Recently, I caught up with Caliban frontman Andy Dörner and asked him about the differences between touring in Europe versus the U.S., their new release I Am Nemesis, and how touring pays the bills.
The music industry has been changing dramatically (downloading, declining album sales, etc.). So, how do you guys stay current with the industry and find new revenue streams?
Business is hard these days, with all the downloading and stuff. That’s why we are on the road most of the time — we don’t get that much money from selling records. We’ve always paid the bills from being on the road and merchandise.
How do you guys set up your tours? Do you use a booking agent or DIY (do it yourself)?
We have an agency for that and a management. They take care of all that stuff — we just have to say yes or no. 🙂
You guys tour Europe frequently, and don’t get over to North America very often. What are the difficulties you face in touring the U.S., or other countries for that matter?
It’s hard for a German band to get good offers in the U.S. You just have so many bands over there, that you technically don’t need us. But we’re working on a U.S. tour right now. It’s about time to hit the States again!
How different is it touring Europe compared to other places you have toured?
I can’t complain. Touring in Europe is quite easy because we get enough money to pay for stuff. In Russia, it’s hard sometimes because of the long distances and the landscape. In the U.S. we always toured with a van, except on the last tour. It’s rough, but also fun!!
Your guys’ newest release I Am Nemesis is coming out, can you take me through the process of recording for you guys? Is it DIY-style in a home studio? Or did you record with someone local?
We worked over six months on this record, and it was a hard time. Marc wrote tons of songs in co-op with our producer Benny Richter, and only the best 12 songs made it through. He used a lot of different styles this time (and) new effects.
We worked very hard on I Am Nemesis, and we are very happy with the result. We recorded in different studios. We did the drums and strings in a studio of a friend in our hometown, and the vocals were recorded in a shed. Elm Street Studios.
So you obviously are a touring band, so I presume you are gonna be touring like mad?
After the Get Infected Tour in Europe, we’ll play the summer festivals and shoot another video. After the summer, we go on tour in Russia, Asia, China, and — like I said — we’re working on locking down a U.S. tour. So, this year is pretty much about touring and promoting I Am Nemesis.