VANDEN PLAS

»The Epic Works 1991-2015«

Confessions Of A Lifelong Vanden Plas Fan

Before I tell you how I became the first "VANDEN PLAS groupie" in the world, let me introduce myself. My name is Stefan Glas. I have been a journalist in the Metal scene for 30 years, as a freelance writer and also employed for over ten years as a full-time journalist. I currently write for ROCK HARD Germany and run my own fanzine UNDERGROUND EMPIRE. Originally a printed magazine, it has been available online for 20 years.

Now let me take you on a journey back to the days in 1984, when a band called EXODUS had just changed its name to VANDEN PLAS. But before that, you probably want to know how I got into the extraordinary position of being your host on this trip through space, time, and phenomenal creativity! Well, the band was not only based in the region where I grew up, but Stephan Lill, who had just joined VANDEN PLAS as their second guitarist, was also a schoolmate of mine. Yes, that guy from the next classroom was a big rock star! At least that's the way I felt, and I can confess that as a twitchy teenager, I was almost too scared to talk to that legendary icon of the music that I love. Let's ignore the risk I had of a nervous breakdown and instead point out my unique chance to see the band play live in small venues and youth centers. From the first moment, I felt that VANDEN PLAS was special, with that certain something that makes a band stand out in a sea of a million others. I even started creating my own fan shirt with the band's (very!) old logo, but never managed to finish it. In any case, I was hooked and couldn't wait for the next VANDEN PLAS show so I could hear the outstanding songs the band had composed again.

The day the news raced through school that VANDEN PLAS just had recorded a demo with two of their songs this was like heaven to me. I had no choice but to gather all my courage and ask that aforementioned rock star if he could record the songs for me. Believe me, I played that tape at least a million times in the next months - until 1986 when the first vinyl single of the band entitled »Double A Side« came out. Excellent! Now I had four songs for my heavy VANDEN PLAS rotation!

That official release also suddenly caused a change in attitude among my schoolmates, from spoofing me as "the only VANDEN PLAS fan in the world" to having a certain respect and interest for the band. In any case, at the next VANDEN PLAS show, which took place in my hometown of Ramstein, more or less my whole class was there. The band was so brilliant that night, that I got completely out of control. I can still remember that between all the headbanging, lying on my back on the stage, and furiously playing my air guitar, several of my schoolmates were looking at me with a mixture of astonishment and horror, and had some of them saying stuff like: "Looks like you really had a good time last night, huh?" next day in school. Anyway - I had the time of my life, and later even joined the band onstage with a friend of mine at a microphone as their temporary background singers. The only problem: I can't sing at all...

As time went on, VANDEN PLAS ventured out to find their very own style, going through a period with softer music that they called "Heavy Pop" - which me, as a tough Metalhead of course could not endorse. :-) But the band soon came back to more rock-oriented stuff, so when in 1988 plans were made for the first album (which unfortunately did not materialize in the end), I interviewed them for the debut issue of UNDERGROUND EMPIRE. It was one of the first face-to-face interviews I ever did. I was even more back on track with the band, when in 1991 the »Days Of Thunder«-demo came out. Of course this was an important step for VANDEN PLAS that gave them a lot of energy. I can still remember when the band played at the city fair in Ramstein, how Andy jumped off the stage - which was really high! - when he saw me in the crowd and took me aside to ask me for my opinion about the demo - and then made the band do a lengthy improvisational instrumental part. During those days I also visited Andy quite frequently in the record store where he worked, and he often introduced me to several interesting new albums that just arrived.

But it got even better: not only was the »Days Of Thunder«-demo transformed into the »Fire«-CD-EP, but the band also started playing in rock musicals at different theaters, crossing the line between rock and classical music as the genius maestro Jon Lord had done with his "Concerto For Group And Orchestra." And finally the time had come for VANDEN PLAS to record their excellent first album »Colour Temple," when I did another interview with the band for the final printed issue of UNDERGROUND EMPIRE. Plus that, we were supporting the band by offering them free advertising in exchange for printing a small sticker of us in the CD-booklet. So collectors, pay attention: If you can see the UNDERGROUND EMPIRE logo in the booklet, you know that you have the very first of the countless release-versions of the CD that have come out since 1994!

The band was on its way to conquering the world and I was fortunate enough to be with them at many points along the way. For several years - as Stephan and I noticed one day - we met more often in Paris than in our hometown in Germany, because the band was getting so big in France. I had the chance to join the band in 1998 on their tour with DREAM THEATER, so I could tell you stories about invading the nightlife of Hamburg or watching the guys turning green in their faces on the ferry to England because the heavy sea made them really seasick. We also did several photo-shootings together for their early albums, and in 2000 we used a live performance to bring the pictures for the »Spirit Of Live«-CD to life.

The story continues into the start of the new millennium. I could tell you about things that happened at VANDEN PLAS-shows in Sweden or in Turkey, where they were mobbed by fans at autograph sessions as if they were huge stars. I was privileged to be invited to listening sessions during the production of a new album and to the premieres of several of their rock musicals at the Pfalztheater in Kaiserslautern.

Today we are already quite a few steps into the new millennium, and VANDEN PLAS has multitudes of fans all over the world, and they include you! So there is no more need for a guide to tell you about VANDEN PLAS and their journey, because you yourselves are a part of it.

Thanks for reading my words and for joining me in the worldwide community of VANDEN PLAS fans, among whom I was probably the first member. (Stefan Glas, freelancer ROCK HARD Germany, editor UNDERGROUND EMPIRE, 7th of September 2018)

Stefan Glas

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››››› weitere Artikel über EXODUS (D) ›››››

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