Photo courtesy of Velvet ViperWho are you and what is your role in the band?
I am Jutta Weinhold. I am a singer, composer, lyricist for Velvet Viper.
I am Holger Marx and I play the guitar and write the songs together with Jutta.
How did the band get started?
Jutta: The first Velvet Viper was formed in 1991 after the split of Zed Yago. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to restart the project again.
Who are your influences and how do they play a role in your sound?
Jutta: I am inspired by literature and poetry legends, mythologies and last but not least fantasy.
Holger: I think musically we are mainly influenced by classic 80s Metal and hard-rock from the 70s. We spice that up with some classical or even oriental elements.
‘Respice Finem’ is a sort of comeback album for you and Velvet Viper. Why
the sudden decision to come back? And, will there be any future music from
Zed Yago, also?
Jutta: I created Zed Yago in 1985 and after the split, I lost the right of using my creation Zed Yago, because I did not have a private copyright. That was a tragedy to me, and it took a while to take it. Velvet Viper was the follow-up band with a similar (fantasy) concept as Zed Yago.
What has been your most meaningful experience being in this band so far?
Jutta: Zed Yago was something completely different and new. Based on the opera of Richard Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman.” I wanted to bring classical roots in to heavy metal, because this music is strong enough for other themes, away from a rock ‘n roll fast food. The new Velvet Viper album has a Wagner theme on it too Lohengrin from Wagner’s opera “Lohengrin.”
Favorite memory from a show you’ve played or a place you’ve travelled?
Jutta: We supported the original Deep Purple with Zed Yago. And one year later WASP in Great Britain and Ireland. Both events where something special to me.
What is your favorite song off of ‘Respice Finem’ and why?
Jutta: Oh, it is hard for me to pic one out of the eleven songs. I love them all.
Holger: No one ever gets an answer from Jutta to that kind of question. Rating your own song is really not easy, but we are very happy how well the new songs work out live in connection with the old ones. We were surprised how well the more complex songs like “Loherangrin-Lohengrin” are received by the audience.
What more do you hope to accomplish with your music?
Jutta: Music is not only commerce and consuming not only party or entertainment, it has ideal values which are very important to suffer in our material world.
Holger: Playing the guitar is a natural need for me, and we play exactly the kind of music I love. The first thing I want to accomplish is feeling good about what I do.
How did Kai Hansen enter the picture?
Jutta: I have known Kai Hansen a long time we both live in Hamburg. He is a great musician and a very understanding guy. He knows what to do in metal music. We are very proud that he found the time to work with us, although the start of rehearsals for the Helloween world-tour needed his time too. I had a lot of lyrics on a big pile with ideas for melodies and song structures at home and I sat together with Holger, our guitarist, who had a lot of riffs and ideas for solos and so on, and then we started making demos. Kai joined us in the rehearsing room to arrange the songs and then we had the final concepts for recording.
Something about you that no one knows?
Jutta: How can I know?
Holger: Jutta has so many great stories to tell from way back in the 60s and 70s when rock music evolved. Being a part of Velvet Viper is very educating.
What is next for the band?
Jutta: Playing our gigs in Germany and working with Holger Marx on new
songs.
Anything else you want to add?
Jutta: Dear metal heads in the US, go and watch your local bands live on stage. That is the real deal! Rock ‘n roll is bigger than all of us CAUSE THIS SONG IS NEVER ENDING!
