Zurich 15 December 2007

What made the Zurich concerts so special?

Well, there was the fact that I was spending a few days with my good friend (and one of Helmut’s biggest fans) Eva Wiesendanger and meeting up again with old friends.

But of course the highlight of any concert is having the privilege of interviewing Helmut beforehand.

It’s great to chat to him and then to witness the transformation when he takes to the stage and begins to interact with his fans. I say ‘fans’ and not ‘audience’, as the concerts are jam-packed with loyal fans who not only buy each and every CD/DVD released, but also attend as many concerts as they possibly can, year after year

If you hear me out of breath at the beginning of the interview, well, I was!

I was held up at security and Omer had to come downstairs to escort me in and we ran up the flights of stairs (he is very fit!) and along the corridor towards Helmut’s dressing room.  I was caught by surprise when I stepped inside and saw Helmut already sitting there; I thought I’d at least have time to catch my breath and to set up my MP3Wave recorder...  

Well, I decided not to edit or voice-over the beginning, but to leave it as it was - real!

My intention was to have an ‘informal chat’ with Helmut, rather than follow the usual formal question-and-answer route, which was nice for a change.

Helmut looked quite dashing (doesn’t he always?) in red shirt, jacket and denims and although he professed to be somewhat lazy after eating frits at 4pm, he was his usual energetic self.

I like that he is not on his guard when he talks to me. I guess it’s a feeling of mutual trust. I know he’ll give a good interview and he knows I’ll print and broadcast the interview with discretion and without embellishment.

One thing I have to say about Helmut is that there is no pretence; no show especially for the media. He’s straightforward, honest and, of course, very witty. Don’t you just love his laugh!

At one point in the interview, André started to do his warm up next door and of course his voice carried through the thin walls, so Helmut went next door to tell him he was busy with an interview. Silence.

From the first interview I did with Helmut at the Schleyerhalle in Stuttgart, to this day, I cannot say he has changed noticeably. More confident, yes; More polished, indeed. Like a fine red wine, he has matured well.

One thing becomes clear when talking to Helmut - he does not take his fans for granted. He knows that he owes his ‘fame and fortune’ not only to the fact that he is a gifted singer, talented and charismatic performer, and an inexhaustible worker, but also to the loyalty and ongoing support from his fans.

I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I enjoyed it!

Cathy Retief-Neil - Cape Town, South Africa