What a good album you have just released! Tell us all the latest news from the band. How was the tour with Dokken?

M: Thanx a lot! Well, the tour with Dokken was just fantastic and we got a lot of new fans! Especially in countries like Hungary or Belgium we toured for the first time and the people were amazed from our music! Don was very cool and gave us all we wanted (except money,ha,ha...)! We gonna play some festivals in summer and then we'll tour again in autumn with another famous band (don't know who yet)!

Can you tell us any remarkable or funny fact that happened during the recordings of the album?

M: No, not really...I guess we're too serious and we worked very hard every day. Ok, once we were going carting and it was a lot of fun. But unfortunately there was no accident or something like that...ha,ha...

What do the lyrics talk about and who writes them? Is "Virtual Empire" a concept album? And did you call the album "Virtual Empire"?

M: No, it's definitely NO concept album, even when it seems like! Ok, there's a "red line" all over the cd but all lyrics are different and personally. I share to write the words with Scott because he speaks very good English. Virtual Empire is trendy because of all kids are sitting behind the computer and they create their own world! No more personally contact out of their rooms...

What kinds of music do you like most to listen to? Which bands inspired you all those years and which continue to do so?

M: I like all hard rock-and metal bands with melodies and a good singer. Most cd's in my  collection are hard rock bands and I like to listen this music! But actually I'm very open for other styles of music...why not!?!? Inspirations? - Well, I grew up with Helloween. Kai Hansen opened my heart for metal music! He's a god!!! ;o)

Who are your favorite singers and from whom you have been influenced most?

M: I never was influenced by someone! But I like singers like Mike Matjevic (Steelheart), Joey Gioeli (Pell) or also Steve Lee (Gotthard)! God gave them a gift!

How's the metal scene in Switzerland? Can you introduce us any new unknown band that you regard them as a very good new-comer band?

M: Unknown bands? No, sorry, not really! Ok, there are some good bands I would say Pure Yeast is not so bad and they have a good singer! They're quite professional and I think they could get it! Otherwise the newcomer bands don't have the power and the will to really get on the top! And it's very hard indeed! Even we have all another job, because Switzerland is very expensive to life!

How would you describe the sound of Crystal Ball to those that haven't heard you before? I have noticed many influences from the hard rock/melodic metal scene of 80's. Do you agree with that point and tell me what is that makes your music so special?

M: Yes, I absolutely agree! But we all have other "heros" then, so Scott like Dokken, Malmsteen and Queensryche, Tom (Keys) is a big Beatles fan and I like the faster-melodic-double-bass-bands like Helloween or Stratovarius. So this gives a good mixture and in the end the "special-CB-sound"!

How did you get your name as a band?

M: Mmmhhh...we were looking for a name with a remaining character! You also can look in the future or even in the past! So you have a lot of possibilities for songs, cover artworks and stuff! No big deal though! But it works :o)

And now we go on with the "Weird Questions"!!!. If your wife were selling your half album-collection just to buy for her a good and expensive ring how would you react?

M: I would kill her ha,ha...! No, seriously, I never will get married, that's for sure! But if a girlfriend would do this I would put this fucking ring in her ass! (Interviewers note: That's a very good reaction!!!)

If Aliens kidnapped you and you were forced to give them 3 albums of Metal music so they could finally discover why that kind of music is so genius, powerful and divine, which ones you would choose to give them? And why?

M: Of course one cd of Crystal Ball, Visions from Stratovarius (because I love this album) and maybe Steelheart because that's real Rock ‘n’ Roll!

If you wanted to make someone to totally freak out and stop dealing with rock and metal music no more, which 3 albums would you choose to give him and why?

M: Some death - metal stuff, I don't know! I think this kind of music is really weird (at least for me)!

Ok Mark, we wish you the best for that album. The last words of this interview belong to you.

M: Thanx a lot for all and thanx to all readers buy our album and come to a concert! Mark

by Thanos (Mc)