NEON BONE

NEON BONE

What are your earliest memories of loving music? What was your first favorite band or song? Before discovering punk, which styles of music did you enjoy most?

Somehow, music was always present in our home and I have always absorbed everything that somehow had to do with music. I remember we always sang a lot with the family on long car rides. Even canons like "Brother Jakob", that was already demanding for me as a child and has shaped me uncannily. I was fascinated by the stereo in our living room and always watched my father recording music from the radio. I had no idea what all the buttons were good for, but I loved it. I could watch the records of my parents for hours. The artists on it, the presentation, the careful handling of the vinyl. All this has cast a spell over me. My dad was never a fanatical record collector, but he was very enthusiastic about music and individual songs. I remember the glint in his eyes when he played songs he liked. For example, he loved the song "Albatros" by the German rock group Karat and always vividly told how he imagined himself in the sprawling middle section, that he himself was an albatross flying over the sea. My dad used to come home with new music and then say something like, "Listen to this chorus, it's totally awesome," or "This solo is really amazing". His enthusiasm fascinated me and carried me away. My father often went to the library and borrowed music cassettes, which he then copied for us children. He came home and said, "Here, listen to that. You might like that. " The first cassette I remember getting from my dad that way was a Best of ABBA. I loved this tape. It was upbeat and so melodic. I never wanted to hear anything else again. But I was still very young, maybe 6 or 7.

In elementary school, I got a lot of cassettes from my older cousins. The first tapes included "The final countdown" by Europe or the "World wide live" by the Scorpions. For this music we often gave "concerts" in our children's room. My parents were the audience and the bed was the stage. The guitars were old tennis rackets and so on. The urge to "rock" was always there anyway.

I bought my first 7 "single from my pocket money in the nearby supermarket. It was "Johnny B" by the Hooters. I must have been 9 years old. I saw the song in a music show and was totally excited. There was no MTV at that time. We had only 3 programs and when every few weeks there was a music show on TV in which video clips were shown, we always watched them with the whole family. That was a real highlight for me. So there was this song from the Hooters and I was totally blown away. I absolutely had to have that song. So I scraped my last money together and bought this single. I can remember everything exactly. How I stood in the shop, how the record smelled, how the paper felt. My dad warned me then. 5 Mark was a lot of money for me and my father said I should save my money. I would listen to the record only 5 times anyway and then forget about it. I have played this record at least 5000 times and I still have it.

When did you first pick up an instrument? Were you initially interested in writing songs or simply playing songs that you liked? What was your earliest inspiration to begin writing songs?

I was very fortunate that my parents had strongly encouraged my early musical education at that time. Already in elementary school we had flute lessons. That was common at the time as a beginner's instrument. Then you could choose a "real" instrument and I started to learn cello. At that time we had a camping holiday with the family and there was also a church tent where services were held during the weekend. Someone played cello in one of these services and I thought it was great, so I decided to go with this instrument. But even then I had little desire to practice or to learn music theory. After 2-3 years I did not feel like playing the cello anymore and I started playing the keyboard. At the time, I was a fanatic supporter of Depeche Mode and thought that if I had a keyboard I could make music like that. Of course, that did not work out and besides, at the time I started to get excited about punk music and I really wanted to play in a band. So I persuaded my parents to buy me a bass and a small amp. I was about 12-13 years old. Someone had told me that a bass guitar is easier to play than a normal guitar, because you only have to play one side on the bass and you do not have to pick up chords like on the guitar.

I had no idea, but I knew someone who had drums and a basement where we could rehearse. He was a lousy drummer and much younger than me at the time, but we had a punk band. My best friend sang. After the first rehearsal we strolled totally euphoric through our small town and got to know quite a bit older punk, who had a guitar and could play something. He then joined us directly and already had a few songs. Only later did we realize that most of them were simply stolen, but that did not matter to us at the time. At the time I also started to write my first songs. Of course they were not good, but they already had everything a song needs from the structure. Intro, verse, chorus, solo etc.

Prior to Neon Bone, did you play in other bands? What were those experiences like? How did you decide to become a "one-man band"?

I played in countless bands, but they were all punk in the broadest sense. It started with very simple German punk, then came Melodic punk a la NOFX and Lagwagon, later a lot of hardcore punk. I remember well that even then we never took the contents of this music very seriously and always approached the subject very ironically. Slogans like "Fuck the cops" or "Fuck the system" just did not really fit in with our well-guarded environment. It was a split relationship somehow. We loved punk, but at the same time we always made fun of the cliché of that music and somehow satirized it. Of course, we also had songs against cops and „the system“ and I vividly remember that we were rolling on the floor laughing while writing these songs. We just wanted to have our fun and make some noise. And we really had a lot of fun.

It was the same with Hardcore later on. I liked the energy and raw power of this music, but never saw myself as part of the scene. I was no tough guy and I never tried to be one. But I wanted to do music like that anyway, so we had a lot of fun picking the genre and satirizing it. If you're wondering if I'm taking music seriously, all I can say is there's nothing I enjoy more than music. And I take fun very seriously.

One thing that bothered me on many of my bands and projects was the short life. Just before we started Neon Bone we had a really great German punk band called FRESSFEIND with whom I was very happy. We had a great demo and booked some cool shows. And suddenly our drummer had no desire for noise and got into a "Jamband". We could not find another drummer and so once again a promising band of mine has fizzled. That's how it went with many of my bands back then. People came and went, suddenly they were tired and the bands broke up. That annoyed me very much at that time snd i wanted to create something that will last and that is not dependent on certain people except me. A real „aha“ experience I had after a show by the band M.O.T.O. around mastermind Paul Caporino. I had never heard of the band before, but thought the show and the band's songs were fantastic. The songs were so simple and catchy and some lyrics only consisted of one line. Very rudimentary stuff. As I struggled through the gigantic catalog of the group at home, I found out that Paul was practically the only constant member of the band, and he had simply recorded numerous albums at home alone with a cheap drum machine. That's exactly what I wanted to do. If I find musicians who want to play with me: Good. If not, that does not mean the end of the band. Then I'll just go on alone.

How did you develop your knowledge and style of songwriting? When did you begin to realize that you were creating something original? Who are the songwriters who have inspired you the most?

It just came that way and felt completely natural. Despite early musical education, I can not read music and have no idea about music theory or technical things. But when I was a kid I already understood what makes a good song. I can still remember exactly how, as a small child, I sat in the car with my parents and analyzed songs. I listened carefully to the songs and instinctively knew "aha, now comes the chorus", "that's the middle part now", or "in the end the chorus comes twice". Such things have gone into flesh and blood. In retrospect, I've always loved music that includes that particular 4/4 beat and a good melody. Certain chord progressions trigger something in me. The feeling that it breaks your heart when a certain chord progression is played or a certain minor chord comes. I was always more a minor than a major type of guy, haha. That's why I can not do much with techno or funk because it's so rhythm-based. Take for example a song like "Sexmachine" by James Brown. That's practically just one chord that is played on. Of course, that's really groovy and danceable, but I need that particular set of chords in combination with an enthralling lead / vocal melody to really get me excited. And it should be simple and catchy.

To enumerate all the songwriters who would have influenced me would be to much, so only the most important once. The Ramones are of course a huge influence. The traceability of the songs is a deciding factor. With the Ramones, like so many, I immediately had the feeling: "I can do that too". Nevertheless, the songs were awesome and real hits. And you could reenact this WITHOUT practicing for 5 hours a day.

Of course WEEZER is also a big influence. The first two albums of the band I have heard until vomiting, but only with the release of the green album, this band has become immortal for me. This album blew me away in a way that the Ramones did back then. This stoicism, the catchiness, the conceptual and the comprehensible songwriting, that impressed me deeply at that time. At the time, I really thought this band understood EVERYTHING what matters in music. Unfortunately this picture was not confirmed on the later records, but this record is a masterpiece of rock for me. I will never be such a brilliant songwriter as Rivers Cuomo, but this record has always made me feel that I can do it THEORETICALLY, if I can just think of the right idea. Take a band like today's Propagandhi. I really like to listen to them and admiring them, but I'll NEVER play like that. Not in 1000 years. Traceability is a great motivating factor for me.

You tend to craft simple songs that are extremely catchy. Have you always been a minimalist by nature? You once told me that you don't include any drum fills on the songs, which is an instinct I can relate to!

First and foremost, that has something to do with the fact that I am technically so bad. Especially with the guitar I have problems. I can only grab power chords and play a few simple leads. I try to write and play in a very song-friendly and simple way, and if I can not do something (eg a drumfill) I'll just leave it that way. No one needs it anyway, haha!

When did you begin the challenge of becoming a touring band? How did you find the right guys to play with, and how was that experience compared to just recording at home?

At the very beginning, a friend from Berlin once asked me if I wanted to play a show. I said I did not have a band, but he said that would not be a problem, he would have some musicians who could play. So I went down and we played the show without having rehearsed before. It was a legendary evening and a lot of fun, although we were not very good. We repeated that again, but the long distance prevented us from getting more out of it. When the first Neon Bone 7inch came out, I wanted to throw a release party. Of course with a show. I asked a couple of friends with whom I played in bands before or in parallel if they feel like it and that's how it came about. We rehearsed a few times and then played this release show. It was so much fun that we played more shows and then somehow it became a life of its own. At the beginning we have exchanged a lot of the cast and it basically played who just wanted and had time. Meanwhile, I have a solid lineup with a few people who can sometimes jump in. These are all good friends with whom I have been making music for years and who are really on the ball, not music mercenaries.

You still record all of your albums by yourself - playing all the instruments and handling all production. What are the pro's and con's of doing it this way? What have you learned in the process?

The biggest advantage is that I am fast and efficient. We are all old grandpas and have jobs and families, there is often little time for studio appointments and recordings. We even often fail to rehearse regularly. As a "one man band" I am independent and can record how and when I want. That's a big advantage and probably the only way to keep the band going the way it is. We all have so little time, that would take forever to find appointments.

Especially when producing it would be nice sometimes to get some ideas and suggestions from the outside. If you deal so long with the individual songs, you sometimes lose some focus and you get lost in unnecessary trifles.

Which instrument is the one you feel most comfortable playing? Which instrument do you use the most for songwriting? How did you develop your knowledge of harmony with vocals? 

I do not feel really comfortable at any instrument, because I have just too many technical weaknesses and I often come to my limits. But it makes no sense to me, to practice forever to create things that I ultimately do not need and or want. Playing bass is my obvious choice, because I've been doing it for so long. But I usually write songs on the guitar. I do not know anything about music theory, the vocal harmonies just come to my mind. And since I can not write my ideas down, I make many demos or recordings on the phone to not forget them. I also just listen to a lot of music and then, of course, steal a lot of things, hahaha.

You structure your songs in a very traditional way - intro, verse, chorus, repeat (with the occasional bridge I'm sure). Where does this instinct come from? Do you also prefer to write shorter songs? I've always claimed that 1:50 is the ideal pop punk song length! 

I can not tell you where that instinct comes from. I just try to make the music that I would listen to myself and that's just short, melodic songs. It's true, I almost always build my songs in a very traditional way, and with a certain tempo, that usually results in a length of about 2 minutes. A ballad maybe about 3 minutes. But that comes from the slower pace. The structure of the songs does not change much.

You tend to write lyrics that have a universal appeal - love songs, songs about life, and always without resorting to extreme or obscene language. Did you want your music to be enjoyed by a wider audience? Do you naturally write lyrics this way? Have you ever wanted to write about something extremely negative or controversial?

I'm more in the tradition of 50s and 60s bands and it would feel weird to curse somehow. But that was not a conscious decision of mine. I actually thought about it for the first time when I read your question. It simply does not come to my mind. It certainly was different with previous bands, but that was also in a hardcore context.

How does your music hobby/passion factor into your everyday life as a professional and family man? Is it difficult to balance your time so that you can accomplish your goals? How supportive is your family with regard to the music? Do they take an interest in your accomplishments?

My family supports me and gives me the freedom I need. I can not live without music. This whole thing is neither a job nor a hobby, but my life content. Everything I do has to do with music in some way. On the other hand, I love my family and also enjoy being a family man. It's sometimes hard to find a good middle ground but it's possible and I never had the feeling that it is difficult to reconcile these two worlds because I love my family very much. 

How did you link up with Kevin Aper? He is known to be a champion of the best pop punk bands in Europe. Do you guys talk about songwriting together or offer feedback on one another's songs? What do you think of his thrash band Insanity Alert?

Sure, we sometimes talk about music and he also gives me some feedback about my songs, but that's not exactly the details. I think he likes it very well, haha. Although I'm not a metalhead I like Insanity Alert very well and I've seen the band play a few times already. The set is pretty short and crisp and has a lot of punk appeal though it's metal. Probably the most important factor: The boys are okay and do not take themselves too seriously which is important for me. There's nothing more annoying than "serious“ musicians.

In addition to being a skilled musician and songwriter, you're also very good with graphic design. You've laid out many ads and album covers for bands. Are you self-taught? Have you always had an interest in creating art as well as music?

I studied Graphic Design and finished, but I went back to my old job as a caretaker. As I mentioned, pretty much everything I do has some kind of music to it, and graphic design is no exception. Design is just a tool for me to visualize my music. I'm very results-oriented, so I do not do any art just for the sake of art. For me, music is inseparable from the visual and the image, so it is logical  for me to deal with it. I love designing album covers, flyers and posters or designing shirt designs. In addition, my enthusiasm for design is very limited. It is a means to an end. I do not understand bands that do not value their image and look. An example: A band rehearsing next to us in the rehearsal room worked on an album for a long time. They made a big deal of it and changed things over and over, reworked things and re-recorded them until after a few months they were finally satisfied and the record was ready. I was really looking forward to the result and then they handed me a burned CD wrapped in a copied sheet of paper !!! Looked really shit and I just felt a pity. Since you work on a product for months and then comes out something half-cooked, which is simply not fair. And a record cover is often the first thing one perceives of a band. Maybe I am a bit out of time, but I listened to countless records before the internet in its present form just because I liked the cover. A band that does not care about something like that has a hard time with me, but of course there are exceptions.

You toured the Eastern USA with your band a few years back. What was that experience like? Did you form any new impressions of the United States? What do you think about the current pop punk scene here? What is your impression of the US political situation right now? How is it generally perceived in Germany?

It was a great experience and we were really lucky that everything went so well and smoothly. John Proffitt JR booked the tour for us and accompanied us as a "tour manager". We did not know each other personally before, but only by mail, which of course carries some risk. Our worries were completely unfounded. Fortunately, John was not one of those typical music business blabbermouth, but a really cool, smart and funny guy who really took the whole thing seriously. But in a very pleasant and unawkward way. Best man!

The people in the US were all very friendly and interested. The way the Americans approached us was very helpful to us.

The pop-punk scene in the US I felt like everywhere else in the world: very small and manageable, but of course also very familiar and sworn. Everyone seems to know everyone.

The political situation in the US is just as reactionary as in Europe. It is awful, but we should not lean too far out of the window here. Everyone is complaining, for example, about Trump's plans to build a wall, but we are no better in Europe. We have these walls for years so each of us should first sweep at our own doorstep. Like in the US, Europe is very much divided between right wing conservatives who have sympathies for Trump and his politics and liberals who hate him. I'm very much a liberal!

Germany has many great pop punk bands - my favorites being The Richies and The Hawaiians. Is there a strong community among the pop punk bands, or a "scene"? Who are your favorite German bands?

Since there are very few bands in Germany that make this "classic" pop-punk sound, you naturally know and respect each other. It feels like a small family and that's great, of course. But you can count the bands in Germany making such a classic sound on 2 hands. That's really very few. The Burger Weekends are great and good friends of ours, with whom we have traveled often. The Barbecuties and the Yoohoos from the south, Haermorrhoids and the Hawaiians in the north and in the middle the whole Ruhrpott bands like the Richies, the Nimrods, the Flatulinees and EPHD. Not to mention the Evil o Brians from Brunswick. But that's almost it with the German glory.

Germany also has a long tradition of heavy metal music - from traditional to the distinctive "Teutonic Thrash". Do you have any interest in metal? You once sent me a Neon Bone t-shirt that had the Slayer logo design.

I have no real connection to Heavy Metal. I've always found this insincere "hardness" of many bands ridiculous and I have always considered Metal to be very conservative. Yes, even more conservative than punk. All those old bands like IRON MAIDEN or METALLICA, that seemed a bit antiquated to me. The dress code, the long hair, that was somehow nothing for me. Punk had something fresh and new to it, at least for me (although this is of course nonsense in the retrospective).

As a creative person, do you struggle emotionally? I often ask about the connection between art and depression. Is this something you have experienced? How does music provide you with an emotional outlet? Does it help to satisfy you when you're feeling down?

Not really. I would call myself a well balanced and happy person. Of course I have bad days and music helps me a lot, but I would be lying if I said I had depression.

Do you feel that English is the best language for rock music? It seems that many international bands choose to sing in English. Is there a certain pressure to do this, or does it come naturally since many inspirational bands also sing in English?

English is the language that almost everyone understands and it forgives rather small mistakes better than German. Sounds much better too. And of course that makes it a lot easier for us to tour abroad. And everyone can immediately understand the lyrics and sing along. It always bothers me when I hear Spanish music, for example, that I do not understand a word and can not sing along, haha. That is somehow important to me.

What are your future goals with Neon Bone? Do you plan to continue the same course of creating catchy punk rock? Have you ever been tempted to explore other genres of songwriting? What are your ultimate goals as a musician and songwriter?

It would be nice if it could go on for a long time with the band, that we can continue to be friends and play many cool shows. I'm still looking for the perfect pop song and have no ambitions to change anything.

Is it weird to be a drummer/singer? What made you want to do this? You could have played any of the instruments live. Did you want to take yourself out of the spotlight, so to speak?

Honestly, sometimes I would rather play the guitar and not the drums. One, because it's very stressful to play and sing at the same time, and besides, I'm also a very visual person and I just like it better when everything is symmetric on stage, haha. Unfortunately I could never find a drummer who can play these fast 8ths on the hi-hat. Meanwhile, I have come to terms with my "fate". And for a control freak like me, of course, the drums have some advantages.

Have you been able to connect with and meet any of your heroes in the punk rock community? Has anyone been especially supportive of Neon Bone?

I've played with a lot of bands I never thought i would ever play with and got to know many of my "heroes" from back then, and I've never had any bad experiences. Anyway, there was no one who has turned out to be a total asshole.

Do you remember how we began contacting each other? I consider myself to be a huge Neon Bone fan. Your songs are great! If you have any closing remarks, go for it. Otherwise thank you for doing this, Lars!

Of course I remember and i really appreciate your interest in me and my music! Thanks a ton my friend!