Claudia Brucken - Interview

  by Eoghan Lyng

published: 1 / 1 / 1

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Article

"Das ist wunderbar!" Claudia Brücken isn't commenting on my dreadful German, but that the Zoom connection - a line carrying from London to Cork - is finally working. Sure, it means we have to go without video, but she momentarily appears on the computer screen, still radiant and enviably beautiful after all these years. Brücken is also incredibly friendly, and regularly praises her colleagues. "Steven's just great," Brücken smiles; "a beautiful person." She's going on about Stephen Lipson, the guitarist/producer who worked with her during those Propaganda days. Right now, she's promoting Night Mirror, her latest solo record, and one that captures the style of carving a thematic hook throughout the work. It's like a throwback to Dark Side of The Moon. Do the words reflect her standing in life? "Yes," she replies. "And John's. Very much about my past experiences, and the way I view things. There's also John's storytelling in there. A load of things related to me, and John. Shared memories, and it goes into fiction; a mixture of all." "I wrote the lyrics with my co-writer John Williams," she confirms. "We've been writing for about 12 years. I live in North London, and we meet about once a week. It started in 2012 when I was introduced to John." The pair collaborated on the Where Else record; "..and I also asked John if he'd like to help with the XPropaganda album, so he's on that as well." "I didn't write the words to 'Duel'," she confirms. "Ralf Dörper wrote those, but I don't think he meant it about the Cold War. I think he meant it as what's going on inside of us; we struggle. 'Dr.Mabuse' was about German history and Fritz Lang, but 'Duel' was a love song." The singer praises Propaganda for bringing some "cool imagery" into their songcraft; "the dark side combined with lighter pop." Her new album has a "lot of contrast..what we observe in the outside world." She worked with New Order bassist Peter Hook on 'Birmingham'. "Hats off to Wolfgang Flür that he's doing his own thing," she says, congratulating her countryman for uniting the three of them. "He has his individual [flairs], and he does it in a really lovely way." It would be too easy to stick to the path Kraftwerk created. Did she ever struggle when she first started to perform in English? "I grew up with English music, so I got the hang of the language." Seven years of schooling didn't hurt either! The Beatles made a hash out of German with 'Sie liebt dich'."They tried," she giggles."That's what counts." She's much more charitable than I am! Both of us agree that Peter Gabriel's efforts in German were "wonderful". "I adore Peter Gabriel," she chimes. She's unconvinced by my theory that Nena opened doors for German bands in the international market. "Well, there was also Falco," Brücken points out; "..and Klaus Nomi. In Dusseldorf, there was a lot of electronic music, and Manchester was close to that sound. A complete communication." Can, she points out, were heavily influential among the counter-culturalists. "And Bowie going with Iggy Pop to Berlin!" How did XPropaganda evolve? "In 2000, I was working with Paul Humphreys from OMD," she begins. "At that time, he was on a little tour in America. He asked me if I would go on tour with him and do some of Andy McCluskey's vocal parts. Exciting, but I said I would love to sing some Propaganda songs too. We integrated them into the set, and got such a lovely response to them. I thought I'd like to play A Secret Wish in entirety." This percolated in her mind for years, no doubt aided by a continuing friendship for Susanne Freytag. "And I kept in touch with Stephen, who lives near me," she explains."Then we tried to get the album on the road, and with Stephen and Trevor's help, we went into the archives to get the original sounds which made it happen." To their surprise, the record was "actually quite short." "Susanne and I said to Stephen, 'Can we write new songs to extend the set?' We had five,so why not write a few more, and get an album? Now we're performing The Heart Is Strange and A Secret Wish together, and it blends really lovely!" Lipson joins them "when he can", adding his "special signature: bold and beautiful ways with harmonies." She praises The Producers, a band Lipson fronted with Trevor Horn and 10cc's Lol Creme: "A great group." Energised by The Heart Is Strange in 2022, Claudia Brücken wanted to record another record. "Stephen was super-busy with a Hans Zimmer project," she chuckles (who would say no to that?!) "So, John and I kept writing. We started in about August 2023, or so. I think that's the time that it takes to write an album. But I've been told that's quick, because some songwriters take five, six or seven. That would drive me crazy!" She may have met U2 through Anton Corbijn: "Too brief to really say we crossed paths properly." "Propaganda got to work with all these amazing people," she says, evidently giddy." And Anton is amazing." She trusts Lipson in knowing when the correct vocal has been laid down. "I do it a few times, and he fixes it," she confesses. "With John, because we're in the room writing it, we work very differently.We start on a guitar, and put it in the computer-setup.Evolves differently. Stephen often sends me a backing track, and I think of the melody at home." Otherwise, Lipson suggests a theme for the composition. "They all have a different method, and I adapt quite well to that.I like the interaction between musicians, and what everyone brings to the table.That defines the sound that we're making." Williams brings "so much" to the "team", whether it's the melodies, words or arrangements. "We go eleven to six," she says, discussing their process. Like Lipson, Williams "sorts it all out." I suspect she's being somewhat modest about her part considering the shimmering vocals that she's capable of. "I have always really loved Keith Richards' attitude," she explains. What about modern-day German bands? She sounds perplexed, but admits she hasn't kept up with the scene. "When we got the recording contract, I moved here [London], and I've lived here since," she imparts."I feel-this-hybrid [identity.]" She browses YouTube for suggestions, but mostly "listens to my vinyl collection." She asks me if I have any recommendations. "I'm biased, but Kneecap," I suggest. "I'll check them out," she replies. Would she consider working on a film soundtrack? "Quite some ago I sang for a character in a video game called L.A. Noire. I did the singing voice for a cop's girlfriend: Elsa Lichtmann. You can find three songs on Spotify. But that was great fun, and I'd love to do film music. Get a gig like that would be amazing." She considers Trevor Horn an "amazing bass player" ("If you ever interview him, Eoghan, he would be very pleased to talk about his bass playing..that would be very nice.."), and I inquire if there are any other inventive bassists she's come across? "Derek Forbes in Simple Minds," is the answer. "Propaganda went out on tour with them in...1985. Gott im himmel! But he had a specific style." She wonders if I'm musical. I did Music for my Leaving Certificate, but the education system turned me off furthering my piano prowess. "I had a really bad maths teacher," she sighs. "My teacher spoiled it for me." How would she describe Night Mirror, as an extension of her work? "Exactly that. Not a diary, but this is where my head is that, and the themes going through my head right now, so check it out. But I find it really difficult to describe my own music. A very different sound to XPropaganda, which is cinematic. In this album, each song is an experience I experienced. A personal album." She was recently interviewed by Blitzed magazine, an outlet that celebrates the 1980s. "Martin James wrote a really lovely piece," she gushes, "and we met face-to-face at the Garden Centre. I just enjoyed that interaction in real time. Such a rare occasion to do it these days. That's how-we-used-to-do-it-in-the-old-days!" Her favourite song from Night Mirror varies from "day, but they're all dear and special to me." "Do you have a favourite?" she asks. I suggest that the song seems to be a cycle,like Roger Waters did with Dark Side of The Moon and Amused To Death. "A very good answer! They all belong together, so I like what you're saying. And you're a different generation at 32 years old." Will she perform it live? "I hope so, but haven't thought about it. I'm doing a couple of gigs with Susanne as XPropaganda. We're going to Germany to perform in five towns, six cities, and hopefully by then people will know these songs, so make a concert, incorporating all my solo work. I did a signing at Rough Trade, and fans did ask if I would tour with the songs." I try some German: "Danke für das Interview." "I forget all my words," she chuckles."My mother is always angry at me!"

Band Links:-

http://www.claudiabrucken.co.uk/
http://www.theremusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaBrucke
https://x.com/claudiabrucken1
https://www.instagram.com/claudiabruck

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