It is our pleasure to catch up with Timm aka Mayhemic Destructor of the relentlessly pummelling black war-metal act ENDSTILLE, a band who everyone should see live for the full effect of their blistering songs. We ask – what are the band up to this year, how much does he practice, and does he still look ecstatically happy when playing blast-beats?
Hi Timm, so…Endstille are back recording a new album?
Hi Scott! Well, L.Wachtfels and I wrote in the past 2 years a bunch of new songs. We wanted the start the recordings in November, but due to personal reasons we had to postpone it. So, hopefully everything will be finished at the end of April.
Maybe we can talk about how you first got into music, and playing the drums? Perhaps you were one of those kids banging your knife and fork on the kitchen table and tapping pens on the desks at school?
Yes, I was that kind of child, but never noticed it. I have two older brothers. Both were big KISS Fans, and so was I. We played band very often, and I had to be Peter Criss. I wanted to play drums at the age of 10, but it took 6 more years until I got my first real experiences and my first drumkit. I bought it from the Drummer of German Punkband “Graue Zellen”. I paid 100 DM the drumkit. They had their rehearsal room in our village. The father of the drummer was my teacher at school.
Some musicians are always looking for new ways to do things, others keep the same strings on their guitars for years and years. Do you try out new cymbals and drums, or try to keep to the same stuff, and just change your technique?
I am a Paiste-maniac. I love these cymbals. And I play a Mapex Orion Drumset. It has a good quality for a reasonable price. And I don’t have any techniques. I know, that I have to count to four. The four is the law… HAHA!
I suck at double kick drumming, it almost kills me to do it. Did it come easy to you, or did you have to work at it?
I had and still have to work hard on it. When I was young, I had a lot time to rehearse with my bands. I never rehearsed alone. But nowadays I can only rehearse once a week for only two or three hours. So, I know how doublebass drumming works, but my skills depend on my daily form.
I’ve been to Kiel – the people there don’t seem to identify with the southern areas of Germany so much. If you could go back in time and stop Bismark’s unification, would you?
No, I really don’t care about the old days. Bavarians are Bavarians. That’s ok, I don’t identify myself with that part of Germany. And to be honest, I don’t identify myself with Germany. To me, Germany begins somewhere south of Hamburg. I live in Schleswig-Holstein, that’s my home.
I guess drinking beer is / was a big part of the band. Are you much of a drinker these days?
No, but beer tastes good.
No need to ruin the mystique, but do you have a day job you want to talk about?
There is no mystique. We all have a Job, work from 9 to 5, some also have family and stuff.
Endstille covers WWII topics, and I think your position in doing so, is a trustworthy one. But it begs the question, should the horrors of WWII ( after all, the closer you look, the worse things are ) be made into artistic artefacts, or not? Because some artists have an agenda, of course…
I think, its very important to describe the horrors war at all. But its more important to know, what you describe or which pictures you present. Endstille says it clearly and direct to all people: Nazi Punks – Fuck off!
Thanks to certain inflammatory populists, the UK is now politically sectarian over the Brexit vote, so I cannot comment on it, not without making someone angry and them putting dogshit through my letterbox. But as a man of Kiel, you are free to say what you think – so, what do you think about us leaving the EU?
It was kind of funny when we toured in the UK. The UK bands told us, that they’ve never played in Europe, the played only in the UK. I told them, that the UK is a part of Europe… they kind of disagree… I think, leaving the EU was a mistake. It makes it so complicated on so many sides.
What do you think you are better at, now you are a bit older?
Teaching children to worship Satan! hahaha!!
You have a 2022 tour! Somehow I think your shows are going to be pretty crazy after all this time without playing….
I think, our shows are as always. We are playing our 60 Minute set, play as good as we can, someone will be drunk, Wachtfels won’t move on stage and drinks several beers. And in the end, everyone goes back home with a smile due to this musical anarchy.
Let’s wrap it up now…if you could go back to when you were first starting out with Endstille, what would you say to yourself?
What I’m doing here? I never wanted to play drums in a Black-Metal Band, where is my beloved D-Beat?
Things you are proud of? Any regrets?
My Kids, Everything we reached with Endstille. No regrets.
Favourite quote?
Nicht wenn man den Glauben nicht hat, kann man nicht fahrn.
Thanks a lot Timm! Maybe I’ll catch you in London in September or at Bambi Galore in November.
(Please say Hello!) 😉
Last words for your fans?
Good night and fuck hell!!!
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Old Man's Mettle 