AN INVISIBLE BAND by Gianluigi D’Autilia

Friday afternoon, the U8 Ubahn drops me at Hermannplatz station in the Neukölln district of Berlin. I have an appointment with Andy Dunlop, the guitarist of Glasgow's Travis, for an interview and an update on their ongoing tour. Personally, I've followed the band with keen interest since the late '90s, starting with "The Man Who" and through the albums that propelled them to international recognition, like "The Invisible Band" in 2001. I've known Francis, the singer, since last June, and since then, my interest in the band's activities has understandably grown. Now is the time for the tour to promote their latest work, "Ode to J. Smith," released in September. This production is decidedly more rock and guitar-oriented compared to their previous works. Arriving at the venue, I'm warmly received by Ian Minzen, the tour manager. I navigate the still half-empty corridors of the arena bustling with roadies, heading backstage, where Andy, relaxed before the soundcheck, grants me some time for a chat.

Travis: The Invisible Band

The Moderat lineup consists of the members of Modeselektor (Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary) along with the DJ producer Apparat (Sascha Ring). I met the three in Berlin, where they reside, in the historic theater in Mitte, the Volksbühne. The three will release their new work on April 20th through the renowned German label Bpitch Control.

How did you find yourselves playing together once again? Sascha (APPARAT): "We started making music together a long time ago. Our first idea together was the EP 'Auf Kosten der Gesundheit,' but the project proved to be quite exhausting and demanding. It was around 2002. After that period, each of us focused on our own projects. It took about 6-7 years for us to come back together, reunite and decide to go back to the studio for another record release. We always had this idea in our minds; we wanted to do it, but there was always the priority of focusing separately."

Berlin, Potsdamer Platz During the Cold War era, it was an area precisely on the border between the Russian sector and the Western sector. With the construction of the Wall in 1961, the division became real, physical, no longer an invisible frontier. No man's land in the center. Köthener Straße is located immediately adjacent to that strip of land. Here, the Hansa Studios are situated, founded by the Meisel brothers precisely during that period. The studios are famous for hosting and inspiring legends of the global rock and pop scene: David Bowie recorded his entire Berlin trilogy there, especially "Heroes," Iggy Pop, not to mention Depeche Mode, Marillion, Nick Cave, and even U2 with their "Achtung Baby" in 1991. Simply history. René Rennefeld is currently the studio manager but is also involved as a producer and music publisher with his production company based in Berlin, Lautstark. We discussed the structure's past and how a place like this will manage to survive and develop over the years, despite the challenging transition faced by the current music industry.

Mike Fraser began his career as a young person, simply as a caretaker at Little Mountain Sound in Vancouver in 1978. His shift started at 5 in the morning until 9 in the evening, and he handled the most humble tasks in the studio. He assisted with radio sessions and advertising sessions until late afternoon. It was during that time that a certain Bob Rock began recording his first local punk rock bands. Mike started to follow him. He spent nights sleeping in a sleeping bag in the studio. At that time, he wouldn't even leave the control room for a moment. Shortly after, Bob and Bruce Fairbairn started working together and thus formed the team, leading to a series of events. The list of albums mixed by Mike is endless, but mentioning just a few names is enough to realize the importance and recognition of his work in the history of rock: AC/DC, Aerosmith, Metallica.

The story of Metallica is the story of rock in the last three decades, period. I'm not referring solely to the musical genre to which they can be directly related. There are very few bands capable of boasting such a significant influence on musicians, sound, and arrangements of most of the rock bands out there. The same story is well known to all music enthusiasts: Lars, Danish-born, moved with his family to California, leading to that announcement that saw a young James Hetfield looking for band members every week. The first album "Kill 'Em All," recorded in just a few days in New York in 1983 for John Zazula's Megaforce Records, after unceremoniously parting ways with another major rock figure: Dave Mustaine, who would soon form Megadeth. In 1984, the idea to record the following album "Ride the Lightning" in Europe. That might have been the beginning, the real starting point of an unparalleled career. In the pages of Rockerilla over 20 years ago, we see 'tallica on the cover of issue 62, barely teenagers before the release of their masterpiece "Master of Puppets,"

• The famous tour with Ozzy in the mid-'80s meant a lot for you in terms of visibility; since then, there have always been headlining positions for you. Are there currently any bands you'd like to share a tour with? "I always remember the tours with Guns N' Roses, Deep Purple in 1987, a lot of shows with Iron Maiden in Spain during the summer of '88 when 'Justice' came out, but also with AC/DC in '91. If I had to plan a show with a contemporary band, I'd say U2. It would be a great thing for both of us to be part of the same show. I don't know if it will ever happen, I don't know if it's realistic or not... Another rock band I really love today is Green Day; I would sincerely want to have dates with them."

• For the release of "Death Magnetic," I've been wondering lately why you decided to have the release party right in Berlin? Any particular reason? "No, I don't think it was tied to a specific reason. We always have a strong connection with Europe. Without taking away anything from your country, where we've always been loved, Germany today represents the heart of European music, the nation where

A few years ago, it used to be customary to purchase and enjoy one's favorite music on vinyl. Hours were spent looking at album covers and scrolling through the names of those who had participated in the record, the list of musicians, and producers. This was how I discovered Flemming Rasmussen at the end of the 1980s. Certainly, I wasn't the only one, and millions of fans probably did the exact same thing. Flemming is a Danish producer, born in 1958 in Copenhagen. His reputation is undeniably legendary today. He has been the producer/engineer for rock bands like Rainbow, Blind Guardian, and Morbid Angel. But his story begins a few years back in the early '80s when four Bay Area guys, members of an emerging band called Metallica, decided to record their second album in Europe. Following that album, again produced by Flemming Rasmussen, were "Ride the Lightning," "Master of Puppets," and "...And Justice for All," titles that have become part of rock history in every sense. I believe that most guitarists today spent half their adolescence playing the riffs recorded at the Sweet Silence Studios founded by Flemming. Some time ago, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Mr. Rasmussen upon his return from Cleveland, where he was a guest at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame during the 2009 Metallica induction ceremony.

The Moderat lineup consists of the members of Modeselektor (Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary) along with the DJ producer Apparat (Sascha Ring). I met the three in Berlin, where they reside, in the historic theater in Mitte, the Volksbühne. The three will release their new work on April 20th through the renowned German label Bpitch Control.

• How did you find yourselves playing together once again? Sascha (APPARAT): "We started making music together a long time ago. Our first idea together was the EP 'Auf Kosten der Gesundheit,' but the project proved to be quite exhausting and demanding. It was around 2002. After that period, each of us focused on our own projects. It took about 6-7 years for us to come back together, reunite and decide to go back to the studio for another record release. We always had this idea in our minds; we wanted to do it, but there was always the priority of focusing separately."