Bienvenue sur / Welcome to

First of all thank you for answering our questions.

 

Profilprog – We have known you on the albums of your wife Ines. For the benefit of readers, who is Hans-Jürgen Fuchs?

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I’m a German musician, which means that I basically compose music in the field of progressive and art rock. I also write musicals for pupils at the age from 14 to 18, which are performed all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland (My main job is teaching).

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PP-On May 18 last you presented us "Station songs", your latest production. The concept of "Station songs" seems to be related to what happens in a subway station and to all the people who attend it, is that correct?

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It`s actually a station. A regular visitor to the station likes watching people. They are presented in two different perspectives, the visitor’s one and their own one. So the listener gets to know 6 different characters and can decide which point of view is the truth.

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PP – How did you come up with the idea of writing about it?

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I was writing music for a theater project with German pupils and young refugees from all over the world. What we then needed was a recording of a station’s atmosphere. So I went to Stuttgart station and was sitting on a bench and recording all the different noises for more than an hour. It had a nice time watching all the different people and wondering who they were and where they were going.

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PP – The composer Max Richter specializes in post minimalist music, you said that he influenced you on this album, how can You tell us more?

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I have always been inspired by minimalist music. In the past it was mainly the music of Arvo Pärt. In the last two years I got to know Max Richter’s music and listened to it very often. So it certainly had an impact on my writing. Especially if you think of atmosphere.

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PP – Listening to "Station songs" You can hear other influences like Genesis, for example. Are there any other artists/groups that have influenced you for your compositions?

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Well, I am very much interested in chords and harmonizing that’s why I’m a huge fan of Tony Banks who is a master of his own class. But I’m also learning from artists from a different music categories, Max Richter as mentioned before, but I also like a lot of the Snarky Puppy music. I really do like instrumental music that’s why “Station Song” has long instrumental parts.

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PP – Most of the musicians that accompanied you in 2012 on your first album are still there, there seems to be a nice complicity between you? And your wife Ines is also present on this last album, she was not on the previous album, does she have the taste to make a comeback?

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Ines has been working a lot as a photographer. And she’s been really successful. When we presented my last album “The unity of two” live I asked her if she wanted to be the keyboardist. Then she found out that music still was big fun and so she played on “Station Songs”. Mainly all the synth solos (which are fantastic J)

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PP – Usually how does your composition process take place, is it difficult?

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No, it just happens. I do not plan any composing. I just collect ideas either on the guitar or the piano, then I record a kind of pre production on the computer. That’s the point where the other musicians join the process.

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PP – Why choose to make progressive, there are more lucrative styles?

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I simply like that kind of music very much. I’m also very happy that I don’t have to earn my money with music. So I can do what I really want.

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PP – What do you think is the future of music? Do you think the CD could disappear?

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It looks as if. It’s a pity that everyone seems to be streaming or downloading (even without paying). I’m kind of old-fashioned. I want to read in the booklet etc.

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PP-Are there any promotional tour projects for the summer or the coming months?

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No, it’s quite difficult to put the band together due to our different jobs. But we want to play some special events.

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PP-What is the most beautiful memory, the one that you would like to relive?

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Apart from wonderful memories that are connected with my family I remember the day when I went to the Genesis concert of “The lamb lies down on Broadway”. I didn’t even have a ticket. But suddenly everyone was running and then I was in the hall and saw the whole show which was absolutely amazing.

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PP-You have the word of the end...

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There still is so much good music around us. It just has to be found.

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Richard, thank you for spreading the word and supporting my album.

 

Thank you for everything. I am proud and honored to have the opportunity to ask you these questions.

Best regards,