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Chokolaate: When you brought T.S.R into life, what were you expecting to achieve? Were you only interested in covering the best of repertoire of the legendary 3 Tenors or are you going to keep the fire burning with more compositions and albums? Now that you have completed the album, is T.S.R a done deal?

 Dirk (TSR): We had a lot of fun in the studio, and everybody in the TSR likes the result a lot. So although this started as an “unpredictable adventure” we have plans to do another TSR album for sure. But I definitely can’t tell you yet what songs, etc…  

Chokolaate: Will you be touring the world with the T.S.R team or will T.S.R always remain as a “project”? (I know this is going to be extremely hard for all of you, but the fans will love it nevertheless.)

 Dirk (TSR): Again, we would love to do concerts. Complete worldwide tours will not be very realistic because of the extensive schedule of the TSR singers and members, but we do hope to get a chance to do some shows. A LIVE DVD would be awesome….Finally, this is up to whether we will get some offers from booking agencies or not. Unfortunately, with such a big “band” there is quite some financing needed to do this….

Chokolaate: Now, without going into the usual “When did you first come up with the idea?” questions let us focus on a less spoken issue within the industry.    We see many “amateur” musicians becoming very successful in the music scene by just combining a very simple bass line and a couple of computer generated “ding dong” beats, calling it R&B/Hip Hop. We also see Hollywood celebrities taking a couple of voice classes, putting out albums, and hitting it big time.     Being the professional musicians T.S.R are, do you think you have to constantly remind fans to be more “musical”? Or are you content with what you have achieved, so you just move on with your work? To survive in the industry you have to fight, you know this better than I do.

Dirk (TSR): We are doing rock music because we LOVE doing it. Then of course, you have to make a living, so selling some CDs and tickets helps…. But I am totally open to new music, be it Hip Hop or Rap. There are some real “pro people” in these genres as well. But, the only thing I really can’t understand is that so many labels focus on names rather than music. This being said: I do not like most of the singing actors’ songs. Although Jared Leto’s band “30 Seconds to Mars” is awesome…. 

Chokolaate: Slayer won the Grammy Award for the Best Metal Act this year. Do you think the fans are becoming more mature in their tastes, or do you believe that the world needs more open minded musicians like the great, late Luciano Pavarotti? For a fact, he was a very open-minded musician, as he collaborated with artistes like Sting and Eric Clapton. 

Dirk (TSR): I think rock fans have always been quite open to incorporating new elements into “their” music, but it was rather unusual for a classical maestro to join pop and rock musicians when Mr. Pavarotti started this. These days “crossover” is the big thing in classical music, everybody crosses everything with everything else…. People should trust their ears: if you like something you hear just GO for it! 

Chokolaate: In “The Making of T.S.R” video, I saw Thomas Dewald, one of T.S.R’s Opera Tenors (and a professor for vocals, University of Mainz, Germany) throwing the devil horns and attempting a vigorous head bang! Do you think you can expect the same reaction from other classic fans? Is this what you wanted?

Dirk (TSR): Thomas is VERY serious about his singing and music, but he also is a VERY funny person. He did this “devil thing” in a restaurant in Krasnodar, just for the fun of it. Personally, I wouldn’t mind some classical people banging their heads to the TSR music – if they LIKE it. Then again, I would also love to see some rockers LISTENING to the quieter songs… the TSR covers the whole range from ballads to bangers!

Chokolaate: You and James (Dream Theater) have seen all the wild (yet loyal) metal heads, the violent mosh pits and other extremes in heavy music. How do you think Vladimir or Thomas would react if they saw a metal head wearing a Cannibal Corpse T-Shirt, head banging to your music?  

Dirk (TSR): Thomas and Vladimir are aware of the metal scene; they have informed themselves prior to joining the TSR. I guess everybody in the TSR project is PRO metal and rock as long as certain rules are followed. I do not like the lyrics of the black metal scene, but this is a GENERAL thing: I don’t like fanatics in any way. We have learned (even during the last years!) that fanatics (for whatever they might be fanatic about) tend to be not rational. Due to this: EVERYBODY who respects the other people at a potential TSR concert is very welcome. I’d love to see classical fans next to Cannibal Corpse T-Shirts singing MY WAY together…. 

Chokolaate: Not only are you a huge Metallica fan but you also share the same surname with Lars Ulrich. You are also a fan of the 3 Tenors (obviously!). What other artistes do you listen to? Are there any other forms of art apart from music that you are inspired by?

Dirk (TSR): I grew up with rock music, and indeed Metallica have been one of my top bands when I was younger. I hate to say it but I prefer there older MUCH more than the late stuff. Although I have high hopes for a new Metallica album to kick ass! I’d love to meet Lars one day although “no”, we are not related to each other.These days I produce a lot of rock, metal and punk music, so I still like LOUD music, but I also listen to quieter stuff when I am at home to recover from my studio work. I love JEWEL, HEATHER NOVA, but also EVANESCENCE, LINKIN PARK, ALTER BRIDGE, SLIPKNOT, MACHINE HEAD, etc… 

Chokolaate: T.S.R stands for True Symphonic Rockestra. Why True?

Dirk (TSR): Well, because we intend to TRULY rock! J Honestly, there is no specific reason for that, it sounds good to us.

Chokolaate: Will T.S.R and/or GIFTIG ever tour Asia? Can we expect you anytime soon?

Dirk (TSR): If you find somebody who will book us, we will come over! Honestly!

  Didn’t you just hear (or rather read!) every single, possible reason to go out and buy their album? “Concerto in True Minor” is out through Marine Sounds and Brainrox records. So if you want to experience piercing violins and operatic vocals with extreme vibrato alongside brutal riffs and deafening double bass; Go! grab your CD now! While you are at it, just keep the fingers crossed and hope for T.S.R or GIFTIG to come to Asia real soon!!!  Click here to buy “Concerto in True Minor” through jpc.de or click here or the image below to buy on Amazon.