INTERVIEW: Jim Müller – Kissin’ Dynamite
KISSIN’ DYNAMITE are hard rock royalty in the making. Their uplifting sounds and charismatic presence are winning them fans and has seen them play some of Europe’s biggest festivals. Distorted Sound’s Lotty Whittingham speaks with guitarist Jim Müller whilst touring with power metal icons POWERWOLF (read our review of the performance in London here). Here, we speak about touring with the icons, changing record labels and their latest album Ecstasy.
How are you today Jim?
Jim: I am really good. I love London, I have been here several times and I am looking forward to playing my first ever live show here.
I was going to ask if this was your first time here in the UK. So, you say you have been to London before, what were the reasons?
Jim: Partly holidays or we have done promotion for different albums here. We have also been to pubs to play acoustic shows and for the radio. We have never played a full live show in the UK before. It’s been a long time coming.
And no better way for your first live show than touring with POWERWOLF, am I right?
Jim: Yes. In a sold-out KOKO. I love this tour and I love POWERWOLF.
How has the tour been going so far?
Jim: So great. It’s such a pleasure to be on the road with such a lovely band who are empathic and totally friendly through and through. I wish the tour would never stop but it’s day 16 out of 20 so we are almost done. Things are starting to get a little bit sad.
Has there been any venues that you have really loved playing or memorable moments of the tour?
Jim: There were a lot of memorable moments as a lot of the shows had sold out. A lot of the shows have been crowded and crazy. I loved Italy for example because those guys always go so wild. Prague was also great. There were so many great moments that I have a hard time thinking of bad moments which didn’t actually happen. I mean you might feel better on some nights more than others but it was never shitty. That’s something really special which makes touring easier.
Have you noticed differences when playing different countries? Particularly in terms of crowd tactics and ticket sales.
Jim: Absolutely. People outside of Germany are louder. Germans can clap just on the points and the clapping is so loud in Germany. When you go to Italy, they are on fire. They get faster and faster that you need to really concentrate on the drum patterns so you are still on the beat. That won’t happen in Germany.
You’ll get to experience a British crowd for the first time.
Jim: Yes, and I am looking forward to that. The good thing is that the UK is a plain sheet for a live show.
Speaking of POWERWOLF, you appeared on their covers album recently. How did you go about choosing Let There Be Night?
Jim: We had the chance to choose. Our first choice was We Drink Your Blood because it’s our favourite POWERWOLF song. However, another band had already picked it. Let There Be Night is our second favourite so we were happy to record that.
You released Ecstasy this year. The first record to be released by Metal Blade Records. How was the transition from AFM to Metal Blade?
Jim: After several years working with the same company, things start to feel like they are slowing down as everyone knows how to do it and we needed more fresh ideas. It was time to have a fresh wind in our sails. We are still friends with those at AFM Records, we met them at a party a couple of weeks ago. It’s all cool. I think in the music industry that it’s nothing personal, it’s just the time was right for a new wind. Definitely needed as an album is personal and you always want the best team around it to push it is far as it can go. It’s always moving and this is the best team. I think you always have to be open for everything.
I noticed on the YouTube link it got a mixed reception. One of the names I saw was step-dad rock. What other labels have you seen your music been called?
Jim: It’s always about positive and negative comments coming together because otherwise it would be lame.
As well as your other songs, it’s ballads you always seem to hit the nail on the head. Is there a particular song writing process you guys have?
Jim: That’s actually these two geniuses. Johannes [Braun] is our singer and Ande [Braun] writing the lyrics, they are a really great team. Johannes produced this album and Generation Goodbye so there is a more personal touch for sure. It’s always great to watch them as that’s where the magic happens. Going back to the ballads. It’s a big part of KISSIN’ DYNAMITE, emphasis on the word Kissin. We always need the ballads as we love it. That’s one of the downsides of being the opening band on tour as we don’t usually have time for the ballads. So, I am looking forward to the headlining tours where we can play the ballads and play some acoustic guitars. We will do a headline tour next year.
On the album Ecstasy you have Anna Brunner from EXIT EDEN featuring on the title track, how did that come about?
Jim: We have known each other for a long time, she is a good friend to us. She is also the girlfriend of Hannes. Sometimes it’s that close. We love her and we love her voice. She has a very strong rock voice, it fits so perfectly with the track.
For those who have not seen KISSIN’ DYNAMITE before what can we expect from your live show?
Jim: An explosive show from start to finish. Tonight, it will be like a headliner show in forty minutes because we try to play and give as much as we can. I would say jump around as much as we can but it will be a little bit difficult tonight as the stage is really small.
I take it you guys are used to playing bigger stages in Germany.
Jim: Yes, because that’s where our music needs to be, we want to bring back stadium rock. We love the Slippery When Wet era of BON JOVI, we want to bring back that type of stadium rock. Our mission is getting people to love stadium rock again.
Thank you very much Jim for taking the time to talk to us today and best of luck with the tour.
Ecstasy is out now via Metal Blade Records.
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