Hamburg-based Helloween, who played a pivotal role in the birth and development of power metal, have experienced good times and bad over the past four decades.
Below, co-founding guitarist Michael Weikath previews their new album, Giants & Monsters and a birthday party at London’s Hammersmith Apollo by the current seven-man incarnation – still boosted by the return of both singer Michael Kiske and guitarist Kai Hansen in 2016
When Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske rejoined Helloween almost a decade ago, some assumed it would be one big, final payday, then over and done. But you’ve proved those people wrong.
I’m sure those same people had had a hard time with Helloween the way they were. The band is now for the greater good. We don’t beat each other up or try to get even over things that happened a long time ago in the past.
With so many opinions and talents in the band to juggle, can things be unmanageable?
It’s a good question. But these days we have good management. The management of the old Helloween – the five-man band – could never react to problems. Now, each and every character is known, and things are handled very well.
Has Michael Kiske rediscovered his love of heavy metal? It’s even been claimed he was never much of a fan in the first place.
It all depends on the kind of metal. Michael was always a fan of Iron Maiden and Queensrÿche, but he cannot stand the dark, demonic stuff.
How have Kai and Michael changed during their time away from Helloween?
[Laughing] ‘The Hansen’ [a reference to Kai] has taken on board a lot of bad traits of mine, like complaining and bitching – all the things I used to do. And I have taken on a lot of his negative aspects.
The band’s 2021’s comeback album, Helloween, received wonderful reviews. In some respects the new one, Giants & Monsters, is possibly even better.
I’m totally not aligned to comments like that. Is it better or worse than the one before? I don’t know. It’s good enough, I know that for sure.
It’s shorter than Helloween, which was more than an hour long, and it has a really nice flow.
That was intended. It’s better to have eight songs instead of twelve. Those later Aerosmith records with 14 or 15 tracks… I never made it all the way through. Judas Priest’s album before last [Firepower], I couldn’t get past five songs. If there’s some great material left over, save it for next time.
In the hands of another band a song like Into The Sun might be considered pop music, but somehow Helloween make it sound imposing.
You know, the verse always reminds me of The Show Must Go On by Queen. It could be the best ballad ever written by ‘The Deris’ [singer Andi Deris]. I’m so glad it came out the way it did.
Can we surmise that Kai Hansen had been listening to UFO’s Love To Love before he wrote the intro to Majestic?
I’m pretty sure. But it’s natural to be influenced by your idols and to honour them. On the other hand, it also reminds me of Queen Of The Reich [by Queensrÿche], but slower.
Was it vital to have retained the creative team of producer Charlie Bauerfeind and mixer Dennis Ward for the new record?
But for them, we wouldn’t have all of these great arrangements. Charlie did all of the choirs, and Dennis is exceptionally talented at working with voices. Their contribution is crucial.
How many of the new songs are you going to be playing live?
Only three or four. Being the fortieth anniversary, besides the old favourites, we will play songs rarely or never played before. Over two hours and twenty minutes, that doesn’t leave a lot of time. We didn’t play many from the last one either.
Forty years is an amazing achievement. Can you pick two or three highlights?
The reaction to Walls Of Jericho [the band’s full-length debut] was important when it came out [in 1985], particularly the interesting comments from the British press. Then came the whole Keeper Of The Seven Keys saga [Parts 1 and II in ’87 and ’88, before a messy split with Noise Records and signing to EMI]. That was very stressy, and the success was overwhelming. With Master Of The Rings [1994, the final album for EMI] we cut ourselves free again.
There must have been moments when you came close to throwing in the towel.
No, not really. There were always opportunities [to continue]. What were we going to do? Would Markus Grosskopf [bassist] become our tour promoter? Should I sit down behind a computer? No, this [making music] is what we do.
What kept the band going during those darkest of times?
Oh, the fans that were there, definitely. They frickin’ supported us through everything. That’s why we kept on going.
Reaching fifty years is the next big milestone.
It’s possible. But I don’t want to know right now. Don’t pester me too much about it. Let’s hope for a positive outcome.
Does the idea sound scary?
It does. I turn sixty-three in August, and I’m sometimes washed out after a show. But I’m very proud of what we have achieved as a band.
Helloween's 40th anniversary tour begins on October 17 in Luxembourg, with a London date on October 20. Giants & Monsters is out on August 29 via Reigning Phoenix Music. For full dates and tickets, check the band's website.
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