:Wumpscut: Interview for Electrowelt.com,
with :W: mastermind, Rudy Ratzinger
By Malice F.
Seen by many as perhaps the genius that revitalized the dying German electro scene in the early nineties, one thing is certain: Rudy Ratzinger’s one man project has many avid supporters as well as detractors.
In any event, Rudy’s contribution to the electro scene is undeniable and each new :Wumpscut: release is always exciting news. He is back with his new album: Schrekk & Grauss, which was released in stores at the end of April.
He has never appeared live before an audience, because he just doesn’t like it!
So here is what he has to say for: Wumpscut: and ultimately for himself.
EW: We would like to learn a little bit more about you! Is: Wumpscut: your main occupation? I know that you worked as a dj before getting involved with making music…
:W: Yes.
EW: Do you still dj at clubs in Germany?
:W: No.
EW: You started out in the early 90s and you blew us away with hits such as “Soylent Green”, “Thorns”, “Black death” to name but a few, tracks that still rule the dance floors…
:W: Hope so.
EW: You managed to create your own unique sound and atmosphere with: W: without imitating the big names of the scene back then. Could you please tell us which bands or projects inspired you before starting your own project?
:W: Leather Strip was good, old(er) Klinik stuff – and many more non-scene stuff.
EW: And what does: Wumpscut: as your project title translate to?
:W: No – it is pure synthetic.
EW: Why did you choose a solo project? Do you express yourself adequately or do you have less faith maybe in band collaborations?
:W: I never thought about collaboration with others in those early days – I wanted to bring my own music to life.
EW: The first: W: tracks were ‘War Combattery’ and ‘Pornography’, as I have read in the past. Where could a fan find these tracks today, did you include them in an album or did you make a new remix of them that we missed somehow?
:W: BlutKind
EW: You have used this funny “language” in your albums, like in churist churist in the past. What is that all about?
:W: I want music to work even when you dont understand the words.
EW: You seem to pay a lot of attention concerning the box cd & vinyl releases and prepare them most carefully concerning the images and artwork you chose. You prefer mostly gothic scary pictures. Do they convey any special meaning or maybe have any particular purpose combined with the song titles?
:W: Sometimes and most of the time, yes – this time (with Schrekk & Grauss), it is different.
EW: Besides creating great music, you have kept yourself very busy throughout the years. You also created your own record label, Beton Kopf Media, under which you release your own material, and Mental Ulcer Forces for the releases of other artists, such as Noisex. Why two record labels?
:W: BKM for :W:, MUF for the rest.
EW: Would you like to create or do anything else as a project in the near future that you still haven’t managed to do?
:W: Yes – but the market situation forces us to leave many talents behind.
EW: You are probably tired of answering to the following question, but Rudy why haven’t you still performed live before an audience?
:W: I dont like to play live, that is all – cheap shit.
EW: Let’s talk about dj Dwarf and your collaboration with him! One might say he is a very close friend of yours! How did this idea come up?
:W: DJ Dwarf is a series of (DJ) releases, not a person.
EW: You have collaborated with many bands and artists in your albums. I would like to mention Albin Julius from Blutharsch and my personal favorite Achtung. You both are or at least seem very different and, we could say, incompatible musically. How this collaboration occurred and what are your feelings about it, looking back?
:W: He was and is one of the most interesting musicians out there – reason to work with him.
EW: Are there any further past collaborations special to you that you would like to mention?
:W: Will see.
EW: Let’s say some things for your new baby, which was released at the end of April,
“Schrekk & Grauss”. I especially enjoyed the title song and “Alles aus”. The familiar sound of: W: is there, as well as the aesthetics. What were your inspiration and the concept for this album?
:W: I dont know/I dont think about :W: when I create it – it simply gets made.
EW: There are a lot of hardcore: W: fans who expected more dynamite club tracks from you though. Would you like to comment on that?
:W: If people want to listen to Bunkertor 7, they should get Bunkertor 7. Life is movement and change and development.
EW: Rudy, thank you very much for your time. For the end, could you please give us a message or say something to your fans?
:W: Listen to :W: legally – the only way to proceed.