G: Thank you very much; STYGMA IV has just returned yesterday from a very, very successful tour with  ANGRA through France! we played each day before over 1000 people and the reactions were overwhelming. We are still the same four musicians in the band, that means HERB, ALEX and me play together for 12    years and RITCHIE our singer is in the band for 7 years - I'm very proud of this!!!!

G: The difference to the lyrics on "PHOBIA" are that at this time we are not talking about fears in human    life, we talk about the very bad things which happen daily on our earth; eg. about abysses in human life,  war, and the loss of the ability to love. My favorite song on the album is the 4th track "SLEEP". I'm very proud of this song, because for a long time i wanted to do a song in the manner of a classical   throughcomposed opus. There are many parts to discover in this song and there is only the big chorus in the middlesection which  is repeating at the end of the song. The lyrics talk about a man who gets carried off and is set under drugs and therefore is not able to  sleep. All of his family is also been brought away(but where?), and he doesn't know why this happens to him. He only has one wish - sleep!!

G: Yes of course, because we know that we have released a real strong and powerful album, and we get   so many superb reactions from all over the world. We are working hard to get concerts all over europe and to get festivals as much as possible. As we have played in your beautiful country for two times and for the fact that we are big greecefans  we  would  really like to come to greece as soon as possible.

4. Can you tell us what happened all those years and you were forced to change the name of the band so many times?

G: For the fact that we were forced by law to change our name completely, we are happy that the story is  over now and we will be STYGMA IV until the end of the world!!!!!!

5. What’s the meaning behind the album title “The Human Twilight Zone”?

G: What happens between what we know, but do not really want to see, we just look away at all ,unhuman  events - i hope that this will change very soon!!!!

6. Can you analyze more the lyrics of the song “Earth Children”? Did the attack of the 11^th September, infected you to your work and personal relationships?

G: We had this song ready but without lyrics and did not even know if the song will come on the cd. I liked this song very much and forced RITCHIE to create words for it. Than came the 11th of september, and RITCHIE phoned me from the car and sang this hook: I HAVE SEEN THE HORROR - I HAVE SEEN IT'S FACE - NEW YORK

7. And now let’s go to some weird questions…what is the most difficult thing, that once in your life you were obligated to do, although you didn’t want it? What was that made you do it?

G: I had to learn at first accordeon, because we had only this instrument at home and i hated the sound  of this instrument - my grandfather bought me my first guitar with fourteen. Thanx to god i got no braindamage from this sound....

8. What is the worst album that you’ve recently bought and what was your first thought when you listed to it? To whom (hateful person) would you gave it as a present?

G: A few weeks ago I bought the 3rd album of GIANT; I loved the two albums of this band very much, but  after  waiting for 10 years I was deeply disappointed and therefore I gave it to my bassplayer ALEX....

G: a)BORN AGAIN(Black Sabbath), b)KISS ALIVE TWO, c)DREAMBOAT ANNIE(Heart), d)REIGN IN  BLOOD(Slayer), e)MADE IN HEAVEN(Queen)

G: We love you all out there in Greece, and if it's not possible to come and play for you in the near future  we will come for holidays for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GÜNTER MAIER (guitarist STYGMA IV)                                                                                 http://www.stygma4.com

by Thanos (Mc)