Fancy was in Lima on April 2016 and I had the chance to meet with him and make this interview.
1. We
have seen the videos of your performing in Bolivia and Argentina, now you are
here in Perú. Which is the impression that give you to visit South America? How
do you feel the people here?
Yeah, it’s a
bit different from North America, middle America and South America. South
America, this was my first time in Argentina and in Bolivia also. I see here in
Perú, when I arrived, (I had arrived yesterday), the enthusiasm is so nice and
the people are charming, nice and enthusiastic, I like it.
2. I see that your shows are always full of enthusiasm and you bring a
performing full of energy and life, that I think you have nothing to envy to
young stars like, don’t know Justin Bieber and so… from where come such energy
and charism that you always put in your shows?
I think this
is coming from my broad as producer. I told, all those artists, they should
look for the audience, they should not be on stage, to get the
glorification in the middle point. They should be for the audience, for the
people and for the fans. This is my message to all artists, so in this way I am
doing the same on stage, I’m looking for the audience, when they are happy then
I am happy
3. Going
back to the beginning. Music was always present in your family and home?
The music when
I started, in the 70’s, was in Munich, the sound of Munich. There was Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder and other artists. The Rolling Stones produced music in the
studio in Munich. I met Jimmy Hendrix in 67, The Beatles was in 65, so this was
the old time, old spirit of pop in the 60’s and in the 70’s. And In the 80’s as
producer, I had one song “Slice Me Nice” and that I made with my voice so with this hit I
was going around the world and since this time I am Fancy on stage
4. It
is said that you were studying for become a monk, is that truth?, Do you
consider yourself a religious person?
Yeah,
I was in a gymnasium in Germany and this was a monk school and also monastery.
My parents wanted... I should be a monk, but I was too in pop music in that time,
playing guitar and I said no!, this is not my life to be a monk, I will go on
stage and will be musician doing pop.
Sure,
I am happy that we are Catholics, because this is a religion that is very
helpful for people. I am happy to be a Christian.
5. What
was the reason that made you decide to let all and follow the musical path?
In the
monastery, I compared, I said this life is not for me, I will do the music. I
think for my life was ok. I think I can do for the people more with my music.
Ok the life as a monk is also important, but this was not for me, because I
wanted to play the music.
6. Is true you started working with Frank Farian and Giorgio Moroder?
Yes, Giorgio was in Berlin first, and then I
was in Berlin visiting, he made a course of sound of 1970’s in the beginning of
70’s. And then he
came to Munich. Then he was in Alabama
house, he made the music in studio there, there was the Queen, Rolling Stones
and he was producing “I feel Love” of Donna
Summer hit, he was started…. all the very very international hits he had, so
the music sound of Munich was the disco sound of Munich, was in the 70’s and
then we made the Italodisco from the 80’s.
7. Can
you remember your first professional work?
The first... I
was very happy and lucky because “Slice Me Nice” was a disco hammer. Before I
produced artists also. We had in the 70’s, we produced the music in studio, works
there with Giorgio boss and the Union Studio was there, Frank Farian produced
in the Union Studio, Boney M, and I had the same musicians that played in Boney
M because the next session, was my session. I recorded, Claudia Field “To Love Somebody”
or another production of mine. This was a small group of musicians. This was the
sound of Munich, disco sound of 70’s. Later in the 80’s we had keyboard playbacks.
Normal musicians weren’t in the studio… drums,
bass, guitar, keyboard… no!!. In the 80’s there was a computer keyboard, a
computer playing. One musician played all, the drums, played the rhythm sounds
was in the computer from a drum. So and then he played everything. This wasn’t
needed time a lot but was very clean, this brought in the 80s then, the bigger
break… “OMG you do the playback in
studio with one musician!”. Ok on top the choir came, the girls were singing
chords like that, or you have very special rhythms, so ok, or sometimes the
saxophone player, what you going on top, but the reel, the basic playing was
made from one keyboard. Up from the 80’s.
8. You
started singing german schlager as Tess Teiges, what can you tell us abou
that?, Did you like those times?
Schlager
music, yeah, Germany has this schlager sound, this is a very special music,
with german lyrics, so I made, I think, 3 - 4 records in german language, but
this was not my way, I went to international productions like Giorgio or Frank
Farian and with English words that were going around the world.
With the german language is only national for Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
That’s all. Ok this is a market also, but this market is very special and has
nothing to do with our disco what I’m doing, disco from the 70’s, disco from
the 80’s, discofox and italodisco.
9. Which are your main inspirations and influences when is time to create a
new song?
My inspiration, I would say, I had
always different inspirations from other pop artists. I told you about. From the
Beatles, I was in their concert in 65. It was a big impression for me. The
Rolling Stones, I didn’t like so in that time, The Beatles more. I like Jimmy
Hendrix, also, his old hits, he made and had and there was a lot of groups from
England, there was also from America, they had in this time. All these
influences of these different artists, with the disco sound we had in Munich,
this combination was my sound.
1. We know that you collaborated with a lot of people in the music
industry, was there anybody with whom did you enjoy to work something in special?
I like different artists, when somebody make
some hits, I heard this and I’m happy. When I see that my feeling was right,
when I hear a song first time, from "X", from whoever artists, doesn’t matter, I
say… this is a hit!. And then, sometimes, yeah I’m right, that’s interesting.
So I also listen some classical music, to relax. I produced with Sinitta from New York one time, O Mio Babbino
Caro from Giacomo Puccini. It’s a
completely different situation but I like the sound and we made it very serious
and then we made one version hard disco sound, that’s very special, Giacomo
Puccini and the disco sound.
1. This
is a question that well, I usually ask to musicians involved in disco music. Do
you feel the disco style, despite its popularity and the success of several
iconic disco stars, is a bit undervalued inside the mainstream music?
The 80’s music
is like evergreen, is timeless going around the world. This is in many many
countries of the world, from South America, Middle America, Mexico, up to United
States till Canada. Also from here to Europe, all Europe till Russia, Siberia. Everywhere,
this endless sound is in Asia also, Vienna, Thailand… They like this music
disco music of the 80’s, Discofox of the 80’s.
To be continued...
