PHILOSOPHY OF MELOTRON

One of amazing aspects of electro scene is that we are small family of brothers and sisters from different parts of the world, connected by ideas we share and music we enjoy. With a little help of technology, you read these lines of my account with Edgar Slatnow, man who creates profound lyrics found in songs by Melotron. He is from Germany, I am Montenegrin, and we met in San Francisco. World is so small.
Even though my proficiency in his native language is much worse than his English, still we managed to have an interesting conversation touching many topics. Openness and energy of Melotron is pouring through their music and, as U.S. audience could have seen on this tour, their live performances. It can be found in their words as well:

Philosophy of Melotron?

<smile> hm… philosophy of Melotron…To give life a sense, a meaning. To our life. That is why we make music. We reached in our life a point when we asked ourselves: ”What can I do with my life? What do I want to do?” We have decided that we can and want to make music. At first, it started as a hobby, in our spare time. But then we were approached by record company proposing that we do it professionally. And it became fun <laugh>. So, philosophy of Melotron would be:” Have fun in your short life.”

Hm…like ‘…Das alles hier nur ein Moment ist…’ from “Wach Auf’?

<smile> Right! To think about what life is and do the best thing for you. I tried to do other things, but music is the best for me.

Enjoying life because there’s nothing after?

Yes, we do think there’s nothing after death. No gods. We grew up in GDR, you now, socialist country, and picked up the ideas <smile>. We are good atheists. So we believe in ourselves only. Our life, that is what we have, nothing else. Reward and joy after death, no, we cannot wait, we should have fun in this life. Try, and if you can have it – take it.

Who influences you? Karl Marx? <laugh>

<laugh> Yes, I like some thoughts of Marx and some other philosophers. Also, various musicians have impact on me. I like Leonard Cohen’s lyrics a lot.
I like discussions with other people. Exchanging opinions and then thinking about them. I find communicating with people and questions like “Hey! What do you think?” fascinating.

That is why your albums are open and positive? Why did you name your previous album “Fortschritt” (Progress)?

After we made “Mörderwerk” we felt like we climbed the first step. So we wanted more, but without pressure, just to make music. We thought of it as second step, an experiment. That is why “Fortschritt” sounds so different comparing to Melotron of today <smile> (continues)