1.You have started composing music since you were a teenager, can you tell us about that time? What was thething that made you express yourself through music?
Since I was 3-4 years old I have been a music addict really, I would sit and listen to the radio recording songs on a small tape recorder with a built in radio every single day. I come from a family where music was very important, there would be a radio or stereo playing in the house all day. Driving my parents mad cause I would beg for more empty tapes all the time my collection was enormous to say the least, still have a lot ofthem. My Father was a musician in his youth but stopped when he and my Mom started to build our family. He played 5 different instrumentsso he passed that on to me, not that he taught me to play anything, all I learned is self taught, but it was just in the genes I guess. I was a troubled teen, in the closet, and a punk, I really didn’t know where I belonged or what my dreams were. I knewthat I wanted to be in the music business but never had any goals of being a composer or performer. I had some thoughtsabout becoming a cover art artist for bands, so one day I met a guy at trade school who was in a Synth-pop band called “The Future”,and they were going to do a 7″ inch single so I offered to design the artwork, I went to his parents house and saw his little studio with his synths, and something happened that day, cause two weeks later I had bought his Moog Prodigy mono synth and I was now going to be the Synth Bass playing in “The Future”. I also bought a small Yamaha rhythm box so I could practice my bass lines at home, and it just came natural to me, and I just started turning knobs to figure out what they did and soon became a wizard at making bass sounds on that. Soon after I wrote my first songs, by using a double cassette player so I could make fake multi track recordings, Only the drums were programmed the rest was played by hand. No computers or sequencers were used, didn’t even know they existed really. A life time after, these songs are released on my “Teenage Demos” album. But I found my place in life, I now knew what I wanted to do and I am sure that saved me from a lot of bad things. I had so many things to say and stuff to get out of my system and music gave me that, and it’s still my therapy today, and I cannot live without that.
2.Was your coming out difficult in the ebm scene? Do you think homophobia exists in it?
Yes that sadly hurt my career a lot.I didn’t really come out directly, but I posted a photo from my wedding to Kurt on my website, and then the shit hit the fan. The EU and USA labels would get promos sent back from DJ’s who didn’t want to play “faggot music”, and sales went down too. They did recover though, but the “oh so tolerant” underground scene was not so tolerant after all. The magazines also stopped asking for interviews for a whole. I didn’t tour at that time so I didn’t get it directly thrown at me, it was mainly the labels that saw it. The fact that it wasn’t known already has always been a mystery for me, I mean, fucking read the lyrics I wrote, it would be that hard to figure out. But I didn’t really care cause I found a love I never thought would be possible for me. I was preparing for a life on my own, and then Kurt popped up, and I was ready and didn’t give a shit. It was time. I do wish I have had the guts to do it in my teens, but it was a different time. I was raped when I was 14 years old by a military guy who almost strangled me to death during it, and I couldn’t tell anyone because I was scared, and I think that has a lot to do with me staying in the closet. The fear of losing your loved ones was just too big. Today I don’t really have any issued other than the occasional death threat from Russia and mainly eastern Europe. Not that this is OK, but I learned to live with it and it comes with being this open today. Kurt and I decided along time ago that we would be completely open about out life to the public so we could help others. We get so many private msg’s from parents telling us we helped them when their kids came out, and youngster thanking us for it and asking for advice, and that makes it worth while. Queer kids needs to see that they can have what we have, a normal healthy relationship with love and happiness just like everyone else without being scared or feel shame. That’s also why weare very public about Kurt’s health situation, to raise awareness about organ transplants and organ donation and how important is is to make up your mind and register. We get so much support from so many people it’s just amazing. These amazing people outweigh the homophobe’s by far. I’m too old to give a fuck about these closet fags anyway, because people who are secure in their sexuality aren’t homophobes. And it’s none of their business who I love.
3.Are you active in the bear or leather scene (in case there one) in Denmark?
Not really, we don’t even have a gay bar near us. There is a good scene in Copenhagen but the rest of Denmark is not really happening when it comes to gay clubs or bars.
4.If you had the opportunity to collaboratewith 3 artists who would they be?
Marc Almond (Soft Cell) – Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode/Recoil) – Cevin Key (Skinny Puppy – Download andmore)
5.Describe us the concert of your dreams
Opening up for Skinny Puppy on their next US tour. I played a show with them in 2010 in Denmark andthat was a dream come true for me.
6.If Leather Strip would be a film or a bookwhat would it be?
A drama/thriller. It’s been a scaryroller coaster at times and I’ve lived with chronic depression my whole life so there have been some very dark periods. I never took meds for it, the music keeps the demons away in my case, maybe that’s why I’m one of the most productive artists in the scene. a few hours in the studio and I’m back on track mentally. Kurt saved my life several times, he always stood by my side, no matter what. He is thereason I am still here and the reason I am still composing. Now it’s my turn to save his ass, and I cant wait to give him a kidney.
7.Considering you have composed the anti nazi song “aeighty aeight”) what are your thoughts about the rise ofthe far right?
I did a few of those kinda songs. As a gay man knowing what it’s like to be seen as vermin, and the lowest for of life there is, I have a full understand for any minority being seen as lower forms of life in some people’s eyes. Injustice like that makes my piss boil. Just like any form of criminal gang, the wimps gather or are being enrolled into these gangs/groups, and they are too stupid to see that they are being controlled into doing someone else’s dirty work, and they find strength in hating on peaceful people. We don’t want conflict but they sure as hell are asking for it. We cant let this be the new normal, humanity did that before and we all know what that lead to.
8.Analog, digital or both?
If the equipment makes the sound I want it tomake, I’m happy. Gear snobbery is a waste of time, go write somesongs instead of worrying about emptying your bank account on awall of fancy modular you cant figure out how to use anyway. I know my equipment in and out, so if I have a sound in my head I go make itvery fast. If your hobby is owning knobs then go for it, but they wont write your songs.
9.Besides music what else do you love?
Traveling, friends, Nature, fishing, good food,whiskey, curves, Gran Canaria and naughty bars
10.I ve read in an interview of yours that you have received death threats from russia, what happened then?
Well yeah I get aprox one a week. I keep telling them that they are welcome to try, but they seem to chicken out, I can take it but what I cant take is that there is 4 times the risk of committing suicide if you are a gay teen because of these shitheads. This is wrong, and our politicians need to wake up. Schools are hell for gay kids, not only becuase of the other kids butthe bullying is coming from the teachers too. I know, I lived it, andit really makes you want to die, cause you can’t see a way out.
11. Thank you Klaus, hope to see you in Athens for a concert sometime…
I really really really would love to play in Athens, It’s time I get booked there I think, Im easy to book!., and not just because of the Greek godlike hairy bears. I have never been to Greece either. Kurt and my honeymoon was to Cyprus so we had a little taste of Greece.
Big hugs from Kurt and I. Happy X.mas!!!
Contact info: Bandcamp , Facebook, Twitter
