Grüazi miteinand, we are Gotthard afrom Switzerland’,  that how introduced yourself back in 1992, when I worked with you for the very first time in concert of the glory selftitled debutalbum. I remember very well, when you were sitting there, young and innocent (well at least the eye glimpse was...) with long thick or not so thick hair, just as the hardrock clichee back then requested. And because of this the ammound of blonde girlies, who hailed you from the first 20 rows at your shows, was huge, very huge indeed. And your ego's were massaged with an imaginary balsom concentrate. Confess please: you did like this, didn't ya'?. And thank to the just mentioned debut album, the follow up 'Dial Hard' and 'G' from 1996 the dream of the sparkling rockstar became true, catching already a sunburn from the constant lime light. 


Over the years you've changed, and the early shyness has made place for a very selfconfident routine, which occassionally drifted a little in slight self loving arrogance. 

No surprise though, as in your home country Switzerland and also in Germany you were carried on hands and fed with a golden spoon. But Time hasn't stand still, and the inner clock kept moving on. On the other you have deserved this sparkle in a way what's up to the first 3 prayers. However time hasn't stand still and during the rather laid back time between 1997 and 2002 you did release the unplugged livealbum 'D'Frosted', the longplayer 'Open' and the CD 'Homerun'-.

 


The whole thing had been spiced with various platinim awards, many headliner shows and supportslots for Bon Jovi and AC/DC. And the menue tasted really delicious.  

And though the hair has become shorter and less, the girls were still standing in the front rows at your shows and have taken care for your image care. I also remember very well, when you supported Bon Jovi at Munich's Olympiastadium with a hell of energy. and you were so proud to fire up the heat for the megaband. 

Voila, this has happened 11 years ago, almost unbelievable. But well, let's carry on with our chronology. From 2003 some changes came along. For once the mentor and co producer Chris von Rohr became history and for the other, there was a line up change within the band.

Albums such as 'Human Zoo' rolled along in the same year, followed by 'Lip Service' two years later and again 24 months 
later 'Domino Effect' came out. And yes, you did remember your more rocky  roots on those records.... 

 


And you were good for every fun and joke......

Oktoberfest 2007 München

(auf den Bierkrug klicken)

 

Another contract were signed for another three albums, which started off with 'Need To Believe' in 2009, only find a sudden end ...one year later....

Life often ain't fair. And for all those good years, you did have to pay a very high price. Because there is nothing worse for a band happening, as if they loose their frontman. No, not expected or because of long ongoing difficulties, but rather suddenly from one second to the other... Well and then you stood there and tried to understand the almost unbelievable. 
And as often said, it's been definately the wrong guy, who had been chosen for such a fate. (no sorry, I didn't mean a wrong band member, I just ment by that: why is it always the nicest people who are hit by such a terrible fate - see also R.J.Dio for instance) 

However, it must have been a free fall in a black hole, a hole, where nobody knew, whether it had a bottom. The search for it lasted aprox. 6 months, until the fall was stopped by a slight light at the end of the tunnel. Hitting the ground again, wasn't that soft either, But the kamikaze flight throughout the unknown had an end. That was for sure.
And as it is often said: everybody is exchangeable. This might be correct in some way, but not for the individual alterego and the memory. And so for the heir, who takes the place where the hole is, it is very difficult to fill in. The shades of the past are almighty. And he needs a lot of power to stand up against all these comparisons, a strength as much as lifting the globe out of it's angles. 
But you've found him the angel of hope, the one who is supposed to pull you out of the drain and destroy all doubts. the one
who is supposed to get the star sparkling. And so the rising, this second spring is developing into a firebirth, a new chapter, where the first page with the new angel of hope and an even newer album has just been opened...

And whether  the prayer to this effort, pulling the swiss Titanic up to the surface again out of 4.000 meter depths, will be heard, this will be reveiled tonight here in Munich at the Backstage Halle.

Tickets are not available for this firebirth, only invitations. And those again go to media and Vip's  and happy participations of radio contests provided by our allmighty Rockantenne. (one of the very few rocksenders left)
And there we are - Marc and Leo, Hena and Freddy and thanks god you found your smile again...
And how the search has been and developed, this is what you are telling me right here and right now....

Nervosity gets the air vibrating. And our new phenix is dying a 1000 deaths  before this very first show in Europe on may 30 2012


Somehow I feel sorry for him. At one point, he, who listens to the name Nic is certainly some years younger than his predecessor Steve (god bless him)  and he's the new hope for the band, the straw to hold on tight to, so the ship won't drown again. On the other side our Joke hasn't got an easy stand. And though he is not to be supposed to be a substitude for Steve, (you can't copy him anyway) he still has to fight aginst the comparisons done by the fans. He is going to be watched carefully and the acceptance will be hesitating.  The curtain is falling and the dance on the volcano can beginn. But it ain't the nervosity which is most noticable here, but rather a certain shyness, keeping him back to hunt the steamboat with the speed of sound throughout the venue. And believe me, he is very different to Steve. this starts at his personal aura and continues by his performance and playing much more a guitar besides singing. 

Hmmmm...... ? It is difficult to draw a border and leave those damn comparisons behind, evolving automatically, when the old classic tunes are played. Only at the four new tracks, you catch a better impression of Nic's individuality. Anway, the fans in here don't seem to bother really. I've rather got the impression, they are just happy to have you back up there. And they are dancing to 'Sister Moon', 'Anytime Anywhere' and 'Hush' and celebrate a simple but decent Rock'n'Roll house party. 


No, in the end I've got to say, you haven't much changed in generell. And that's good. But most of all you have caught up with hope, a hope standing like a question sign within the room. Will this hope become true?


The mood in here is great, very good indeed. And it does transfer onto stage. Thorughout the night, you can feel the selfconfidence  rising up. It's coming back. and in the end you just see happy faces in here.


To end up my short resumee, I wanna say one more thing. This has been the first test for an european audiance. It's not been a concert in the normal sense, and no Nic is far from Steve's appearance. This is what the first impression is. And he doesn't need to be similar. So I don't put a real critics on him, because as I said before, thanks to this difficult heritage, he probaby has died a 1000 deaths before this show here. So let's give him a chance to prove that he is great in his way, that he is fighting a successful battle for acceptance and for a new and fresh image for the group. With the new album and a differnet attitude and maybe a little nostalgica from past days, this could work out.... - I say could...


And one thing is as sure as the amen at St. Peter's cathedral: the days of blonde girlies in the first 20 rows are past tense. The selfconfidence hopefully stays ... Jes....we all don't get younger, do we?!
In this sense we are looking forward to a hopefully long onholding future. It's up to your and well, maybe to the spirit of time, defining the direction . Time will tell. And I'm pretty sure, that Steve gives his blessing up there from cloud 7, where he now handles the lead vocals  in St.Peter's holy rock'nHeaven'roll band... Amen! 
http://www.gotthard.com/


Find Aftershow Snapshots at the Diary