Perhaps the reader will not believe me when reading these first lines… But I can assure you, without fear or blush, that the conversation I just had with Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O. and ex-Accept) has been, to define it with a single word, magical.
I remember as if it were yesterday the first time I had the chance to shake Udo’s hand, more than ten years ago, in the dressing room of a concert hall in Madrid. There he was, sitting quietly, passing the time until it was time to go on stage. And, in the same way, I met him in many other occasions in which we have been able to chat before giving a concert when he has toured the Spanish geography with his band, U.D.O. Of course, he has always received me with a smile and has been very accessible, willing to sign photos, posters and all the CD and vinyl booklets that I extended to him so that he could sign them. Undoubtedly, Udo is one of those people with whom, over the course of time, a good friendship is forged and, most importantly, are able to leave an indelible mark given the unique energy he exudes.
This time, through a videoconference, I have met again face to face with the legendary German singer, who, once again, has kindly granted me a few minutes of his time to chat about a few topics. Again, a privilege to have a conversation with someone I admire so much. I’m talking about the VOICE of metal: Udo Dirkschneider.
After checking that microphones, headphones and cameras are working properly, we start with an exchange of affectionate greetings, a mixture of English and German (as far as my knowledge of his native language allows me), and a few laughs because, as he confesses to me, he does not get along very well with technology and, thanks to the help of another person who stays off camera, he has been able to establish the connection.
- Daniel Ortega: First of all, dear Udo, it is an honor to chat with you for a few minutes. Thank you for granting me the opportunity to interview you for Rock Angels….
Udo Dirkschneider: Nice to see you again.
- Daniel Ortega: I’m going to start the timer because we have limited time and you have a very busy schedule this Friday.
Udo Dirkschneider: Ok (laughs).
- Daniel Ortega: First of all, Udo, you have an impressive streak in U.D.O. with great albums like «Steelhamer», «Decadent», «We Are One» with the Musikkorps der Bundeswehr (German Army Band), «Steelfactory»… My sincere congratulations for these works.
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, they are great albums… Especially «We Are One».
- Daniel Ortega: Right, «We Are One» is an exceptional album. I know you were very excited to create this very special album for you together with the Bundeswehr Band. You have planned it for a long time and even played live at Wacken together with the military musicians.
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, it is… The interesting thing about this album is that we created it from scratch, we composed all the songs exclusively for «We Are One». It was a very instructive and learning process for me, especially in the composition phase (lyrics and music). I am very proud of it. We can find very good songs, in short, it’s an album that I love (nods full of pride).
- Daniel Ortega: In «We Are One» we find real gems like the title track «We Are One» or the ballad, «Neon Diamond», which you perform with Manuela Markewitz in an exceptional way.
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, good choice, good taste Daniel… (laughs for a few seconds).
- Daniel Ortega: We are still living a pandemic situation… The year 2020 has been very hard in many aspects for the world population. How are you and the band living this complicated phase of our lives?
Udo Dirkschneider: We used part of 2020 for the promotion of the new album, «We Are One», but also, as much as we could, for the preparation of the live show «Live in Bulgaria». A lot of preparations had to be made, it was not easy, to be able to perform in Bulgaria. The process started in July. From there (Bulgaria) we were told that yes, the concert could be feasible, but we were not sure about it because of the serious situation caused by the pandemic. So we focused on «We Are One» and spent a very busy summer promoting it in different media. But, at the beginning of September 2020, we were contacted again and the band felt that yes, it was worth trying to bring the show in Bulgaria to fruition. We thought, then, in a positive way because the pandemic seemed to have given some respite, so we started to get going as everything seemed a bit easier. A lot of things had to be organized, such as flights, accommodation, equipment, the place where to give the concert…
- Daniel Ortega: What can you tell us about the impressive venue where the show took place?
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, the Roman amphitheater in Plovdiv is magnificent. Wow. It sure is. We valued also the possibility of recording the concert. So we prepared for it. One of our technical team members lives in Bulgaria and that made things a lot easier. One of our worries was who was going to do the recording… But this person from our team managed to get Bulgarian Television to do it. Bulgarian Television! Fantastic! (laughs). So, with this aspect already secured, we agreed that we had to start rehearsing quickly (more laughter). Of course, it had to be done to be ready for the performance, you know how it goes… So I contacted the band members… Andrey had to fly from Russia, Tilen from Slovenia and the others (Sven, Fabian and Udo) to our rehearsal place in Germany. Finally we were on our way! We rehearsed for five or six days, with a lot of intensity, and we also took the opportunity to take photos of the band for future albums… Just in case… Because… Who knows when we could all get together again! (new laughs).
- Daniel Ortega: No doubt the pandemic thing was crazy… But, apparently, everything went according to plan and the band was able to travel to Bulgaria. How did things go there?
Udo Dirkschneider: Actually much better than expected. We arrived at the airport in Sofia without any problems and were pleasantly surprised that the hygienic measures were respected in an exemplary manner. Everything went perfectly, both in the hotel and in the different places where we gave interviews for the radio and other media…
- Daniel Ortega: Thank goodness… Some normality among so much chaos…
Udo Dirkschneider: Well… More or less… The only thing different from other concerts was something they told us when we were planning the show. They set a rule that had to be respected at all costs. The organization was very strict about it. A very big hygienic safety distance had to be kept from the stage to the first row where the audience would be. Imagine that. The surprise was huge. We would be playing on stage, in the middle of the amphitheater, and the audience would have to remain seated on the various steps set up for them several meters away (snorts and laughs). OK. Let’s go for it, we said, everything is ready, so… Go ahead!
- Daniel Ortega: Curious measure that, by the way, within the situation we are living is understandable… Was there anything else that surprised you?
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, of course. We asked the organization how many people would attend the show, because we really had no idea… Then someone assured us that a lot of tickets had been sold and that 2500 or maybe 3000 people were expected. Unbelievable!
- Daniel Ortega: Yes, indeed, what a great audience in Bulgaria!
Udo Dirkschneider: Right… How could I define it…? The atmosphere was magical… In my more than 40 years of career as a musician, you can imagine, I have given many, many, many concerts… But that atmosphere created by the audience was unique and very special. Of course it was also very special for us, as it was the only show we could give in all of 2020, so you can imagine… We thought… Yes! Hell, let’s go for it! We’ll do our best!
- Daniel Ortega: It’s very understandable given the current scenario. We, the audience, miss U.D.O. very much and you, of course, performing live in front of an audience…
Udo Dirkschneider: Totally agree. Yes, seriously, that night in Bulgaria was very special. Really special. An incredible atmosphere. You can see it perfectly on the DVD. It was really fantastic. I’m not lying… It was recorded on the DVD!
< Udo, once again, laughs loudly and I am infected by his laughter because, despite the drama that has shaken the world in 2020, he knows how to extract the positive side of an evening spent in Bulgaria in front of his loyal audience. As always, the German has a great sense of humor despite the adversity.
I take advantage of the break to show him in front of the camera my different versions of «Live in Bulgaria 2020», in CD, DVD and vinyl format. He knows very well that the person signing this interview is an avid collector of all his albums in as many formats and versions as have been published, both in Spain and in other countries. We joke about the fact that, whenever we meet, I always make him work harder than usual before the concerts to get him to sign a booklet or two?
We go back to the interview to confirm the last thing he just told us… >
- Daniel Ortega: Udo, something we can notice in «Live in Bulgaria 2020» is that when we press play and see the band live, in the amphitheater, the band is at its best. The guitars sound devastating, the rhythmic base with Sven and Tilen is very powerful and, in your particular case, the vocals are in a great form during the whole performance.
Udo Dirkschneider: Right, yes, it was a show where we gave everything on stage.
- Daniel Ortega: It’s great to see you guys in such exceptional shape. It has been and is very important for the fans, not only in Bulgaria, but for the fans all over the world that you are there, with your music, active, for so many years because it encourages us to deal with any adversity. Especially with the current situation that we have been dragging since the beginning of 2020….
Udo Dirkschneider: I really appreciate your words. Yes, hopefully everything will get better… Luckily we have started to finalize dates for November 2021 for the Russia tour and hopefully also in Europe. Unfortunately we had to move a lot of dates in the calendar. The original tours of Russia, USA, Canada, South America… Everything is being moved to 2022. Hopefully we will definitely be able to perform on those dates and complete a successful 2022… Hopefully those shows can materialize! But for the moment… It’s almost all up in the air (shrugs his shoulders with a worried look on his face).
- Daniel Ortega: What an uncertain outlook, don’t you think?
Udo Dirkschneider: Many people, months ago, said that yes, in 2021 normality would return on the musical level, that festivals could also develop without any problem… No! Festivals are being canceled one after another. Even Wacken is hanging by a thread! There are a lot of rumors about it… There are a lot of possibilities… But, if you want my honest opinion, I don’t think Wacken will take place this year.
- Daniel Ortega: It’s a real shame…
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, we had planned a very powerful performance to promote «We Are One» at Wacken, together with the military orchestra, but, unfortunately, I don’t see it as feasible.
- Daniel Ortega: Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the situation improves and all these festivals can take place, as well as the dates that U.D.O. is setting in the calendar…
< Udo nods his head with a look of circumstance on his face. His silence could not be more significant. He takes the opportunity to drink and clear his voice a little. We have been interviewing for quite a while now and he prepares himself for a new round of questions where I intend to approach a more intimate side of the great German singer. >
- Daniel Ortega: Udo, I have reviewed with great interest the selection of songs chosen for the Bulgaria show and I must confess that I am delighted with the presence of great classics of the band like «Animal House», «They Want War» or «Timebomb» but also many current songs from the recent album «Steelfactory». Was it a hard decision to configure a powerful and attractive setlist for the show? Although I imagine it was, but nevertheless, could you give us some details about it?
Udo Dirkschneider: Phew… (Udo chuckles). Yes… Putting together a setlist is a very complex thing. You see, U.D.O. has 16 studio albums and it can be a bit of a «nightmare» to put the setlist together. Nevertheless, mind you, the promoter in Bulgaria asked us, please, if we could include some classic Accept songs even though he already knew we had no intention of doing so. But we thought okay, go ahead with it, it’s a very special night, we thought it would be a good idea to do it and the audience would surely appreciate it as well, not only the promoter. We also considered the option of including U.D.O. songs that we hadn’t played live for a long time, so we opted for songs like «The Wrong Side of Midnight», «Timebomb», etc. We wanted to do a slightly different setlist than other times. I know there are some songs that the fans missed, but I think it was a good choice anyway.
- Daniel Ortega: True. It was a great selection for an unrepeatable show and that made it even bigger.
Udo Dirkschneider: Thank you very much. It was not easy, but I think we got it right.
- Daniel Ortega: You know, Udo, that I am a loyal follower of the band… Just like in my particular case, many kids that when we were 11 or maybe 12 years old, I’m talking about something that happened thirty years ago approximately (we both snorted in unison), we listened to your music for the first time. We had hair then… Now many of us are bald (we both laughed for a few moments full of complicity)… But, somehow, that first listen changed our lives forever… We discovered Heavy Metal thanks to you! I remember perfectly that a friend’s older brother had an Accept cassette, from «Restless and Wild» and he played for his brother and me, the killer «Fast as a Shark». What a madness! That was great!
Udo Dirkschneider: Wow, what a great start! ha, ha, ha!
- Daniel Ortega: It was the beginning of a different, incredible way of life, which led many headbangers to listen, besides Accept, to other bands like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, etc., and also to many German bands like Rage, Running Wild, etc., but… Accept and then U.D.O. are very special. They are unique bands because their singer, you, Udo, have a unique voice and as a singer, you are also unique. You have no comparison.
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, I agree that I have a unique voice. For example, other singers such as Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie J. Dio (pauses and takes an admiring bow for the late singer)… I don’t know how to explain it… They all have a unique voice as well. You put on any of his records and, wham, there it is… It’s his voice. It’s unique too. You recognize them the first time. What can I say about that! I am very fortunate to have such a unique voice.
- Daniel Ortega: It’s amazing that at almost 70 years old, your voice still works perfectly. You are still able to make the stage rumble and you get the audience to vibrate at all times. Something that is, in my humble opinion, very complicated. And you get it in every show. You are a graceful singer.
Udo Dirkschneider: Thank you very much for those words. About my voice… Yes, I’m very lucky about it. Something to confess… I do practically nothing to keep it in shape. I never prepare it or warm it up before concerts… I just go on stage and sing, without any preparation. Maybe, the only thing that comes to mind now, is that I quit smoking seventeen years ago… So, that’s it, I don’t do anything special. I’m lucky.
- Daniel Ortega: Impressive. You are certainly a graceful singer with a distinctive voice.
Udo Dirkschneider: Thank you very much…
< Between the two of them a brief silence comes between them, a prelude to new questions.
It is in that fraction of a second that I notice the charismatic glow of the German singer in his eyes. I perceive in him that warmth, despite the distance, that radiates when he has a conversation with any of his followers.
We resume the interview to, now, delve into the ins and outs of the band, from the past to the present. >
- Daniel Ortega: Going back to «Live in Bulgaria 2020″… Anyone who has listened to your albums, from the origins of the band, I’m talking about «Animal House», «Faceless World»… Going through «Solid», which is one of my favorites, to the most current ones like «We Are One», we can find lyrics with a lot of meaning, with messages sometimes full of harshness, that talk about social aspects, episodes of personal tragedies, the darkest side of the human being, heartbreaks, etc. Why have you chosen these themes for your lyrics?
Udo Dirkschneider: I never liked to write lyrics about dragons, witches, middle ages and stuff… For me it’s more important to talk about what’s going on in the world, both negative and positive aspects… But, mind you, I don’t want to be anyone’s teacher, you know what I mean, I don’t want to be someone who gives advice through his songs. There are people who may find the lyrics interesting, there are people who don’t, in any case, it’s okay, everyone is free to have their own tastes… It’s very respectable. I feel like dealing with those aspects. You know, I don’t like to talk about cinderella stories… (laughs for a few moments). Seriously, when you travel around the world, you see so many things that inspire you to write lyrics… So, you know my preferences.
- Daniel Ortega: You artists within Heavy Metal are very important to the public, from people who listen to it occasionally to those of us who enjoy this genre on a daily basis. But, in a way, Heavy Metal is very different from other genres and, of course, its artists are also very different. For example, if I’m feeling a bit depressed one day or I’ve had a lot of problems at work… I like to put on some Heavy Metal record that I know, with absolute certainty, will boost my morale; in short, I’ll feel better. And U.D.O., in my bad times, but also in many other people’s bad times, has always been there to boost our morale when we needed it the most. U.D.O. has been, is and will be a great support.
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, I understand what you mean, it’s very interesting what you are saying. There are many of you fans who say that our music has somehow changed your life. You have even written to me or told me in person: when I am depressed, sad or have problems, I put on this song or that song and, shortly after, I feel much better. That’s great. That’s fantastic. It’s very pleasing to me that my music at least helps people in their bad times, to convey emotions and, of course, to motivate them in some aspect of their life. It is something that I am very grateful for when someone tells me about these beautiful things that the music or lyrics of U.D.O. can do.
- Daniel Ortega: For example… When we have to make a long trip by car and alone, many fans listen to your music to feel accompanied during the journey… With one of the best bands in the metal scene!
Udo Dirkschneider: That’s great, thank you very much!
- Daniel Ortega: Udo, we have a few minutes left to conclude the interview…
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, but don’t worry about the time, we can still talk for a while longer… (smiles in an accomplice way).
- Daniel Ortega: During the last few years we have seen that the band has undergone some important changes in its line-up. For example, the departure of the former bass player, Fitty Wienhold, left a huge hole that was very difficult to fill. Fitty is a great guy, very friendly, a very special person as well as being an exceptional musician….
Udo Dirkschneider: Right… Fitty is a great person.
- Daniel Ortega: Tilen Hudrap has come to the band with a lot of energy, the Slovenian bass player is an incredible musician with a great career behind him… And also Fabian Dee Dammers… A guitarist that has surprised us all with his talent that came to permanently fill the gap left by Kasperi Heikkinen, another great guitarist that played in U. D.O. for several years… And of course, Sven, on drums… Can we say that Udo is lucky to have surrounded himself with young and talented musicians?
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes… When Kasperi left the band, during the «Dirkschneider» tour, we had to count on Stefan Kaufmann to help us finish it. We also had the support of Bill Hudson for a while, also a great guitarist, it must be said, but he didn’t end up fitting in the band for personal reasons.
- Daniel Ortega: Turbulent times for U.D.O., right?
Udo Dirkschneider: A little bit… So we had to start looking for a new guitarist, without actually making a big call to recruit the ideal candidate. We opted to let people know, through word of mouth, that we were looking for a new guitarist, without resorting to that kind of big advertisement to recruit potential candidates. And it worked. We received many applications, including some from great guitarists who are well known internationally. But my idea was different… I wanted to have an unknown guitarist, who was talented, but not as mediatic as others who had contacted us. So, one day, I got an email from Fabian where he introduced himself to the band and all that… Some time later I answered him and told him that he had to learn a series of songs and we called him for an audition to see if he could fit in with us. What a scene… (smiles mischievously). He came to the audition, we were working with the orchestra for the album («We Are One»)… He was surprised to see the whole setup as we were rehearsing with the orchestra… He looked at us sheepishly and told us that he had appeared there, for the audition, and that he had brought his equipment with him. Without further delay we told him to join the rehearsal and we played five songs with him. And after the audition, I talked to him for about an hour and a half because I wanted to get to know him better, and then I said… This guy is the perfect candidate!
- Daniel Ortega: Wow, what an anecdote…
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, it was like that, just like that. We already had a new guitarist. He has fit perfectly into the band. He’s a great musician who can write very interesting material and he even made fantastic contributions to the «We are One» album. Fabian is very, very good.
- Daniel Ortega: True, many of us U.D.O. fans have been able to check out his talent through his live performances and even on his YouTube channel where he covers great bands like Symphony-X.
Udo Dirkschneider: That’s right… And he also has his personal projects, just like Andrey with Everlost in Russia. That’s great, that they have interests beyond U.D.O., it’s enriching. I have always discussed it with them. They are free to do what they want as long as we are not at full capacity with U.D.O., as you can understand, so, beyond U.D.O., I’m happy for them (Fabian and Andrey) to progress with their projects as long as they don’t interfere with our activity.
- Daniel Ortega: About Sven… I remember the first time I talked to him, it was in Madrid, in 2013… He was working then for U.D.O. as a technician for Francesco Jovino, the previous drummer. I know that from a very young age he has grown up surrounded by musicians, he has traveled accompanying you on tours, etc. And now he is the drummer of the band you lead… How has that process of personal growth been for your son?
Udo Dirkschneider: Ufff… How time flies! When Francesco left the band, logically, I started to look around at various drummers… At a certain point, I was promoting in Berlin and decided to attend a Saxon concert. Sven, at that time, was working as a drum technician for Saxon. I decided to drop by the venue to see them during rehearsal and sound check. I talked for quite a while with Biff (Saxon’s singer) and we discussed the U.D.O. vacancy and all that… Suddenly, without beating around the bush, he told me… Why don’t you bring Sven into U.D.O.?
- Daniel Ortega: Wow with Biff, he had a good eye!
Udo Dirkschneider: It was a funny anecdote (laughs). Biff, during that conversation, told me that Sven had helped them with the repertoire, for five or six shows, because Nigel, their drummer, was out for a while and they turned to Sven to replace him. That way, they avoided cancelling a series of shows in the middle of a tour in England. Yes, Biff was very sure of his decision about Sven and he wasn’t wrong, at least that’s how he still feels today (he laughs again). They were able to save the tour and Sven played very well during that series of concerts. Biff insisted that Sven could be a great drummer for U.D.O.
- Daniel Ortega: So… Did you have a clear choice of Sven as the new drummer for U.D.O.?
Udo Dirkschneider: Yes, I proposed it to him… I asked him if he wanted to join U.D.O. in a kind of subtle way. He didn’t say yes directly. He told me that he had to think about it for a few days…
- Daniel Ortega: What an answer!
Udo Dirkschneider: Right, I was surprised. A few days went by and he didn’t tell me anything. I knew why (he laughs knowingly). In the meantime, he was preparing several songs to see if he was able to play them with the band. He is a perfectionist and I know he worked very hard during that preparation. Finally, at the moment when I least expected it, weeks later, when I was about to tell him to forget about the proposal… He came and told me: OK, I’ll do it.
- Daniel Ortega: A very interesting and emotional story.
Udo Dirkschneider: You bet…
- Daniel Ortega: Personally, Udo, I think that Sven is a great drummer and that, as time goes by, he will surprise us even more… Maybe because he has learned from one of the best, your old friend and partner in Accept and U.D.O.: Stefan Kauffman… Isn’t it?
Udo Dirkschneider: That’s right, they’ve spent a lot of time together. Not only learning drumming stuff, but he’s also been very much involved in issues concerning recording studios, etc. Yes, Sven, who is a perfectionist, has consulted him many times on how to play parts of songs, especially when we were preparing the «Dirkschneider» tour, a tour in which we played exclusively Accept songs.
- Daniel Ortega: It’s amazing what young people, in particular musicians like Sven, can get involved and get involved to continue learning a profession they are passionate about, in this case that of a musician.
Udo Dirkschneider: I totally agree. Yes, Sven, during the last album we recorded, «We are One», has been very involved. He has also participated in the construction of the lyrics and vocal melodies of some songs. This is a very good thing. It’s a young generation, very different from mine, they come with new and very interesting ideas. The good thing about U.D.O. now is that I have very young musicians: Fabian is 28, Sven is 27, Tilen is 30 and Andrey is 35.
- Daniel Ortega: New blood in the band…
Udo Dirkschneider: That’s right, I have surrounded myself with very young musicians, a new generation, with modern, interesting ideas, with new elements that we can incorporate in the creation of our music. And, yes, in short, I also continue to learn music thanks to them.
- Daniel Ortega: Given the different nationalities of the members of U.D.O., there is a Russian, a Slovakian, two Germans and a third half-German-Spanish (I joke and laugh with Udo when I refer to his almost permanent residence in Ibiza)… How do you organize your rehearsals? A priori it seems a bit complicated…
Udo Dirkschneider: Uffff…. Yes, OK, you are right, it can be a bit complicated… We live very far away from each other… But we are very serious about it. When we know the dates of an upcoming tour, we organize a setlist, agree on a working schedule and meet at our rehearsal place in Germany. We spend 10 – 14 days rehearsing, fine-tune some songs, agree on the final setlist and leave some songs «in reserve» just in case we want to vary the setlist during the tour. So, well, in the end it can be easy once we get going. We meet for rehearsals in the early evening, or maybe a little later, and then we usually go to dinner together, when we talk about everything from music to whatever else comes to mind. Somehow we make a great team and we always stay very close.
< Much to my regret, it’s time to tackle the final stretch of the interview. A real pity, because whenever you have a conversation with Udo, the time flies by.
I decide to ask him a question, a priori very complicated, but the German answers with the good humor he always displays and, in addition, he takes the heat out of the matter with that left hand of someone who has a lot of experience in his profession. >
- Daniel Ortega: Udo, you are very close to turning 70, but you are still giving concerts and touring the world with a lot of energy. The question that is on the minds of many U.D.O. fans, as you can imagine, is… Do we have U.D.O. for a few more years?
Udo Dirkschneider: A lot of people ask me when I’m going to retire. The truth… I don’t know! (laughs). As long as my health respects me, as long as my voice works, as long as we can tour the world and, very important, as long as I have the motivation and fans to continue with the music… Maybe for another 10 years? Who knows! There is nothing planned in that regard… There definitely is not.
- Daniel Ortega: In my personal opinion, Udo, I think Heavy Metal is a way of life… Once you start with it, there’s no way to stop it until the day… We land in the grave.
Udo Dirkschneider: I totally agree with you.
- Daniel Ortega: One last question or, rather, a request… Could you dedicate some last words for your fans in Spain, your second home?
Udo Dirkschneider: Hopefully we can come back soon to play concerts in Spain when we tour Europe in 2022. I hope, in a situation of normality after the «bug», we will be able to see each other soon in concerts. We love to play here because the Spanish fans are very enthusiastic, loyal to the band, always friendly and able to generate very good vibes with us. But, until then, please… Take care of yourselves.
- Daniel Ortega: Udo, really, I never get tired of telling you, it has been a real honor to chat with you once again, this time away from the «hustle and bustle» of the backstage? I assure you it has been an unforgettable experience.
Udo Dirkschneider: Thank you very much for your support.
- Daniel Ortega: I hope we can see you again in 2022, when you come back with U.D.O. to Spain, to enjoy new live performances, because all your fans, as you know, miss you very much. Thanks for your time, Udo. See you next time…
Udo Dirkschneider: See you soon. Best regards.
< Udo says goodbye with a smile from ear to ear just before switching off the camera. The screen goes black, but the image of the man I just interviewed remains clear on my retinas for a few moments that invite reflection and, in an introspective way, to assume the magic of the moments shared with one of the most charismatic singers of the Heavy Metal universe.
Once again, the great Udo Dirkschneider has wasted sympathy and good humor from the beginning to the end of the interview, although, rather, it could be defined as a chat between old acquaintances who decide to have a good time chatting about one of the things they both like most in this life: heavy music.
Now that the reader, along with me, has reached the end of this interview, I invite him to think back and bring to the present some U.D.O. album or song, or perhaps from his time in Accept, to accompany him for a few minutes. With the particular voice of the German artist as a backdrop… Dear reader, I am sure that, like the humble writer who outlines these last lines, you will savor the magic sound that gives us with his music one of the greatest artists, still alive, of the metal scene of all time: Udo Dirkschneider. >
Interview by Daniel Ortega Del Pozo
