Batmobile, Continued...
HG: With each new release the band has expanded its music, always wanting to sound different. Could you tell us what goes into this creative process? How was the initial fan reaction to your “new metallic” sound?
Jeroen Haamers: That’s difficult to point out exactly. Each new record had to be different from the one before. We wanted that, plus we were never completely satisfied with every album we released, and were positive that the next one should be more in that direction or whatever. On quite a few of our albums we did the production ourselves and we divided the songs amongst the three of us, giving each of us carte blanche on the production... and, when you only have four or five songs to produce, you give them all you got. So that made the productions exciting, I think. Fan reactions were always the same after each new release; “The last album sounded better,” or “This doesn’t sound like Batmobile at all.”
After a few releases we got used to that and we got to trust our gut feelings about the albums we put out. But “Bail’s Set At $ 6.000.000" was received very well by “more serious” music critics, but quite a bit part of our audience found the guitars too distorted and the songs too fast and whatever. In hindsight, we had so many people telling us that album is one of their favorites, so like I said, we’ll stick with our gut feeling!
HG: Batmobile started its own label, Count Orlok Records. Why? Is the label still active?
Jeroen Haamers: Johnny [Zuidhof, drums] and our soundman, Eddie, were Count Orlok. They started the label in 1986 because we were very dissatisfied with Rockhouse/Kix4U. They found it hard to grasp that a band would like their royalties actually paid in money...so we sued, won, got quite some money, but after that we didn’t hear from them again. So, they were a bunch of cheating bastards and the idea for a new record label was born. Johnny left the label, I think around 2000, and Eddie still sells the old titles. “Active” isn’t the right word but the forty-something releases -- Batmobile, The Meteors, Nekromantix, Mad Sin, Ricochets, and many more -- are all still available.
HG: In 2000, the band took a break from doing live shows. Why? What made you decide to start playing live once again?
Jeroen Haamers: Personal circumstances were the reason to quit playing live. We were on quite an intensive schedule but there were other things in life we wanted, and luckily all three of us thought that. But, life changes, and in 2003 a befriended German promoter asked if we would like to play his festival just once. We did, and the ghost was out of the bottle again. We realized we really missed playing live, but also we didn’t want the intensive touring anymore as well. So, since then we only do like one Batmo-weekend per month and that’s really good for all of us. It keeps every show fresh and fun to do, and every show we’re eager to give the best show we ever did
HG: In late 2008, you did the Cross Contamination split album, where Batmobile covered Peter Pan Speedrock songs, and Peter Pan Speedrock covered Batmobile songs. How did the bands end up working together?
Jeroen Haamers: We’ve befriended bands with pretty similar attitude and vision on things although the music of both bands is very different. We have known the guys for about 20 years as fans of us, and co-musicians – Bartmann played in different psychobilly bands as well. Quite some years back we played together on a party of a mutual friend, and Bartmann and I came up with the idea of a split album...someday. Last year PPSR asked us to play their festival, The Speedfest, and I suggested to do that split album and release it on the festival. So we did.
HG: Batmobile still has its original lineup after 25 years. What are some of the things you feel help this be possible?
Jeroen Haamers: The fact that Eric [Haamers, bass] and me are brothers, and Johnny and me were best friends to begin with is a major factor, I think. Also the three of us are convinced there’s no Batmobile anymore should one of us leave the band. Then there is the fact that we have always respected each others’ -- creative and business -- ideas about the band and gave each other space to act like we wanted when we were on tour. And we think we have something unique going on with the band, something the three of us don’t have when we play with other musicians, so any kind of beef there has been between any of us, we get through for the love of the band.
HG: Tell us about any new recordings you're working on.
Jeroen Haamers: We have new material stacking up since the last full album we did in 1997, but we haven’t felt the need to release it yet. The last few years there are people asking about it repeatedly and the recording of Cross Contamination was, beside a great project, a check if we still like to be in the studio, and we did enjoy it very much. So no definite plans, but I’m hoping to be back in the studio later this year and see what happens.
HG: Do you have anything to say in closing?
Jeroen Haamers: Thanx for having us, and to the people that read this: stay crazy!
END
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