Interview date: 15.10.2007
interview for RockLine by: Grega Šujica
Miha “Mike” Pipenbaher shot to fame in the Slovenian rock/guitar scene like a meteor when he signed an exclusive endorsement deal with guitar maker Dean two years ago (followed by similar deals with Framus and T-Rex), and now, with a bunch of different bands (7th angel, One out of hell and Toxic Heart), he’s proving those perks didn’t land in the wrong hands. So we sat down and did this interview. Since the guy and I have been friends for a long time, we kept it casual and on first-name terms during the chat.
RockLine: Hey, Mike! To kick things off, tell me, where did the rest of the guys from 7th Angel, Toxic Heart and OOOH disappear to?
Mike: All three, hehe? The Toxic Heart bassist (Miha’s brother Nejc, ed.) and the drummer are right here in the place (the interview was done in the rehearsal room, ed.) putting the armchairs away, vocalist Axl is on a temporary study stint in the Czech Republic, Tweety (7th angel bassist) is studying in Ljubljana, drummer Simy is studying in Maribor, and the OOH bassist Miha and singer Šwed are who-knows-where, missing in action, haha.
RockLine: The 7th Angel record has been out for a month now, how’s the response? Are you happy?
Mike: Honestly, we haven’t started the real promo yet, we’re planning that for next week. So far we’ve only done the record and video presentation, and now we’re going to hit the promo harder online, with the video on TV channels….
RockLine: Where will people be able to catch the video?
Mike: MTV Adria is supposed to play it, Čarli TV, Net TV supposedly already has it in rotation…
RockLine: What about, say, Pop TV, Kanal A?
Mike: Where? Sadly, shows of that kind are gone from the big commercial channels.
RockLine: And what about reviews of the record, the reactions so far from our media and foreign ones?
Mike: The reviews so far are pretty positive, no over-the-top praise, but no slamming either.
Most of the criticism goes to Axl’s English, which in my opinion isn’t that bad, but we all know it needs to be fixed. It’s also true that every critic sees the record their own way and has their own favorite track. From abroad there are no critical reactions yet, since we haven’t done much in that direction so far.
RockLine: Are you planning to present the record in Slovenia with some kind of promo tour?
Mike: Kind of tough right now, since Axl is studying abroad, hehe. We might start some kind of tour around Slovenia in March, and in November I’ll be focusing on the One Out Of Hell tour.
RockLine: That ties into my next question; how many bands do you actually play in?
Mike: 7th Angel, Toxic Heart and One Out of hell. On top of that I’ve got a couple of hobby things on the side, but right now I’m too busy with these three already; see, Toxic Heart wrapped up their tour, with OOOH we recorded a promo and a video and we’re heading off on a “tour”, and with 7th angel we’ve got a fresh record. All the bands are moving along together, but right now the emphasis will be on OOOH.
RockLine: There’s been quite a lot of talk about OOOH on the metal scene lately, more than about 7th Angel, you’ve created some kind of hype.
Mike: See, I didn’t even know that. The plan is to play a few shows in November, since with Axl away the other two bands are pretty much on hold. So OOOH are definitely priority number one until March.
RockLine:What is Axl actually studying in the Czech Republic, or did you send him up there undercover to book gigs and chicks for afterwards?
Mike: Hahaha, nah, he’s studying Slovenian in the Czech Republic, I don’t know exactly why, hehe, I reckon he’s more into chasing girls haha…
RockLine: In Maribor you can feel some kind of negative attitude toward you and the Angels, why?
Mike: Well, those grudges mostly come from the forum regulars at Mladinski center, I don’t know why…..if someone doesn’t like our music, fine, they’re entitled to their opinion, but if they’re going to keep trashing us nonstop and so on, then let them, I can’t help them…really don’t know.
RockLine: Let’s jump into different waters. How many members have you already swapped in 7th Angel over the whole life of the band?
Mike: Phew, besides the current lineup, 3 drummers, 3 bassists, 2 singers…haha you’ve got to get to quality, hehe..
RockLine: Did you maybe have a problem similar to Spinal Tap, with members spontaneously combusting onstage, hehe?
Mike: Well, the problem was always more about relationships…some were cool with it, others couldn’t give a fuck… one pulls, three freeload, that doesn’t work. But we changed members together, I never threw anyone out on my own or anything like that.
RockLine: You’ve also played a few gigs abroad with 7th Angel, got any funny stories?
Mike: Funny…for me the best was a gig in Croatia, because the crowd reaction was totally great…the promoter really did his job well. The stage was covered with polyvinyl, but it was big and the crowd got involved with us nicely, after the show they even wanted to take pictures and shake hands…really great experience.
RockLine: If I remember right, a few years ago you had a full headlining slot announced at some festival in Greece, but the whole thing fell through. Can you explain the backstory?
Mike: Everything was signed and booked, and then three days before the show the promoter vanished and the two-day festival fell through….some sources claimed the guy was locked up over drugs, weapons, I don’t know exactly, but the whole thing just suddenly collapsed.
RockLine: 7th Angel present yourselves as “in your face hard rock”. Do you see your audience more among rockers or metalheads?
Mike: Both….it’s harder to break through to metalheads, who are more closed off, than to rockers, who are more open, even though you can hear a few metal bits on the record…basically we’re aiming at both groups, since they’re similar.
RockLine: Personally, in the guitar parts on the record I hear a lot of the late Dimebag’s influence…who are your idols?
Mike: Man, I don’t know…I’ve known about Dimebag for a very long time, but I’ve only been a fan for the last three years, what hooked me most was his way of life, he was an excellent guitarist but never philosophized, he played his riffs and otherwise enjoyed life to the fullest…. though Zakk Wylde does it for me even more than he does.
RockLine: And who was your inspiration to pick up a guitar?
Mike: Hahaha, my aunt, when she brought one to a family picnic…but I started with Iron Maiden, of course Number of The Beast, then the other records, a bit of Metallica, Heloween, but otherwise definitely Iron Maiden.
RockLine: Who do you see as your main competition in Slovenia, who would you go on tour with?
Mike: Man, I really don’t know…not with Metalsteel, because they’ve got more of a metal crowd, not Forgotten Eden, I’ve already been on a glam tour with Cyclöne, Lady’s first don’t seem right to me either..I guess we’d fit best with Šank Rock…
RockLine: Since we’re on the Šank guys, what do you think of the new record?
Mike: More modernized, but definitely a good record, Senca sebe. What I heard was great…there’s less guitar noodling, I liked Zuljan more as a guitarist, but he seemed a bit behind the times.
RockLine: You put a big emphasis on image, Jack Daniel’s, and now you’re also working with the company. How did that come about?
Mike: Hehe, I drink it. For a long time whiskey has been the only really cool booze for me, so I contacted the importers, the company g3 spirits, and they just sponsor us, things develop really fast, thanks Karmen, hahaha… so now we’ve got all these shirts and so on.
RockLine: In Slovenia you became known after Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden) stayed at your place and after your collaboration with Dean. How did you get to Dean, since here hardly anyone except Marco Padro (Interceptor, tabu) was playing one?
Mike: I don’t know…overnight, really, I saw the guitar, I liked it, and I contacted the company, presented my plans and an endorsement came out of it…before that I wasn’t limited to one brand, I played everything, but once I picked this one up…you know, “nothing even comes close” hehe. They suit me, and if others don’t like them, I can’t help that.
RockLine: Do you have any other endorsements?
Mike: Yeah, I’ve also got an endorsement with Framus, T-Rex (effects pedals) and Jim Dunlop (wahs and strings). That’s pretty much the gear I’m happy with.
RockLine: With OOOH and Toxic Heart you’re part of both Slovenian revivals, glam and thrash. How do you see the two scenes, do you put them on the same level?
Mike: Well, they’re actually very different, but I dig both of them a lot….maybe glam is closer to me in lifestyle, everything’s more easy-going, positive, and thrash is closer to me in terms of playing, because it’s more complex, plus it seems to me that thrashers and glammers have been getting along really well lately, so the parties turn out awesome anyway.
RockLine: On our metal scene you can spot loads of young bands of all kinds tearing it up. Would you single anyone out?
Mike: Man, Negligence are cool, write that down, I’m glad Interceptor are back, I get on great with them….there are lots of promising ones, how they’ll turn out we’ll see. I’m curious about the new Metalsteel record, for example.
RockLine: Anything you’d like to add to wrap up?
Mike: Write that I’ve got a cold, and I’d like to drink Jack but I have to drink tea since I feel totally dead, hehe. Rock N’Roll!
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