Not Some Kid Interviews Schiller!
Not Some Kid is “Sicker Than Your Average” .
Not Some Kid is a music blog run by a group of friends dedicated to sharing some of the best music with anyone who wants it. They have diverse tastes in music and post everything, from the best mainstream songs to their favorite indie and underground songs. They recently posted two hits off the new album Breathless, “Try” with Nadia Ali and “Breathe” with September. NSK goes on to describe Schiller’s “Schill-Out” sound as “smooth and synth-filled beats with the soothing vocals of talented singers coaxing you through each track.” If you aren’t already, get familiar with Schiller.
http://notsomekid.com/immaculate/schiller-try-ft-nadia-ali-video/
Check out their new interview with Schiller where NSK puts him in The Hot Seat and discovers why Schiller is “Not Some Kid”.
http://notsomekid.com/immaculate/exclusive-not-some-kid-interview-with-schiller/
Here at NSK, we’ve held interviews with up-and-coming artists who have inspiring stories that we hope can motivate others to strive to be great. So far, our interviews have received a great response, but this time we wanted to do something different.
NSK: How did you first get started in music?
Schiller: When I was 12, a friend of mine introduced me to the music of ‘Tangerine Dream‘, a German band pioneering electronic music in the 70s. I was stunned by their sound and decided: this is your music, this is what you want to do. That was the first spark.
NSK: You’ve had a long and very successful career as an artist/producer. In your eyes, what has been your biggest achievement?
Schiller: My biggest achievement? Difficult to say… I try to develop my style constantly, always trying to create new sounds and emotional moments. There is always a new ‘fashion of the year’, and it is more than tempting for many musicians to follow these trends. I prefer to work on my own musical vision, and I am more than grateful that my audience is appreciating this effort.
NSK: Definition of Not Some Kid, right there. Be unique. You’ve been known to effectively take influence from your life experiences and apply it to your music. How did your time aboard the research vessel, Polarstern, shape the music on Breathless, your most recent album? How did you get involved with the voyage, and what were the most memorable experiences on the vessel?
Schiller: I try to be open to new impressions and different ways of life, as I would like to make the most out of this one life I was given. Avoiding any routine is mandatory for me, which is why I got in touch with a team of scientists, and, after all, they invited me to join them on their expedition towards the arctic. Although the landscape of the polar sea is really minimalistic and simple, it opened new layers in my sound. I discovered new atmospheres and this voyage enabled me to go further with my music.
Being surrounded by ice from horizon to horizon, breathing in the clean, icy air, and realising that only the smaller part of this planet is intended for human beings to live in has been a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
NSK: You’ve done shows across the globe. Which has been your favorite venue to perform in?
Schiller: Actually there are two: Performing with Depeche Mode on an open-air-field under the warm summer-skies in Athens, Greece a couple of years ago was really fantastic… And on the opposite, we performed in a very small and old theater in Munich, Germany this year. That also had a very unique feel to it.
NSK: Very nice! How has your workflow changed since Schiller first formed in 1998?
Schiller: Software becomes more and more important. I still have some analogue machines and I love them. I think the best way for me is to combine the ‘best from all worlds’. On stage I’m not ready to rely on software and computers yet, and there is still no usable interface out there in order to control the software-synthesizers, so I prefer the ‘hardware-version’ for my concerts. These days you may create a record on your iPhone. That is stunning. But still no substitute for a great idea. So far, there has been no ‘idea-app’ yet, and most probably there never will.
NSK: We sure hope not! What advice do you have for young up-and-coming producers who are looking to reach a similar level of success in this day and age?
Schiller: You need two things only: a vision and patience. Find out what you really want to do, who you really want to be. Don’t listen to the charts, don’t watch too many video-clips… You have to find your very own musical standpoint. From there on, patience is your most valuable tool. But you will be rewarded for sticking with it.
NSK: Very true, and that can be applied to anyone with a dream! Who are your favorite artists and/or producers from the United States?
Schiller: Well, there are many cool artists over there. In general, I admire an artist’s ability to re-invent himself yet stick to his very own musical principles. Of course Lady Gaga undergoes a constant metamorphosis, but she is still ‘herself’. I also like the productions of Rihanna. Her producers definitely make the most out of her voice.
NSK: There is usually a long time between your album release in Europe and your album release in the US. For example, your Breathless album was released in Europe in March of 2010, and it just recently saw a US release in January. Do you think that helps or hurts the success of your albums?
Schiller: Overall, a record is either good enough to attract its audience or it is not good enough. Timing might be an issue for some artists, but I am pretty laid-back about that. I trust Schiller’s sound to find its way into people’s ears.
NSK: As you should, well put. You’ve produced many great collaborations with renowned female vocalists, from Nadia Ali to September. Besides producing the beats of these collaborations, do you also write the lyrics for them, or do you send the beat and leave it up to the artist?
Schiller: I prefer my musical guests to write their own lyrics. Sometimes I present ideas or a direction, but it is important for me that my guests can really dive into my musical world. Writing their own lyrics helps them a lot.
NSK: I was hoping you’d say that, the collaborations work very well. With that said, what’s next for Schiller?
Schiller: We will go on tour in December 2011 again, but before that we are going to perform several concerts in Russia and Greece. Besides that, I am working on a movie-soundtrack. A lot to do, and I love it!
NSK: We wish you luck with all of it! And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Why are you Not Some Kid?
Schiller: I am Not Some Kid, because I keep searching for the perfect sound.
Who could be as inspiring as young artists currently making a name for themselves, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you: Established artists who have learned a lot from their experiences throughout their career, and who can offer advice to those determined to make it today.
*Cue Christopher Von Deylen aka Schiller*
NSK: Welcome to the Hot Seat! Thanks for joining us. Please introduce yourself to the Not Some Kid family.
Schiller: My name is Christopher Von Deylen. I just turned 40, and I live in Berlin, Germany. I fell in love with electronic music when I was a teenager, and this love-affair became a long-time passion. In 1998 I founded ‘Schiller’, an electronic music project. Since then I released 6 studio-albums, many singles and DVD’s. I love to peform live, so we go on tour on a regular basis. So far there have been more than 200 concerts worldwide, and I cannot wait for the next tour to happen. ‘Schiller’ has received various awards, but honestly I do not care for them very much. They are nice, yes, but they represent ‘the past’. I prefer looking toward ‘the future’ instead…”
Purchase Breathless here: http://okgoodrecords.com/blog/2011/01/05/schiller-breathless/
