I’ll let Moritz answer first

No you go ahead

I’m knackered to be honest because I’ve had to stay up all night waiting to do this bloody live webchat thing.  Whats wrong with good old interviews that are printed weeks later?

 Q – Does Adelangst have a fan club? Can you please provide details?

‘Hi, Jim here. Of course we have a fan club. I understand they print a quarterly newsletter entitled ‘The Blowdown.’ Their address is:

                         c/o Brunhilda Dreiminge
                        Heekweg No 12,
                        3004 Muenster
                        Germany  

I don’t have registration details, but contact Brunhilda and she’ll get back to you quickly on this.’

Q – Was it true that Jim played Bass Guitar on the Rainbow Long Live Rock and Roll album?

‘Well there is an element of truth in this, but it is a long story. I have to say that of all the things I’ve got up to in my career, the questions about my exceedingly short spell in Rainbow are the most frequently asked. As you know I play lead guitar and I have only a very basic interest in bass playing, and to be frank there was a monumental cock-up involved when all this Rainbow nonsense arose. I was playing at the time, in Belgium, with Skid Dogs in early 1977 and out of nowhere the management called us asking if our bass player Muehrens Pimmel, would be free to do a session with Rainbow, who were working on the new album in some French Chateau. They’d been having problems getting a bass player, or something, and they needed to get some backing tracks down a.s.a.p. Anyway Muehrens was totally out of it at that time, so I decided to go to France and basically impersonate Muehrens. I don’t think Ritchie Blackmore was very impressed when I turned up and I said something to the effect of ‘can someone help me tune this bass’? Technically, I could only play with a plectrum, and when Ritchie, at one point, said ‘slap the bass Muehrens’ I physically started to hit it! To my surprise, I stayed there for about 3 days and had a great time. When I listen to that album, I can honestly say that my playing is not included. I certainly didn’t get a writers credit. However, this was the first time I ever met Ritchie, and I can say that all the stories about him fixing up the road crew (and others!) with transvestites was completely true. The other funny thing about this was for the 3 days I was there, I had to speak with this ludicrous Flemish accent. I think at one point Ritchie said to me ‘Muehrens, do you have a nickname’ and I said ‘yeah, call me Jim’. The look on his face was priceless!

Q – Why does Moritz play a Fender Strat Ritchie Blackmore Signature if his favourite guitar is an Eric Clapton Fender Strat Signature model?

‘Moritz here. Hi everyone. I was wondering when someone would spot this. It’s quite simple really. The guitar I play and pose with is, in fact, an Eric Clapton Signature model. Eric, however, was a little concerned about the publicity that would arise if I was seen using his guitar, and he felt that if I was photographed globally using his model, then eventually he would be placed under too much pressure to then have to be seen using my signature guitar, even though I don’t have one, and I have never been interested in having one. Eric and I therefore came to an agreement where I would use his guitar but it would be disguised as a more inferior Strat, of which the Blackmore Signature model most definitely fits this category; I have to say it is a pretty naff guitar, the Blackmore model.

Q – Why does Moritz rate the Edge so highly?

Simple really. Technical ability, finesse, speed but, above all, taste sets The Edge apart from just about any other guitarist I’ve ever heard. You should give this guy a listen

Q – When Moritz made love to his Marshall where exactly did you insert your erection and did you manage to reach climax?

Oh come on. I wondered how long it would take to start to scrape the barrel. Listen, this is all in your imagination. I have never made love to a Marshall! Please can we put this thing to bed (no, not the amp) once and for all.  What do you guys need from me to prove this did not happen? You can DNA test my stack if you wish. You may find a few drops of sweat on it, but that’s it. There are no other body fluids of mine evident on my backline, and before you ask, no I did not use a condom.

 Q – Do either of you have any pets?

Jim here. I have no pets but Moritz more than makes up for it.
Yeah, Moritz here. Well, as you know I live on a farm, so yes we have 2 dogs called Willhelm and Kurt. We also have a cat called Hildegard and a llama by the name of Juergen.

 Q – When is the next US tour planned for? I live in Las Vegas, Nevada and I can remember the last time you were here. Was that the only time you were in Nevada?

Er, Jim has to be careful what he says here as he is still in negotiation with the US Immigration Authorities over his previous misdemeanours. Needless to say, we plan to tour the States again in the Fall of 2005.  However please note that Jim is an integral part of the band, so if he cannot get the visa approved by US Immigration, then we may have to tour Mexico instead, under the headline of US tour (most bands do this anyway, if I may be frank with you). Jim would like to let all his American fans know that he also has to be very careful about visiting the States as there are also various Paternity cases outstanding, and even by physically standing on US soil (as classified by certain state regulations) he will have to provide a saliva and blood sample in order to prove (or not, as he argues) paternity. As soon as we get more news we’ll make an announcement on the site.

Q – Are you issuing a best of CD in the foreseeable future?

Jim here; first of all, we want to get into the studio this year. As you know we have various legal problems with the Adelangst name at the moment. We only want to record under the Adelangst name so we have to see how things pan out with the lawyers. If it goes to court then so be it. If we are unable to record under the Adelangst name then we’ll probably re-master the first 2 albums and get them reissued, probably in 2006. We’ve got various recordings of live gigs that we also might want to release later this year. Overall, on the album front, things are still a bit up in the air. We’re wasting a great deal of money with the lawyers at the moment, but I can confirm that we do not want to release an album or tour with the band name ‘Brodie, von der Weide.’ It just sounds ridiculous.

Q – Did Jim once turn down the gig with Iron Maiden?

Let’s face it, Iron Maiden have so many guitarists it’s like looking at the London Symphony Orchestra. I know the LSO has 3 cellists and god knows how many violinists, but the Maiden situation was ridiculous. How many guitars do they need?

They’re currently up to three, but when Steve Harris approached me he was confident that six lead guitarists could be easily incorporated into the band. I said ‘er thanks Steve, but no thanks’ and left it at that. Can you imagine trying to hear yourself through that noise!

Q – You’ve explained the background to the Mallard album title, but what was the idea behind the Inserted Gently album title?

Jim – I think I’ll let Mortiz answer this.

Er right, thanks Jim. As you know I’ve suffered from Urinary Tract problems for as long as I can remember. I recall back in the early 1980’s having a mini TV camera rammed down my John Thomas (I think you know what I mean by this). Anyway the specialist said, ‘don’t worry Mortiz, I’ll make sure it’s inserted gently’. There’s the album title for you; as simple as that.

Q – Hi, I live in Mozambique and was thinking of getting a local fan contact group of Moritz von der Weide enthusiasts together for meetings and rock nights etc.  I was going to call the group “Moritz von der Weide Fans in Mozambique”.  Do you know if anyone else has tried this, and has it been a success?

Moritz – I think Jim has a group of women and children that get together in the States who talk about him endlessly and how they’d lynch him if they could get near him (see earlier reply to question).  Otherwise no, but I’m flattered that such a group would be considered, particularly somewhere where we haven’t toured ever as band.

Q –  On the whole I like my figure but I really hate my thighs.  How can I shape up this problem area?

 I’m not sure, I’ll have a word with Cornwall (my girlfriend)

Oh, you should try my exercise bike, it works wonders.

Q- What are the plans for the next 18 months?

You know, Jim and myself are the unluckiest guys in rock and roll history. Just when we think things have turned around in a positive sense, then something else happens to throw us off track. Jim has got to take a rest for a couple of months, we’re still in turmoil with legal proceedings and the autobiography is on hold. On the positive side, I plan to do a collaboration with Mick Jagger later this year, if the new Adelangst album doesn’t come off, and most probably Jim will be tweaking the knobs (?) in his studio as we plan a live album release from the South American Mallard tour (if we can edit out the on-stage fight sequence with the Archbishop of Montevideo).

Q – Any news on the joint autobiography?

Moritz here – not a sausage (or Wurst as we say in German). We did approach someone to write it, but he turned out to be a secret Adelangst fanatic and the book would have turned out so biased in our favour, the Publishers would have thrown it out there and then. We have approached Andrew Rawnsley to see if he would be interested and we’re hoping to get the go ahead from him in the next 6 months or so.

Q – Jim, Please explain more about your ejection from Donnington in the mid 1980’s?

Most of the story has been told in the Adelangst history section. There is nothing much more to tell. As you know, at the last minute, Adelangst were approached to do the opening slot as a replacement for …..who was it?…. Warlock, I think. When we got there, it turned out Warlock could play and so we were informed that our services would not be required.  In sheer and utter frustration I rushed out and purchased a clowns wig (you know the ones with a big bald streak down the middle) from a local Derby, UK joke shop. I returned to Donnington and, as I still had a guest pass, I could get access to the backstage area. Anyway I got absolutely hammered and started larking around slapping my bald patch and shouting I was Ritchie Blackmore. I don’t remember this, but Moritz says I managed to plug his Strat into a Marshall in the backstage area and I started to play ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’. Not long after this, I was forcibly ejected by Security. That is my Donnington ‘claim to fame story’. Most rock fans have one, don’t they? As you know, the ironic thing was that Blackmore wasn’t even booked to play Donnington that year, so, basically, I made a complete arse of myself

Q – Just heard about the nervous exhaustion story. I personally don’t believe it and I think you’ve had a facelift and just don’t want anyone to know. Any comment Jimbo?

Are you an American by any chance? Just talking here is giving me a headache! Look, a few years back I did have a chin lift. You know how it is, I had more chins than the Shanghai telephone directory, so I had them surgically removed. I can truthfully say, I am completely shattered at the moment, what with the ensuing legal proceedings with previous band members and ongoing negotiations with US Immigration. I am going to take a complete rest and I’ll be at London Heathrow Terminal 4 tomorrow morning at 1100 hours preparing to fly to Bermuda. There’s nothing hidden here, I am just knackered.

Q - Hey can you guys please cheer up my old Dad who used to listen to your stuff.  A signed photo or CD would be good?

No
No we don't do that kind of thing.  Is it time to go yet?