PINK CREAM 69
Pink Cream 69 according to me is one of the best hard rock bands, managing to create albums that are dynamic and melodic at the same time and above all always are interesting and have plenty of catchy riffs. After their excellent latest release "Thunderdome" an interview with Kostas Zafiriou was more than necessary!

1.FIRST OF ALL POINT OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS (ACCORDING TO YOU) OF THE BAND'S HISTORY... DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE FULFILLED THE GOALS YOU SET IN YOUR BEGINNING? 
    There is really no way for me to point out one or two important moments in our career. We have been around for a long time and we are in the very lucky position to have lived through many situations. Here is the history part of our bio, then you´ll understand:
    1987    The first Pink Cream 69 line-up consists of Alfred Koffler (guitar), Kosta Zafiriou (drums), Dennis Ward (bass) and Andi Deris (vocals).
    1988  PC 69 wins the Metal Hammer talent competition at the Rockfabrik in Ludwigsburg and receives a number of offers from German major companies, signing with CBS (these days Sony Music).
    1989   Their eponymous debut album causes a stir on the international music scene; Pink Cream 69 embarks on a tour with White Lion in October.
    1990   The highlight of an eventful year is Pink Cream 69’s appearance at the New Music Seminar in New York, documenting the group’s international status.
    1991  ONE SIZE FITS ALL comes out in Europe and Japan, followed by a headliner tour with Little Angels. Their 49/8 EP, consisting of live tracks and bonus material, provides the appropriate setting for their successful Asian tour.
    1992    Pink Cream 69 play five sold-out shows in Japan, recording their SIZE IT UP! LIVE IN JAPAN video in the process. A three-month triumphal march through 14 countries as opening act for Europe follows. 
    1993   GAMES PEOPLE PLAY is their third regular studio release, supported by an extensive tour of Germany in November.
    1994    Vocalist Andi Deris leaves to join Helloween. Pink Cream 69 enlist British-born David Readman to replace him and record their fourth release, CHANGE, in Los Angeles. The album is marked by a more contemporary and open style. 
    1995    Pink Cream 69 play a co-headlining tour with Thunderhead and move on to a new record company after six years with Sony Music.
    1997   Their fifth studio album, FOOD FOR THOUGHT, arrives in spring, followed by another successful tour of Germany, during which the band’s first live album is recorded. 
    1998  ELECTRIFIED is one of Pink Cream’s strongest releases to date; summer 1999 sees a successful tour with Bruce Dickinson and a sensational appearance at the Bang Your Head festival. 
    1999  Following their active involvement in his solo album, the band tour Japan together with ex-Royal Hunt vocalist D.C. Cooper. PC 69 make a brief detour to South America and play cameo roles in a TV feature. 
    2000   Pink Cream’s seventh studio recording, SONIC DYNAMITE, sees the light of day in February, followed by a tour with Axxis during the first leg of their celebrated German tour. Autumn sees the continuation of the tour and the arrival of the MIXERY EP, consisting of rare studio and live versions, as well as a number of bootlegs.
    2001   The band return with ENDANGERED, but are unable to perform live due to Alfred Koffler’s hand condition. Koffler’s offer to have the band tour with another guitarist is refused unanimously.
    2003 Pink Cream 69 play as a quintet for the first time, reinforced by Uwe Reitenauer to relieve Alfred. His baptism of fire is the Bang Your Head festival, playing in front of thousands of fans. 
    2004 The new album, THUNDERDOME, is out, and the sequel to their co-headlining tour with Axxis has been scheduled for March 

    Understand what I mean now?…..;-)

2.SO, TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT "THUNDERDOME". I MUST ADMIT THAT IT IS AN AMAZING ALBUM! HOWEVER, IF I ASKED YOU TO DESCRIBE IT AND PRESENT IT YOURSELF TO THE PINK CREAM 69 FANS, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?
    Very easy: A traditional Pink Cream 69 album, which is not stuck in the late 80´s! Powerful riffs, catchy melodies with an up to date production!
3.YOU HAVE A BALANCE BETWEEN MELODIES AND FAST AND CATCHY RIFFS. A BALANCE BETWEEN THE FASTER SONGS AND THE BALLADS. HOW IS THIS BALANCE ACHIEVED? WHAT KIND OF PROCEDURE DO YOU FOLLOW WHILST COMPOSING?
    Sorry that I have to pass on this: You are talking to a stupid drummer, who is fully occupied by counting to four ;-)
    Jokes aside: I simply think we have 3 very talented songwriters in the band who care about the piece of music instead of showing how great they can play their instrument! When we sit together and decide which songs make it for an album we just judge by how strong the songs are, that´s all!
4.HOW DID YOU SELECT TO COVER A DISCO TRACK AND "MY SHARONA" IN PARTICULAR? I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST COVER SONGS I'VE EVER HEARD! IT'S SIMPLY AMAZING! YOU MANAGED TO MAKE IT SOUND AS A HARD ROCK SONG...
    It´s funny, I never expected that everybody would ask for this song, for us it was not a big deal. The story is very simple: After we were done with the main recording sessions for this record, we figured it would be better to record two more songs for the simple reason that we have to provide a bonus track for Japan, one for South America and one for the limited edition in Europe. Dave had a few songs recorded as a demo, one of those two was My Sharona. We thought it fits very well to his voice and decided to do it. To keep it interesting for ourselves, we decided not to rehearse the song as a band: We sat together and shortened the solo a bit, that was it. Everybody had to learn the song alone, then we met in the studio and jammed it out. That´s why it sounds in the arrangement very close to the original with a PC 69 vibe going on. Actually it was intended to become the bonus track for Japan, but after friends and management heard the song, they forced us to put it on the regular version;-)
5.WHERE ARE YOUR LYRICS REFERRING TO? WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE LYRICS AND WHAT CAN TAKE THE INSPIRATION AWAY FROM YOU?
    We try to talk about everything which makes us think about, whatever moves us as individuals. Many times, we´ll discuss something in a break of rehearsing, and out of this discussion –if we think it is interesting enough- some lyrics may come out. We don´t sing about battles, swords and dragons – other bands can do that better!
6. WHICH WORDS DO YOU THINK COULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC?
    Powerful, melodic hard rock – simple as that.
7.DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR TOURING? YOUR DRUMMER IS GREEK, HOW COME YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO GREECE?
    Hi Christine I am Kostas! Surely it’s a pity we played with the guys in 30 countries, more or less, from Japan to Brazil, but not yet to Greece! I still haven’t lost my hope though… March, 5th we will hit the road with shows in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Hungary and Spain.
8.WHICH IS, ACCORDING TO YOU, YOUR BEST AND WHICH YOUR WORST ELEMENT AS A BAND?
    The best: The variety of the musical backgrounds of each individual. Worst: The variety of the musical backgrounds of each individual- in an democratic context! This does not make decisions easier if everybody has an opinion….
9.IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD IT BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
    I can´t describe our music with just one emotion, this would be too single sided for my opinion. A painting definitely would have to be colourful with a wide area, where different elements appear. Not absolute abstract, but not too concrete as well – probably it would be a Monet!
10.WHICH IS THE WEIRDEST/FUNNIEST QUESTION SOMEONE'S EVER ASKED YOU?
    Journalist in Berlin, about 8 years ago: So, I don´t know your band at all, what is so great about it that I have to listen to your music?
    Me: Nothing, let´s stop this interview right now!
11. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE GUYS THAT WANT TO START A BAND NOW? WHAT SHOULD THEY BE CAREFUL OF? GOT ANY TIPS FOR THEM? 
    Just be original, don´t copy anyone. If you then have enough power to work hard for many years with your band mates, be sure that you’ll make it to a certain point!
12.IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL BACK IN TIME, WHICH HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHY?
    I am not that much into historical times – I would grab my CD collection and travel about 15 years back and release all the hits in rock music half a year before they actually came out ;-) My band would be the biggest on the planet without having to write all those great songs….
13.WHICH SONG WOULD YOU DEDICATE TO THE WOMAN OF YOUR DREAMS?
    Since I am not a song writer, I was never in the position to dedicate songs – I dedicate my life and my work to the three women of my dreams: My wife and my two daughters!
14.LET'S SUPPOSE THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD WITHOUT MUSIC. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN SUCH A CASE?
    I don´t know! Explode? Go crazy? Commit suicide? It´s really hard for me to imagine, since my life always was focused on music.
15.WHICH, ACCORDING TO YOU, ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT WOMEN IN THE ROCK/METAL SCENE?
    The Runaways for starting things up for women – they definitely had a hard time back then! 
16.THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?
    I am fine, thanks a lot for your time and being interested in Pink Cream 69!
Christine  Parastatidou
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