Blasting out of Germany, the Crusaders are an awesome street-punk/oi! band. They have an amazing live set and have done shows with some of punks legendary bands. They really haven't had a proper tour, but they have 4 amazing albums and a 5th on the way. I got Thorsten to tell their story...
Introduce Yourself...
Hi, I’m Thorsten, a 39-year-old Skinhead and I’m working as a teacher. I’m the lead singer of the Crusaders – a Dresden/Germany based Oi!/ streetpunk band and I’ve been in the scene for about 20 years. In the 90ies I used to write for a fanzine in Dresden and meanwhile I published one novel, called ‘Teenage Kicks’ and another one is in the pipeline.
How did the band start?
The band started in 1998 when I started writing English lyrics for a friend’s band but they insisted on singing in German. So Timo – our guitar player – and I decided to have a go on our own and started the Crusaders. After some time we found some mates who could play bass and the drums and finally our first line-up was completed in 1999 and with it we recorded our first CD ‘In Search of the holy grail’. After it we had several changes but with the second line-up we recorded ‘Crusade to nowhere’ and ‘The Anger Inside’ and except of the bass player also ‘Throwing down the Gauntlet’ in 2009. However, the recording was our last cooperation. After it took us two years to find new people for the band but now the band is complete again with me (voc), Timo (guit), Flori (dr) and Gessi (bass).
How did you come up with the name?
Actually, I suggested ‘Nobody’s Fools’ but for some reason Timo came up with Crusaders, a name he had read somewhere and in the end it stuck. However, we have no real connection to the crusades or the Templar order – it was just a name that sounded great.
Who would you say are your influences?
I guess it is a wide range – obviously Oi! , Punk and HC are the first things that come to my mind. We have been listening to bands like CockSparrer, Last resort, the Clash, Guitar Gangsters or Agnostic Front for years but also artist like Johnny Cash might have had an influence on us. In the end we/ I like to play powerful, aggressive Oi! music which still has a nice tune underneath. So the ‘typical’ German Oi! with gruffy vocals and the like is not really our cup of tea.
What is the punk scene like in Dresden?
To be honest – I don’t know really, since I’m a skinhead and I’ve been living in Berlin since 2001. Nevertheless, from what I see at some of the concerts I attended in Dresden the scene seems to be quite healthy even though the beginning of the millennium saw a decrease in people and events, which might also answer your next question. However, there are some good clubs in Dresden like the Chemo (Chemiefabrik) and some really great bands come from the city and the surrounding areas. You should check out Strongbow (they fucking rock), Cheap Stuff, High Society or the Eastside Boys. There are also a couple of shops for Punks and Skins as well a good number of gigs every month/week.
Describe the song writing process...
Actually it’s rather simple. Usually I write texts at home when I have an idea, so meanwhile I have about 60 songs waiting to be put to the music in my computer. Then, at a rehearsal, somebody comes up with a tune – I check which text goes with the rhythm and the general tone of the song and then we try if both sides can work together. In the course of several rehearsals we try to arrange everything – breaks, the drums, solo guitar, chorus … since we are not that busy it takes usually a while.
In 2006, you released 'the Anger Inside', tell us about the album...
12 songs which tell about things that bother us, that makes us angry but also some funny songs too. I really like the ballad ‘89’ which tells about the time when the wall came down. ‘I want a riot’ is also a great song I could recommend. I always find it difficult to say something about my own work so if you like you could add something. From a current point of view some songs could have been recorded slower and I’m not too happy with my singing at the first song.
Tell us about the 'Throwing Down the Gauntlet' album...
With some luck it will be released in December finally, after two years of waiting and stress and I think it will be our best album ever. Great choirs, great tunes, varied songs and good lyrics. Of course it is the typical mixture of aggressive and more melodic songs with the odd ballad or Ska-ish song in between. In difference to ‘The Anger Inside’ I won’t be that hectic as the last Cd was recorded too fast. Really, I think you will like it.
What else have you released?
We released: In Search of the Holy Grail (2001) CD
Crusade to Nowhere (2003) CD/LP
The Anger Inside (2006) CD/LP
Zurück in die Zukunft 7” Split with German Oi! legend Vortex and took part in two compilations ‚Waffenbrüder‘ a tribute to OHL and a tribute to the Templars by a Russian guy.
Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?
We’ve played with several kinds of bands like Ruckers, Skinflicks, Grubby Things, Frontkick, Operace Artaban, FBI, BDK, Towerblocks … too many to mention.
Do you prefer to do shows at large venues or small clubs?
Of course it is impressing to play in front of a large crow in a big venue but I think we’re rather a band for smaller clubs and since we are not that well know it makes more sense to play there. Also smaller gigs are more personal, you don’t drown in the huge mass of other bands like at festivals and it’s in general more fun.
Have you toured?
Not really – my job doesn’t allow big tours and the band is really just a hobby and nothing more. To be honest I’m not too keen on the tour stress. Yet, the odd weekend with two kicks we’ve played.
Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?
Of course the big bands – I would like to share a stage with Sparrer above all but also with Last Resort, The Guitar Gangsters, Warrior Kids or Stomper 98 for example. But you never know if the the ‘big’ stars are cool or arrogant bastards, so … we’ll see.
Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?
Hard to say. I really would like to play in England one day or the Wild at Heart in Berlin.
What do you see is the future of the Crusaders?
I think we will never be ‘big’ since we don’t put too much effort in the band. We will carry on with gigging now and then, have one or two rehearsals a month and hopefully continue producing records. Of course it would be great if we become better known and liked and had more offers for gigs but as I said it’s a hobby.
How can people contact the band?
By writing would be the easiest way - either contact us directly via e-mail (band@crusaders-dresden.de) or through the net. We have a facebook account and a myspace account and if you can’t find us there get in contact with Randale-Records our label.
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