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All images courtesy of Chipster PR

Recently, we caught up with veteran thrasher and bringer of bass-driven thunder, Frank Thorwarth of Tankard. Among other things, we touch on how Tankard is kicking off 2022, the band’s early years and formation, their new 80s and early 90s spanning boxset, the recording of their newest record, and a whole lot more.

If you would like to learn more about Tankard, the link to their official Facebook page is here. Once you’ve checked that out, dig into this interview with Frank. Cheers.

Andrew:
Frank, thank you for taking the time. As a young musician, what first gravitated you toward the bass guitar?

Frank:
Well, we have to go back to the beginning. We have started in ’81 with Axel, a guy called Bernhard (both guitar), and myself as the “singer.” We made noise in Axel’s cellar until the police came. I recorded some of that crazy stuff with my old tape recorder. Unfortunately, but maybe better, these recordings got lost. [Laughs]. Finally, the music came more and more into focus, and we were looking for both a bass player and a drummer in early ’82. Gerre was our best friend and classmate (I’ve known Gerre since we were six years old), and he was loving hard rock and heavy metal too. And so it was a logical step to ask him if he wants to become the bass player. Unfortunately, he didn’t want to go to music school alone and asked me to join. In the end, we found out that I’m a better bass player, and he’s the better singer. [Laughs]. Another classmate heard about our activities and told us that he was a drummer – this was Oliver our first drummer. Later on, Bernhard had to leave, and we have asked another guy, one school grade higher, whom we knew was into hard rock too and played guitar. This was Andy, and the band was complete.

Andrew:
Who were some of your early influences that most shaped your style? How has your style changed to where it sits today?

Frank:
Not really a single musician, just the bands we loved at the time – ACϟDC, Motörhead, NWOBHM, Exodus, Slayer and, I think we have left our punk style from the beginning a little bit.

Andrew:
What were some of your early gigs where you first cut your teeth, so to speak?

Frank:
The first shows were very really funny sometimes. I still remember our first one – we played in a classroom in our school, and for sure alcohol was not allowed. And so we bought some milk cartons, poured the milk away, and filled them with beer. Worked perfectly. [Laughs].

Andrew:
Take me through the early days of the band. What led to the transition from “Avenger,” to “Tankard?”

Frank:
We found out that Avenger was already being used by another band, and one day our former guitar player, Axel, was looking through an English dictionary just to find a good-sounding word. He came to me and asked how I would like the word “Tankard”. I liked it without knowing what it meant. [Laughs].

Andrew:
On the strength of early demos, Heavy Metal Vanguard, and Alcoholic Metal being heavily traded amongst the indie tape circuit, Tankard hooked on with Noise Records. Paint a picture of that time period leading up to your signing with Noise.

Frank:
Well, we have sent our ’85 demo tape, Alcoholic Metal, to Noise and they signed us. It was a big surprise and we’d never expected it, just hoped. As we’ve received the contract, we met in a pub, had some beers, and just signed it without understanding the content. But luckily the contract was ok for us.

Andrew:
Zombie Attack was released in 1986 followed by Chemical Invasion in 1987. Take me through the writing, recording, and reception of these records.

Frank:
The writing for Zombie Attack was done before because these were the songs we’ve played already. The recording was really interesting and exhausting because it was the first time we had recorded in a professional studio. But mainly, I remember the parties we had – totally drunken guys, smashing hotel rooms, etc. If I remember correctly, it was a great success for us. The reviews I read were mainly positive.

Andrew:
Harris Johns produced all of Tankard’s records up until 2000. What did Harris bring to the table which made him so integral to the sound of Tankard? Ultimately, why did you stop working with Johns?

Frank:
Harris is a great guy and we’ve learned a lot from him. We were totally inexperienced at the time. He has recorded a lot of other thrash albums already, and he understood our punk rock approach. There was no special reason to leave him, it was just time for the next step, and to get new influences.

Andrew:
Sabastian Kruger has produced the artwork for eight of Tankard’s albums, which often tie together themes of the records, and the band’s overall aesthetic very well. How did the band come to become so intertwined with him? Which cover is your favorite?

Frank:
Sebastian is a great artist, and we are still very happy that we were able to work with him. As he has created the “Alien,” we will be connected to him forever. My favorite is Hair of the Dog.

Andrew:
A large part of Tankard’s image is centered around a love for alcohol. What has gone into that decision? Why is alcohol so closely aligned with the image and aesthetic of the band, while others in the “big four of Teutonic metal” choose to focus on themes such as death, politics, racism, etc.?

Frank:
This was never planned. In the beginning, it was just a joke for us. We saw these different kinds of “evil” names for metal, and we thought it was time for something different. That’s why named our second demo tape Alcoholic Metal. In the end, it stuck to us like bubblegum on a shoe, but if you take a look at our lyrics from the last years, the vast majority of the songs were not about beer. For example “One Foot In The Grave” is only one song about beer. But nevertheless, we don’t plan this. If someone has a good idea, beer or not, we’re gonna take it.

Andrew:
Touching on recent events, Tankard has a new box set out, which really seems to celebrate the long legacy of Tankard. Tell us more about it.

Frank:
Well, it contains strange and dangerous stuff – the albums we have released with our first record company Noise Records. There also will be unreleased video material from Dynamo Eindhoven and Frankfurt from the 80s. A book with pictures from this time, and the “Open All Night” video, more.

Andrew:
The boxset seems to focus more on Tankard’s 80s and very early 90s heyday. This said, the band released a ton of great music after that. Are there any plans to celebrate and highlight that work as well?

Frank:
Yes, this will not be a whole forty-year celebration. It’s just a retrospect of the first years. There will be some more later this year, so stay tuned.

Andrew:
One Foot In The Grave (2017) was the band’s most recent release. I’m told that a new album is in the works for 2022. What more can you tell us about your new album? Do you have a title?

Frank:
Yes, we are currently recording a new album, which will be released later this year. The title will be Pawlow’s Dawg, and there will be some more in accordance with the forty-year celebration.

Andrew:
Who’s producing your new record? How does its sound compare to the rest of the band’s catalog? Are you breaking new ground, or staying tried and true?

Frank:
It’s produced by Martin Buchwalter who did One Foot In The Ground too. I think it will be a further development, and progress without losing our style.

Andrew:
Where can fans get copies of the new boxset, and of course, your forthcoming album?

Frank:
As far as I know, you can get it everywhere, online shops, record stores, etc.

Andrew:
Boxset and new album aside, what’s next for yourself, and Tankard in all lanes?

Frank:
We hope to get back from the pandemic situation and have a lot of shows this year. Keep on rocking and stay heavy!

Interested in learning more about Tankard? Hit the link below:

Be sure to check out the full catalog of VWMusic Interviews, by Andrew Daly, here: www.vinylwritermusic.com/interviews