Unfortunately all these years we didn’t have the chance to see you in Greece. There are people here that love you I know many of them who travelled to Europe to see you. Is there any chance we will ever see you here?
ARP: You know what? I love Greece! I travelled to Greece several times for vacation. Last time I was in Zakynthos. And Volker loves Greece even more! He goes there 3 times a year! He’d been everywhere. We both love Greece. And we both like to drink ouzo after a show in the tour bus with a little ice and just a little of water (laughs). It’s perfect!
I hope that sometime we can play in Greece because everybody loves your country. We just have to find the right promoter and the right offer.
Rockoverdose.gr: Let’s hope that the promoters will see this interview!
Although it’s still too early, do you have any plans after the tour?
ARP: Right now we will be doing some festivals, then comes the 1st leg of the tour in October and then from February to April of 2025 we have the 2nd leg of the tour. The record company already told me that we should put out a new Axel Rudi Pell record next year. But not a new studio album, not a live album, not a ballads album. But what else can we do? (laughs). Maybe a record with some new songs, some cover songs? I don’t know.
Rockoverdose.gr: Maybe a record with some guests, to play with you guys?
ARP: That’s a really good idea probably!
Rockoverdose.gr: I’d like to ask a technical question now. What’s the process of writing a new album? Do you just write when you have some inspiration or you say “now I have to write new stuff”?
ARP: No. I cannot sit down and say to myself “now I have to write 10 new songs”. It’s not working for me. I write songs all the time. For example when the last record was finished, I want home from the studio and 3-4 days later I started writing some stuff. I always have my cell phone with me that has the voice recorder and I record all the time but I never listen to these things. For example I could be at the supermarket buying a piece of meat and a melody comes to my mind. I record it on my cell phone. People around me probably say I’m crazy (laughs). And then at some point, maybe months later, I sit down and listen to all the recordings. And I decide what can be used, what can be combined with something else and what I cannot use at that moment. And I make songs out of these.
Rockoverdose.gr: So it’s a never-ending process. You work all the time.
ARP: That’s right! I already have some new stuff!
Rockoverdose.gr: How is it to tour after all these years and living the rock lifestyle? I read that you never considered yourself a rock icon or a guitar hero/god although personally I would give you that title easily. But on the same time all the times I’ve read interviews or saw videos of you, you seemed as a really down to earth guy and I also get it now that we speak together. So how do you combine these too? Are you someone else on stage and yourself off stage?
ARP: I’m just a guitar player (laughs) but I really thank you for that. But no. I am the same guy on and off stage. I’m myself. I am not arrogant or whatever. I’m just a normal guy that plays the guitar. I don’t see myself as a guitar hero or whatever. I really love that you’re saying these words but I don’t think about it. I’m just a guy that goes on stage, plays, writes good songs sometimes (laughs) and that’s it.
Rockoverdose.gr: See? That’s what I mean down to earth guy! Someone that just loves playing music then.
ARP: Exactly!
Rockoverdose.gr: Well, it was a real pleasure and honor hosting this interview. Would you like to say anything else? Maybe something that we forgot to talk about, or something to your Greek fans?
ARP: It was my pleasure. I really appreciated it and thank you so much for your time. The whole band would love to play in Greece. We hope that you’ll love the new album.
For Rockoverdose,
Apostolos “Astaldo” Pantazoglou
Questions by Aggelos Katsouras
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