Dear Thomas and Sonja!

Thank you for giving your fans in Russia an opportunity to learn more about your life and your personality!

We’d like to offer some questions for you.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: Before the upcoming shows in Russia we would like to ask how do you like your past shows here, which moments were the most impressive?

Thomas: It's always the Russian fans who impress me most, they scream, dance and know the lyrics to every song. The energy they produce during a show is overwhelming and when you meet them they are always very nice and polite.
Sonja: Yes, they just know how to party and gave us such a warm welcome, when we played there a few years ago. It was very moving that the audience sang along our songs. It was an amazing experience, so I`m really looking forward to play there again. Specially because I`ve never been to St. Petersburg before! Hooray!

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: L'Âme_Immortelle album is your favorite one up to now?

Thomas: I think that's an impossible question to answer, just like asking a mother who her favorite child is. Apart from that in my case it's always the most current album as the emotions are still fresh
Sonja: Hard to tell indeed. But if you`d force me to mention only one, I`d say „Als die Liebe starb“.

MG: Question for Sonja: What do you prefer more – solo acoustic shows or concert with L'Âme Immortelle?

Sonja: I don`t prefer one band, it`s all about the contrast. It`s important for me to do various music and songs. With each production and concert I`m learning... And of course I`m always interested in improving my skills. I do love to play acoustic shows, completely unplugged with PERSEPHONE, in very nice and peculiar locations, but on the other hand it`s great fun to sing together with Thomas and our liveband.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: What do you prefer more – solo shows of L'Âme Immortelle or festival gigs? Which festivals are your favorite ones?

Thomas: I always prefer solo shows as you as an artist have more time to prepare the best show possible for the audience in terms of light, sound and performance as well as a long setlist to take people on a real journey.
Sonja: I like the „Wave Gotik Treffen, in Leipzig, Germany very much and the „Castle Party“ in Poland. Both are very unique festivals with great locations.
Although we`ll also play some festival gigs this year, which will be definitely important for the band, I`d also prefer solo shows, like Thomas.

MG: Question for Sonja: Your fans have heard that you have a degree of musical singer. In which music projects have you taken part, except dark scene?

Sonja: I acted a part in several musical theatre plays in Austria and Germany and I`m teaching vocals and performance.

MG: Question for Thomas: We all know Sonja's collaboration with other musicians (with Oomph! for example). Thomas, do you like duets? Would you like to do something similar? And if yes – with whom?

Thomas: I have already done several duets most recently with Frl. Plastique (Ex- Welle Erdball) on the last NACHTMAHR album and I always enjoy these a lot.

MG: Question for Thomas: All the Russian fans know that you like cooking. What do you like to cook? Cuisine of which country do you prefer?

Thomas: Yes, cooking is a big passion and hobby for me and I like to cook a variety of dishes with my favorite cuisnes being Italian and Japanese.

MG: Question for Thomas: What do you like in Russia most (except Doshirak?

Thomas: About Russia in general I like it's people. That's what makes this country so amazing for me. Russian food is also amazing, but it's impossible to single out one dish.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: What is the wildest stereotype you heard about Russia?

Sonja: Russian drink a lot of vodka and Russian women are very beautiful. Well, seems to be be true...
Thomas: There are too many to list. I think one of the dumbest is that Russian people are unfriendly, as I experienced quite the opposite. Most people I know are very respectful and polite. Also of course crime comes up as a stereotype, but I never had any problems.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: What are your favorite places in Austria and particularly in Vienna? What would you suggest to visit in your motherland? Name some "must do" things in Austria?

Thomas: It would take hours to mention all the great things to do here, but one should definitely visit Vienna, our majestic capital with it's wide array of beautiful buildings and churches. Then a trip to Wachau valley is highly suggested, best taken on a ship from Vienna and Styria, the most Southern part of Austria with it's great wine regions and amazing food.
Sonja: You have to see the „Central Graveyard“ in Vienna. It is such an amazing, mysterious place with many beautiful old graves, sculptures and crypts. Salzburg is very nice too, also pretty cool for a skiing vacation.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: You have visited so much countries and cities during tours. Which places in the world (probably in Russia would you like to visit? Where else would you like to perform?

Sonja: I`d like to play in Rumania or Bulgaria once. AND in Novosibirsk.
Thomas: I have already seen a lot of Russia and was always very impressed, having been as far as Irkutsk on my last NACHTMAHR tour, taking the trans-siberian railway. Too bad the time did not allow to visit Baikal lake, so that's definitly a “must”. Also I would really love to go to China and Japan one day.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: Describe a very usual day of your life. (You, Sonja and You, Thomas)

Thomas: I usually get up at 6:30, have breakfast, take my kids to school and then head to the Studio until around 14:00, have lunch and pick my kids up. The afternoon is spent either with my family or doing “office” work (like administration, interviews, correspondence), take the kids to bed and then spend a quiet evening with my wife.
Sonja: Hmm, I don`t have many usual days... but when I rehearse with the bands or for theatre plays, I wake up between 8 and 10 o` clock. After having a coffee I do some office work and go to the rehearsals in the afternoon, I`ll be back in the evening. Then I`ll take a break get something to eat and watch TV series to relax and sometimes I start to play the piano or do some creative work at night...

MG: Question for Thomas: A question about your solo-project. The live shows of Nachtmahr are accompanied by very interesting and unusual video installations. Who is their author? And where do the ideas come from?

Thomas: The videos follow no strict concept but more follow the general “atmosphere” of the music and are trying to reinforce this. I edited and made most of it myself with the help of some friends.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: Tell about your literature preferences. Which book would you suggest to read? Thomas: I sadly don't have enough time to read as I a mostly busy but I prefer Thrillers and crime stories.
Sonja: I like the books of Walter Moers very much! Fanciful and funny. A book which impressed me very much was „Die andere Seite“ (The other side) by Alfred Kubin.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: What do you think about crowdfunding as a source of the musical projects financing?

Sonja: Hmm, it`s a possibilty and for some bands it works fine... but I think it can`t be the future. Maybe fans help to finance one or two albums, but it can`t go on like this forever and ever...
Thomas: In my opinion a musician who can't finance his own musical endeavours is not good enough to release anything. It's really pride and honorless to “beg” people for money. If you want to make your dream reality work a job for some months.

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: Which job would you like to have if not being a musician?

Thomas: Real estate or marketing.
Sonja: Teacher for music and German language. That`s what I would have done. But sometimes I think that being a florist or gardener would be cool... I actually I do love flowers and plants...

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: Are you engaged in some other types of art, except composing music and lyrics, probably drawing or writing novels, etc?

Thomas: Not really. Music, Lyrics and artwork concepts for my bands take up all my time.
Sonja: No. No time and talent left!

MG: Question for Sonja and Thomas: And finally, tell some words to your Russian fans.

Thomas: We are really excited and counting the days until we can perform for our Russian fans again. See you all in January.
Sonja: Yes, we are so much looking forward to play in Russia again and in my case for the first time in St. Petersburg. I`m very curious how the Russian fans like our new songs and live arrangements... See you soon!


Thank you for answering and wish you good luck and great success! Hope to see and hear you in January on L'Âme Immortelle’s Russian gigs!