A NIGHT WITH: OLIVER HARTMANN

Hi Oliver and thanks to be on The Bible of Metal! Just a year as passed since your latest release, Balance, and now you're having a new year full of release with The Best is Yet to Come and the reissue edition of Out in the Cold +1 about your solo career and as a guest on The Mystery of Time (Avantasia), how are you living it?
To be honest: I don't know, haha ;-) As you said the whole last year since the release of "Balance" was really busy - but in a positive way. We've been touring with HARTMANN and our latest album in the end of last year, then I was part of ROCK MEETS CLASSIC in February and March and right after that - with just a few days break - I was starting to prepare the AVANTASIA rehearsals and the tour that just ended a few weeks ago. Many people would think or say that it's a bit too much but I have to say that I really never felt better. During all these months I really had a great time and had the chance to share the stage with many amazing musicians as Paul Rodgers, Bonnie Tyler or Eric Martin. Good vibes and good music doesn't make it feel like "work" - that's what it's all about!

When have you started thinking about the making of The Best is Yet To Come?
The idea came up last year after we finished the production of "Balance". Our record company was asking us how we think about doing a compilation or best-of-album. First we thought that it's maybe a little bit too early for that since we "only" released four studio albums and one live CD/DVD. But due to the fact that we had problems with our distribution in the past and several other difficulties some our albums were a bit hard to get or not available at all during the last years we thought that it would be a good moment for a compilation like that. For some people who never got in touch with HARTMANN before it's a good mix of songs to get to know the band from the start. But we also added unreleased versions of some songs, for example the live version of "Brothers" featuring the "Avantasians" Tobias Sammet and Sascha Paeth as guests, a single version of "Suddenly" and a complete remixed and alternative version of "Shout" that is available as digital bonus track. So we're sure it's also interesting for fans which already know us since years. We also remastered the whole tracks for this compilation what helped a few songs to gain a little freshness and power compared to the original album versions. Many bands start to release their best-ofs when their peak of success has already passed or after they split up. But luckily we know that this is not the point - haha ;-) - it's just a kind of intermediate result for us and the fans. There are lots of things we already achieved in the past seven and a half years but I believe there's still a lot to more for us come in the future. That's also the reason why we called the album "The best is yet to come".

Is there a song from your solo albums that you really love? And what is the one that make you choose to become a musician?
Oh, that's really difficult. One of the most important tracks is maybe "Out in the cold" because it's the title track of the first album which was elected as "album of the month" many times in 2005 and was an important step into something new. If there's one song that made me choose to become a musician it's maybe the live version of "Detroit Rock City" of KISS or "Riff Raff" of AC/DC. Both songs have been the live openers of my first hard rock records when I was ten years old. This unbelievable power of "Riff Raff" as live version is something  that makes you say "Can I have that, too, please", haha ;-)

Do you have some idea for a new solo album?
Yes, of course. We're already working on new material and hopefully we will have enough good songs to release a new HARTMANN album in the beginning or mid of next year. As I said we are still in a creative mood, maybe even more than ever, so I feel we still have enough ideas for another 10 to 15 cool records ;-) 

Shall we see you on stage this year?
We will be touring with the new album in Germany and Switzerland from the end of September until mid of November, some shows as special guest of Y&T and VICTORY and some festivals or headliner shows. We hope to also play mores shows and festivals in other countries next year. 2013 was packed with two really long tours with RMC and AVANTASIA so there wasn't much space anymore for extensive touring with HARTMANN.  

What are your next project?
Except the next RMC tour in the beginning of 2014 featuring Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner and many other great artists there are no other projects or participations planned at the moment so during the next months I will really try to concentrate on the songwriting for the next HARTMANN album. We already have a bunch of really good songs and ideas so I really mean it when I say "The best is yet to come" ;-)

Thanks for the chance about this interview! Would you like to leave a message to the readers?
Thank you, too. I want to say HI to all fans in Italy and all readers of "Bible of Metal". We hope to see you live on our concert as soon as possible. And the latest in Italy next year. I remember that we had great show with AVANTASIA in Milano and so I'm looking forward to also play in your country with HARTMANN!!!