ALPINKATZEN

Live-Album: Wia die Zeit vergeht

That's it ...

It's terrible to write this text. how can you say, without becoming maudlin: that's it. that was the Alpinkatzen. These live CDs are the finale of a collaboration between five musicians lasting many years.
but that's exactly what it is. Not completely perhaps. For behind us worked a team of about 20 people with a commitment, a precision and creativity that was unparalleled. that doesn't mean that everything worked all the time. There were days that everything went wrong. No - no everything. The concerts were - but for one - always good, always something special. for that we thank the audience. And I think we managed to keep hold of this mutual affection, the attention and magic of the moment.
It was also not least this magic of the mutual experience that kept me from making belated improvements in the studio. Thus the finishing work was confined to the selection of the best moments and the creation of a consistent sound. this sound, the oft-quoted Alpinkatzen Sound, was decisively influenced by one person in particular, the man who was responsible for the sound experience in the halls and who also mixed these CDs: Wolfgang Spannberger.
i thank not just him, but also the light designer Christof Mandel and Hage Hein, the untiring ambassador for my ideas, as representatives of everyone else who has accompanied and enriched me thus far.
my particular thanks and respect go to my musicians though: Sabine, Stefan, Wolfgang and Reinhard. God bless you. And perhaps our story will be continued. However this thought is nothing more than a dream. But would life be without dreams.

bye!

Hubert
Goisern in February 1995

Curtain falls

End of the Goisern career: a film with Vilsmaier

The fanclub is already there. Three Swiss Goisern fans with a banner have been planted for hours in front of the sold-out Zurich "Schützenhaus". When drummer Wolfgang Maier grabs some fresh air before the soundcheck, he is immediately occupied by the trio. And clearly with the question that is currently plaguing the people across the borders of the alpine countries: "Are you really stopping?"

It's right. The answer, which equals a crash in the alps for many: half a million sold CDs and around 200 concerts after Hiatamadl, Hubert von Goisern has had enough. Next Wednesday he plays in Salzburg, a day later in Vienna and on the 1st November the very last concert of his Alpinkatzen project will take place in Germany. The Austria's most successful music project since Falco will go voluntarily into early retirement.

Consequence. Hubert von Goisern & the Original Alpinkatzen, that was: a triumph of independence; a success of work; a victory of consequence (the breakthrough came only in the tenth year); a popular melody and two CDs (Aufgeigen stått niederschiassn, Omunduntn) as well as self-confidence and life energy for a whole scene.

And now it's really over at the high point?

Yes. The formation called Hubert von Goisern und die Alpinkatzen ceases to exist on the 1st November.

Why?

The moment that someone says to me, I must do this now, - it's an agony - even if if it's otherwise fun for me.

An end for ever?

Never say never. James Bond, Niki Lauda and also Bruno Kreisky have made their comebacks too. And who am I to claim that I'm any different from those people. And I don't want to say that I'm having a break now, because then the expectation is there, that something will happen again at a certain point in time. Which doesn't mean that I won't continue to play music. I will discover sounds and write numbers, but I can't and don't want to say what they will be like yet.

And then? What comes after that?

It doesn't need a further step now, I need a jump. I have to go a bit nuts for that, then take a run-up and see where I leap to.

So what will be your daily work?

Taking care of my two children, reading books, sleeping in, mountain climbing, reflecting. But I'm horrified at how long it will take to end the Alpinkatzen project: there will be a live CD, which I will mix by Christmas, and there will be a concert film, which will be part live recording and part associated recording, landscapes for example. The director is Joseph Vilsmaier, who filmed Herbstmilch and Stalingrad. That will be in the cinemas in April/May next year and only then will I really be able to stop. The quiet phase will last at least a year. I want to experience the seasons.

But you will be thinking about future work too ...

I have many things in my head, about which I don't want to talk. Because I know for certain of five or six people, with whom I would like to do something, not just Austrians. If I itemise them all, I might be accused of having illusions of grandeur. And I worry that they will then avoid me from the get go.

Won't you miss the hustle and bustle around you?

I have no idea how vain I am in these matters. But I am honest enough to reckon that in a few months I'll turn round and say: where is the next stage, I now know that the Alpinkatzen project is what I want to do until they put the lid on my coffin. But I must feel that myself, not through some external pressure.

How long ago did you make this decision?

A year and a half ago. It began as there was the question for me of how one reacts to this great success. I suddenly felt pressure to produce a records and tour. I only made the record under the premise that it was over after the accompanying tour. And told my musicians, my environment that too.

Do you know how much money you have earned in the last two years?

No. I have never looked at how much I have, or how long it will last. I don't look at any statements either and don't invest. I put the money in a savings account and I often have a lot in the current account before I realise that I've really earned something. Money was always a means to an end for me, I've always just needed it to be able to translate my ideas.

And aren't you sorry that, with the end of your career, you won't be earning a few million next year?

I have earned enough and I'm concerned with the creative part of my life. There, where everything happens and goes well, is now constrained. When that part is happy, then everything else is fine too. And I now have enough self-confidence that I know that I will pull through whatever. No matter what it is.

Do you have more or fewer friends than before Hiatamadl?

The same number, I think. I have lost some, because I haven't had any more time, others I have gained because I have met them on my journey and they have come part of the way with me.

And more or less zest for life?

I have become more serious, because I cannot publicly allow myself certain things any more. Things have changed, but I couldn't say that I am significantly happier than before. The fulfilment is no somewhere else. That's the course of time.

Could the motto for the time "afterwards" be: Hubert von Goisern is dead, long live Hubert Achleitner?

A nice expression. I can subscribe to that.

APRIL 1992: START WITH NEWS - The unknown man presents his CD (with Hiatamadl) on the Dachstein. NEWS (then in preparation) comes as the only press. In September Goisern plays at the NEWS launch party - a month later he is a star.

JUNE 1993: PLATINUM IN THE MOUNTAIN - The rest of Austria discovers Goisern with a bang. The double platinum disc is awarded in the Bad Ischl salt mine. Goisern in NEWS on new folk music: "My first record was just the bone of contention."

MARCH 1994: AMERICA CALLING - Goisern ventures to take the experiment to the USA, NEWS is with him. Result: Live success great, record career unlikely. The protagonist, critical:"in America charm and cordiality are missing. There's no love of detail there."

SEPTEMBER 1994: FASHION - The next step: Goisern presents his fashion line created by Klaus Höller ("Assassyn"), NEWS is first with the photos. Goisern's motto: "Take lederhosen from the right-wing extremists!"

OCTOBER 1994: THE END - He stops when things are the best and plays just before the end at the "100 editions of NEWS" gala in the Vienna State Opera House. "Because you invited me." We will continue to invite him.

"I must do something completely new"

Mostdipf prizewinner Hubert von Goisern on video "Wia die Zeit vergeht..."

Filmhaus Vienna, Wednesday evening: A fan approaches Hubert von Goisern and requests an autograph card. Hubert regrets: "I don't have any more." Almost symbolic for what was presented at this hour in the Filmhaus, namely the tape Wia die Zeit vergeht..., a view of the career of Hubert von Goisern and his Alpinkatzen, originally produced for the cinema, but after distribution problems, now on the market as a video.

"Played really well"

In due course Joseph Vilsmaier wanted Hubert as the leading man in Schlafes Bruder, but: "For that I would have had to cancel our last thirty concerts. That didn't work. Unfortunately no postponement was possible and so we agreed that I would write some of the film music for him. During the shoot for Schlafes Bruder, there was then a long break. He suggested using the time for a film about the Alpinkatzen and me. His wife, Dana Vávrová, took on the role of director. The result ran successfully as a matinée in Munich, only here in Austria, nobody had any such idea, so it was decided to just release it on video. I actually never wanted to see the film. But then I did and realised - with the distance - that we had played music really well, but that a ceiling was also reached. That is to say: next time, I must make something completely new - hopefully in the same quality."

On the 1st November it will already be three years since Hubert von Goisern and his Alpinkatzen completed their last appearance, and probably, he announces, the voluntary break from the stage will last another year. He has recently built a house in Salzburg/Lehen, or rather extended one. "I lived for seven years in Vienna, four in Johannesburg and two in Toronto, and I have recognised that I need urban surroundings. This certain strolling about in the anonymity of a large city gives you a completely different feeling of being alive".

He is in the artistic sector at the moment, working for something quite special: "A project with contemporary Tibetan music. I have gathered and worked on material for it, now I have invited four gifted people from TIPA (Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts) to join me, and we will see in my studio, what comes of it."

He would very much like to work for film again - whether as musician, or as actor, but "not for something like "mountain doctor", which is the sort of thing there have been offers for." And he has also engaged himself with his colleagues of the music guild in the argument with Ö3. "Above all because Ö3 has quoted me as a typical example from Austria that "has been played" before. That's unfortunately not true. In reality they have just played Hiatamadl over and over, the other things at the most under pressure, that is: calls from fans. I have a great deal of understanding for the concerns of native music creators and my engagement takes place in the sense of camaraderie alone."

"Invisible like an Indian"

One behind the shield
Promotional tour as the last alpine show of strength - back on stage 1997?

HALLEIN. Five TV teams, countless radio reporters, newspaper people, a bunch of photographers. Flashlights and lamp tapers in the salt mine. In the middle, the cause of the event: Hubert von Goisern, 42 years old, "Range king" ("Standard"), "Rocker from the mountain pasture" ("Stern"), "Record and schilling millionaire" (HvG).

A last act of strength is announced: the promotion for the live double CD of the Alpinkatzen. Mixed from more than 20 concerts from the 94 tour. No sound is overmixed, everything is original. "A specimen copy for what we were" (drummer Wolfgang Maier). "Our music-making held in the best moments." (Goiserer).

As it began in the salt mine, so it will continue. Interview upon interview, the questions the same. "What have you done in the past months?" - "Worked. Mixed the CD, finished film music for Schlafes Bruder." (And renovated his own four walls into a house in between).

How do future plans look? - "Holiday, two weeks. Then we'll see." The Munich manager Hage Hein has lined up more than 100 interview dates until 8th April. All in Germany. There, where 82,000 (!) copies of the double CD have been pre-ordered, as a beaming Ariola manager makes known. There, where the most recent gold for Aufgeig'n stått Niederschiassen comes from. For 300,000 sold units. Omunduntn is a similar runner. One CD sold in Austria is met with three copies in Germany, says Hage Hein.

Here in Austria, the image of the "nice Hiatamadl-boy, who does such funny things with the accordion" has become dominant. In Germany, Hiatamadl was never a hit. HvG and the Alpinkatzen had a slower start. Instead it was then the whole project that was driven in - as soon as the lesson sat" (Hein).

The nice Hiatamadl-boy, which HvG never was in reality, has meanwhile also created other dimensions in the alpine republic. Bomb threats against him are a sign of it. The Goiserer has meddled. "Because it's not enough to go and vote every four years and then be annoyed for the next four years."

HvG kicked against the right: "that mistrust, aggression and envy appears in this country too, that it's always the others who are to blame when it's not so brilliant - whether Slovenia, Rome or tourists," that goes to the account of his fellow Goiserer Jörg Haider. Which incidentally "implies that he is not as intelligent as most people think". Otherwise, Haider must know how short-sighted his politics are. And that he "wouldn't be happy himself" in a land of terror and hate. A word of advice for Jörg H.: "Think about it".

Not that the Goiserer is someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. That is the shield. An old Indian trick, handed down from his father. And for a public person, more necessary than ever. "Indians, my father said, can make themselves invisible even in the desert, where there are no trees or anything."

It works. Tested often in Vienna. Back then, when Hubert scraped by on 15,000 schillings a year and was a logical constant fare-dodger. "The inspectors got on at the front and at the back and went past me. They didn't notice me. But maintaining the shield is tiring. It needs strength and concentration. As soon as you ease up, you'll be spoken to..."

They are stories with a penchant for gallows humour. He's become lonely, distrustful and sceptical. That's how HvG sees himself. It's difficult to make new friends. "Simply because of this distrust. Where is the boundary? When is someone being honest? Or do they just want to be with me? Or are they just concealing business interests? Whether it's just a joiner who wants to then make HvG furniture, or a schnapps burner, who wants to stick the name on the label."

Or a journalist, who wants to present the glass Hubert. And constantly searches for the Indian in the desert. It is ultimately a thing of trust. One treats such valuables with care. But that's another story.

Anyway - that was it for the time being. Alpine Sabine has appearances in a Heller variety show in Berlin behind her and is "now doing nothing at all for a year". The three alpine tom cats are working on their own undertaking. The gold project of the Alpinkatzen has ended. Never say never?

"I think that I will be back on stage in 1997. With whom and with which music, I can't say."

The departure of the Alpinkatzen

33 appearances in 29 days - celebration for final concert in Festspielhaus

Salzburg. There's no change: Hubert von Goisern and the Alpinkatzen are parting. On Wednesday evening in the sold-out Festspielhaus, the troop's last live yodels for an indefinite time were to be heard.

A mixed audience of young and old, town and country gave Austria's highest selling musical export a brilliant send-off. Thunderous applause before even the first tone rang out, standing ovations after the show which was accompanied by impressive lighting effects, spontaneous applause again and again. The songs being well-known, juchitzers were not only let out on stage, lighters flicker with Wieder Hoam in the inner sanctum of the Salzburg culture enterprise. "Hopefully nothing happens," said a woman, who otherwise belonged to the summer festival audience. Nothing happened.

33 concerts in 29 days in front of more than 100,000 people. That is the balance of the last tour, mainly through Germany. Where no matter in which city, no matter which hall is totally full, the business is much better than in this country. Now is the end.

"When success is that you achieve absolutely nothing more, it cannot be success," the Goiserer thought. It is time "to distance oneself, to see the whole thing from the private perspective one time," thought drummer Wolfgang Maier and expressed exactly what the troop felt. In addition comes: "Without a creative pause, I don't dare to make the next jump."

Creative pause before the next jump

The alternative would be to carry on as before. The main thing, the wallet is correct to some extent. A fate with which "Austro-poppers" from Ambros to Danzer age with honour. For the time being the Goiserer is going to the rework. A live CD is planned. In Munich producer and director Joseph Vilsmaier (Stalingrad) is working on a film. The basis is concert appearances.

And the band?

Keyboarder Stefan Engel is first allowing himself a health spa. Recently he has been estimated to be seven, eight years older than he is. Especially by women. The shock sits deeply. After that? There is a Swiss yodeller who does hip hop and techno.

Sabine Kapfinger, once in the Seerosen Trio, the youngest yodeller in the republic, is turning over plans in her mind, but which she does not want to give away."Naturally it will be music again. Apart from that, I cannot bear sitting around. After a few weeks it is: stage, stage, stage."

The Innviertler Reinhard Stranzinger who comes from the rock scene wants to carry on where he left off three years ago, "when Goisern inspired me" - as leader of his own combo. Although there is also a row of other offers. In any case, the break "is necessary for us," he says.

The Braunauer Wolfgang Maier says that too. When you do the same thing for three years, you become jerky and inflexible. "Moreover we must all now do what we sing about." Folk music is after all revolves around country and people. Around simple life. To dive in there again, that is important - "so that one's own music is more than a beautiful song".

Whether they could come together again? "If the Gods want it, if we have something to say musically to each other and above all if the euphoria grabs us again which carried us for three years - any time."

Goisern: the last thing

Wia die Zeit Vergeht appears as the last Alpinkatzen album

Goisern stops, retires in order to devote himself to the composition of film music (Schlafes Bruder) and the shooting of a film. So far that is the familiar news from Hubert von Goisern, currently probably the only active Austrian pop star, before the release of his last album with the Alpinkatzen on Thursday. Indeed, things are not quite as bad as they seem to the listeners.

Hubert simply wants to have a break, go on holiday with his son to breathe in strength for new projects. "I want to have absolutely no dates until autumn. I must finally learn to be lazy again," describes an obviously good humoured Hubert von Goisern, "if I am successful in doing nothing at all, I would have nothing against it!" The limitation of his retreat from the stage and record releases is close behind. "I am someone who likes to make music, read, be creative and write down my thoughts. In the next six months, one number or another will certainly arise. But I am not setting myself a deadline for which a defined project must be ready."

But in any case, one thing stands irrevocably firm: the end of the Alpinkatzen who musically accompanied HvG's triumphal procession. But to say "Alpinkatzen never again" is out of the question for him.

But Goisern can certainly not manage without music in the future: "I really feel like a musician, I can express myself best with that. That is my real talent - going on stage and playing music. The contact with the audience is something quite special." He does not want to divulge too much in the Krone interview in Munich except that it is not yet definite that he will sling on the accordion at his next appearance. And that is not actually on the programme before 1997. But Goisern is not sure whether he can keep his live break. "Perhaps there will be a reason for a concert," smiles the star significantly.

The legacy of the Alpinkatzen - and Goisern's future

Hubert von Goisern says goodbye to the Alpinkatzen project with a CD.
And is full of plans - including for a film of his own.

The final stroke which you delivers yourself is still the greatest and most fulfilling. A step which Hubert von Goisern takes next week:with the release of the Alpinkatzen live double CD, Wia die Zeit vergeht, Austria's greatest (and only) musical phenomenon of recent years sets his own gravestone.

The phenomenon. The Alpinkatzen - that was the countermovement to techno music not geographically classified, to rhythmic identity loss and complexly conditioned putting away of tradition. Goisern and his band succeeded with the synthesis of folk and rock music.

The phenomenon came late, but with enormous strength. For almost 10 years the original project of the now 41 year old Hubert Sullivan-Achleitner from Bad Goisern was only known by a small inside circle, the protagonist earned his money in a very unalpine way, with the staging of an avant-garde string quartet among others.

Hiatamadl. Then the German-speaking area noticed the new alpine sound via Hiatamadl. Until now, the Alpinkatzen have sold almost half a million albums with their two albums Aufgeigen stått niederschiassen (1992) and Omunduntn (1994). The first reached gold in Germany (more than 25,000 records - an honour which, for example, Fendrich has never had) and in Austria a sensational four times platinum (more than 200,000 records).

The trophies themselves are still waiting in the record company to be handed over to the artist who has reserved his head for more important things. "For me, the gold and platinum records are like the faded photo of me in Nepal in 83, which is hanging on my wall at home. There I sit on a rock with a blue quilted anorak, thick pointed hat, full beard, enormous rucksack and a mysterious smile. But the person smiling is a stranger. Just the Hubert who had had the feeling of being alive of that time. That is a memory. Just like the gold discs."

The live album Wia die Zeit vergeht is responsible for not letting the Alpinkatzen be forgotten as soon as the revolutionary fact of native light music. The best 20 songs were chosen from almost 30 concert recordings: from hits like Hiatamadl, from the deeply haunting and catchy Kuahmelcher yodel, to original creations like the Kuhglockenblues played solely on cow bells.

Backward looks. Goisern on his thoughts during mixing in the studio. "There I had the feeling that the Alpinkatzen were something really wonderful. That we and I reached a quality, a perfection of which I would never have dared to dream before. That was the feeling of pride, but also of melancholy that it is really over."

For even such reminiscences do not shake Goisern's decision to dissolve the Alpinkatzen: "I am good at what I am doing now and I am happy that this phase is over. But I really miss the stage, playing music in front of people. And I want to have this again at any rate. In 1997 at the latest I will present a project on stage again. In which form and with which ensemble, I do not know."

Now with film. For the time being nothing has come of the hoped for quiet break with lots of time to think, reflect, climb mountains and travel - on the contrary. Immediately after the Alpinkatzen tour, Goisern went into the studio to mix the live album. On the 10th January this work was finished and one night later the next project began: the Bavarian Herbstmilch and Stalingrad director Josef Vilsmaier had engaged Goisern for the film music of his youngest film Schlafes Bruder.

The great success written by the Vorarlberger Robert Schneider tells of a brilliant, but developmentally hindered musical talent from high in the Alps. The man made the decision to not sleep again - because one cannot love in sleep.

Actually Vilsmaier wanted Goisern for the main role - but that was turned down for lack of time. "I would have had to busy myself with the role for three months. That was not possible, the production machinery was already running. After the negative reply I had reckoned on never hearing anything from Vilsmaier again - so I was all the more pleased that he wanted me for the film music." It is still being worked on. Last week Goisern set to work with the organ player Harald Fellner in the Salzburg cathedral. The world premiere of Schlafes Bruder is planned for 9th September as a spectacular event at the biggest cinema screen in the world - the Silvretta/Gaschurn dam wall.

Actor. Goisern gained acting experience last year. In the ZDF film Hölleisengretl he played the farm worker Matthias who earned a farm through his marriage to a hunchbacked female farmer. As yet Goisern has not seen the result of this work in the final version. "I will sit in front of the TV, I do not want to see it before because if I do not like it, then I will be terrified of a date when everyone will then see what I did not like."

After the end of the work on Schlafes Bruder and the necessary promotion interviews for the live album, Goisern would like to devote himself to the kilometres of film which Vilsmaier filmed at the Alpinkatzen's final concert in the Circus Krone, Munich. From it should come a Goisern concert cinema film. And then finally he will try his hand at his own film project. He is keeping a low profile with the details. On the record is only that he is writing the book and music and still has to organise at least 10 million Marks. A sum at which even the greatest film producers would give up.

Goisern with healthy self-confidence about his forthcoming attempt at collecting funds: "At the moment I am in a good position." That is what you call alpine understatement.

A trend without its setter

Hubert von Goisern about the future of new folk music: "if nothing happens, it's all the same to me"

According to public opinion, you have retired and are indulging in idleness.

A misunderstanding. I imposed just a year away from the stage on myself because I simply want to work more quietly, peacefully. Admittedly that has not completely worked yet.

When the film music to Schlafes Bruder is released in the autumn, will we hear the style of music that you would like to make now after the end of the Alpinkatzen?

Neither last record with the Alpinkatzen, nor this film music is exactly where I think I would like to continue. First when I withdraw for three months and then only play music when it is fun and not when I have to deliver something, can I see where I tend towards.

In the credits for the film Hölleisengretl you are recorded as Hubert Achleitner. Has Mr von Goisern died with the Alpinkatzen?

Goisern is a stage name. I am neither Mr Achleitner nor Mr von Goisern. The only name with which I have an intimate relationship is Hubert. But that alone would have been too little for the film credits.

At the moment it seems as if the new folk music which you made popular is dead after your departure.

Something is happening on the scene, but how that develops depends on what will interest the creative people in the next five years. If something happens, I would be happy, but if not, in all honesty, it's all the same to me.