QUICKIE OF THE WEEK

QUICKIE OF THE WEEK: A short interview with Michael Draw (Otto Dix)

Pix666: Hello Michael. The most important question right at the beginning. Are you well and are you healthy?

Michael: Hi there! Well, as we here in Russia say – “I’m so healthy that even can’t be broken with the crowbar” (“Меня ломом не перешибёшь”). I already was ill with the Covid. In 2009.

Pix 666: You had fantastic live performances with Otto Dix in the past. How much do you miss being on stage these days?

Michael: Oh I really miss it! I need to talk to the Universe. And I can do it only on stage.

Pix666: I had the opportunity to see one of your shows myself – at the NCN Festival 2017 in Germany. Who is responsible for the extravagant stage outfits and the cool make-up? Do you do it yourself?

Michael: I do everything myself. Nobody has the right to touch my face >:) And also I’m responsible for the outfit of the rest band crew.

Pix666: You sing in Russian. I find it quite interesting that you sing in your native language. Do you get positive feedback from the fans from abroad – or do many of them ask you: Why don’t you sing in English?

Michael: The labels usually insist on the English language for all. At least German, if we talk about German labels. But in my opinion, the language of Pushkin, Dostoevski and Tolstoi is not worse than the language of Wilde, Goethe, Cervantes etc. Camon, Russia’s the largest country in the world! Everyone supposed to speak Russian, not English 😀 And by the way, the German language wasn’t an obstacle for Rammstein in their world conquest.

Pix666: What was actually the reason for the artist name Michael Draw or the band name Otto Dix? I hope you now have an interesting explanation for this ?

Michael: Well, my real name is Mikhail (Михаил) – in English and German it is spelled like Michael. And Draw – it is a kind of pun. I like to draw and I draw rather well, Herr Wilhelm Heinrich Otto Dix was an artist. And also “draw” is a wrong spelling of “drow” – the elf of darkness. That’s me 😉 And talking about the reason I chose the name of a German Expressionist as a name for my band – well, I find something common in our art. I’m also an Expressionist, but I use the music, my voice and dance instead of the paint. He passed the WWI with the Bible and the Nietzsche’s book. In my art you can also see those three main points – War, God and the Misanthropy (I’m very disappointed in the humanity).

Pix666: You recently released the first single from your upcoming album. Also the second single ‘эффект бабочки’ will be released soon. Is there already a date set for the release of your album ‘Autoctrator’?

Michael: I hope it will be no obstacles and the album “Autocrator” will be released in the middle of summer.

Pix666: Do you have concerts (with audience) planned for this year?

Michael: I hope so… May be in autumn. Noone can see the future.

Pix666: How are your friends and families? How do you stay in touch with them, what kind of technics do you use?

Michael: Here in Russia people usually don’t give a f-k and live their lives as usual. We wear masks only when we are forced to. Usually not. Moscow of course has the most strict rules, in my neighborhood in St.Petersburg the life almost the same as usual. But yes, we wash our hands 😀

Pix666: You are from Russia – what is the general mood in the country?

Michael: You see… Every nation in the world has its common character. And the governments need to consider this fact not to have massive troubles with the population. Russian people like to feel they are above the rules and are cunning enough to outsmart the government and live their life the way they want. So is the joke : “The everity of Russian laws is compensated by the non-bindingness of their implementation” (“Суровость российских законов компенсируется необязательностью их исполнения”). This is the essence of the Russian mentality and the life in Russia. People here make jokes about the situation, take all the rules with great and famous Russian Patience, some of the rules anyway are being broken, some of them are being strictly held. And nobody can guess at which moment you will be fined, for what sum and for what reason. But everyone continue to live almost a normal life. Of course, there’re lots of people disgruntled with all this hysteria (me as well), but their displeasure is not yet strong enough for the next Revolution. Not yet…

Pix666: Do you believe that the corona-crisis will change the behavior of humanity in the future?

Michael: Only total extermination can change the behavior of humanity…

Pix666: What things, apart from being live on stage, do you miss the most at the moment?

Michael: I think this is it – the only thing I miss are the concerts. I also miss Germany and Switzerland very much. Sometimes I see them in my dreams. I want to play at WGT or any other festival once more.

Pix 666: Do you have any other news about Otto Dix that you would like to share with the fans?

Michael: We are now planning to shoot a videoclip for the instrumental composition from the coming album, also we are now getting ready for the online translation on 20th of June. But it will be not the usual playing in studio: we are going to show an atmospheric performance in the stylistic of 20’s of the XX century. Together with the Russian indi-pop band ГАФТ. Soon I’ll give all information on my FaceBook page 😉

Pix666: Thank you very much for the interesting insights into your present life – Stay healthy!

Michael: Thank you and take care 

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