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It's been two years since we heard the last time from Kingdom Come mastermind Lenny Wolf. In 2000 he and his band released the album Two. And quite a few things have changed. Now he's back with Independent. The cover shows a puppet on a string... But isn't a puppet on a string depending on someone who makes it move? But Lenny Wolf is more independent these days. The album was almost recorded by himself... "When I had the songs written and it was time to get the band together I called everybody, but they were recording or on tour and I would have to wait for about 2 months. My brother then ask me why I don't do it on my own... Instead of waiting for them to be free and then to explain them what I have in mind. I was playing a guitar part when my brother came up with that." And so he did everything on his own beside the drums which be done by Martin Langer. "Luckily I play several instruments and so it was no big deal to do it." Even if most know him just as a singer, but he always was the main man. He is Kingdom Come! But usually he's not the kind of guy who wants to work all alone, he enjoys playing with a band. "Everything has two sides!" is phrase which he likes to use and it's right the world is not just black and white... There are different shades of gray. At this point it was a logical consequence for him to do Independent that way, but it doesn't mean that the next album will be again a solo piece of work. "Some are visionaries, some are more kind a workman. I have both." The new release offers the sound we all know from Kingdom Come, but also some more modern sounds. A walk on the edge it can be... "I do what I want to do. Sure, I want people to listen to, but I won't write another album like our debut just to satisfy some fans." He already started writing new material which will be more extreme... In a way... "I'm influenced by bands like Deep Purple, AC/DC and Jimi Hendrix, but also Depeche Mode and Massive Attack. They create a special atmosphere which I really like. And that influences me." It's impossible not to get influenced and not everything new is bad. So, it can be interesting what he'll present next. These days the modern techniques opens up more possibilities and so it's easy to experiment.
Mr. Wolf is in the business for years and learnt to deal with this expectations and with the darker sides of the business. "These days a band like Bon Jovi can deliver a so-so album and gets airplay everywhere. And if a small band like Kingdom Come is doing a killer album, almost nobody will know coz we don't get that kind of media support." But that's who the business is... Not fair to everybody. And how was the media reaction so far on Independent, was my next question. "Better as I expected! Really good! Usually I don't read all this magazines, but Ulf (ulfTone Music - the label owner; the editor) called me and read some reviews for me. I was really surprised about how well they reviewed it!" But it always depends on the person who reviews it, if the wrong one gets it then you get crushed... Some get attention through scandals, but "I never been that kind of guy. I won't do that kind of things just to get attention for what I'm doing." The best example are the ones you find in the yellow press which is talking about music business and Germany Modern Talking mainman Dieter Bohlen who just release a biography. "Perhaps I should do something stupid.... I sometimes meet Dieter, perhaps I should slap him in front of people... Or we can fake something... Dieter is a cool guy, I like him. But his music...That's something different..." I don't think that Kingdom Come needs that kind of media, coz the album, the music should speak on its own. This time it looks like he did everything right, even if they won't get as big again as they where in the late 80's. "I'm fine as long as I can effort living from it on a decent basis." And to be too big isn't always fun. "When we were really big in the States, I couldn't go out which out people recognizing me and asking for autographs. These days I like to be a little more anonymous." At least in Hamburg people know him, but there he is just a normal guy. These days it won't happen that often that people ask for signing something, but perhaps a tour will change that... "At the moment we check the possibilities. I will go on tour and it will be around next February. It could be January, it could be March. So, just check the homepage www.kingdomcome.de for information." The album he did the album on his own, but what about the tour... Who will be playing with him? Backing him up? "Actually I don't know. As soon as I have the dates i will call everybody and see, if they have time. If not, I will find someone else." Nothing new for the fans of Kingdom Come, coz there been quite a few line-up changes in the past. And fans are used to it. Lenny Wolf is Kingdom Come! And that he proofed again with this album which is released through a small label. And ulfTone Music is usually dealing with different musical genre... "I know Ulf from the days he was a promoter at Dogonke Records, a label I was signed to a few years ago, and he has his own company now. A small, but very motivated bunch of people. Ulf was on 2 tours with us and we became friends. One time as a friend and babysitter, the next time as a friend and psychiatrist. Most acts he handles these days are licensed stuff from the USA and with signing me he took quite a risk. Nobody can say who the sales will be and first of all he's a business man!" But still it's an advantage to work with a small label who believes in the music and beside that ulfTone has a decent distribution and is doing a good promotion. Seems that this time nothing can go wrong, but only time will tell...
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